Potter Studio Tour

The robes don't make you a witch mum.

Catch the bus from Watford Junction

At last the holidays are over. Time slots to visit the Warner Bros. Harry Potter Studio Tour became available just in time for Petal's last birthday present: a family pass to this experience.  After not being soo interested, Michael decided to come to make sure some decent photos were taken. We were going to follow the Potter bus but it disappeared! The GPS got us safely across the few miles from Watford without the use of Flu powders, flushing toilets or splinches.

Wizard's Chess - It's good to have
nearly all of the tour inside.

Plots J and K!

I can't quite believe that as a mature, slightly scholarly woman - nearing my half way point, that I could be quite so excited about a series of kids books and their world reflected in cinema. There is something so sure and restful about the world Ms JKR has created and the soundtrack that a variety of brilliant composers have created. The visual feast of her words and the collection of odd ball characters are certainly part of the recipe but I think, for me it is the troubled young lad who, regardless of his own confusion and ignorance, somehow manages to value what is true and important over power, popularity, passion and pretence. The magic of course honours other British fantasy worlds such as Middle Earth, The Faraway Tree and Narnia. Maybe then after delighting in this diet growing up it was just a re-trimmed comfortable slipper that I was slipping on. Both the central theme to the Potter films and Lord of the rings just make me feel like I've come home. (Hedgewig's Theme - John Williams, "The Shire and the Hobbits, Howard Shore - Go to http://mp3hamster.net to hear or download these.)

A very small queue compared to the holidays I was told.

While waiting for the tour I whizzed through the comprehensive digital guide listening to Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy) giving background info on what we were about to see and scores of extra video footage on the series from film sets and interviews. I find sometimes listening to those while in the exhibition means I see less - so much for multitasking. I appreciated the waiting time to be able to flick through some amazing stuff. Those of you who spend an evening happily watching the director's cut and 'bonus material' the night after watching a great film will understand.  

Exam being sat by one of the tour actors on the day.

Armour for House Elf or Charlie?

In an interview, the screen play writer, Steve Kloves said something about moral fairy tales not being popular in our culture for a long while and that he thought the transfer from great book to film would flop. Maybe that is what is so comforting when I read/watch these characters - they actually make decisions and don't just do what feels good expecting everyone to forgive them when things go awry. The cherry on top though is that the underlying badness turns out to be a lack of remorse.  An interesting treatise on empathy and its importance in a joyful and equitable society.

Hermione points out the unspeakable evil of the Horcrux

“It warns in this book how unstable you make the rest of your soul by ripping it, and that’s just by making one Horcrux!”

…”Isn’t there any way of putting yourself back together” Ron asked.

“Yes but it would be excrutiatingly painful?”

“Why? How do you do it?” asked Harry.

“Remorse,” said Hermione. “You’ve got to really feel what you have done. There’s a footnote – apparently the pain of it can destroy you. Ican’t see Voldemort attempting it somehow…” (6. 71-73)
Harry says to 'You know who' in the final battle:
It's your one last chance … Be a man … try … Try for some remorse …

Some Dumbledore quotes I adore, some from Rowling some adaptations from Kloves:
"Ah, music," he said, wiping his eyes. "A magic far beyond all we do here!"

"It takes a great deal of courage to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends." 

"Fear of a name increases fear of a thing itself."

"In fact, being - forgive me - rather cleverer than most men, my mistakes tend to be correspondingly huger." 

"It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities." 

“We must all face the choice between what is right and what is easy.”

“It does not do to dwell on dreams, Harry, and forget to live.”

"To the well organized mind, death is but the next great adventure." 

Weasley Wigs

Griffyndor Boys Dorm - What did the girls dorm look like?

Potter clothes ready for any disastor.

 The sets seem so small - just reality size - to have been part of such a huge production. Diagon Alley was superb and the Griffyndor commonroom made you want to sit down and have a chat with Hermione. From a rack of Harry's outfits in various states of damage to ensure continuity to Dumbledoor's bedroom behind his office chair, complete with an empty portrait background belonging to some predecessor out investigating Hogwarts business no doubt, to the masses of draughtboard drawings created to guide the builders in creating the artist's impressions I was simply overwhelmed by the attention to detail that makes anything good amazing. 

Butterbeer to share?

Hundreds of real portraits were painted by real artists and aged by the special effects team and the most amazing model takes up the biggest room near the end.  On the way to the shop you pass through Olivanders and instead of the wand boxes named by their contents they have the names of everyone involved in the production of the films. A really magical touch to share the talent and time required to make the magic happen. (PS the indside of the invisibility cloak is green screen green - neat trick hey)

Butterbeer and Privet Dr behind the
covered bridge. Fluro Digital guides.

Apparently not! The critic informs us
that it has a lightly butterscotch flavour
with a hint of root beer with a thick vanilla
cream forced into the centre to froth up.

If you are planning  to go to the Studio tour remember that you can't buy tickets there - in fact security guards were turning people around so they couldn't even enter the car park if they didn't have their online receipts or tickets and you don't seem to be able to buy tickets on line for the day you are looking.  Tickets are valid for a 1/2hr entry gap but once you are in you can stay as long as you like. So if you don't want to queue for your ride through London on a broomstick or for butterbeer, make the effort to get there for the earlier times. Book well ahead if wanting to go during holiday times.
GO to this website - http://www.wbstudiotour.co.uk/

Any more of that smiling stuff and you'll be living under the stairs!

The Punch bowl and costumes from Goblet of Fire.

A very tricksey box.

The Nightbus - no Stan

Diagon Alley - Sale of Unicorn blood is prohibited! The walkway put in for the tiresome tourists.
The detail was amazing - I could have looked into the windows for hours. Imagine being one of the set designers.
No owls or toads or ginger cats available.

Amazing models.

Daniel Radcliff's box just to the left.

The Great hall ready for House Elf magic.

The stuff of Willow's and Gramps' nightmares

Invisibility cloak looking very visible - the tricks of cinema.

Snape's Lair

Hagrid's home

The ice sculpture from the ball in Goblet of Fire - another piece of cinema trickery.

Masks at the Creature shop

Gryffindor Common Room

Waiting to go into Hogwarts - They wait until this area is full, close the doors behind tell you all the rules then with a bit of movie ghost magic - let you in.

Principal's Office

Sorting Hat - Nearly everyone got put into Huffle Puff! One little girl cried.

Gringotts vault

Lines were huge for the broomstick ride - Green screens mean you can pick the back ground of your fly photo.

The next images are from a website showing behind the scenes shots of the filming of Deathly Hollows 2. Actors need very vivid imaginations to see the world the audience eventually does.
https://www.businessinsider.com.au/how-the-harry-potter-quidditch-scenes-were-shot-2016-7

Just Read: A Tiny Bit of Marvellous  Dawn French   Penguin2010
The comedian's voice comes strongly through all four characters that she relates in Diary format.  The story told is one of confused teen realities colliding with middle age invisibility.  As the family members clash a beloved Granny and a suspect minor character heal the misunderstandings. Funny and disturbing all at once - are we really ever this selfish or selfless towards our family?
Mo -"The more time she gives to machines,the more I realise,with horror, that at the root of my constant fury about them, is something like jealousy.  It's as if I'm locked out." p117
Dora - "Everyone needs someone to do that, you know, be a mother slash servant type person.  She said not to worry, that we will always, no matter what, be 'connected at a profound level' whether I like it or not. Well. Actually. I do like it." p372