The latest trend to hit the streets is Pottermania. JK Rowling's Harry Potter books are at the top of the best sellers list having sold in excess of a million copies. The movie, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone released this month has attracted thousands of fans across the country. Tipped to be a major blockbuster, the movie hit cinema screens amid a frenzy of hype and condemnation - a magical combination which will surely send ticket sales through the roof.
Some concerned adults are, however igniting a controversy over the film's message. Some fear the financial implications of Pottermania; several bank accounts have developed slow leaks in the run up to Christmas, which appears directly related to an abundance of Potter merchandise. Other fears stem from the alleged dark practices of witchcraft and wizardry in the Potter novels.
Several adult anti-Potterites argue young readers could be led astray and into the devil's clutches. They say young minds will be infected so much by Potterganda that today's youth will be joining witch's covens in droves.
Seven-year-old Chloe Colclough, while not actively seeking to join a coven, admitted "I wish I could be Chloe Potter and have all the same magical powers as Harry, like flying."
Following the anti-Potter line, a toy store, which operates UK wide has refused to stock Potter merchandise; a Christian school in Australian has banned Potter books from its libraries saying they are violent and dangerous; and last year, the American Library Association placed the Potter Book series at the top of its most frequently challenged books, due to content which related to occult, Satanism and anti-family themes. The series look set to retain the 2001 title.
When you boil the plot down, Harry Potter follows the same basic recipe as many traditional fairytales: unfortunate young boy, living in adverse circumstances, gets lucky break, wades through couple of difficult ordeals and has a great time learning loads of new and useful things.
Harry Potter's personal journey has huge appeal to many young people because with apparent ease they join his fantasy world, which verges on magical realism. Three-headed beasts, goblins, giants, broomsticks, unicorns, spells, potions, wizards, witches and magic mirrors are fabulous gifts of the imagination which can be shared freely among young Potter fans.
They can also identify with Harry as the underdog of the Dursley household, where he is forced to live in the cupboard under the stairs, wear second-hand clothes and do all the chores. The element of unfairness in Harry's life attracts automatic empathy, which teenagers relate to in a kind of magnetic fashion. Maybe something to do that age group, an adult might dare to venture.
It would be wrong to think Pottermania has overwhelmed all young people. According to Hugo McIlveen, 15 the whole Potter frenzy is ridiculous.
"I detest Harry Potter because it seems far too babyish. I was brought up in a hard hitting area and the whole boarding school thing and the concept seems to appeal to middle class kids. The story is not new, it is like every other story that has a witch in it."
Potter fanatics are aghast, particularly the book versus film branch. They argue that the story-line is not at fault and insist merchandising is polluting young minds.
"J.K Rowling created a feeling of magic when she wrote Harry Potter but all this merchandising and film making is taking away that special feeling," Mark Luney 14 said. In August, J.K was ranked as Britain's highest paid woman.
"Harry Potter is a hero but all this hype is off-putting. Children are being sucked in and being taken advantage of by large companies selling Potter toys. Ironically children have ended up being exploited because of the magic in Harry Potter," he added.
However, according to Sarah Montague, 14 widespread publicity has contributed in part to the astronomical, world-wide success of Harry Potter novels that has gripped adults and children alike. But she asks "would child after child plough their way through endless pages of a book they did not like? Would parents, reading it as a bedtime story, carry on reading it long after their children had fallen asleep? I don't think so."
As for the movie, even the most stalwart fans admit it has its highlights. Filmed, seemingly from the air, the Quidditch match played by two rival school houses looked spectacular. (Quidditch is a cross between basketball and rugby on souped-up broomsticks) The camera angles made the audience feel as if they were watching a fly-on-the-wall-documentary, as the brooms dipped and twisted through the air.
"This was one of my favourite scenes because of the special effects, which were really magical. The way the game was filmed kept you on the edge of your seat," said Mark Luney.
"I preferred the wizard chess match, where the three young people became pieces. I think Rupert Grint, who played Ron Weasley was really convincing and outshone Daniel Radcliff, who played Harry in this scene," said Orlaith Graham Wood, 13.
"Robbie Coltrane as the half-giant Hagrid was perfect; Alan Rickman as evil Professor Snape was ideal; Dame Maggie Smith as Professor McGonagall was spot on but Professor Dumbledore felt a little wrong," she added.
"Richard Harris, who played the headmaster of Hogwarts just did not have enough presence to convince me that he could save the world from the evil of Voldemort," Orlaith said.
Despite casting flaws and loyalty to the written word, Orlaith and others are adamant that the Potter books and the movie have been a great success.
"Children that would have never read before started reading the Potter books avidly. The hype has not done that much harm except to our parents' pockets! And none of us so far have tried casting any spells," she said.
About the team
This story was produced by Mark Luney, 14, and Orlaith Graham Wood, 13. It was published in Fortnight magazine in Northern Ireland.
