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Harry Potter Hype: it’s everywhere! Since the movie is coming out today and the book is coming out in a week, the Hogwarts phenomenon is at full-throttle here in England. Yesterday I went to the Christ Church College grounds in an attempt to visit the hall I’d heard so much about, but I couldn’t get in at first because they were filming the next Harry Potter movie. The line for the door was hundreds of people long because they weren’t admitting visitors until the filming ended. Since I am a student at Exeter (and, therefore, technically NOT a visitor), they let me in the side door as long as I went straight through and didn’t disturb the filming. I snapped a shot as I passed through the quad. I don’t think there’s anyone famous in my picture, but you can tell they were doing something in that corner with the graduation robes!
Today I went back to Christ Church so I could actually go inside the buildings. I saw the hall where they film the meal scenes for all the Harry Potter movies. Alas, I was disappointed to discover they add the sky ceiling and floating candelabras with the computer ;+) And the sorting hat wasn’t there either! Despite the absence of the Hogwarts props, the place somehow manages to stand on its own. The hall is certainly grand, and the vaulted ceiling is incredible. The long tables and all the large framed portraits add an imposing characteristic to the room. I can see why the producers would have chosen that setting for the first movie - and why they keep coming back!
Christ Church College has the distinction of being the only school in Oxford to have a cathedral; the other schools have only chapels. The cathedral is beautiful and the central window is supposedly modeled after the Chartres Cathedral in France. This window is of Jonah (no whale, though) and the city of Ninerva. The pamphlet I read pointed out the interesting fact that only the face of Jonah is actually made of stained glass. The rest of the window is painted glass. To me, there is no difference! But I suppose an artist would respond to that the same way I would respond to people saying they see no difference between a noun and a verb! =)Lecture Notes: One of the premier Jane Austen experts spoke today. She wrote the introductions to the Oxford World Classics editions of Pride and Prejudice and Emma. Her lecture on power and politeness in Austen’s novels was absolutely incredible. For the first time in this programme, I hardly took any notes because I was listening so intently the whole time!
Date: 12 July, 2007
Location: Oxford
Highlights:
- learning to use the video component of the digital camera (I’ve got big plans for a movie of my trip compiling pictures, video, and music!) – p.s. thanks for the loan of the camera, Mom! =)
- getting approval for my essay topic from my High Victorian prof
- standing in the hall where Harry Potter was filmed (I’m not an obsessed fan, but it is still fun to see where they film something famous)
- coming across film sets for two other movies that are currently being shot in Oxford (with all the old buildings, it is a very popular location for filming!)
Thought of the Day: I originally fell for Jane Austen’s novels when I was in high school because of the story lines, the characters who dealt with the limits of their societies, the use of humour, and the romantic ideals, but I am developing a sincere respect for the author’s incredible use of language to examine the subtleties of social roles, political agendas, and power struggles in the era. And I love that I can still enjoy the story while analysing the intentions behind it.
