10th anniversary of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows film

[HelenaRavenclaw]

I just realised that tomorrow marks ten years since the final film in the Harry Potter sequence came out. I can't believe it has already been 10 years since that day (15 July 2011) -- feels like only yesterday when I went to see Deathly Hallows Part 2 with my friends in my teens, not much apart in age from Harry and his friends. Being a 'purist' fan of the books, I was not too keen on the earlier films but I really enjoyed Deathly Hallows 1 and 2 because they were surprisingly faithful to the book (of course having twice as much time as the previous films helped!). It was the end of the golden era of Harry Potter. (Recent spin-off rubbish like Cursed Child and Fantastic Beasts don't count!)

Harry Potter has been a constant solace and safe inner retreat during the pandemic which has taken many people both family and friends away from me and left me uncertain about my career. I have found myself longing for those precious days of excitement when a new HP book or film would be released. I have been flooded with nostalgia and just cannot believe 10 years have already passed since the last film! Just wanted to share my feelings here; would love to hear about others' memories and nostalgia for the days of reading/seeing the HP books/films as they came out!

No way!

It was such an integral part of my (now adult) childrens' lives. It really did add a lot of magic.

Will always be a fan.

Wow

I'm old

I'm a huge fan, got the books and watched the films at first opportunity, think I watched the DH films at an Imax, but I'm actually surprised it was only 10 years ago!

Wow! Time really does fly. I was slightly too old to be part of the proper Potter generation. In fact I wasn’t interested at all and wondered what all the hype was about. I then read the first book to my little brother - very much at his request - who was really ill on holiday. And was hooked!

I queued at midnight for the Deathly Hallows book. Remember getting it home and needing to be up in the morning but finding it so hard to put down! Also had to resist the urge to flick to the end to see what happened…

I agree that the Deathly Hallows were the best of the films - as you say, they had more time to stay true to the books. Although I absolutely hated the ending. The weird Harry / Voldemort flying and clawing at each other thing had nothing like the meaning and tension of the original scene in the Great Hall. And don’t get me started on Voldemort crumbling dramatically when the fact that he was human and mundane in death like any other man was such a key point to the story!

Sorry you’ve had such a rough time during the pandemic. How wonderful that Harry Potter was able to give you such solace. I bet JKR is hugely proud of all the people that HP means so much to

I read the title and thought "Nonsense".

Then I had to remind myself "That's right Glenda you are actually 32"

DH and I went to an early screening the morning it came out then brunch afterward to dissect and argue/agree over every scene. It was wonderful :o

I've just started reading the first book to my 6yo daughter. Parenting goals!

Oh that's taken me back! I remember ordering the last books to be delivered first thing on the release date and taking the day off to spend all day reading them. No online spoilers then! With the last book I bought it at midnight and stayed up til 3am reading. I was young and single and so happy back then!

Where has the time gone?

That's such a lovely feeling isn't it, Orange?

DS1(13) became a huge fan. Every now and again, out of nowhere, we will stop and quiz each other.

It's also been great fun shopping for various HP-themed Christmas gifts. :o

I'm feeling old. I met Daniel Radcliffe just before he started filming on part 1 of the Deathly Hallows. Never seen the films or read the books, but I know it got a lot of children reading who might otherwise have read a lot less (and adults too).

The treatment J.K.Rowling has received over the last year or so has been disgraceful.

@Sandsnake

Wow! Time really does fly. I was slightly too old to be part of the proper Potter generation. In fact I wasn’t interested at all and wondered what all the hype was about. I then read the first book to my little brother - very much at his request - who was really ill on holiday. And was hooked!

I queued at midnight for the Deathly Hallows book. Remember getting it home and needing to be up in the morning but finding it so hard to put down! Also had to resist the urge to flick to the end to see what happened…

I agree that the Deathly Hallows were the best of the films - as you say, they had more time to stay true to the books. Although I absolutely hated the ending. The weird Harry / Voldemort flying and clawing at each other thing had nothing like the meaning and tension of the original scene in the Great Hall. And don’t get me started on Voldemort crumbling dramatically when the fact that he was human and mundane in death like any other man was such a key point to the story!

Sorry you’ve had such a rough time during the pandemic. How wonderful that Harry Potter was able to give you such solace. I bet JKR is hugely proud of all the people that HP means so much to

Thank you @Sandsnake. I completely agree with you about the over-sensationalised, unnecessary-action-and-effects-infused ending where Harry and Voldemort face off. I remember my friend (who was not a voracious reader and preferred films anyway) telling me that day (as we queued for the ladies toilet after the film ended - - I still remember!) that she really enjoyed the slow motion scene where Harry and Voldemort were inching towards their wands (made up for the film, obviously). I felt very annoyed at my friend (but didn't express it) and thought to myself that such cinematic fabrications truly do pander to the superficial action-crazy crowds who don't appreciate the literary depth of the books!

The film used the silly 'crumbling to death' visual effect for Bellatrix's demise at Molly's hands as well and it bothered me so much! In the book, JKR even explicitly writes Bellatrix's death using the same language and imagery as she did for Sirius' death in Book 5, as though to reinforce the point that justice is finally being served.

I might change my name to really bloody old, I was 30! I did enjoy reading them but I think I’m too old to be of that generation.

I can still remember taking our little girl to see Philosopher’s Stone at the cinema in Truro. First night, full house, the anticipation was crackly.
The inconsistencies with the book were apparent in the first 5 minutes but we’ve never before or since felt such goodwill and a sort of general collective longing for a film to succeed as we did that evening.
The whole audience stood up and applauded at the end. Magic and a fabulous memory.
Shes 27 now with a babe of her own!!!!!

(Still so sad about Alan Rickman, just loved him in everything he did: I knew Snape was a good ‘un the moment he shielded the children at the Whomping Willow).

@newnortherner111 You should definitely read the books! Trust me, Harry Potter is an epic like no other (much better than Lord of the Rings, Song of Ice and Fire, etc), with its brilliant juxtaposition of humour and pathos.

@MrsSkylerWhite

I can still remember taking our little girl to see Philosopher’s Stone at the cinema in Truro. First night, full house, the anticipation was crackly. The inconsistencies with the book were apparent in the first 5 minutes but we’ve never before or since felt such goodwill and a sort of general collective longing for a film to succeed as we did that evening. The whole audience stood up and applauded at the end. Magic and a fabulous memory. Shes 27 now with a babe of her own!!!!!

Awh, what a lovely post.

I spent the whole day quietly weeping as the premiere show was aired It's was very emotional

I'm very lucky however as I now work at the studio tour ❤️

I don't like the films as much as the books and tbh I think you can only appreciate the films if you have knowledge of the books.

However the continuity (or lack of) in the books drives me potty, especially in regards to the whomping willow.

But are you the true descendant of Slitherin, Morfin?
I agree with both the books being better than the films and the inconsistencies driving me potty. My own personal bugbears are:
The trace(everything about it!)
Animagus and no wand lore.
The wolfsbane potion and Lockhart's waga werewolf charm.

But despite those annoyances they are the most amazing books.

Slytherin*

I am indeed the true descendant but having been disallowed from attending Hogwarts I have no idea when the bloody willow was actually planted, or how come Molly Weasley said it was planted after her time, when Snape says its a 50 year old tree, but Lupin said it was planted so he could attend Hogwarts, which would mean James and Lily Potter was 49 when they had Harry?

Agree about the Trace and also that Dumbledore appoints such poor quality teachers.

Still love them.

Deathly hallows Part 2 did the '19 Years Later' epilogue scene pretty accurately, despite the sensationalised death of Voldemort. It was a bittersweet feeling indeed to see that scene at the cinema 10 years ago...knowing that the 'golden trio' will never grace our screens again as children.

Snape says its a 50 year old tree, but Lupin said it was planted so he could attend Hogwarts

Well, clearly they dug up a 40 year old tree and replanted it. Accio Tree!

@Lancelottie that would actually make sense lol! Perhaps trees can be magically shrunk or aged forwards/backwards at will. Then a 50 year old tree could be magically reduced to a sapling, transported to a new place for replanting, then magically grown back again.

Or is Snape just bad at maths? After all wizards don't do secondary level maths.
The other thing is, are all wizard and witch kids home schooled before Hogwarts? I mean Ron shows too much ignorance of the Muggle world to have gone to primary school like Harry.