Near the beginning of Richard Linklater’s Oscar-winning indie opus Boyhood, there’s a scene that shows the film’s child actors in full fancy dress attending a Harry Potter launch party. The footage was actually filmed documentary-style at a real event, and it’s a nostalgic moment that helps to ground the story in reality.
The connection between the two doesn’t stop there. Production on each project lasted over a decade, and fans have been quick to point out the coming-of-age elements in both stories. The meme below is just one of many Internet parodies.
https://twitter.com/PinguinoPingo/status/583294981378568192
If you’ve ever watched a Harry Potter film you’ll know they can go on a bit. Most normal people with jobs certainly wouldn’t have time to sit down and watch them all at once. Well, as ever, the internet has provided. Video wizard Tim Stiefler has sifted through the cinematic world of HP to create an epic 80-minute super cut of the series. Starting with Harry’s arrival at Hogwarts and ending with his spectacular triumph over snake-faced villain Voldemort, ‘Wizardhood’ is a god send for those who hate all things Potterverse but still want to be clued up. It’s not a bad watch and, impressively, manages to make sense too.
Shorter than any of the franchise’s eight entries, the video (posted on Vimeo over the weekend) covers all of the plot’s main events. From the hormone-heavy Yule Ball to the death of Dumbledore, you’ll miss nothing too important. Admittedly, it’s a bit weird to see Radcliffe, Watson and Grint suddenly age. But, as in ‘Boyhood’, it kind of works, flowing nicely from scene to scene. Watch the video in full below.
https://vimeo.com/193205899