This Week's Topic: Choose Your Own Topic (As Long As It's Epic)
My Topic: A Very Potter Musical and A Very Potter Sequel
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| Anyone know who to credit for this image? |
So, you're really big theater nerds and really big Harry Potter nerds--what do you do? If you're Team StarKid, a group of students from the University of Michigan, you combine the two into an epic musical and its inevitable sequel. Written, directed, and performed by college students, A Very Potter Musical and A Very Potter Sequel are both funny, zany, and irreverent tributes to J.K. Rowling's insanely popular book series.
I had a few friends who were obsessed with this when it first debuted on YouTube. They kept telling me how funny it was and quoting it ad nauseum, but I'm going to admit that I didn't have any interest in it at first. It took me until this past December to finally watch it and, when I finally did, I became just as obsessed as they had been. I've introduced several people to it, all of whom are shocked by how decent it is and by how much they love it.
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| Not sure who created this one, either. |
A Very Potter Musical takes place during Harry's second year at Hogwarts, but it follows the events of his 1st, 4th, and 7th year in the novels. Confused? So was I, at first. Basically, Harry, Ron, and Hermione return to Hogwarts for their second year to find that Professor Quirrell has been named the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. He has convinced Dumbledore to reinstate a house tournament that resembles the Tri-Wizard tournament from the books, except that four students (one from each house) participate. Harry, Draco, Cho, and Cedric are pitted against one another until the final event, when Cedric and Harry both touch the cup and are transported, thanks to Quirrell, to the graveyard where Voldemort will rise again. The rest of the show most resembles books five and seven, in that Harry has to convince everyone that Voldemort is back and the students have to fight him in the end. An added bonus is that Draco's in love with Hermione, which is the funniest thing ever.
A Very Potter Sequel begins right after the first musical ends but, with the cunning use of a Time-Turner, it transports a group of Death Eaters, led by Lucius Malfoy, back in time to Harry's first year in order to make sure that Harry never defeats the Dark Lord. It incorporates elements of books 1, 3, and 5, as well as a cameo appearance by Rita Skeeter and elements of Snape's love for Lily. Upon arriving at Hogwarts, Harry is confronted by the escape of his god-father, Sirius Black, but is helped along by DADA teacher (and Quidditch coach) Professor Lupin. To make matters worse, Harry has to deal with the dreaded Delores Umbridge, who's taken a liking to the flamboyantly gay Albus Dumbledore. Hilarity and chaos ensue as Umbridge and Malfoy join forces to destroy Harry Potter. But someone named "Little D" is helping keep him alive. Will Harry find a way to help Sirius? Will we learn who "Little D" is? And will Lupin ever find a way to keep his werewolf side in check (and his pants on)?
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| Ditto. |
Obviously, not everyone will enjoy it. There's swearing and blatant disregard for character personalities, among other things. But , for one, found it to be hilarious. The acting's pretty decent, as is the singing, and the songs themselves are catchy (you can download the music for AVPM here, AVPS here, and buy the remainder of the AVPS album on iTunes). The best part of all, however, is how fracking quotable they are. Here's just a taste of the over four-hours-worth of super-mega-awesome-foxy-hot:
A Very Potter Musical:
Voldemort: You'd think that killing people would make them like you. But it doesn't. It just makes them dead.
Cedric: Hufflepuffs are particularly good finders.
Dumbledore: What the hell is a Hufflepuff?
Draco: You can't just go to Pigfarts. It's on Mars. You need a rocket ship. Do you have a rocket ship?
Draco: I want Hermione Granger...and a rocket ship!
Ginny: (to an Asian girl) Konichiwa, Cho Chang. It is good to meet you. I am Gin-ny Weas-ley.
Asian Girl: Bitch, I ain't Cho Chang!
Ron: That's Lavender Brown! *smack* Racist sister.
Draco: Do we have to fight? I'm tired. Can't we just be Death Eaters?
Voldemort: Muggles have their place. Mudbloods have their place. And so do your clothes! Namely, a dresser.
Dumbledore: Ooh, 10 points to Dumbledore.
A Very Potter Sequel
Snape: What happened to the poster of headmaster Zefron?
Umbridge: Oh, I don't like Zach Efron. Taylor Lautner's my man.
Snape: What do you want you horrid bitch?
Ron: Favorite Amy Mann song on three. One two three....
Ron and Harry: Red Vines!
Harry: Favorite color vines other than green?
Ron and Harry: Red Vines!
Ron: Favorite way to say 'red wines' in a German accent?
Ron and Harry: Red Vines!....OH MY GOD!
Ron: Where have you been all my life?
Harry: Living in a cupboard under some stairs.
Snape: It pisses me off. I mean it really fucking pisses me off. I was there for her, y’know? And when she needed someone, I was there, waiting like a tool! “Oh, we’re gonna snog now? Okay. What about now? Well, I’ll wait. I’ll wait forever. Like a tool.” And, just one time... just one time, I wanted to take your mum... ‘s boobies... and put them on my face... and go *motorboat*.
Umbridge: So, you're smarter than the person who wrote this book? You're smarter than...Merlin?
Lupin: There's no way we're losing to Slytherin, Ravenclaw, or...Jigglypuff.
And that's not even getting into the songs, which are incredible, especially for a show completely put together by amateurs. My favorites include "Granger Danger" and "Different As Can Be" from A Very Potter Musical and "Guys Like Potter" and "No Way" from A Very Potter Sequel.
Oh, and if there is a higher power, it will ensure that the cast of the final Harry Potter film sings "Voldemort Is Going Down"...even if it's just in a special feature somewhere.
-Gabe
I've never heard of these musicals but I'll be checking them out later tonight!
ReplyDeleteIn other news, I just got back from the final installment of Harry Potter. Before you see it make sure you rewatch the first half, preferably right before you watch the second half.
Also, I'm officially recording myself as a member of Rickmanism in this year's census. He was incredible.
You. Will. Love. Them. Seriously. Considering that you and I share a brain occasionally, I'm positive that you'll get to the end and go, "Hmm, I know that the two of them together are over four hours long, but, what the hell? Again!"
ReplyDeleteI'll see if I can't find someone who currently owns the first installment. I have a pretty decent memory, so I might be all right, but this gives me an excuse to watch more Potter. :)
If Neil Gaiman is my religion, Alan Rickman is my political party. I'm so impatient to see what they did with Snape is this film that it isn't funny. Congratulations on your conversion! LOL
I'm not sure how you'll feel about the Snape thing, it isn't really any different except Harry doesn't spill the story in front of everyone anymore (which is a plus). Also the 'crystal house' he was supposed to die in isn't a crystal house or anything extravagent it's actually much better than i'd imagined it'd be.
ReplyDeleteThe saving grace is Alan Rickman as always. He reduced me to tears about 4 times. He's amazing.
That *is* a plus. I'll guess I'll just have to wait and see. I won't be able to go until next week, so I'll be avoiding anything that even hints at the film.
ReplyDeleteIf you want Rickman to make you laugh, I highly recommend The Search for John Gissing. It may still be available on YouTube but, if not, it's on DVD finally. It's an indie film that he did with Mike Binder and Janeane Garofalo and it's hilarious. I think my favorite part about it is hearing Alan Rickman say: "I'm going to take a long and plaintive piss in his chair." Which he then does. Definitely a different side of him and a lot of fun to watch.
I'll have to check it out. I think one of my favourite roles of his will always be as Metatron in Dogma. Oh man, I think I can feel a Alan Rickman marathon coming on, guess I won't be getting anything done this weekend!
ReplyDeleteI had one of those towards the end of last year. Dogma, Harry Potter, Die Hard, The Search for John Gissing, and Snow Cake, all over the course of one weekend. It was the greatest thing ever.
ReplyDeleteI love these musicals!
ReplyDeleteKathy: I do, too. I expected them to be awful so I was surprised when they weren't. I ended up watching part of AVPM last night because I got such a huge craving for it while writing this post.
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