Taking the Harry Potter London Tour – What Can You See?

April 1, 2016 By Toby Isaacson Leave a Comment

The best way to determine the success of a product, whether it’s a movie, book, or TV show, is to pit it against the ruthless passing of time. It’s easy for a certain something to be a one-time hit that will get lost among the tides and replaced by the other future products to come. Harry Potter definitely isn’t one of those one-hit marvels. The tale about a wizard boy destined to defeat an evil wizard lord together with his wizard companions changed the world so much that no matter how many times I write the word “wizard,” I can only think about the series. Sorry, Merlin, maybe fight some basilisks, werewolves, and dementors and give it another shot.

The success of the franchise was a bit surprising, especially considering the fact that J.K. Rowling got turned down by plenty of publications when she presented them her manuscript for Sorcerer’s Stone. Not only did she continue writing six more books after that, but they were also equally brilliantly adapted in a total of eight movies. Speaking of which, it was also the first series to tackle down the now overused “split the last book into two movies” formula that was picked up by other titles of the likes of Twilight, Hunger Games, or Divergent.

But if you thought that all of those things previously mentioned are enough for Harry Potter to leave a long-lasting mark on the history of literature, you were right. However, that didn’t stop the world of witchcraft and wizardry from expanding even further, fortunately for us. As time passes, the tales of Hogwarts are slowly diving into the nostalgic category and, in no time, people who have grown up with the franchise will look back to their childhood series with bittersweet melancholy. The good news is that we can all tame this nostalgic impulse, by going on a Harry Potter London adventure.

Enter the Magical World of Hogwarts (Literally)

If you’re a Potterhead, paying a visit to the Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter is an absolute must. The studios are the heart and foundation of the popular films and they have opened their gates to guests. In exchange for £66 tickets (£61 for children), visitors are able to trek through the original sets where the movies were shot. They showcase everything from unique costumes, props, animatronics, and special effects secrets to an environment that feels so genuine you’ll begin wondering if you’re not a muggle anymore.

There are many things that you will see on the tour, including the sets for the Great Hall, Ollivander’s Wand Shop, the Gryffindor Common Room, Dumbledore’s Office, Umbridge’s Office, Hagrid’s Hut, and plenty of other iconic locations.

To give away just a few of the secrets previously mentioned, there is one particular highlight that is bound to draw gasps from any visitor laying their eyes on it. Built to a 1:24 scale, the original model of Hogwarts is going to make you wonder how anyone could have the patience to craft it so finely and with so much attention to detail. The replica is the original that was used for shots of Hogwarts’ exterior during the first six movies. I’m certain that pretty much all of us didn’t doubt for a second that the castle didn’t actually exist, which makes the mastery of this construction all the more incredible.

If you’re curious about the way the impressive magical creatures were brought to our screens, the studio tour gives you a peek at an 18-foot wide Aragog hanging from the ceiling, an animatronic Buckbeak, and several models that have been used for Dobby the House Elf.

At the end of an eventful tour day like this, visitors that have a decent amount of money can stop at a merchandise shop, which is rich in items of the highest quality. You can buy any of the Horcruxes, polyester scarves for any of the houses, and even sweets. The cheapest item available for grabs is a £3.95 lollipop, with the most expensive one being a high-quality replica of Dumbledore’s robe, purchasable in exchange for a jaw-dropping £495.95.

Find Out if You’re One of Voldemort’s Lost Soul Pieces

Who doesn’t love a good, old trip to the zoo? It was at the Reptile House in the London Zoo where Harry discovered that he had the gift of Parseltongue when he realized he was able to communicate with a python. In many senses, this was the place where it all began. Sure, the trigger for the action was Hagrid’s legendary “Yer a wizard, Harry,” but it was thanks to this friendly reptilian that the audience started realizing something fishy was going on. Not only did it give an idea that he wasn’t an average child, but it was a foreshadowing that would only be explained in Chamber of Secrets.

If you’re planning to head to the Reptile House, you might as well take a look around the whole zoo. You may do this for as much as £24.25 for a ticket, with the cheapest being a children’s £17.60 ticket.

Jam Your Trolley Into a Wall (Don’t Actually Do It)

Good news – this one is for free. Head over to King’s Cross station and stop to snap a memorable photo next to the famous Platform 9 ¾. The platform was ingeniously designed to offer visitors the full Harry Potter experience, by having a trolley stuck in its wall. Moreover, you may even visit the Harry Potter Shop, located near the platform and decorated to resemble Ollivander’s Wand Shop.

Other than these three key locations, there are other places you may visit that not only will make you sigh deeply remembering all your childhood memories but will also offer you a small London sightseeing experience. Stop at the Leadenhall covered Victorian market to see where many of the shots for Diagon Alley were taken. Pass through Piccadilly Circus to reminiscence the place where the Golden Trio fled to after Fleur’s and Bill’s wedding got swarmed by Death Eaters. And since you need to travel to get to these places, might as well visit the Westminster Tube and follow the route to the Ministry of Magic that Harry and Arthur Weasley took in Order of the Phoenix.

Image sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.

10 Amazing Facts About Daniel Radcliffe

December 3, 2015 By Anne Burwell Leave a Comment

Nicknamed The Boy Who Lived, Daniel Radcliffe has reached stardom through his role as the beloved wizard Harry Potter. However, he managed to approach other roles and leave behind the character that was his trademark for so many years. Most recently we saw him in Victor Frankenstein, Kill Your Darlings and The Woman in Black. Radcliffe has also been involved in various other projects like musicals, and he has been known to do charity work.

It can be hard to imagine that there’s much left to find out about such a popular actor, but somehow there are 10 amazing facts about Daniel Radcliffe that you might have not heard about.

1. The alcohol problems

Daniel has struggled with alcohol, as he has stated on a WTF podcast of Marc Maron. This happened right at the end of the Harry Potter filming period, when he was living alone. However, he managed to get rid of his addiction and has been free of it for about two years. It seems that living in the U.S. has greatly helped with his recovery.

2. The waxing

The actor admitted to the Empire Magazine that he endured the painful process of waxing his bum for the stage production named Equus. The stage show did include some nudity and Daniel was very conscious about this.

3. The poisoning

Daniel managed to get really ill on the set of the Horns movie. The motion picture was filmed in Canada under very low temperatures. As a result, anti-freeze was used to keep some pipes from freezing. However, the actor wasn’t aware of this fact as he drank a glass of water with anti-freeze. What a bummer.

4. The Dyspraxia

Dyspraxia is a disorder of neurological type which affects the coordination between your hands and your eyes. The disorder was however one of the reasons Daniel pursued acting, since it seems it influenced his capabilities in school.

5. The Portrait at the National Portrait Gallery

The National Portrait Gallery in London houses the portraits of many historical figures and British royalty, as well as Daniel Radcliffe’s. The actor is the youngest person not related to royalty to have his portrait displayed in the famed gallery, at only 16 years old.

6. The Bullying

According to Daniel, he has been bullied by his colleagues in school. It seems being a very popular child actor can cause trouble with classmates. He had reportedly gotten in a fight with someone 5 years older than him and was punched in the face.

7. The First Role

This might come as a surprise to some, but Daniel’s first acting role was not Harry Potter, but the young David Copperfield in the movie with the same name from 1999. The movie was part of a series on BBC. This role was followed by another one in 2001 in The Tailor Of Panama, where he acted alongside Brendan Gleeson, Pierce Brosnan, Geoffrey Rush and Jamie Lee Curtis.

8. The Refusal

Apparently Daniel’s parents were not as excited as the rest of us about the Harry Potter movies. At least, not in the beginning. The reason was that all the movies were supposed to be filmed in Los Angeles. However, Chris Columbus decided that there was only one Harry, and that was Daniel. As a result, the movies were shot in the UK.

9. The Poetry

Under the name of Jacob Gershon, Daniel published poems in 2007 in the Rubbish magazine. Even though he took another name to hide his identity, it was found later on that was the true author, and his talent was appreciated.

10. The Bed

Apart from his skills as an actor and poet, Daniel also has creativity for design. He designed a bed in order to donate the royalties to the Demelza House Children’s Hospice, his favorite charity. The bed looks a cube and was intended for the VIP kid’s range at Habitat.

Image Source: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

7 Game Of Thrones Actors Who Were Also In Harry Potter

August 25, 2015 By Vernon Gadson Leave a Comment

With high death levels on “Game of Thrones”, it’s no wonder their cast list is huge. All the deaths in the past five seasons had to be replaced by new characters and new actors. This easily leads to a game of “I know this character from…” during every “Game of Thrones” episode. Cersei Lannister, Ned Stark, and Littlefinger are just a few of the characters whom we’ve recognized from other noteworthy stages. So you won’t be surprised at the following list of 7 Game of Thrones actors who were also in Harry Potter. If you haven’t identified them by now, prepare to be amazed at the discovery that Aberforth Dumbledore was the king beyond the Wall.

7. Ciaran Hinds

You’ll know him as the leader of the wildings, the King beyond the Wall or simply Mance Rayder. It’s harder to spot him in “Harry Potter” because he was a) kinda overlooked and b) kinda in disguise. He played Dumbledore’s brother in “Death Hollows part 2”. Hinds seems very well suited to play noble parts, but he’ll remain forever remembered as the leader of the free folk.

6. Bronson Webb

If you don’t recognize the character from the Game of Thrones series, you’re not a real fan, and your punishment should be reading the books and watching the TV show again. Webb played Will, a brother from the Night Watch, who got beheaded by Ned Stark. Following the same pattern, he also played a coward character on Harry Potter, a Slytherin Boy who is Malfoy’s best pal and together they occasionally mock Harry.

5. Julian Glover

No one can be blamed for not guessing this one. But if you started watching Game of Thrones and found Maester Pycelle’s voice quite familiar, it is because Glover borrowed his voice for the giant spider in Harry Potter, Aragog. Pycelle was not as terrifying as Aragog, but an ingratiating old man who only swayed with the wind.

4. Ian Whyte

As a former basketball player, Whyte performed as a stuntman in “Alien vs Predator”, followed by the “Goblet of Fire”. You may wonder what he did in Harry Potter. He filled in for Frances de la Tour whenever full body shots for Madame Maxine were needed. As the headmistress of Beauxbatons Academy, the Harry Potter character had to impress with her tall slender figure. We got to see more of him on Game of Thrones. He played the role of a White Walker in the first two seasons and even replaced Conan Stevens, who played Gregor Clegane, in certain scenes.

3. Natalia Tena

There are quite a few similarities between the characters Natalia Tena played in Game of Thrones (Osha) and Harry Potter (Tonks). She played sympathetic, brave women who were both best known by just one name. Osha was a wildling who cared deeply for the Stark little brothers Rickon and Bran. Although nothing compels her to do so, she helps Rickon to reach House Umber safely. Tonks had a bubblier personality but was equally good natured and always ready to help.

2. Michelle Fairley

We’re all rooting for Fairley to return on Game of Thrones. She was one of the strongest characters, even when her husband was murdered, which left her in charge of all their children. She also played a mother’s role in “Death Hallows Part 1”, as Hermione’s mom. Her memory was wiped in Harry Potter, but not even death erased her past in Game of Thrones.

1. David Bradley

Bradley’s characters are both deplorable. Walder Frey from Game of Thrones is conniving and probably the most despised character on the TV show. No one will ever forget he was behind the Red Wedding. Argus Filch from Harry Potter might only be a squib, but he is equally disliked, just like Frey.

Image sources 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

5 Things You Did Not Know About Fictive Pets

July 31, 2015 By Vernon Gadson Leave a Comment

Whether we’re talking about books, movies or cartoon, we’re pretty sure you’ll be amazed by these 5 things you did not know about fictive pets. Do you find yourself looking down at your kitten wishing it would start talking all of a sudden? Or do you day dream about your dog turning out to be a super hero in disguise, and find yourself getting ready to see it grow wings and fly away to fight crime? If you do that once in a while, you’ll enjoy reading about these fictional pets that once only existed in someone’s mind.

1. Dino from “The Flintstones”

This Snorkasaurus that was the most adored pet in “The Flintstones” didn’t start off as a dog-like dino at all. In fact, the first episode of season one contains a flash back from when Fred and Barney met with Dino. Back then Dino was able to talk, to clean the house and wash the dishes and could even answer the phone. Unfortunately for him, this was the first and only episode when Dino was able to talk. After this, he returned to his more boring tasks of acting like a dog, not being able to talk. Dino’s color also went through some changes, swinging back from black to white, but mainly staying purple.

2. Hedwig from “Harry Potter”

Most likely you didn’t know this, but Hedwig, the cute owl pet of Harry was the first character that was cast for the sorcery movies series. The female owl (yes, Hedwig is a girl) is described in Rowling’s books as impeccable white, which proved a little troublesome for the casting team, since females have darker feathers. As a consequence, Hedwig was played by several male owls, chosen for their white plumage. As a bonus, male Snowy Owls are lighter than females, making it easier for Radcliff to carry his pet around.

3. Gizmo from “Gremlins”

The voice for Gizmo was provided by Howie Mande, who also hosted “Deal or no Deal”. But for Gizmo’s famous staple song, the producers decided to go with a thirteen year old girl, since it would’ve been way too hard for Howie to do it. Gizmo was so popular in the 90s that it inspired Hasbro to make a toy after him. The firm got in trouble with Warner Bros and were force to pay a settlement, as well as change the aspect of their toy.

4. Pikachu from “Pokémon”

If you thought “Pikachu” was just a name, think again. According to Pokemon’s inventor the name is actually made up of the sound “pika”, which is used in the Japanese language for the sound of an electric spark and “chu” that stands for the sound made by a mouse. If we add the two together we can get the rough equivalent of “electric mouse”. But the electric mouse wasn’t intended to become the main character of the cartoons. However, it quickly became popular at the expense of Clefairy, who was the initial mascot of Pokemon.

5. Ghost from “Game of Thrones”

Saying that dire wolves are fictional is not entirely accurate. They were living creatures approximately two hundred thousands years ago, but I doubt they were kept as pets. Their extinction happened after the last Ice Age. Initially, the dire wolves in Game of Thrones were played by Northern Inuit dogs, but producers soon changed their mind and started using CGI for the second season. This measure was meant to make the wolves look bigger and more threatening. Another fun fact is that seventeen year old Sophie Turner who plays Sansa Stark on the HBO fantasy series adopted the dog that played Lady, her character’s dire wolf.

Image Sources 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

5 Plot Points the Harry Potter Books Never Explained To Us

May 1, 2012 By Vernon Gadson 2 Comments

The phenomenon that is Harry Potter is something that can’t really be explained. For some unexplained reason, half the world’s population latched onto the tale of the Boy Wizard and his adventures in the magical land of 1990’s Great Britain, and made JK Rowling and Daniel Radcliffe very rich and famous people.

As an ardent fan myself, there are several things I would have liked the Potterverse to explain to me, answers I will only accept via a personal letter/email/owl from the author herself, just so I know she really cares. And before you all run to the comments section to bitterly accuse me of not doing my research, the ONLY source material I am going from here is the 7 novels. The movies are called ADAPTATIONS for a reason. They are not canon, and neither are video games, fanfiction, that crazy website thing, or the ramblings of deranged Internet comedians. [Read more…]