Thursday, July 5, 2007

Harry Potter Premiere

Thousands of fans brave the rain in order to catch a glimpse of their favorite character/actor in the new installment of the Harry Potter films. The premiere of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix was held in London in Leister Square. Mostly screaming young girls idolizing the male actors while they walked the line of carpet to the inside of the theater. Posters displayed on the metal barricades that advertised the movie and its release date. I was standing fairly far away from the blockades and it made it difficult to witness the entire premiere that I would otherwise be able to see on television. However, I observed the actors walking to the fences where they fans stood in order to sign autographs. Mostly the Harry Potter books are the items the fans had brought in order to obtain the actors signature. Witnessing this event in person is similar to viewing it on television. From everything to the cameras, news teams, photographers, and chaos, it was all present. However, instead of watching it in the comfort of my own house, embracing the downpour of rain made the premiere more eventful. Due to the fact that I will remember how terribly cold it was during this premiere and my wishful thinking of wanting it to stop raining. Nevertheless, it began to rain violently with sounds of thunder and flashes of lighting arose. This did not stop the fans however; the anticipation exceeded the weather and the hours of waiting in order to achieve the pure pleasure of seeing their idols in person. The experience alone was fulfilling in itself because the movies are incredible, but mostly because the books are coming to life on screen and I’m able to see the actors. The Harry Potter franchise is gradually becoming as enormous as the Star Wars series, where the many devoted fans watch in admiration and some even dress up as the characters in the movie. A cultural phenomenon that appeals to people everywhere in the world exceeds any other film to date. The mere satisfaction that the fans acquire was an experience that I have never seen until that day. Movies today have an overwhelming effect on the people who watch the films. These fans become absolutely fixated on the actors and nothing can prevent them from being present at a once in a lifetime event. It appears that the fans in London and the U.S. rival each other to who are the better fanatics and more thrilled to see their heroes.

No comments: