The "Prevalent" Theme in Harry Potter 5

[the_sneaker]

I want to talk about what everyone has been calling a prevalent theme in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Basically, what everyone is alluding to is how Professor Umbridge's totalitarian reign over Hogwarts is a clear shot and allegory to the current White House administration. Look, I'm not here to get into a political debate whatsoever (in fact, I as of 2005, I am no longer aloud to post on the politics board here on JoBlo :p), but I just want to state for the record that A)JK Rowling had written the novel of this film way before the war started in 2003 and before Bush started to lose all of his supporters and B) that Rowling had in fact the majority of the series planned out way, way before Bush was even voted into the White House. If you saw the special on A & E years ago, you know that she started writing the first novel back in 1995 and that she already had a lot of the series planned out. The Ministry being so stupid towards Harry was an idea that Rowling had in her mind during the Clinton administration. It's not like the filmmakers made Umbridge's character act like that to take a shot at the current administration.

[inglourious basterd]

I agree with the original post.

Media has been something that Rowling has been particularly cynical about in Goblet of Fire and OOTP. She takes it a step further from GOF by including politics in OOTP (when the Ministry refuses to believe the truth).

I don't believe that this is a specific commentary on Bush. It has to do with politics in general. Mind you, her criticisms may be applied by some to the Bush administration; however, it wasn't necessarily intended as such. People who make this argument have to understand that these films are part of one big series.

In any case, politics and media weren't even part of the main theme of this film. Whomever said that the politics was the "prevalent" theme is simply misinformed. The main theme was Harry Potter's increasing sense of loneliness, the development of his relationship with Sirius as a father figure, and learning about his destiny to fight Voldemort. The "prevalent' themes of this movie and the series is "love" and "death".

[Scarfather]

Everyone, including Dan Radcliffe in many interviews, say that it was inspired by the French Resistance against the Nazis, I've never heard this White House thing before now, it doesn't even make sense.

[the_sneaker]

Originally posted by Scarfather
Everyone, including Dan Radcliffe in many interviews, say that it was inspired by the French Resistance against the Nazis, I've never heard this White House thing before now, it doesn't even make sense.

That makes much more sense.

I've been hearing this White House thing a lot in the reviews on this site actually, and a few times over at IMDb.

[The Postmaster General]

Clint Eastwood said in an interview recently in regards to his Iwo Jima movie, that no matter what the movie is about, if it's has war, and released during a time of war, it will be compared to the current war - his reasoning is that common themes run through all wars. Except when he said it he sounded, you know, gruff.

[jord2006]

This is tru. Bush is an asshole but it doesnt mean that everything is about him.

[the_sneaker]

Originally posted by jord2006
This is tru. Bush is an asshole but it doesnt mean that everything is about him.

It's not even that. It's just that people are so ignorant to believe that everything is about him. It just annoys me when people say stuff like that without really knowing what they're talking about (not that I'm saying anything about what you said, just what people are saying about this in general.)

[bourahioro]

Read the book...seriously.

[the_sneaker]

Originally posted by bourahioro
Read the book...seriously.

Me?

[Superplasmatron]

I thought it was about wizards and the fear surrounding the return of he cannot be named, I think that it relates neither to the German Nazi's or the American ones.

[jolanar]

Originally posted by Roy L Dennis
I thought it was about wizards and the fear surrounding the return of he cannot be named, I think that it relates neither to the German Nazi's or the American ones.

Me too. All this comparing with Bush is just silly. It's a portrait of an incompetent regime if people draw allegories out of that than really there is nothing you can do it about it.

And honestly, the giant portrait of Fudge in the ministry reminded me more of a portrait of Stalin than anything else.

[bourahioro]

THe "symbolism" in the movie is portrayed the way it was written in the book. It went exactly as I'd pictured it when I read it.

[the_sneaker]

Originally posted by bourahioro
THe "symbolism" in the movie is portrayed the way it was written in the book. It went exactly as I'd pictured it when I read it.

Same with me. That's why I was so surprised to read some people's reviews online about how they "viewed" it.

[Badbird]

It may not that it is about Bush, just like V for Vendetta wasn't about him either, but that both stories were allegorical warnings about a certain type of fanatical group that Bush and company fit perfectly.

Hence, it's a valid comparison in my opinion.

[the_sneaker]

Originally posted by Badbird
Hence, it's a valid comparison in my opinion.

Oh, I completely agree with that, it's just that people were so blindly ignorant; believing that it was all about Bush. That's what upset me. All I could think was, "C'mon, folks, get your own opinions!"

[corran horn]

Totally agree. i noticed back in 2005 how some were complaining about Revenge of the Sith taking supposed shots at the administration. Honestly, if you see parallels between current affairs and movies like those mentioned here, you should be more angry about reality even being this close to the events of a movie. I mean, its not like W and co invented fearmongering and all that other stuff, they're merely the ones using it now.

[Shockwave]

I lost interest in political real-life bullshit gumming up fantasy movies. If they ARE trying to tie it into real life events, i pretty much ignore it. Its not the reason i read/watch these things, be it Star Wars, V for Vendetta, Harry Potter, ect, ect.
:)