I am just going to have to watch Harry Potter aren't I?

[Highlighta]

My closest friend is having her 50th this year. I am a few years older than her, so I am not sure if this contributes to my lack of knowledge on the subject.

She is quite Harry Potter mad. She watches the films over again every now and then also has themed objects, like Le Creuset dishes and the likes.

She is having a Harry Potter party, I am not too shocked about this. The thing is, I have never watched Harry Potter, it just isn't something that ever appealed to me.

She chats to me about her party plans and is bouncing things off of me, and tbh I do not have a clue about half the stuff. I suggested something food wise and so she said, well actually that doesn't fit in with the theme 😂

She is a great friend and I would love to help her. But that means I am going to have to watch the films now I think. I have to dress up too, so I could pop along to the costume hire place and ask them to suggest something, but then I think I would be being a bit of a fraud not knowing who I am.

So I need advice. Do I need to watch them all? If I just watch the first one will that sum it all up? Or should I rather just watch the last one, and try fill in gaps, so I am a bit caught up.

Please don't suggest the books either. I think that seems way more torturous.

but then I think I would be being a bit of a fraud not knowing who I am.
you are massively overthinking this.
google Harry Potter party
Google Harry Potter party food - send suggestions to your friend that way.
you could Google which ‘house’ you should belong to and pick one. It’ll take 2 mins. Then get a costume to match that. Or simply buy whatever costume is cheap and in your size and then Google after to find out about it.
However, it’s a party not an exam, you don’t have to know all the details.

that said Harry Potter is great and you may really enjoy the books or movies.

Snide people love to imply (or actually say) that adults who enjoy Harry Potter or other children’s books/films must be stupid or immature (or have a brain injury, according to the delightful poster upthread). They must know this isn't true though. HP is very widely popular with adults, many of whom are perfectly intelligent and well-adjusted and also read plenty of adult fiction. Oxbridge MFL degree here (and no brain injury ). I read 'proper' literature in 4 languages. I also absolutely love Harry Potter.

A good story is a good story, regardless of its theoretical target audience. HP is no doubt more interesting and engaging than the tripe aimed at adults that some of the sneerers probably read.

Jesus Christ, how absolutely vile!
I’d rather be a 50 year old having a “child’s party” than have such an ugly view of people’s choices. In what universe do you think that would be an appropriate comment?! Disgusting 🤮
ETA: Quote didn't quote, my post is referring to the despicable “brain injury” post

Get the Libby app, if you don't already have it. Link one of your library cards to it then you can get the audiobooks for free. I've never seen the films, but I'm pretty near word perfect on the books from the audiobooks alone. I only got into them because of dc but the first 4 are a nice relaxing listen of an evening. They get darker after that.

There are only 7 books, the last one was made into two films.

To those looking down their nose at adult HP fans I think you forget that the people these books were initially written for - 11/12 year olds - are now almost 40.

For many it was a formative experience in their early teens - it encouraged many to read who might not otherwise and the whole hype of midnight releases has never been a thing since.

Did you ever read Mallory Towers or similar? Its basically the same but with magic.... Boarding school, adventures and japes. Main group of friends who are 'good', and then some 'enemies'. Pupils divided into 'houses' with their own common room. There's a school sport that one of the main characters is good at and features occasionally. Some of the teachers are mean. Others are lovely.

But your easiest option would be to read book 1, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. It is quite short, and an easy read. The books get longer and more complex as they go on. I too had a deep resistance to reading them, but caved in after a couple of years and found that I actually enjoyed them

There is nothing wrong with liking Harry potter but if a close friend of mine had to do research for a party I wanted to have I would think I had lost the plot

I was in Dunelm the other day and noticed they had masses of Harry Potter stuff in their sale btw.

The research is minimal. As PPs have said, black robes will do. Or a prissy housewife outfit to be Aunt Petunia. I know going as a Muggle might be seen as a copout, but since OP really doesn't know about any of this, she could be quite a fun addition if she really plays it up!

The books are great - I did not care for the films. Audio books are a good way to access the world, I listened in America and Jim Dale read them, but I hear the Stephen Fry version was great. The world building is amazing.

I think it was when the fourth book hit the shelves and the hype over it, queues outside Waterstones, two editions - one with a cover for children and one for adults so they weren't embarrassed to be seen reading it on their commute came about that I thought I must go find out what this is all about and got the first 3 second-hand to catch up. My time the first film was out DSD was living with us, I had passed the books to her and we went up to LS Odeon to watch the film big screen. Now I loved the books, the film, whilst good in how they bought the books to life, was dire - re the kids acting

Yes I have the full collection of books, DSD has read them, the first DGS has and now DGD has picked them up and she too is enjoying them

I grew up with Enid Blyton books, I still get as much pleasure reading those now at 60 as I did as a 10 year old and I still enjoy HP

No brain injury, just the brains to understand a bit of escapism and good overcoming evil is good for the soul

The irony is that not understanding the concept of a book with broad appeal across ages is not the sign of an intelligent, inquiring mind...quite the opposite.

Sorry haven't read the full thread. But I also vote for the audiobook.

Stephen Fry is an excellent narrator.

I am surprised with children in their 20s you managed not to see any! Although it does seem to be people that are 30s now that were mad about it. Myself included, I was the same age as Harry/ Ron/ Hermione when the first movie came out. It is actually what kicked off my love of reading. I was bought the 1st book when I was 10 and finished it.

If you are going to watch any I would start with the 1st you really won't have a clue who's who etc if you skip it. The books + movies gradually progress into much darker/ deeper areas as you go along the series

I'm not a fan in the slightest either but I have ended up having to watch some of the films/bits of the films here and there due to being at others houses or them being on over Christmas and others watching them. Tbh they're not that bad a watch, there's some funny things in them.

This thread reminds me of costume hunting for primary school book days, long holiday car journey's listening to Stephen Fry - Happy Days.

The ideas of going as a Muggle, or Aunt Petunia, and also not going but saying you were there in an invisibility cloak made me laugh.

I think googling for pictures of the characters is your best bet.

@AllProperTeaIsTheft whilst I agree that perfectly intelligent people can and do read HP you lost your argument by sneering at ‘the tripe’ some people read.
If you’re as clever as you present yourself here then you’ll know that books are written for others to enjoy (mostly) and if the reader does enjoy them then they’ve served their purpose.
I prefer anything by Graham Greene and for me his writing style is superb. That’s my personal opinion though and I don’t expect others to agree.
If someone wants to read 50 Shades of Grey then at least they’re reading and enjoying a book. It’s not for me to judge.

I have in the past when stuck in a cottage read a Mills & Boon rather than have no reading material at all, not my first choice but a true reader will read anything at hand imo.

Oh I'm so glad I'm not the only one who thinks this!
I fully understand people like what they like. I like Snoopy, and have many snoopy orientated bits and bobs. But to have a party utterly themed round it? No!

I fully understand people like what they like.

Clearly you don't.

You could as Mrs Weasley. Your hair would work perfectly!

Or go as Tonks. Just wear witch robes and get a fake pig nose.

Thing is the visual styling are mostly derived from the set/costumes/props from the films so reading the books/audio book will not get you most of the information you need.

If I were you I would simply watch the first film and see how you feel about watching the next few if you have the patience for it. They have fantastic sets of nothing else. If you are on a local watsap group there will likely be someone who has a dvd to borrow.

That will get you most of what you need to know as it's unlikely any theme will be based on the darker elements (killing curses and infiri).

For me Harry Potter is just something that continued into adult hood. I was only 9 when I read the first one. The books grew with us.

The story of Harry Potter is absolutely outstandingly good. The films do the books zero justice.

A simple bit of advice for her:

Suggest a sweetie buffet ( a smaller version of the ones they have at weddings sometimes) but include chocolate frogs, jelly beans, bubble gum, chocolate dipped Oreo's and liquorice wands; labelled up as 'jumping chocolate frogs, Bertie Bott's Every-flavour beans, Droobles best Blowing Gum, cauldron cakes, liquorice wands. It's an easy nod to the theme, and if you can lay them out on a wheeled trolley so much the better.

read the wiki plot summaries. That covers most eventualities. Maybe watch the second one after reading the plot summary of the first one. Or listen to the audio books when you are driving. The Jim Dale ones if possible - not Stephen Fry.

Ugh, it would be torturous to watch the movies for me too. I've tried about a dozen times and I get ten minutes in and I fall asleep, no matter what time of day it is. I'm one of the minority non Harry Potter fans. Luckily my DD didn't care for the movies/books either. I would just read a synopsis on it on wikipedia or something just to get a gist of the storyline.