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The Wizards and Fans Grow Up Together
July 15, 2009 9:10 AM
ABC News On Campus Reporter Toby Phillips blogs:
It's movie No. 6 and the Harry Potter franchise flew back into full swing this morning with the release of "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince."
As the Potter books and movies have grown into a worldwide phenomenon, the wizard's fans have grown up.
Back in the late '90s, the Harry Potter books were in the hands of schoolchildren across the country.
Now, years later, those same schoolchildren aren't heading home to study after school. Instead, they're hanging out at the bar near campus before waiting in line for a midnight movie release.
"The routine changes every year," said Krista Moring, 19. "College kids do all sorts of crazy things."
It's those college kids that packed theaters in Tempe, Ariz., last night. Some dressed in their best wizard outfits. Some waited for hours to see the next chapter of their favorite characters.
"I feel like I'm one of the original generation of Harry Potter lovers," said Nichole Proctor, 20, as she camped out in front of the theatre with her friends and a game of UNO.
"I was eight when the first book came out," Proctor said. "It's nostalgic."
Organizers at the theatre estimated that more than 60 percent of the midnight moviegoers were near the age of 20.
And these young adults like Arizona State University student, Andy Barba, 19, say they've come to know Harry Potter pretty well.
"Harry Potter is our friend," Barba said. "We grew up with him; we know him; we connect."
While the college crowd seems to be flocking to the Potter movies, the outing is still very much a family affair. The latest is rated a modest PG, which has more parents willing to bring their kids to the theater.
But it's those college kids that camped out all day, saying they feel a certain connection to magic and to the past. "I feel like it's our generation's Star Wars," Proctor said.
Online ticket pre-sales for the movie were on a record pace.
And Proctor says there's nothing like a little Harry Potter magic to cure a case of summer boredom.
"Look at all the people here," she said. "It's like an event. It's more than just movies."
July 15, 2009 in Film | Permalink | Share | User Comments (0)
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