Deconstructing Harry

Filmbrain is not a Harry Potter fan. He hasn't read any of the books, nor seen any of the films, and doesn't feel he is any less a citizen of this planet by avoiding them. However, the work of Creased Comics creator Brad Neely has given Filmbrain a reason to rent the first film of the series. Neely (a toy-store employee from Austin, Texas) has recorded an alternate voiceover to Chris Columbus' Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. Entitled "Wizard People, Dear Readers", it was first shown last month at the New York Underground Film Festival and the reaction was pretty positive. This is not some geek-boy fan commentary, but an alternate telling of the story by somebody who has never read the books and is most likely watching the film for the first time. Sort of a cross between MST3K and the Dark Side of the Moon/Wizard of Oz pairing. Filmbrain has listened to part of the audio and it sounds damn funny -- with character names like Hardcastle McCormick and Val-Mart, and DVD chapter headings such as "Chapter 14: Harry awaits to get another tequilla sunrise", how can one but not be curious to see/hear this experiment? Thanks to our friends at Illegal Art, you too can now experience the wonder of this alternate Harry Potter in the comfort of your home. They have made available two very large MP3 files (69 & 73 Megs!) of Neely's narration. You can find them both on this page, along with cover art, and detailed instructions on how best to sync-up the sound and image. Grab them quickly before Warner Brothers sics their team of Hogwart attorneys on them. Filmbrain can think of nothing better to do on this Good Friday night. To the Blockbuster!! Link: Wizard People, Dear Readers

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[Coolidge Corner Theatre]

The Coolidge Corner Theatre presents

Harry Potter Redux!
WIZARD PEOPLE, DEAR READERS
with HARRY & THE POTTERS live!

Friday, October 15 @ midnite
Free show!

A smash hit at the New York Underground Film Festival, this unauthorized re-envisioning of HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER'S STONE is a hilarious "visual book on tape". Austin comedian Brad Neely, with great love and respect to the original fantasy world of Harry Potter, tells his own imaginary version of the story that is over-excitable, misinformed and that heads off in an altogether more bizarre and somewhat adult direction. Harry's fat cousin is renamed Roast Beefy and is described as "a mean little puke who is must shout moistly every stupid sentence he manages to piece together". Harry and friends are child alcoholics with a penchant for cognac, and the magical ballgame Quidditch takes on homoerotic overtones. "I am a destroyer of worlds," bellows the "new" star. "I am Harry [expletive] Potter!" Yeah - it's that funny!

Also: live music with Boston-area band HARRY AND THE POTTERS, featuring Harry Potter from Year 7 and the Harry Potter from Year 4 in their own rock band. Their songs include "Fluffy" (about a certain 3-headed dog), "Gryffindor Rocks", "The Firebolt", and "I Am a Wizard". No one can stop the wizard rock!

Wizard People and Harry and the Potters are in no way affiliated with Warner Brothers, J.K. Rowling or the Harry Potter franchise. It's all, you know, for fun.

The Coolidge Corner Theatre is located at 290 Harvard St. in Brookline, Massachusetts. For more information about the theatre, visit www.coolidge.org

More details on WIZARD PEOPLE:
www.drafthouse.com/links/wizard.html
www.austinchronicle.com/issues/dispatch%