Soccer Dad: Harry potter and the wannabe pundit

July 11, 2007

Harry potter and the wannabe pundit

Yesterday, Best of the Web Today used my suggestion for Wannabe Pundits (in which he highlights writers in other fields who feel the need to be relevant by injecting gratuitous political judgments into their writing. My nominee was from Michael Sragow's movie review in the Baltimore Sun.

Critic's corner: "Even when it isn't laugh-out-loud funny, the movie gives off the crackle of humorous audacity. With a wicked deadpan rather than a wink, it draws parallels between Umbridge's assault on student freedoms at Hogwarts and some of our own leaders' attempts to curtail civil liberties post-Sept. 11."--Michael Sragow of the Baltimore Sun, reviewing "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix"

Since Sragow's almost certainly talking about the Administration, which is made up of Republicans, I think it's only right to look at some other implications of the series.

1) Rita Skeeter (and the rest of the Daily Prophet) staff put themselves in the service of the Ministry of the Magic faithfully reporting just what and how the Ministry wants them too. Sure seems similar to the way the MSM faithfully reports from the Democratic point of view.

2) Democrats (and alas a few Republicans) and the MSM were quite pleased with the McCain Feingold bill that limited who may contribute ideas to a political campaign. This directly parallels the Ministry of Magic's edict at Hogwarts to limit the narrative of Voldemort's return to the officially approved Daily Prophet. Like those who support McCain Feingold the Ministry wishes to allow only its narrative among the population.

3) The exchange between the students and Professor Umbridge about Defense against Dark Arts is extraordinary. Umbridge takes the stance that the students need not be able to protect themselves, only to learn the theories behind the discipline. Umbridge is someone who would support gun control laws as a way of solving crime.

It's true, the Harry Potter series is more of an argument for libertarianism than for conservatism. (Though Bookworm Room makes a case that it promotes conservative values.) Still Republicans are more likely - though, unfortunately not certain - to object to the ways of the Ministry of Magic than Democrats.

In addition to yesterday's reviews - I was wrong, in re-reading the Sun's review online it appears that the review is complete - the Washington Post has now posted Desson Thompson's review and it is very positive. (Thompson is the Post's 3rd string reviewer; why the top 2 - Anne Hornaday and Stephen Hunter - didn't get assigned Harry Potter, I have no idea. Thompson seems to be their Harry Potter reviewer, even if the others get the other blockbusters.)

Leaner than its cinematic predecessors at 138 minutes, the fifth Potter film has trimmed Rowling's garrulous, character-crowded novel (at 870 pages, it's her chunkiest installment) into an urgently paced thriller that modulates adroitly between psychological darkness and cartoonish slapstick. But director David Yates, a British filmmaker who formerly worked in television, and screenwriter Michael Goldenberg, both newcomers to the "Harry" franchise, have not cut away the story's powerful thematic underpinnings.

Alas Thompson can't totally stay away from the punditry either.