Arts & Entertainment

A Harry Situation

'Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix' opened last night to a sold-out audience at the Science Museum's IMAX theatre.

A Harry Situation

 Harry Potter fans started lining up at 4 p.m. yesterday to catch the midnight opening of the new Potter flick.

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Andrew Perkinson
Richmond.com
Wednesday, July 11, 2007

For Karen Howe, going to see the opening of "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" at midnight was only natural.

"We like the books better, but we have to see the movies," said Howe, a Chester native and long time Potter fan. "All things Harry Potter!"

Fans started lining up as early as 4 p.m. yesterday to be sure they got good seats for the new Harry Potter movie at the Science Museum of Virginia's Ethyl IMAX Dome.

Tickets went on sale Friday, June 15 and were sold out by this past weekend. The Science Museum will be showing the movie, which is the fifth in the Harry Potter series based on the books by J.K. Rowling, at least until the end of August.

But for diehard Potter fans, being among the first to get a glimpse of the new film on the IMAX's impressive five-story screen was a must.

Christa Lewis and Kellan Carrig were introduced to Harry Potter when they saw the first film six years ago. Now, after reading the books and watching all the movies, they decided it was worth driving from their home in Charlottesville to check out the new flick on the massive IMAX screen.

"We drove all the way down tonight," said Carrig. "This is the only way to see a Harry Potter movie for the first time."

Many of those who lined up yesterday for the latest movie already have their copy of the seventh and final Harry Potter book on reserve. With a midnight release next Friday, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" will be the culmination of a decade of Potter mania.

Erin McInturf, who was also waiting in line to see the film, is a fan of the first movie because of how closely it followed the book. She plans on getting her copy of the latest book as soon as it is released.

"I was the very first person to reserve a copy at the Barnes & Noble in Short Pump," said McInturf. "I had to tell them the price; it wasn't even in their computer yet."

Julie and Lisa McClure, who also drove down from Charlottesville to see the movie, were among the few fans who dressed up for the showing. They said that their apparel evoked puzzled looks from some of the patrons of the Friday's restaurant at which they dined on the way down, but that such attention is just part of being a Potter fan.

"That's the price you pay," said Julie McClure, "when wizards walk among muggles."

  • For showtimes and tickets, visit www.smv.org.
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