Customer Reviews

Discovering the Real World of Harry Potter

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Saw it on PBS. Great program! Lots of information on what was the inspiration of the author. Visits "real world" locations in England that inspired author. Especially liked the real-life boarding school like Hogwart's.

This DVD contained a lot of interesting information on real background events contained in the Harry Potter series. The author's childhood home with the cupboard under the stairs. A childhood playmate named Potter. The real N. Flamel. Also includes fun extras.

This is, as advertized, a PBS special about the possible origins of some of the "Harry Potter" mythology. The production values are on a par with that kind of show - a bit interesting.
What I found so very disappointing was the fact that ALL of the "Special Features" were nothing more than the original show cut differently with an extra 30+ seconds of new material thrown in here and there (perhaps a whole 10 minutes more in total?) The extra material looked like deleted scenes from the original.
I would not have purchased this DVD had I known that.

I got this DVD for myself and my 4 obsessed children, hoping to see more of the real places mentioned in the books - like a little travelogue perhaps, as well as more about the author, and some discussion of the myriad references to mythology in the books. There was some of that, but there was also a great deal of a fellow in robes calling himself "The White Witch" talking about wicca and how his wand works, etc., which was not at all what I was looking for. I wound up not letting the children watch it at all, as the good did not balance out the bad.

Hugh Laurie,currently famous as the cynical doctor on "House" and Stephen Fry's comical foil on "Jeeves and Wooster",provides narration for this "special" about the "real" world of Harry Potter. As a narrator, Laurie is wonderful. He has an expressive voice,and is clearly having fun, despite the boring script.

There are tours of Oxford, Cambridge, English boarding schools, even an interview with a so-called "white witch" who claims broom-riding powers(???) It sounds more exciting than it is.

Seeing this on PBS,I found it terribly boring. JK Rowling's sources of inspiration are pretty clear,and this travelogue is a waste of time.

I was hoping that this video would have done 2 things: 1, given me a bit of a tour of the filming locations, like Christ's Church, Gloucester Cathedral, Glenfinnan Viaduct, and more and 2. given me a bit of history that led to the book, both mythic in telling and in real locations like Wookey Hole Cave. Basically, I wanted a fan tour without having to pay the 2-3K it costs to actually do that. Instead, I was given sort of "this is the junk we have in our pocket" presentation. It's not worth your money, unless you're REALLY interested in listening to some guy who calls himself the "white witch" babel on about proper broom flying technique. I suppose the author date should have clued me in that it wasn't likely too be all that useful, but I'm still disappointed (to the point I signed on to author this review), and I watched this for free.

It is an alright documentary. But if you are any kind of a "Pot-head" (i.e. a serious Potter/Rowling fan) you won't find anything really new in here it was filmed in 2001. Still it is nicely filmed and excellent narrations by Hugh Laurie.

We liked the movie very well. It is always interesting to learn whats behind something that is popular.

This is a fun addition to my ever-growing Harry Potter collection. The background information provided is interesting and fun. Pottermaniacs will enjoy learning about the very real stuff that support the Harry Potter stories and mystique.

Most fans of Harry Potter (books or films) will enjoy this documentary. I believe I saw it either on PBS or on a discovery channel type TV channel. While it suggests that it will uncover how Harry Potter exists in the real world, it actually covers related topics quite well for children and family viewing. You learn more about related topics, but always from a springboard of discussing Harry Potter's settings, people, objects or practices.
As mentioned, the narration is very good and the program is quite entertaining. However, one should not be expecting to see any clips from the HP movies here, nor is this a Harry Potter tale. This is an exploration of the subject matter that Harry Potter's world is drawn from.
Still, it's great fun for HP fans and families, and I wouldn't hesitate to order one up. Just realize that it isn't one of the movies. (See other reviews above, as they are all quite accurate!) PS: I watched the whole thing LIVE on tv and tapped it on an old VHS...tried to get my two HP fan kids to watch it, but they didn't get into it as much as I thought they might. "It's OK Dad, but can we go out and play now?" "Why did you make us watch that DAD?" Guess it can't be all bad if they want to go play instead of sit glued to the TV all day, eh?