Real Muggle Magic?

by Cosmo Brown

This month, all of Diagon Alley has been buzzing with rumors of Muggles' increased interest in our world, all because of a movie. Well, it's true - a Muggle filmmaking company has again made our lives the subject of entertainment.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban attempts to tell the tale of Harry Potter's third year at Hogwarts. As with most movies based on real events, this one plays fast and loose with some details in order to tell a better cinematic story. And, though the facts of what happened ten years ago are well-documented in our world, Muggles don't seem to care about facts so long as they are entertained.

And entertained they are. For the first time, Muggle filmmakers have made the magic world seem real (which, of course, it is; they just don't know it). The film's depiction of the Leaky Cauldron was particulary noteworthy, if a little dirtier than usual. In spite of the talking head, the Knight Bus certainly felt accurate, as anyone who has ridden in it will confirm.

Of course, this isn't the first time Muggles have been interested in the wizarding world. The Muggle movie company Warner Brothers has released two other pictures about Harry Potter, corresponding to his first two years at Hogwarts. In fact, Harry Potter is quite as famous in the Muggle world as he is in our world. They, however, think of him as a charming fictional character; we know better.

Moviegoers fascination with the Boy Who Lived began in 2001 with Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (though in the United States, it was called Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, which confuses Muggle and wizard alike). Starring Daniel Radcliffe as young Harry, this first foray into the wizarding world was inaccurately charming. The following year brought us Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Still inaccurate, there's plenty of thrills to keep the audience entertained.

This newest installment strays the farthest from what happened, but it certainly keeps the audience's attention. A new director gives an intriguing view of our world, proving once again that a film is a director's medium. And, many people agree that, accurate or not, this film has the best direction, as well as performances, of the series to date.

Currently (or soon to be) in cinemas all over the world, seeing Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban with a Muggle audience is a great way to fully experience motion pictures. Though, it's best to go in forgetting that it's telling a true story; instead, go in for entertainment. Otherwise, you'll miss out on all the fun film moments.

All three films are enjoyable "flicks;" any wizard or witch will be glad to see them, for no other reason than to enjoy Muggles' interpretation of magic. And Muggle magic isn't stopping here; rumor has it that Warner Brothers is already working on the cinematic version of the next year of Harry Potter's life; they're calling it Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.