Flyer News •Friday, November 19, 2010
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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2010 VOL. 58 NO. 17 BEN GIRMANN Illustrator Last installment in ‘Harry Potter’ series hits theaters today FRANK STANKO A&E Editor More than thirteen years ago, on June 30, 1997, the first 500 copies of a book series’ first entry were published. Since then, that series went on to have six sequels in just over 10 years, to be adapt- ed for movies eight times within a decade, to launch the careers of many child actors, and to break records in terms of book sales and film grosses. Today, Warner Brothers released “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1,” the first install- ment in a two-part adaptation of the last book in the “Harry Potter” series. In the course of six previous films, audiences have met Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe), a young wizard whose studies at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry have prepared him for defense against the powers of the evil Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes). Last year’s “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” made a record-breaking $394 million in five See Harry Potter on p. 2 2 NEWS Flyer News •Friday, November 19, 2010 of Warner Bros.’ ‘Harry Potter Monnier said she plans to see HARRY POTTER and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1,’” a “Thursday night/Friday morn- (cont. from p. 1) for which she is currently seeking “The books are not too timely. They’re in the ing” showing of “Harry Potter a publisher. and the Deathly Hallows Part 1” days. Only “Avatar” made more Strand said the series’ staying same vein of classic English literature, but in theaters. money that year. power comes from its emotional “It’s better with the theater ex- But just as important as the resonance. perience,” she said. “But when “Harry Potter” series’ mate- “When you read these books, contain that postmodern feeling of living in you’re at home, you can do the rial success is the series’ intan- you feel like you’re along for the marathon of movies.” gible strengths. For children and ride,” she said. “I started reading the margins, of having flawed characters as Geers, who said he watched the adults, the series provides an them during my first year in grad entire series on DVDs, wasn’t sure evolving storyline, with parallels school, and I was reading them re- heroes and heroines. ” where to place “Harry Potter” in to everyday life, creating an over- ally in a childlike way. My niece, the context of fantasy writing. all resonance. who first read the books at 8 and “I’m always hesitant to describe “Fantasy teaches us lessons, is now 11, told her mom, ‘OK, I’m Emily Strand, J.K. Rowling as an innovator,” he and the fact that the series runs ready to be obsessed with ‘Harry Director of Liturgies, UD Campus Ministry said. “She’s had 50 years of prior seven years is actually very reso- Potter’ now.’ And I know she’s go- fantasy writing to draw upon. The nant with the church’s teachings,” ing to look at things differently at stories are not necessarily unorig- James Farrelly, director of the age 18.” fascinating to see how the phras- aptation, material gets removed. inal, but it’d be nice if Rowling University of Dayton’s film stud- Loretta Geiger, general book ing and terms change. Overall, I Look at ‘Pride and Prejudice.’ and her fans would reference this ies program, said. “At age 7, we’re supervisor for the UD Bookstore, love the good versus evil story.” There was enough for an extreme- history.” told to go to confession, as then we said as of Wednesday, Nov. 17, the Jeff Geers, an instructor in the ly faithful BBC adaptation of the Strand defended Rowling. have reason. At 14, we’re teenag- store is currently selling the book film studies department at UD, book, and I think somewhere “[Rowling’s] said she based the ers. At 21, we’re adults. Along the “Harry Potter and the Deathly noted the evolution of the “Pot- down the line, we will have a re- books on what was in the ‘com- way, there’s a loss of innocence, Hallows” for 60 percent off. ter” films. telling of ‘Harry Potter.’” post heap’ of her mind,” she said. an encounter with the dark forces “It’s been the men, the sopho- “The change in tones has been Farrelly also agrees that the “And the books are the result in everyday life. And these char- mores, who’ve been buying cop- very clear,” he said. “They went books and films can coexist. of that. She’s been fed so much acters learn how to control these ies,” she said. “They say, ‘I’m real- from these early, bright films to “[The books] grow stronger good stuff. The books are not too forces, often without realizing ly thrilled; I’m adding this [book] some pretty dark stuff. They had with re-reading,” he said. “When timely. They’re in the same vein they’re heroic.” to my collection.’” the ‘PGest’ of American film di- you go from age 9 to age 14, you of classic English literature, but Emily Strand, director of litur- Ruth-Anne Monnier, a salesper- rectors, Chris Columbus [who know more about the evils around contain that postmodern feeling gies for UD’s campus ministry and son at the UD Bookstore, said she directed “Harry Potter and the you, and it draws you to go back of living in the margins, of having an instructor in the religious stud- has read the “Potter” books mul- Sorcerer’s Stone” and the “Harry and re-read [them]. I don’t feel flawed characters as heroes and ies department, is also the author tiple times. Potter and the Chamber of Se- like the films have dominated heroines.” of the article, “Where Your Trea- “I’ve got a British edition of the crets”], and then this relatively how the characters are viewed. Monnier said she’ll be sad about sure Is: a reflection on the release seventh one,” she said. “It’s very dark and obscure Mexican art- Sometimes, actors overstate and the film series ending in July 2011. house director, Alfonso Cuarón become the only way to look at a “The classic story of good and [who directed “Harry Potter and character, the only way to take evil is timeless,” she said. “It’s not the Prisoner of Azkaban”], and them, but these actors under- focused on a period. [The books still kept the audience’s support. stand.” and movies] go together and hit One of the best analogies I can Whether watching the movies at all the key points.” think of is the ‘James Bond’ se- home or in a theater, the actors’ The characters in the “Harry ries, which maintains box office strengths come through, Geers Potter” series have continued to support while changing its cre- said. spark the public’s attention, well ative teams.” “The best part of the experience beyond the span of 13 years and For Strand, extensive compari- still comes from the primary nar- 500 copies. sons between the books and films rative,” he said. “Sure, there’s a Fans and observers are confi- are pointless. slight loss from not attending the dent that despite the film series “J.K. Rowling said it best: ‘They midnight showing, but the way ending, the characters, messages – the directors – know film. I know technology and TVs are, it’s not and story will live on. books,’” Strand said. “In any ad- too far removed.” “It’s a new generation, and cell phones are all the rage. Just like cassette tapes and VCRs, all things phase out. But what’s going to come after cell phones?” FN BLOG Global Connection weather TODAY SATURDAY SUNDAY (Source: www.nws.noaa.gov) 50/35 57/41 59/47 In case you haven’t seen the ceiling of the Great Hall Sunny. Mostly sunny. Partly sunny. this morning, the weekend’s sunny conditions will be perfect for the Gryffindor vs. Hufflepuff Quidditch NEWS 3 Flyer News •Friday, November 19, 2010 NCR property provides space for new tennis courts, valued at $800,000 past five years, according to Owens. MEAGAN MARION Assistant News Editor When the university purchased the NCR Corp. land, the space opened The University of Dayton has up as a possible location for the fa- opened a new tennis complex com- cility. plete with six courts and other fa- Chelsea Glankler, senior fine arts cilities for the men’s and women’s major and a member of the wom- tennis teams as well as students, en’s tennis team, said she appreci- faculty and staff, marking the uni- ates the new addition and change versity’s first big project on the for- of scenery. mer NCR Corp. land. “The women’s tennis team has The outdoor tennis complex, been anticipating the new courts located on Caldwell Street be- since the beginning of my fresh- tween Main and Brown Streets, is man year back in 2007,” Glankler equipped with bleachers, landscap- said. “Now it’s my senior year, and ing, bathrooms and locker rooms. we finally have courts. ... The old The $800,000 project was partly courts were more of a parks and funded through a donor, who felt recreation site with minimal seat- the UD community should have ing, crumbling courts, no wind readily accessible tennis courts on screens and no bathrooms.” site, according to university offi- Members of the men’s and wom- cials. en’s tennis teams attended the rib- “For athletics and the univer- bon cutting ceremony last week to sity community, this means a lot,” launch their long-awaited new ten- said Joe Owens, associate director nis space.