Tim Kennington

Yes….

The countdown begins. The video is 99% ready and almost in our hands. And it’ll be with you this time next week

7 days

The countdown begins now

Despite writing a song which contains an entire verse about how we are not on Twitter…

WE ARE NOW ON TWITTER

So you can follow us for musings, gigs, drunken declarations of our love to you and pictures of Richard in various brightly coloured trousers

Testing phone app

So, over the weekend I went and sat in front of the biggest screen in the history of screens (or something) and watched the new Harry Potter film. The first thing I learnt is this:

YOU DO NOT NEED TO GO AND SEE THE HARRY POTTER IMAX EXPERIENCE

There is none…. The 3D added literally nothing to the film (though the trailers and IMAX promotional stuff were very exciting) and the film looked quite grainy from being blown up so big.

However, as a film, I enjoyed it immensely. There are flaws, but there are always flaws with Harry Potter films

There are two things which I have really enjoyed in the history of Harry Potter films, and both of these were well represented in Part 2 (arguably far more than Part 1)

1 The Production Values

The Harry Potter films have always looked beautiful. I have always enjoyed delving into the wizarding world as portrayed on screen. There is something about the mix of the Victorian imagery and modern times. The detail is beautiful and whilst Diagon Alley, The Burrow and Gringotts are all fabulous to look at, the triumph is Hogwarts.

I have always enjoyed exploring Hogwarts. I love seeing the nooks and crannies. The fact that it is a building which celebrates secret passages and quirks. It must have been an incredible set to design - For me, Stuart Craig is the real star of these films. The building is great because it changes, it grows… it has never been set in stone… so to speak. I enjoyed watching the journey it has taken through the films. The most notable addition being the perilous death-trap clock pendulum which appeared in film 3.

So - after watching 7 films in which this world was meticulously and beautifully presented, it was kind of exhilarating to watch the building get smashed up in the epic battle. The destruction began subtly with a beautifully realistic (if that’s the right word) Dragon flight smashing up the London skyline - but it is once it kicks up a gear and we watch Hogwarts crumble that the film finds its true power. I was far more emotional about watching the Great Hall turn into a battleground than any of the casualties of war. Maybe I’m an unfeeling robot.

Which brings me to my second point

2) Every amazing UK actor is in it

Yes… it is true that for the most part of it we have followed a bunch of kids who can’t act. And whilst Neville Longbottom has become decidedly badass…. he is still not the greatest actor (though probably the best of a weak bunch). You can see this in the end coda where Daniel Radcliff is out-acting by the small boy playing his son. Awkward.

However, the films have always been full of fabulous cast and in this film EVERYONE returns. Maggie Smith finally gets a scene to be utterly awesome and show what an amazing talent she is. But the real stars are Ralph Fiennes - who becomes far more dangerous as his character becomes weaker - and Alan Rickman. Rickman has always been incredible, drip feeding every syllable of Snape’s dialogue to a hungry audience. As we finally learn Snape’s secret, we get to see Rickman at his full power. A fabulous scene and some incredible acting…

But whilst Smith and Rickman triumph, others have LITERALLY NOTHING TO DO. Spare a thought for Miriam Margolyes’ Professor Sprout and Gemma Jones’ Nurse Pomfrey.

So yeah…. basically - it isn’t going to change the world and it isn’t the best Harry Potter film out there. But it is a fast paced and entertaining watch. Let the spectacle of it all wash over you and prefer a treat when you see Draco’s beard and Ron’s beer belly. What joy