simply distracted. But sometimes we also crave the
kind of lavish visual extravaganza known as specta-
cle. Cinema’s unique capacity for conjuring fantas-
tic images and action has enticed audiences since
the silent film era. The abundance of on-screen
magic that the Harry Pottermovies provide has
almost certainly contributed to the series’ com-
mercial success. And that success was aided by for-
tuitous timing. The movie adaptations began at a
time when the film industry was entering a digital
revolution. As the story and characters grew
increasingly sophisticated, so did special effects.
Technology advanced to meet each new install-
ment’s demands for greater cinematic wizardry.
The visual extravaganza culminates in Harry Potter
and The Deathly Hallows: Part 2. The final episode
delivers a roller-coaster chase sequence atop a run-
away dragon, an epic battle sequence, a race to
escape an animate (and animated) firestorm, and a
wand duel to the death, all in 3-D.
Of course, it takes more than spectacle to satisfy
millions of viewers—especially for eight consecutive
movies. Some of the series’ most engaging scenes
employ a far more subtle approach to cinematic
storytelling. Let’s close this introduction with a for-
mal analysis of an unassuming but effective scene
created specifically for the film Harry Potter and The
Deathly Hallows: Part 1.
Frustrated and exhausted by worry and jeal-
ousy, Ron has walked out—leaving Harry and
Hermione to carry on without him. They’re on the
run, and their quest to find and destroy a series of
enchanted objects (aka horcruxes) that safeguard
the evil lord’s soul is going nowhere. In this scene,
an impromptu dance momentarily breaks the
oppressive tension and reaffirms and defines
Harry and Hermione’s friendship.
The opening shot [1] is the widest—in other
words, it shows us the most space. We see the inte-
rior of Harry and Hermione’s dreary tent, as well
as the literal (and figurative) distance between the
troubled friends. The figures’ relative small size in
relation to the space between and around them
helps convey a sense of vulnerability. Harry trudges
to his chair and sits to face Hermione, who does
not return his gaze. Instead, she stares at Ron’s
abandoned radio. Other than muffled wind andis a Christ figure of sorts. Perhaps this resem-
blance accounts for at least some of Harry’s reso-
nance with audiences. After all, he’s not just
anointed, questioned, betrayed, and redeemed.
He also sacrifices himself, dies, and is resur-
rected. In the final film, Harry and Dumbledore’s
radiant reunion on a luminous train platform visu-
ally reinforces the comparison.
A cultural analysis of the Potter phenomenon
might investigate if (and if so, how) these religious
allusions influence the millions of viewers who have
experienced the movies. Do audiences identify
with Christian themes, or is the power of Potter
purely narrative and cinematic? Many religiously-
conservative critics of the series contend that the
relationship between Harry Potter and Christianity
is adversarial, not associative. They argue that the
movies glamorize the occult and thus lure young
people away from traditional religious values.
Other observers argue that the fictional witchcraft
of the Potterfilms is nothing more than an endorse-
ment of imagination and individuality.
We go to the movies for many reasons: to
immerse ourselves in stories; to identify with inter-
esting characters; to be enlightened or moved or
26 CHAPTER 1LOOKING AT MOVIES
Harry Potter as Christ figureKey narrative elements in
the Harry Potterfilms may resonate with viewers familiar
with Christian scripture. A ruthless despot attempts to
destroy an innocent infant. Years later, the seemingly
ordinary boy is revealed as a chosen one with a special
destiny. He endures self-doubt and temptation; ultimately he
must sacrifice himself and rise from the dead to save the
world from evil. In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows:
Part 2, the filmmakers visualize the allegory by flooding the
scene following Harry’s temporary death with white light. The
look of the heavenly “King’s Cross” station suggests a certain
divine transcendence and differentiates the events portrayed
there from the rest of the movie, which is literally and
figuratively quite dark.