Harry Potter Fans Get Inside Scoop on Films During Library Event

Young Harry Potter fans got an inside peek at some of the hidden details in the films at the this weekend—just one week before the last film in the series is set to premiere.

Steven Frenzel, a Harry Potter expert and film appreciation instructor, presented the "Hidden Harry Potter" program to children ages 8-12 on Friday evening.

The presentation included many unknown facts and details about the Harry Potter films, illustrated with clips from the first six movies in the franchise. From the Shakespearean roots of the name of the wizard rock band The Weird Sisters to the easy-to-miss cameo by author J.K. Rowling on the cover of a wizarding magazine in the sixth film, Frenzel pointed out many of the details in the films and books that make the series so entertaining to children and adults alike.

Frenzel, who conducts a wide range of educational film presentations, says he enjoys sharing his appreciation for the many people who come together to turn a book into a story told through film.

“I want people to appreciate that they can love both the books and the movies, and see that it’s not just the story but how you tell it,” he said.

Through the interactive presentation, audience members had the chance to win a classic DVD for correctly answering Harry Potter trivia questions. Though Frenzel shared many of the quirks found in the films with the attendees, he insisted on staying away from any perceived errors or continuity issues.

“I like to think that I’m putting more love into the world because I’m teaching children to love these characters and how to love and respect the beauty of filmmaking as an art form,” he said.

The timing of the event couldn’t have been better for young Harry Potter fans, who are eagerly anticipating the release of the eighth and final film in the series—Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2—on Friday.

“With the last film coming out soon, we wanted to remind people that the Harry Potter books are great examples of both literature and movies,” said Mary Inman, the children’s librarian who organized the event. “We want them to remember that the library is a cool place to be, whether you like books or movies.”

The event was part of the library’s “Midsummer Knight’s Read” summer program, which includes a range of children’s events and a reading contest. For more information about the program and the schedule for the remainder of the summer, visit www.lemontlibrary.org.