Why is Harry Potter so Popular?

[John Crichton]

Or maybe I'm just reaching, Potter and Matrix

And don't forget Luke in Star Wars, the most obvious comparison. I'm finding the books are very similiar to Star Wars in many ways. Lucas and Rowling certainly know about the classic journey of the hero and important supporting characters.

 

[Barendd Nobeard]

To address one of the minor points of the first post; I actually didn't much like Richard Harris as Dumbledore at all. Oh, he looked right, but he didn't act at all like Dumbledore, nor did he sound like Dumbledore, nor did he have the personality of Dumbledore. The Dumbledore I had read in the books was not this somnambulent whisperer. Gambon (his first name escapes me at the moment) seems to have actually read the books and understood Dumebledore, which makes him a step above Richard Harris's portrayal, IMO. Although I will admit that he didn't much look like Dumbledore to me.

It's Michael Gambon (he was also in Gosford Park).

Richard Harris didn't want to do the first movie. But his grand-daughter told him she'd never speak to him again if he didn't. He capitulated.

I also like Michael Gambon better as Dumbledore, but I also like movie #3 a lot and think the first two movies were.....very poorly directed. Good casting & adaptation, great sets, nice costuming, some weak special effects (the centaur, especially)....and some really piss-poor directing. It's too bad Alfonso Curon isn't doing any more movies in the series (so far).

 

[takyris]

EDIT: Not worth it.

 

[warlord]

Its popular because its Fantasy without being Fantasy. Plus its like the Rifts of psuedo-fantasy novels