MuggleCast 216 Transcript
Show Intro
[Intro music begins]
Micah: This week’s episode is brought to you by Audible.com, the leading provider in spoken word entertainment. Get a free audiobook download of your choice when you sign up today. Visit AudiblePodcast.com/MuggleCast to get the details.
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[“Hedwig’s Theme” plays]
David Heyman: Hello, this is David Heyman and I’m the producer of the Harry Potter films, and this is MuggleCast.
[Show music begins]
Andrew: Because we’re about to interrupt your regularly scheduled Saturday morning programming – that was by Micah, not me – this is MuggleCast Episode 216, for December 11, 2010.
[Show music continues]
Andrew: Good morning everybody. Hello Jamie and Micah!
Jamie: Hey!
Andrew: Hey, hey, hey!
Micah: Yo, yo!
Jamie: Hey, it’s not morning!
[Everyone laughs]
Jamie: It’s not morning, it’s afternoon. It’s almost dark here. How can it be morning there? That’s ridiculous.
Andrew: I know, we are worldwide. This is morning for me. If you’re listening to us on the West Coast this morning, I can feel your pain. But we thank everyone for getting up and listening.
Jamie: Wait, what time is it?
Andrew: Well, it’s 8:00 AM. I mean, it’s not that early. [laughs]
Jamie: Awww, I don’t know.
Micah: Jamie would have been working for an hour by now if he was there.
Jamie: Yeah!
Micah: He gets to work at 8:00 AM, don’t you, Jamie?
Jamie: No, no, no, I don’t.
Micah: Oh.
Jamie: No, I was trying to make out there that I was some type of really hard worker and stuff, but no, I get there at 9! [laughs]
[Micah laughs]
Andrew: That’s what – most people do go to work at 9:00 AM.
Jamie: Yeah, but don’t you get to school at, like, 7:30 or something? And then you finish at…
Andrew: Yeah, when I was in high school! [laughs]
[Matt laughs]
Jamie: That is obscene.
Andrew: I’m in college now.
Jamie: What’s wrong with you people over there?
Andrew: One time…
Jamie: That’s…
Andrew: …I dragged Jamie to school with me. He was doing our morning show.
Jamie: [laughs] Oh yeah, that was fun.
Andrew: Yeah, it was! And I think it was a live show, so I think we had to be out the door at 5:00 AM [laughs] and you were in the worst mood.
Jamie: Oh, I remember that, I remember that. Oh, that was – Andrew, I did enjoy that, and I understand why you want to take part in your school programme and that, [laughs] but I wouldn’t get up at 5:00 AM…
[Andrew laughs]
Jamie: …to go and do that!
Andrew: I know.
Jamie: I would just record it and send it on CD.
Andrew: I know. [laughs] And send in a CD. Well, we like to do it live and that’s why we’re doing it live today. Eric – hey Eric.
Jamie: Hey Eric.
Eric: Hey guys.
Andrew: You hopped on a minute late…
Matt: Hey.
Andrew: …otherwise I would have said hello to you at the beginning.
Eric: That’s okay.
Andrew: Well, we have a great show for everyone today, it’s our annual Year in Review show. This is the third time we’re doing a sort of award show and just the second year that we’re doing this really fun format. If you guys remember last year, we had a variety of categories and we had you guys vote on them live as we’re recording to determine the winners. And we have pretty much the same categories as last year, and there are some good stories and categories. For example, Most Shocking News Story, this is going to be one of my favorites this year, I think.
Eric: So, it’s the MuggleCasties!
Andrew: The MuggleCasties!
Eric: It’s the annual MuggleCasties.
Andrew: Third Annual MuggleCasties. That name is so long, but…
[Andrew and Matt laugh]
Andrew: …whatever. Anyway, first before we do that, Micah Tannenbaum is in the MuggleCast news center. He’s going to update us on the latest stories. What’s going on in Harry Potter this Saturday morning, Micah?
News:Deathly Hallows: Part 1 Video Game Reviews
Micah: The Deathly Hallows video game – Part 1 video game was released in the middle of November and surprisingly it was met with negative reviews. And I actually went out, I bought the game, I’ve played it a little bit, probably too much in fact, and I have to agree. I was optimistic a couple of shows ago about how this game was going to turn out because we had Nick on, and Nick said he had gone to EA and he had experienced the game, and he had a lot of good things to say about it. And the initial reviews before the game was released about the graphics and things like that were pretty positive, and – just the gameplay, that’s what it comes down to every time. The gameplay is just terrible and…
Jamie: What does that mean?
Andrew: Yeah, what does that mean for us…
Jamie: [laugh] What does “gameplay” actually mean?
[Andrew laughs]
Micah: Well…
Jamie: It’s a jargon word…
[Matt laughs]
Jamie: …but I don’t understand what it means. [laugh]
Micah: Just going from scene to scene – or, I guess, level to level – and just the things that you are tasked with, the things that you have to do. And I know they have to try and come up with innovative ways [laugh] for the game to be different, but – for example, which makes absolutely no sense, you have to put on the Invisibility Cloak once you Apparate to London away from the wedding, and go and test different people to see if they are Death Eaters or not. But you bump into somebody and the Invisibility Cloak falls off, and then you have to go back and do it again. So – but it’s…
Andrew: Ooh, but that makes it challenging!
Jamie: Well, that’s realism! Yeah, yeah!
[Eric laughs]
Jamie: Micah…
Eric: It sounds like I want this game.
Jamie: Yeah!
[Matt laughs]
Micah: No, you don’t want this game. You don’t want this game.
Andrew: It sounds like Micah is just fed up…
[Jamie laughs]
Andrew: …because he’s not a good wizard, so…
Jamie: I know, it sounds like he’s having trouble!
[Everyone laughs]
Matt: Yeah, he’s still on that same level. He hasn’t even passed it yet.
Jamie: He can’t beat a child’s game? [laugh]
[Micah laughs]
Andrew: Micah, don’t let your own incapabilities get in the way of reviewing the game.
Eric: Or giving us the news, geez.
Micah: Well, I will say I’m not the only one that has reviewed this game [laughs] in a negative light, so…
Andrew: You’re right. You’re right. Lots of video game sites – they review video games as they always do, and they’ve always been harsh on Harry Potter and this one was no different. And just…
Micah: Do you know which one was reviewed positively? It was the LEGO Harry Potter video game.
Andrew: Yes.
Matt: That game was awesome!
Andrew: Well, it was…
Eric: You know what? I’m still on Book 1 with that one – with that game. I don’t know that I love it. I’m just going to say that.
Matt: You’re still on…
Eric: I think the…
Matt: What do you mean you’re still on…
Eric: Yeah. I love and I played all the LEGO games, but I haven’t advanced past the first out of – it’s Years 1 through 4, and I’m still on the first year in the LEGO game.
Andrew: So, Eric…
Eric: I mean, I have – yeah.
Andrew: …according to this Google Doc, it says you have an idea for a successful Potter video game?
Eric: Yeah. They really hyped this Game 7 up – DH Part 1 game – to be this amazing game because it wasn’t structured in Hogwarts. And I don’t think that that’s – just like the movie wasn’t in Hogwarts, it kind of felt odd. It was off. There was something off about it. I think they need a free-roaming Hogwarts game. I’m surprised that they haven’t done it by now.
Jamie: Like “Grand Theft Hogwarts?”
[Everyone laughs]
Eric: Yeah, pretty much. But from Years 1 through 7, you start off and you can be in any of the houses, and it would create a ton of content because you would be just going to classes, everything from events – it doesn’t even have to really have anything to do with Harry Potter other than the namesake, “Harry Potter: A Hogwarts Journey.” And you would just basically meet all sorts of interesting people – the ghosts, the characters – and it could be done really well. I feel like…
Jamie: That’s not…
Eric: …when they’re trying to combine – cram it all into a game or create these game scenarios where there ordinarily wouldn’t be game scenarios. That’s where the stress comes in and maybe EA would do better to kind of think outside the box, but inside the castle.
Micah: Well, the problem, though, is that I think they have the agreement with the movies. So, so much of what you see on the film is being translated to the video game and I don’t think that always works out very well. And actually the video game did something that the movie didn’t when they find Dean and Griphook wandering around, and you have to follow them kind of through all these forests scenes and that wasn’t in the movie but it was in the book. So, they do include some things from the book but I just think – if you thought the forest scenes dragged in the movie, wait until you play the video game. [laughs]
Matt: Is there dancing?
Eric: It’s ten levels.
Matt: Micah, is there a…
Eric: No checkpoints.
Matt: …dancing level with Hermione?
Andrew: Ooh, like a Dance Dance Revolution?
Micah: I haven’t gotten that far.
Jamie: I hope not.
[Everyone laughs]
Matt: He’s still on Tottenham Court Road.
Jamie: Yeah!
Micah: But the other thing, though, is this: there is not enough. The fact that they split this game, like the movie, into two parts, they have you do all these side tasks that don’t kind of flow with the game very well.
Andrew: Uh huh.
Micah: So all of a sudden you’ll be moving from one scene to the next as if you were watching the movie and you’re sort of taken on this detour of having to fight Death Eaters or creatures or whatever in these different areas that never existed, and it just – the game doesn’t flow very well in that sense, but…
Andrew: Okay. Well, before we move on we want to remind everyone that this episode is brought to you by Squarespace.com, the fast and easy way to create and manage a high-quality website or blog. Create a website that is uniquely you to display your photos from Flickr, a blog you’ve been thinking about starting, or the tweets and RSS feeds you like the most, all in the design and colors of your choice. Whatever you want to communicate, you can say it easily and with style with Squarespace. They also have an iPhone app which makes it easy to update your site while you’re on the go. Try it all out today for free. Visit Squarespace.com and sign up for a free trial. Then choose a design template to get started. No credit card needed, just give it a try to build your website. Then if you decide to purchase, enter code “Muggle” to receive 10% off for six months. That’s Squarespace.com, offer code “Muggle”. We thank Squarespace for their support of MuggleCast.
Micah: We’d like to remind you again that today’s podcast is brought to you by Audible.com, the leading provider in spoken word entertainment. Audible has over 35,000 titles to choose from to be downloaded and played back anywhere, just like MuggleCast. Log on to AudiblePodcast.com/MuggleCast to get a free audiobook download of your choice when you sign up today. Again, go to AudiblePodcast.com/MuggleCast for your free audiobook.
Jamie: Andrew, do you know what you should do as a game?
Andrew: Hmm.
Jamie: You should – [laughs] because your name is “Sims” you should get your entire family in one house, and then have people tweet in and tell you what they want you to do. [laughs]
[Andrew and Matt laugh]
Andrew: Like the video game The Sims, yes. [laughs]
Jamie: [laughs] Yeah, that would be so cool!
Andrew: I can’t tell you how many people – when people find out my last name, the first thing out of their mouths almost always is, “Oh, like the video game?” and I’m, like, “Yes, like the video game.” And as a joke I’m, like, “I invented it,” and half the time people are, like, “Really?” I’m like, “No.”
[Jamie laughs]
Micah: Because clearly you didn’t come before the video game.
Jamie: [laughs] Yeah.
Matt: Right.
Andrew: One day when people hear the name “Sims” they will think of me and not the video game.
Eric: And not the video game, yeah.
Andrew: It’s like The Seacrest. Nobody would think of the video game, they would think of Ryan Seacrest.
Micah: So, when they go to the store to buy the game, they will say, “Oh! I wonder if this is modeled after Andrew Sims.”
Andrew: Right.
Jamie: [laughs] Yeah.
Micah: Is that what you’re saying?
[Matt laughs]
Andrew: Anyway…
Eric: Yeah.
Micah: And his life.
Andrew: …what else is going on…
Jamie: The world over.
Andrew: …in the news?
News: Deathly Hallows: Part 1 Box Office Results
Micah: Well, Deathly Hallows: Part 1 grossed so far $713.3 million worldwide. As far as I know it sold top in the box office internationally. It struggled a bit domestically in its third week, falling to Tangled. And I’m not sure it will do much better this week with The Chronicles of Narnia movie that is coming out. But that’s a lot of money in a very short period of time. I’m sure it will work its way up into the top ten in the next couple of weeks. But…
Movie Discussion: Jamie’s Review
Andrew: Jamie, this is the first time you’ve been on since the movie came out. What do you think of it?
Jamie: Yeah, I was just about to ask you if you guys have reviewed it yet. I assume you have. Well, I started writing a review that I want to finish but I haven’t really gotten around to it yet. Yeah, I thought it was excellent, really. There are a couple of things that I just – that really annoyed me to the point that I thought, well, if you’re going to put that in there then I don’t see how you can call yourselves filmmakers. Like…
Eric: [laughs] What?!
Jamie: No, no, no, honestly. When Snape first appeared at the…
Jamie and
Matt:
Malfoy Manor.
Jamie: Yeah, and he walks in and Voldemort says, “We’ve saved you a seat,” and I thought, “Aww!”
[Everyone laughs]
Jamie: That’s such a terrible line after what he says in the book and it’s just brilliant when he says, “You are very nearly late,” and that’s such a great line. And then when Arthur Weasley arrives at The Burrow and he just strolls up all causally, and there is a good chance that one of his children has died. And tell me if I’m wrong, but doesn’t Mad-Eye say, “Go to the Burrows,” with an ‘S’ instead of “The Burrow?”
[Everyone laughs]
Jamie: And I thought, well, how can you get that wrong?
Andrew: I don’t know about that last one. I think maybe Voldemort saying, “We’ve saved you a seat,” it fed into the – I got the impression that Voldemort was quirkier in this film. He was a bit more crazier and I think that sort of fit into it. Because he was sort of sarcastic, wasn’t he?
Jamie: Well…
Andrew: “We saved you a seat.”
Eric: Well, he bullies the rest of the Death Eaters so it makes it seem like – it just emphasizes that Dumbledore – Voldemort still trusts Snape and that the events of the previous films, although limited and edited, omitted even…
Jamie: I guess, I guess. It just – oh, I don’t know. I just don’t think it worked. But the rest of the film was brilliant, apart from the dancing scene, obviously.
Andrew: You didn’t like that?
Eric: Didn’t like the…
Jamie: No.
Andrew: Why not?
Jamie: It was ridiculous. [laughs] It was so cheesy.
Andrew: You didn’t like the song, “Oh Children,” Nick Cave?
[“Oh Children” by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds plays]
Jamie: Well, not really. Why? Am I supposed to? Is it supposed to have meaning? Or…
Eric: Well, David Yates likes it, so you’re supposed to.
Matt: Yeah.
Jamie: Oh right, oh right. Well, in which case I love it. But no…
[Matt laughs]
Jamie: It was – I don’t know. The entire film was great.
[Song finishes]
Jamie: The stabbing of the…
Eric: Elf?
Matt: Of the Dobby?
Jamie: No, no, no – [laughs] of the Dobby.
[Everyone laughs]
Jamie: No, the stabbing of the locket was amazing. I really liked that. That was really interestingly done. But yeah – no, no, Dobby. I thought when she threw the dagger, and then it went through and she just gave a look that was perfect, just like, “I’ve got one over on you.” Oh, it’s brilliant. Yeah, such a good scene.
Andrew: So overall, where does it rank in terms of the films?
Jamie: Oh, first I think, definitely.
Andrew: Really? Hmm.
Jamie: Oh yeah, definitely. It was easily the best. It just sort of flowed from beginning to end well and it took itself more seriously. I know that’s like a stock phrase of film reviews, but it seems to be true.
Andrew: Especially for Harry Potter. “This one is the darkest yet.”
Jamie: Yeah, exactly.
Matt: This one is the darkest…
Jamie: The darkest…
Matt: …you can’t even see anything.
Jamie: [laughs] Yeah!
[Everyone laughs]
Jamie: Well, you can’t in the copy that I downloaded. But I didn’t do that, [laughs] so…
[Andrew laughs]
News: Deathly Hallows: Part 1 Box Office Results (Cont.)
Micah: So, I did take a look, though, over on Box Office Mojo and the film is currently at number 40, all time. And…
Andrew: Oh, that’s not very…
Micah: …I’m sure it will creep its way up. Well, no – I mean, it will pass a lot, probably, with this weekend.
Andrew: You think so? I mean, it’s already been out for almost a month now.
Eric: Yeah, and it’s got Tangled. And the new Narnia movie, isn’t that out?
Andrew: Yeah, it’s coming out this…
Matt: Yeah…
Andrew: Or yeah, it came out…
Matt: …it came out – yeah, it’s out already.
Andrew: Yeah.
Micah: Yeah, but I mean…
Eric: And I have to go see it.
Micah: Probably the films in front of it – I didn’t look, but – I mean, you’re talking probably about a couple of million dollars either way. So, it will move past those films easily. I mean, I think pretty much with the exception of Prisoner of Azkaban, all the Harry Potter films are in the top 25. So…
Jamie: Why was Prisoner of Azkaban not there then?
Micah: I don’t know.
Andrew: Nobody likes Alfonso.
Micah: It didn’t make the cut.
Jamie: It bombed then. [unintelligible]
News: Deathly Hallows: Part 1 DVD Release Date
Andrew: Micah, I am dying to see this movie again but I don’t want to go to the movie theater. When can I expect to see it on DVD?
Micah: March 18th.
Andrew: Oh.
Eric: What? I must have missed that. Is that new?
Andrew: That’s new. Like, three big stories all came out last night. [laughs]
Eric: [laughs] I checked MuggleNet last afternoon.
Micah: Andrew had trouble with one of them.
Andrew: Yes, I did. Warner Bros. Switzerland apparently told DanielRadcliffe.de that the DVD is coming out March 18th, 2011. That’s not a Tuesday, so I think in the U.S. it will either come out on March 15th or the 22nd which I think if you remember – if I remember correctly that’s typically when November DVDs come out, so I think that’s just the right period of time.
Matt: Yeah, I think you’re right about it. I think it being the 15th is correct because the U.S. gets a lot of the DVDs earlier than the European ones.
Andrew: Because we are better than you.
Matt: No, it’s just better to… [laughs]
Eric: Although I don’t…
Micah: Don’t say that, we have people listening. They finally can…
Eric: There’s…
Micah: …listen in the U.K. and you’re saying that?
Andrew: I’m just going to…
Jamie: Yeah, you’re going to alienate everyone now. [laughs]
Andrew: That’s why I’m up early. We’re up early for you guys in England.
Eric: That’s true.
Andrew: So, yeah.
Micah: Well, while you’re talking about this, Andrew, you spoke to David Yates at the premiere. What kind of deleted scenes can we expect on the DVD?
Andrew: [laughs] You think I remember? I can’t remember what he said.
Eric: Look it up, you wrote it down…
Andrew: I was…
Eric: …in 2,000 words.
Andrew: No, I didn’t. No, it was on video. Watch my premiere footage to hear what David Yates says.
[Everyone laughs]
Andrew: I honestly forget. That was such a whirlwind. [laughs] I was – it was nuts.
Eric: You fail, Sims.
Andrew: I’m sure it’s some good stuff. Anyway, what else is going on in the news?
News: Kelly Macdonald Cast As The Grey Lady
Micah: A little bit of casting news. Kelly Macdonald – Andrew, who you seem to know a bit about some of the other things that she’s done. She’s going to play the Grey Lady in Part 2.
Andrew: Yes.
Micah: And I’m sure we’ll be getting some small bits of casting news in the next couple of weeks. I don’t think we have the full cast yet but we do have a casting page over on MuggleNet.com in the Movie 7 section. Shameless plug but…
Andrew: Kelly Macdonald is hot right now. She’s in the hit show Boardwalk Empire on HBO and she’s so great in the show, so this is really exciting news for everyone who has been watching Boardwalk Empire this season who is also a Harry Potter fan.
Matt: Yeah.
Eric: It hasn’t been cancelled, has it?
Andrew: No, it was renewed after the second episode. They…
Eric: I thought so.
Andrew: Yeah.
Eric: But this interview with Kelly Macdonald says, “I hear that now that Boardwalk is done, you’re working on this,” so I guess it just means filming…
Andrew: I think…
Matt: Well, filming the first season.
Eric: Yeah, yeah. Right, right, right.
Matt: She looks good though.
Andrew: Oh, and her voice.
Matt: She really plays it.
Andrew: Her voice. If you watch her, you will – this screams Grey Lady, seriously.
[Eric laughs]
Matt: She screams the color grey.
Andrew: No, she has a very soft-spoken voice. She’s very pleasant to listen to. She has an air about her. It’s just really nice.
Eric: Yeah, that scene with Harry and the Grey Lady in the book, in Book 7, is just so interesting because Grey Lady is kind of distant – obviously, she’s a ghost.
Matt: Mhm.
Eric: She just withholds things back and doesn’t tell the full story. She has to be coerced and I think that that will give something – Kelly something.
Matt: Have they announced the casting for the Bloody Baron?
Andrew: No.
Matt: So…
Eric: Oh, wouldn’t it be cool if they did backstory…
Matt: Yeah, I was just thinking that.
Eric: …with young Grey Lady?
Matt: If she tells the story. All that blood and everything after he kills her.
Andrew: But by the way…
Eric: Plus they have the costume at the exhibit, the Bloody Baron costume. It’s amazing and I would hate to think it went through the whole series of movies with only, like, five seconds of screen time.
Andrew: By the way – what was I going to say? I just had a Bob-fail. [laugh]
[Eric and Matt laugh]
Andrew: Oh, I remember now. Dan Radcliffe – we interviewed Dan Radcliffe, this phone interview, fan site interview, about a month before Part 1 came out. And somebody asked him if the Grey Lady had been cast and he wasn’t allowed to say, but he had some very, very nice things to say about the actress. He said he was very happy – he was just blown away that she was going to be signed on, so now he was probably talking about Kelly MacDonald. So, hopefully we’ll get to hear more about her from him soon. Anyway, what else is going on in the news?
News: Deathly Hallows: Part 1‘s Chances In Academy Awards
Micah: Final bit of news for Deathly Hallows: Part 1. It’s gaining a little bit of steam in terms of Oscar talk. The L.A. Times has written up a couple of articles considering its release in November and the fact that it hasn’t won a single Academy Award for the series as a whole. And…
Matt: That’s just ridiculous.
Micah: …one of the things – Andrew, you posted yesterday – was that it is one of the fifteen visual effects semi-finalists…
Andrew: Yeah.
Micah: …for the upcoming Oscar Awards but – or Academy Awards.
Andrew: Which is good news, but it’s – there’s only been fifteen films that really had good visual effects this year, [laughs] so I don’t know if this means that it has a good shot. I think it’s been short-listed before, hasn’t it?
Micah: Yeah. No, it’s definitely been up…
Andrew: Harry Potter?
Micah: …for Academy Awards. There’s no question. And I think John Williams has been up for…
Matt: Yes! And he hasn’t won a single time.
Micah: Yeah. So, it’s going to be interesting.
Jamie: Yeah, but he’s won enough other ones, hasn’t he?
Micah: I know we were going to try and…
Matt: Oh, well – yeah, a couple.
Andrew: We’re going to try what?
Micah: I think we were going to try and center a discussion around this for the next episode, but just kind of overall, do you think that this film as opposed to any others before it deserves an award more, or is it just getting to that point where – look, this is going to be the highest grossing franchise of all time. They should get something. I mean, [laughs] how are they going to go make eight films and not win any awards?
Andrew: I don’t think it should get an Oscar, though, just for that reason.
Matt: Yes.
Andrew: I mean, maybe for “Best Picture” but not – I don’t think it should get a “Visual Effects” Oscar just for – sort of a sympathy, “Oh, look at you. You guys, highest grossing franchise of all time.” And if you look at the competitors, Tron: Legacy – I mean, I think that’s going to – that’s very visual effects heavy, so I think that’s going to be a hard one to beat. Inception – all of these are very visual effects heavy.
Jamie: Oh, Inception, yeah.
Andrew: Harry Potter – this film – I mean, [laughs] Dobby and Kreacher looked great, the Harry and Hermione Horcrux scene looked great, Voldemort looked great. But are they really blow-your-mind visual effects…
Matt: Okay – well, no.
Andrew: …that are worthy of an Oscar?
Matt: No, no, no, I don’t think blowing-your-mind qualifies as having an Oscar. I think special effects – if you are – if it’s believable in front of the camera, that you actually believe that it’s part of the film, that it’s actual reality, then I think that deserves an Oscar. And I think a lot of this stuff that you see in Deathly Hallows is mostly CG that you don’t even realize it is because it’s just so well done.
Eric: I disagree. There’s a lot of acting in the film as well that would support an Oscar.
Matt: Well, there’s a lot of acting and there’s a lot of cinematography and all that crap, but I’m talking about as special effects go – like of course, Dobby – the house-elves are obviously CG but the spellwork between them – I think the chase scene where – the Snatcher scene in the forest with all the spells going back and forth. I mean, that’s great CG.
Andrew: [laughs] No, it’s not!
Matt: Yes, it is!
Eric: It’s actually not – it’s not CG, though. It’s really not.
Matt: You don’t think so?
Eric: This movie was not near as reliable on CG as prior Harry Potter films.
Jamie: I think – yeah, I agree, Eric. A lot of it was clever filmmaking and I’m not saying that it wasn’t sort of – it didn’t use CG but it was used…
Eric: Like – yeah.
Jamie: …in a clever way, like with the Snatcher just seeing Hermione and just going around, and it’s…
Eric: Yeah.
Jamie: Subtle CGI can also win Oscars, I think, if it’s done in the best way.
Eric: Very much so. I’d like to see a soundtrack Oscar for this film because…
Matt: A soundtrack one?
Eric: Maybe I just haven’t noticed it – yeah, other Oscars, but…
Matt: Oh, for the score?
Eric: Yeah, for the score.
Matt: Oh, okay.
Micah: Well, will it be short listed for “Best Picture?” Have they announced that yet, or is that still going to…
Andrew: I don’t think so.
Micah: …be released sometime in the future?
Andrew: I say let’s…
Eric: No, it will be Black Swan and all those movies that haven’t been released yet to the rest of the world.
Andrew: Let’s save all our hope and energy for Part 2 getting “Best Picture.” I feel like that really could be a contender for “Best Picture.” This one – again, I don’t know, was it a “Best Picture?” Were the scenes when they are on mountaintops, was that – does that make it a “Best Picture?” I mean…
Eric: Just because you don’t get the film doesn’t mean the Academy won’t.
Matt: Yeah, thank you, Eric.
Andrew: I get the film.
[Jamie and Micah laugh]
Andrew: I just think you guys are relying too much on a sympathy vote.
Matt: Sympathy vote?
Eric: Wow.
Jamie: I don’t know if that’s the right word…
Micah: Well, don’t you think…
Jamie: …but I think you could be right.
[Andrew and Eric laugh]
Micah: Well, wasn’t this the case, Jamie and Matt, with Lord of the Rings where the first two films didn’t really get any…
Matt: Get anything, no.
Micah: …Oscar consideration and then…
Jamie: Yeah.
Micah: …Return of the King got everything?
Matt: Yeah. And in my opinion, I didn’t think The Return of the King, the one that won eleven Academy Awards, was the best of the trilogy.
Jamie: It was just long and epic.
Matt: It was long and epic, and it had all these fight sequences. I thought that, in a way, that they gave all eleven as a sympathy vote for not giving any of the other films Academy Awards.
Jamie: Maybe, yeah.
Eric: No, they don’t…
Jamie: But do they do that?
Eric: They aren’t even human!
Jamie: They’re quite hard, aren’t they?
Eric: They aren’t even human!
Jamie: Yeah, exactly.
Eric: They don’t have a sympathy vote.
[Andrew laughs]
Matt: What? They’re not even…
Andrew: The filmmakers are!
Eric: The Academy!
Matt: Oh, the Academy.
Jamie: The Academy, yeah.
Eric: The Academy!
Matt: I thought you were talking about – well, no because – of course it’s not. It’s a fantasy film. None of them are human.
Best MuggleCast Moment of the Year: Episode 190
Andrew: All right. Well, that’s all for news. Before we get to our big Year in Review: The Third Annual MuggleCasties, all throughout the show today we’re going to be looking back at some of the best MuggleCast moments of the year. This first one was from Episode 190. It was our “Helping Haiti Heal” special. It was when a few Harry Potter podcasts – MuggleCast, PotterCast, Harry Potter Alliance’s podcast, Hogwarts Radio. I think one or two others, too, Fiction Alley – all got together to do one giant podcast and we each took turns doing, like, a half hour, and this is a moment from our portion. It was – Micah told me I could pick any moment from this one, so naturally to inflate my ego this Saturday morning, I picked something that I did this episode.
Matt: Of course.
Andrew: So, let’s go back in time and listen. [makes time-traveling noises]
[Episode 190 clip plays]
Andrew:
Thank you. That’s exactly what I was going for. Okay, I did one more because I wanted to double check my work…
[Matt laughs]
Andrew:
…and I decided to – this second scene is where Ron rejoins Harry and Hermione after running away. You guys remember this from Book 7, right?
Eric:
Yeah.
Matt:
Yes.
Jamie:
Yeah.
Andrew:
Now, this may be a little controversial, but I had to do it. I mixed it in with his score from “The Meadow”…
[Matt gasps]
Andrew:
…which can be heard in the film ‘New Moon’. Don’t judge it yet. Take a listen. I really think this works.
[“The Meadow” plays]
Eric:
I’m judging, Andrew.
Jamie:
I’m judging.
Andrew:
“‘You come back after weeks – weeks – and you think it’s all going to be all right if you just say sorry?’ ‘Well, what else can I say?’ Ron shouted, and Harry was glad that Ron was fighting back. ‘Oh, I don’t know!’ yelled Hermione with awful sarcasm. ‘Rack your brains, Ron, that should only take a couple of seconds!’ ‘Hermione,’ injected Harry, who considered this a low blow, ‘he just saved my – ‘ ‘I don’t care!’ she screamed. ‘I don’t care what he’s done! Weeks and weeks, we could’ve been dead for all he knew.’ ‘I knew you weren’t dead,’ bellowed Ron drowning her voice for the first time and approaching as close as he could with the shield charm between them. ‘Harry’s all over the ‘Prophet’ and all over the radio, they’re looking for you everywhere, all these rumors and mental stories. I knew I’d hear straight off if you were dead.'”
[Clip ends]
Andrew: [makes time-traveling noises] So, that was…
Jamie: That was quite cool, actually. I don’t think I’ve heard that before. [laughs]
Andrew: You were on that show! [laughs]
Jamie: Oh, really?
Andrew: Yeah.
[Everyone laughs]
Jamie: Oh. Well, I’ve forgotten that. I was quite pleased with that.
Micah: Maybe we should put you up for an Academy Award.
[Andrew and Jamie laugh]
Andrew: No, that was when we had learned that Alexandre Desplat was going to do Part 1, so I took…
Jamie: Sorry, who? Who? [laughs]
Andrew: Alexandre Desplat was going to compose Part 1. He was going to be the composer for Part 1.
Jamie: Are you sure that’s his name, Andrew?
Andrew: Alexandre Desplat! Yes, I know it for a fact. Come on, [laughs] how do you think it’s pronounced?
Jamie: Well, I can’t remember, but I don’t think it’s that.
Andrew: It is Desplat. I a hundred percent know that for sure.
Jamie: But Andrew, he’s not American. Not everyone in this world is American.
[Everyone laughs]
Third Annual MuggleCasties: Most Interesting Potter Star on Twitter
Andrew: That has nothing to do with it! It’s Desplat. Desplat. Anyway, he was signed on to do Part 1 and I took some of his previous scores, including that from The Twilight Saga: New Moon, go put them together with part of Harry Potter. So anyway, now it’s time for the Year in Review: The Third Annual MuggleCasties awards. As everybody remembers, last year we took live – we did a live poll in numerous categories to help determine what were the biggest stories, the biggest winners of the year. And we’re going to do that same exact thing this year. This year, I’m happy to say, it’s easier than ever for the 533 people listening live right now. A poll is just going to show up right over the top of the video screen, so it’s – you can’t miss it. It’s going to be very easy to vote. Our first category is “Most Interesting Potter Star on Twitter.” Now, I think these are the same contenders from last year. [laughs]
Matt: Yeah, this is last year’s one.
Andrew: But we’re looking at who was the most interesting this year. First person was Tom Felton, second person is Emma Watson, third person is Warwick Davis, fourth person is Matthew Lewis – and Micah, we’re also giving an honorable mention to J.K. Rowling. Can you explain that, please, while I get the poll ready?
Micah: Well, I thought we should just mention her.
[Andrew laughs]
Micah: I mean, even though she’s used Twitter probably about as much as she has updated her site in the last year or so.
Matt: Ooh.
Micah: [laughs] So, I’d just like to give a little nod, that’s all. Nothing more.
Andrew: Yeah. All right, so we’re starting the poll now, people can now vote and we will get the music going to progress this.
[“Jeopardy” countdown plays]
Andrew: Here we go. The results are…
Micah: Can we vote?
Andrew: Yes, feel free to vote if – well, I prefer you not because then you’d have to bring up the stream. But Tom Felton seems to be taking…
Micah: I already have the stream up.
Andrew: Oh. [laughs]
[Micah laughs]
Andrew: Tom Felton seems to be taking an early lead with 56% of the vote.
Micah: I’m going to give Warwick Davis a vote since he was on the show.
[Andrew and Matt laugh]
Andrew: I have to say, I think I’m agreeing with most of the listeners. Tom Felton was very active this year on Twitter. He’s always re-tweeting people.
[Music ends]
Andrew: And that’s it. With 56% of the vote, the winner is…
[Drum roll plays]
Andrew: …Tom Felton!
[Trumpet sound plays]
Eric: Whoo!
Andrew: [poorly imitating Tom Felton] “I’d like to thank everybody for…” [normal voice] Jamie, could you do a Tom Felton impression? I can’t.
[Matt laughs]
[Prolonged silence]
Andrew: I think Jamie walked out.
Eric: Don’t worry about it.
Matt: It sounds like…
Eric: We would have to do a…
Matt: [laughs] Your Tom Felton impression sounds like John Lennon.
[Andrew laughs]
Eric: Between the two of us we would have to do a Mark Wahlberg and Will Ferrell impression interrupting him accepting this award.
Andrew: Hey, people on Twitter – or people listening to us live – can you please at reply Tom Felton and let him know [laughs] that he just won a MuggleCastie?
[Eric laughs]
Andrew: [laughs] See if we can get him to comment. No, but seriously, at reply him. Let him know he won a MuggleCast award for “Most Interesting Potter star on Twitter.” Okay, so…
Micah: I hope he doesn’t expect us to send it to him.
[Andrew laughs]
Matt: [laughs] Yeah.
Eric: Oh, geez. [laughs]
MuggleCast 216 Transcript (continued)
Third Annual MuggleCasties: Most Shocking News Story
Andrew: I’ll send him a sticker. Okay, so our next category is “Most Shocking News Story.” This is my favorite category, especially this year. We have some great stories. First one: the Mayor of London saying a theme park shouldn’t be built in Orlando. If everyone remembers, I think he wrote an op-ed in The Times over the summer and he was saying that he was furious [laughs] how the theme park…
[Eric laughs]
Andrew: …was opening up in Orlando when London doesn’t even have one yet. So, that’s our…
Micah: Didn’t he say you’re more likely to get shot in Orlando than in London?
Andrew: Yes! [laughs]
[Eric laughs]
Andrew: I think in the headline, I wrote, “Cites getting shot…” [laughs]
[Eric laughs]
Andrew: “…more likely.” Okay, so that’s our first contender. Second contender: MuggleCast – oh, come on! Who put this in here?
[Everyone laughs]
Andrew: What…
Eric: You’ve got to go with it.
Andrew: No! No! I do not…
Eric: We didn’t even mention this on the show!
Andrew: My story…
Eric: We didn’t even mention this on the show. This is the show that we have to mention this on!
Matt: This is a – no, this is big. This is big, Andrew.
Andrew: Okay, well then, I need to get the Bieber story in here. This can’t be replaced.
Eric: Oh, it’s replacing The Biebs, Andrew!
Andrew: No.
Eric: I’m sorry.
Andrew: No.
Matt: No.
Eric: There can only be four, it needs to replace the…
Andrew: Do you know how many comments we got on that? On the thing? Okay, I – okay, so second story – because Eric replaced it without telling us. Thanks Eric! – [laughs] MuggleCast not nominated for a 2010 Podcast Award. We got snubbed.
[Matt laughs]
Andrew: Third – sorry, I’m typing these into the poll as we go. Third: Emma Watson cuts hair following Deathly Hallows wrapping. Everybody knows she now has a new haircut.
Eric: It’s pretty shocking.
Andrew: And…
Jamie: It looks weird! [laughs]
[Eric laughs]
Andrew: Finally…
Micah: Oh, welcome back, Jamie!
Matt: [laughs] That’s a nice little return.
Jamie: Oh, yeah. Sorry, sorry, my phone went. I had to go and pick up my phone.
Andrew: That’s all right.
Jamie: Yeah.
Andrew: And fourth, Dan Radcliffe thinks Bieber is a girl. And we’re going to start the poll now. See how…
[Trumpet sound plays]
Andrew: Oh.
[“Jeopardy” countdown plays]
Andrew: See how people…
Micah: Who won?
Andrew: [laughs] Sorry, I got a little happy.
Matt: Come on, Bieber!
Andrew: Anyway, the results are tight. Emma Watson cutting hair seems to be taking an early lead. Honorable mention goes to John Williams not returning for Film 8. That’s obviously a bit of a disappointment, but it’s…
Matt: Yeah, that’s the most depressing story.
Eric: Oh, come on, MuggleCast! Beat Bieber, beat Bieber, beat Bieber, beat Bieber! Come on, come on, come on, come on, come on, come on!
Andrew: As David Yates said at the premiere, their schedules just did not align.
[Music ends]
Andrew: David Yates would have had to give John Williams the film too early. Anyway, the winners are now in for the winner of “Most Shocking News Story.” And the MuggleCastie goes to…
[Drum roll plays]
Andrew: …Emma Watson cuts hair following movie wrap!
[Trumpet sound plays]
Matt: Whoo!
Andrew: Emma Watson, I’ve got to say, she looks beautiful with her new hairstyle.
Eric: Yeah.
Andrew: That won with…
Eric: Ha!
Andrew: …40% of the vote. With 27% of the vote, [laughs] MuggleCast not nominated for 2010 Podcast Award.
Eric: Thank you.
Andrew: With 26%, Dan Radcliffe thinks Justin Bieber is a girl. And only 5% thought the Mayor of London story was shocking. I found the Bieber story to be most shocking because…
Matt: Yeah…
Jamie: I agree. I agree.
Matt: …I thought it was, too. I thought that was the most controversial.
Jamie: It is controversial…
Eric: Is he being serious?
Jamie: …isn’t it, in saying that?
Matt: Yeah. Emma Watson cutting her hair, it’s something that grows back.
[Andrew laughs]
Jamie: Which everyone does as well! [laughs]
Matt: [laughs] Doesn’t everyone…
Eric: In, like, ten years!
Matt: …eventually cut their hair?
Andrew: But her hair was so radically short. I mean, she looks like a…
Eric: Yeah.
Andrew: …pixie.
Jamie: It does look weird. I think it looks weird. I know some people like it, but I don’t know. I don’t know. I do think it looks a bit funny.
Matt: You don’t have to date her, Jamie. Geez.
[Jamie and Micah laugh]
Eric: You could attend Brown University, though…
Matt: Thank God you’re not her boyfriend! [laughs]
Eric: …and you could tell her in person.
Jamie: What was that ten points to Gryffindor thing? I read that it wasn’t true somewhere.
[Andrew laughs]
Eric: Oh, I don’t know.
Jamie: That’s such a shame.
Matt: That was hilarious.
Eric: I don’t know.
Andrew: We don’t know if that’s true. Rumor has it that…
Jamie: No, no, no, she had an interview and she said it wasn’t true. But she could just be saying that because it’s so damn funny. [laughs]
Andrew: Oh.
[Eric and Matt laugh]
Andrew: Well, somebody is going to do it now, now that the story has gone out. [laughs]
Jamie: Yeah, someone will now.
Third Annual MuggleCasties: Best Returning Deathly Hallows: Part 1 Actor
Andrew: All right, our next category: Best Returning Actor in Deathly Hallows: Part 1.
Eric: Returning.
Matt: Wait, when you say “returning,” does this mean an actor who was not…
Andrew: Who has been…
Matt: …on prior to the film?
Andrew: No…
Matt: Well, then…
Andrew: …who has been in…
Matt: …that doesn’t make sense.
Andrew: “Returning” meaning coming back for another film, who has been in it before or before who has been in them all before. Best actor! So, the nominees are: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Ralph Fiennes and Tom Felton.
Matt: Aww, you should have had Dobby in this.
Andrew: Start the poll now.
[“Jeopardy” countdown plays]
Jamie: But he’s not an actor, is he? He’s a tennis ball on a stick.
[Eric and Micah laugh]
Matt: He had the best acting in the entire film.
Andrew: These are people who have been in every film, with the exception of Ralph Fiennes.
Matt: Oh, okay.
Andrew: He’s in almost all of them.
Matt: I didn’t read the fine print.
Andrew: Surprisingly, Rupert Grint seems to be taking an early lead with 56% of the vote. Everyone else is sort of lagging.
Eric: Man.
Andrew: I mean…
Micah: Wow, I’m surprised. I picked Ralph Fiennes, I thought his job as Voldemort in this film was really good.
[Music ends]
Andrew: Well, the results are now in. The winner of the best – of the MuggleCastie for the “Best Returning Actor” is…
[Drum roll plays]
Andrew: …Rupert Grint!
Matt: Yay!
Eric: Woo!
Andrew: That drum roll was, like, a second too long. [laughs]
Matt: I think this is good, accurate voting.
Eric: I really don’t think so.
Matt: I thought…
Eric: Everybody snubs Dan. What the hell? Okay, is it that Harry is your character reading the book? He’s your – in person, you’re in his head, and is that why nobody likes Dan?
Matt: No, it’s not…
Jamie: You can’t say that no one likes him.
Matt: No, it’s not that no one likes Dan, it’s just that Dan wasn’t the best actor in the film.
Eric: Well, I mean, he got the least votes is what I’m saying…
Matt: Well…
Eric: …on this poll…
Matt: Maybe everyone is just…
Eric: …and I’m tired of that!
Matt: Well, I think the main reason why Ron won was because he was the stand-out actor, I think. I think he stood out more than he’s done in the other films and that he had the biggest improvement. Also…
Eric: But that Tom Felton and Ralph Fiennes and Rupert Grint stood out more?
Matt: Well, Tom Felton, Ralph Fiennes and Rupert – yeah, Tom Felton and Ralph Fiennes all had maybe a collective five minutes in the film.
Eric: Mhm.
Third Annual MuggleCasties: Best Returning Deathly Hallows: Part 1 Actress
Andrew: Hmm. Okay. You know what, I agree with the voting. I thought Rupert Grint was great in this film and really a lot better, sort of unexpected, in terms of his performance, it exceeded my expectations. Sorry. Next category: Best Returning Deathly Hallows Actress. The nominees are: Emma Watson, Helena Bonham Carter, Imelda Staunton and Bonnie Wright. Start the polling now…
[“Jeopardy” countdown plays]
Andrew: …and the votes are coming in by the second.
Jamie: [imitates the “Jeopardy” countdown] This music…
Eric: Ooh.
Jamie: …makes you sleep.
Matt: Hmm.
Jamie: It’s like being hypnotized.
Andrew: [laughs] This song will be running through everyone’s head all day, I’m sure…
[Matt imitates the “Jeopardy” countdown]
Andrew: …after hearing it…
Jamie: Yeah.
Andrew: …eight times.
Matt: Oh, we’re going to hear this nine times?
Andrew: I’m sorry. Emma Watson seems to be taking the lead, 55% of the vote, but closely followed by Helena Bonham Carter with 36%. [laughs] Bonnie Wright…
Matt: [laughs] Guys…
Andrew: …has a disappointing 2%.
[Music ends]
Matt: [laughs] Ten votes!
Jamie: [laughs] Yeah, that’s not amazing, is it?
Andrew: No.
Jamie: I bet that’s her.
Andrew: The winner of the MuggleCastie is…
[Drum roll plays]
Andrew: …Emma Watson!
Matt: Yay!
Micah: Tweet her!
[Trumpet sound plays]
Matt: What do you think was her…
Andrew: [laughs] Tweet her.
Jamie: [laughs] Tweet her.
Matt: What do you think was her most notable scene, Emma Watson?
Andrew: I loved…
Jamie: Oh, the first scene! The first scene, the one when she’s…
Micah: Yeah.
Jamie: …erasing all her photos, it was such good filmmaking! It was a great choice to start that.
Matt: Oh, it’s the best opening ever.
Jamie: It was so cool.
Andrew: I have to also say when Hermione is asking Harry for her wand back. She’s, like, “Harry, where’s my wand?” after Ron returns. “Where’s my wand? Where’s my wand?” [laughs] I thought that was really funny.
Matt: I liked when she had the Rita Skeeter book in her hand talking about her parents, in the forest.
Andrew: If everybody could please notify Emma Watson via Twitter – her Twitter handle is “EmWatson.”
Matt: Mhm.
Andrew: So, E-M-Watson – that she won [laughs] a MuggleCastie award for “Best Returning Actress.”
Jamie: [laughs] Yeah, but she also won the hair one. They’re going to be, “We think your hair…”
Matt: Best hair.
Jamie: “…is the weirdest story!” [laughs]
Andrew: Oh yeah!
[Eric laughs]
Andrew: Tell her she also won for “Best Shocking News Story” and her stickers are in the mail.
Matt: [laughs] Her stickers.
Andrew: Or will be in the mail by the end of the day.
Matt: Are we sending them pickles?
Andrew: Yes…
[Jamie laughs]
Andrew: …you also get a commemorative pickle. [laughs]
Jamie: [laughs] A commemorative pickle!
[Everyone laughs]
Jamie: With a smiley face on it. How about we give her an exclusive membership to Pickle Pack?
[Everyone laughs]
Jamie: So we can re-open it. We can re-open it for her!
Andrew: Today’s winners will receive prizes from Pickle Pack. Okay, great ideas. We have some great ideas. No, but seriously, let her know on Twitter. Maybe she will respond, maybe she will be, like, “Oh, thanks!” [laughs]
[Matt laughs]
Andrew: Okay…
Jamie: It will be like the Oscar that never was. [laughs]
Andrew: I mean, I figure if they get enough tweets – I’m going to do it once the show is over, I’m going to let them know, too, via Twitter. If they get enough tweets they will think it’s something really big, [laughs] so they will have to respond!
Matt: Yeah…
Jamie: [laughs] Yeah!
Matt: …if we get it trending…
Jamie: Yeah, if we get it trending!
[Everyone laughs]
Matt: We got to beat the Miley Cyrus trend.
Jamie: MuggleCastie hashtag.
Third Annual MuggleCasties: Best New Potter Actor
Andrew: All right, our next category is “Best New Potter Actor” and the nominees are – oh geez, [pronounces incorrectly] “Rise” Ifans… [laughs]
Eric: [pronounces incorrectly] “Riss.” It’s “Riss.”
Jamie: [laughs] Both words are wrong there!
Andrew: Bill Nighy – got that one right? Good. Peter Mullan and Andy Linden. Now you might be saying, “Who do these people play?” Rhys plays Xenophilius Lovegood, Bill Nighy plays Rufus Scrimgeour, Peter Mullan plays Yaxley, and Andy Linden plays Mundungus Fletcher. I am starting the poll now and the results are coming in.
[“Jeopardy” countdown plays]
Matt: Hmm.
Jamie: Can we still talk now? I can’t remember.
Andrew: Yes, please. Yeah.
Jamie: Oh, right. No, I was going to say, Andy Linden was not the Mundungus Fletcher that I thought Mundungus Fletcher was going to be like.
Matt: Yeah.
Eric: Did you really think that?
Jamie: Oh yeah, yeah. He was supposed to be lanky and ginger, and this guy was Cockney, short and squat.
Andrew: [laughs] Cockney?
Matt: Yeah.
Eric: You mean to tell me that – [laughs] Cockney, short and squat. That should be the name of this episode.
[Jamie laughs]
Eric: Do you mean to tell me that when Jo writes, “lanky and ginger,” that immediately your mind responds and says, “Oh, all right. I’m drawing a picture right now of a lanky ginger man” and that’s…
Jamie: Yeah, that’s what I do when I read. I thought that’s what everyone did…
[Micah laughs]
Jamie: …they visualize what’s on the page. [laughs] What do you do?
Eric: No, I…
Micah: Well, wasn’t he bald in the movie?
Andrew: He was, pretty much.
Eric: I base more on his personality, so I tend to form on their actions.
Jamie: Well, you’re an arrogant reader! No, I do as well, I still visualize…
Eric: How is that? How am I an arrogant reader?
Jamie: Well, because you’re saying, “I don’t pay attention to her characterization.”
Eric: No, it’s just – she – hey, look, you have to agree that she uses colors as meaningful to represent certain things, so it’s almost less realistic to go by what color a shirt was or a day was or the sky was because…
Jamie: Yeah, but what about a person, though? A person – if she says he’s ginger and tall, then I’m going to imagine that. I’m not going to think, “Well, if she says that, I won’t think that.”
Matt: Right.
Eric: Maybe all the ginger actors were cast as Weasleys, [laughs] in Britain.
Jamie: Yeah, maybe. Yeah.
Andrew: Guys, this is fascinating, but we must announce the winner.
Micah: I have a question for Jamie, though, after you announce the winner.
Andrew: Okay. The…
[Trumpet sound plays]
Andrew: Oh. [laughs] The winner…
[Drum roll plays]
Andrew: …of the MuggleCastie [laughs] for “Best New Actor” [pauses] goes to [pronounces incorrectly] “Rise” Ifans!
[Trumpet sound plays]
Jamie: And [pronounces correctly] Rhys Ifans as well.
Andrew: [laughs] Rhys Ifans!
[Everyone laughs]
Matt: Thank you.
Andrew: Listen, I’m not good at pronouncing English names, I’m sorry.
Micah: I like how you waited until…
Jamie: Or French ones. [laughs]
Micah: …the very end to correct him, Jamie.
[Everyone laughs]
Jamie: [laughs] Yeah.
Micah: You could have said it right at the beginning.
[Jamie laughs]
Andrew: Is he back in Part 2? Because I hope to never say his name again.
Matt: Who?
[Everyone laughs]
Jamie: Yeah.
Andrew: The guy who won. No, but he won with 40% of the vote. Bill Nighy came in with 27% of the vote, Peter Mullan came in with 17%, and Andy Linden came in with 15%, so tight – or equally spread across the pie compared to other categories.
Micah: Yeah, I was going to say, though, we obviously left off some people.
Andrew: Mhm.
Micah: The guys who played Runcorn and Cattermole. We only have a certain number of options we can put in, right? On the poll, Andrew? So…
Andrew: That’s correct.
Micah: What did you think of that scene, Jamie? Did you like it? How…
Jamie: What, the…
Micah: The Ministry scene.
Jamie: …Tottenham Court Road one?
Micah: Yeah.
Jamie: Oh, oh, the Ministry one. Yeah, I did like it. I thought the bit where he is turning back into Harry and he brings his scars up was a great touch. It’s really nice. But what I didn’t like is how they transformed back when they were already inside the – sorry, when they were still inside the Ministry. I didn’t think that was that good because I’m sure that many wizards could prevent them from leaving. The whole point was that they almost got there before they transformed and then they got out just as they were transforming back. It just seemed a bit – but yeah, it was funny as well with the Cattermole thing. But I wanted to say – actually, about that scene, you know in Lord of the Rings when you wear the ring and it affects you, and in Harry Potter you wear the Horcrux and it affects you? Well, since Umbridge was wearing the Horcrux, was she acting completely of her own accord? Or was the…
Eric: Right.
Jamie: …Muggle-born Committee actually because she was wearing it, or what?
Matt: Well, it affects people more the other and I think Umbridge was just already at that point. She’s a you-know-what anyways, so…
Jamie: Yeah, yeah.
Eric: You mean to say that it didn’t affect her at all?
Matt: No, because she’s just evil. She’s an evil person.
Eric: Oh, geez. Well, look, I think it brings out the worst in you. I think she was absolutely affected by the locket Horcrux. Maybe not more…
Matt: Well, I think anything, the locket would only make her a nicer person.
Andrew: Was there anything you noticed…
[Eric and Matt laugh]
Andrew: Eric, was there anything you noticed that made you think she was – it was making her act stranger?
Eric: It…
Andrew: Or strange?
Eric: Just the particular malice with which she says, “You are not a witch,” and, “Who did you steal it from?” I can understand a prejudice, but that seemed to be enhanced by the locket, to me.
Jamie: I agree. I agree. Well, I don’t know. It’s a tough one, but I think it probably did have an effect on her. I don’t think there is evil and not evil, there’s always…
Eric: Yeah.
Jamie: …shades of grey, isn’t there? Great scene though, Micah. Great scene. I did like it a lot, yeah.
Third Annual MuggleCasties: Best New Potter Actress
Andrew: Now we’re moving on to “Best New Potter Actress.” The nominees are: Matyelok Gibbs who plays Aunt Muriel, Sophie Thompson who plays Mafalda Hopkirk, Hazel Douglas who plays Bathilda Bagshot, and Kate Fleetwood who plays Mary Cattermole. The results – the polls…
[“Jeopardy” countdown plays]
Jamie: I don’t want to influence the poll…
Andrew: Go ahead
Jamie: …but the first one, Aunt Muriel, was fantastic!
Andrew: Yeah.
Jamie: Especially that line when she said, “My boy, didn’t you know him at all?” or whatever she said about Harry and Dumbledore, which was a great line. It was absolutely brilliant! It was a great way to dramatize how Harry was feeling towards Dumbledore at that point. Really…
Eric: What accent was that? Jamie, do you know? Do you recognize it?
Jamie: What, her accent?
Eric: Yeah.
Jamie: She was just English, I think.
Eric: Oh.
Jamie: Yeah, I think she was.
[Eric laughs]
Andrew: Her costume, too, was pretty incredible!
[Music ends]
Jamie: Yeah, yeah, it was. Yeah.
Andrew: Okay. Well, it was actually a very tight competition for this category.
[Drum roll plays]
Andrew: The winner is – geez, I can’t – [laughs] I have to look closely – Matyelok Gibbs! So, Jamie, you did influence the vote. She plays…
Jamie: Or perhaps I didn’t.
[Everyone laughs]
Andrew: …Aunt Muriel.
Matt: Or perhaps she was just good.
Jamie: Perhaps she’s just good, yeah. Assume the worst, Andrew. [laughs]
[Matt laughs]
Andrew: [laughs] 27% of the vote. Coming in a close second, Hazel Douglas with 26% and…
Jamie: She was good as well.
Andrew: …Sophie Thompson had 25%. Kate Fleetwood with 20%. So, mixed results. That was a…
Eric: I don’t understand.
Micah: Go ahead…
Eric: Kate Fleetwood probably did…
Micah: …and tweet Matyelok Gibbs.
Eric: Yeah.
[Andrew laughs]
Micah: I’m sure she has Twitter.
Matt: Wouldn’t it be awesome if they had the…
[Everyone laughs]
Jamie: Send her a pickle.
[Everyone laughs]
Andrew: Oh.
Eric: Oh, he said it. I don’t get it, Kate Fleetwood had the most acting to do in this film.
Matt: Yeah, but Matyelok Gibbs…
Eric: But…
Matt: …was the best.
Eric: But Hazel Douglas, Bathilda Bagshot, really?
Matt: Bathilda Bagshot wasn’t even – she was dead!
Andrew: But…
Eric: Best new actress, really?
Andrew: Matyelok Gibbs also – now you get more from her in the book, I feel, but Aunt Muriel – with that short amount of time that she had, I feel like she played it off well, with the amount of time…
Jamie: She did a great job.
Andrew: She was limited, she didn’t have much…
Matt: Mhm.
Jamie: Really great job, yeah.
Andrew: All right…
Jamie: Why wasn’t he wearing the Invisibility Cloak, though? No, sorry, I don’t mean that. I mean, why wasn’t he transformed into the Weasley? And why…
Micah: Barney? Was it Barney?
Jamie: Yeah, yeah, Barney. And why didn’t they wear the Invisibility Cloak when they went places? I know it’s a visual medium…
Eric: So that you could see them! [laughs]
Jamie: Well, yeah. But – aww, that was annoying, but understandable.
Andrew: Well, especially because it does play a big role in terms of the Deathly Hallows, so you would think…
Eric: [imitating Harry] “I was born here, Hermione. I’m not coming back as someone else.”
Matt: Yeah.
Jamie: Yeah.
Matt: That was a big…
Andrew: Or maybe you could have seen them take off the Invisibility Cloak as they approached their destination?
Eric: Well, I argued this before. Bathilda still knows it’s Harry. Maybe it’s the snake-Horcrux connection. But even though he’s disguised as Barney, she knows it’s him and they still make that connection. So, there’s really no point to him being disguised to begin with. There’s no example where him being disguised actually helps them out in the Godric’s Hollow scene.
Matt: Mhm.
Third Annual MuggleCasties: Best Deathly Hallows: Part 1 Scene
Andrew: Out next category is “Best Deathly Hallows: Part 1 Scene.”
Matt: Geez.
Andrew: Now, of course there is a ton of great scenes in this movie, so it was very…
Jamie: Tough, very tough.
Andrew: Very hard to pick four, but these were at the discretion of Micah, [laughs] so…
Micah: Yeah, put it all on my shoulders. That’s all right.
Andrew: Micah…
Eric: Hey, I saw it too.
Andrew: And Eric. Micah and Eric…
Micah: Hey, people reviewed this document, all right? So, don’t go…
[Eric laughs]
Micah: …giving me hell if your favorite scene…
Eric: It was shared with five people.
Micah: …doesn’t make the cut.
Eric: Yeah.
Andrew: The nominees are: Seven Potters, The Ministry, The Locket Horcrux, and Malfoy Manor/Dobby’s Death, we had to put those two together. And the voting…
Matt: Aww, that’s not fair.
[“Jeopardy” countdown plays]
Andrew: The voting has now begun. My vote, personally – [poorly imitating Jamie] I don’t want to influence the vote, [normal voice] but my vote, personally, is…
[Jamie laughs]
Andrew: …Malfoy Manor/Dobby’s Death because Malfoy Manor – those scenes in general – there were a few throughout the movie and any time we were in Malfoy Manor, I loved it.
Matt: Yeah, I got to agree. Well, I agree strictly on Dobby’s death.
Andrew: The early winner seems to be Malfoy Manor and Dobby’s death with 43% of the vote.
Eric: Go banana!
[Music ends]
Jamie: Easily winning, aww!
[Andrew laughs]
Jamie: The one I voted for…
Micah: Wow, I voted for the…
Jamie: …is dying a slow death.
Andrew: The winner…
[Drum roll plays]
Micah: Which one?
Andrew: …is…
Jamie: The Seven Potters.
Andrew: Malfoy Manor and Dobby’s Death with 43% of the vote!
[Trumpet sound plays]
Matt: Yay!
Andrew: Coming in a close second is The Ministry with 23%, The Locket Horcrux with 21%, and Seven Potters with 11%.
Jamie: Oh, by the way, that scene, Seven Potters, one more bad continuity error was that their voices didn’t transfer over, but in Chamber of Secrets they did transfer over.
Andrew: Yes.
Eric: No, in Chamber of Secrets they…
Andrew: No, they…
Eric: What do you mean?
Andrew: No, they…
Jamie: When they use Polyjuice Potion.
Eric: Yeah, they kept film continuity. In Chamber of Secrets their voices don’t change.
Matt: Yeah, their voices…
Jamie: Oh, I thought they did.
Matt: …don’t change at all.
Jamie: Right. Oh, right. Okay.
Andrew: They impersonate. They make…
Eric: So, it’s a difference from the…
Matt: [in a deeper voice] They go like this.
Andrew: Yeah, they solved the…
Eric: So, they actually – yeah.
Jamie: Okay, sorry. Ignore. Ignore. Big fail. Ignore it.
Eric: But you’re right, it is a book difference.
Jamie: It’s a book difference, yeah. Oh, by the way, what I was going to say is in the locket scene when they’re trying to curse it and it isn’t dying, [laughs] I was expecting Elrond to come in and say, “The Ring cannot be destroyed.”
Matt: “Cannot be destroyed!”
[Everyone laughs]
Jamie: “Gimli, son of Gloin.” [laughs] That would be so cool if they had to go to Mount Doom and chuck it in there. [laughs]
[Matt laughs]
Third Annual MuggleCasties: J.K. Rowling Award
Andrew: Okay, we’ve arrived at our final category before determining the top seven stories of the year. This is the J.K. Rowling Award. Now in years past, J.K. Rowling has won the J.K. Rowling Award, but we’ve added some competitors [laughs] to make the competition tight. Now, in order to be nominated for the J.K. Rowling Award, you have to be female, you have to be an author or influential in the book community, and you also have to be sort of a somebody in the entertainment industry as well. So, we’ve picked four women who meet all of those criteria and the nominees are J.K. Rowling, J.K. Rowling – no, I’m kidding. Suzanne Collins, who is the author of The Hunger Games, Oprah Winfrey, we all know Oprah. [laughs]
[Matt laughs]
Andrew: And last but not least, or maybe least [laughs] depending on how this poll goes, Stephenie Meyer…
Jamie: Oh, this is going to be so interesting.
Andrew: …who is the author of Twilight. So, the voting…
Eric: Now, if I may sway the poll here…
Andrew: …has now begun.
[“Jeopardy” countdown plays]
Eric: …I’m going to say that there is only one J.K. Rowling.
[Andrew laughs]
Micah: It’s… [laughs]
Jamie: Wow, that’s not going to…
Andrew: So…
Matt: Wow, why was J.K. Rowling even on this? [laughs]
Andrew: Well, because she – to win the J.K. Rowling award you have to be…
Matt: J.K. Rowling? [laughs]
Andrew: …a woman. Yes, basically.
Matt: You have to be J.K. Rowling to win the award.
Micah: So, Justin Bieber could potentially beat J.K. Rowling…
[Jamie laughs]
Micah: …according to Dan.
Jamie: Well, they have to be female, yeah. [laughs]
[Eric laughs]
Andrew: Well, J.K. Rowling – in years past, we haven’t put J.K. Rowling up against anybody else…
[Music ends]
Andrew: …but this year we decided to try and do that. Anyway…
Matt: So, it’s fair.
Andrew: …the winner is now in and it’s very clear.
[Drum roll plays]
Andrew: The winner of the J.K. Rowling Award goes to [pauses] J.K. Rowling!
[Trumpet sound plays]
Jamie: Tweet her! Tweet her! Tweet her! Tweet her! Tweet her!
[Andrew laughs]
Eric: Now, guys, you’ve got to tweet her. You’ve got to tweet her and tell her that she won the J.K. Rowling Award at the annual…
Jamie: Hundreds of millions of times! [laughs]
[Eric laughs]
Andrew: With an astounding 81% of the vote. Suzanne Collins, author of The Hunger Games had 10% of the vote. With 5% of the vote, Stephenie Meyer. And with 2%, Oprah Winfrey. I thought for sure Oprah would beat Stephenie but not.
Eric: I thought so, too. Well, we didn’t have Melissa Anelli on this poll and if we had…
[Andrew laughs]
Eric: …she would have seriously been a contender, so…
Andrew: So, then J.K…
Jamie: Oh yeah – go on. No, I was going to say, Stephen King came out and said that Stephenie Meyer is not a good writer.
Andrew: Yes.
Eric: What?
Jamie: …and Stephen King is a god, so…
Eric: No, actually, Stephen King – he’ll put his name on anything these days. Do you notice that? Do you ever go to open up a book that looks interesting and then Stephen King gives his word of praise? And then you’re, like, “Oh, I don’t know if I should actually read this because…”
[Andrew laughs]
Eric: “…he’s given words of praise for every other book I’ve picked up.”
Jamie: No! No! I love him!
Eric: It’s so true!
Jamie: He’s such a good writer, though. He’s so – read The Shining, it’s so good. It is such a good book.
Matt: That’s fifty years old, though.
Jamie: Oh, that – oh, well, that doesn’t matter!
Micah: Timeless classic!
Jamie: Timeless classic, yeah! What about Lord of the Rings?
Matt: Oh, okay. Well, timeless classic, okay…
Jamie: What about Homer?
Eric: I’m saying the media has – I’m saying Stephen King’s word of endorsement isn’t what it used to be when he first endorsed the Harry Potter books.
Matt: Exactly.
Eric: That’s all I’m saying. That’s all I’m saying.
Matt: He’s kind of lost…
Eric: He’s still a good writer. I’ll still read his books…
[Andrew laughs]
Jamie: All right.
Eric: …but I won’t read the books that he says are good because these days…
Jamie: Oh, no.
Eric: …I feel the publishers own his ass, you know? So…
Jamie: I don’t know. He’s powerful. I don’t think they do. He can go to any publisher in the world and say, like, “I want to publish a book,” and they’d be crawling all over him just to read his words. I just tried to get “MuggleCasties” trending by putting a tweet out, but instead of putting “trending” I put, “Let’s get it trendy, people.”
[Everyone laughs]
Andrew: It is trendy, isn’t it?
Eric: Let’s get trendy?
Jamie: Oops.
MuggleCast 216 Transcript (continued)
Best MuggleCast Moment of the Year: Episode 211
Andrew: Okay, so before we move on to our top seven stories of the year, we are going to play another Best MuggleCast moment now. This is from Episode 211, Dumbledore is Order of Merlin, First Class. Was that the show title or is this the clip?
Micah: No, it was “Order of Micah.” [laughs]
Andrew: Oh, “Order of Micah” for – oh, I see. Okay.
Micah: No, that was the name of the show.
Andrew: Oh, right. Okay, I remember this now. So, let’s go back in time all the way back to Episode 211 and listen. [makes time-traveling noises]
[Episode 211 clip plays]
Andrew:
…that is so hilarious.
Micah:
First up, Dumbledore versus Merlin. Andrew, you take Dumbledore. Jamie, you take Merlin. Andrew, you go first.
Andrew:
Dumbledore is clearly the greatest wizard of all time, there’s no question about this. If you ask anyone on the street, “Who’s going to win, Dumbledore or Merlin?” more people will say Dumbledore just because they know him better.
[Andrew laughs in the present]
Andrew:
I mean, this is someone who’s been fighting Voldemort all his life. What did Merlin do? Who did he fight? He didn’t fight anyone.
[Andrew laughs in the present]
Andrew:
He didn’t have to take down anyone. Did Merlin sacrifice himself for the greater good? I don’t think so.
Jamie:
All right. I think, actually, Andrew is completely wrong, and if you ask most people in the street, “Name a famous wizard,” I think more would say Merlin after Gandalf than would say Dumbledore. I also think that if you consider that Dumbledore has the Deathly Hallows as the biggest legend surrounding him, and you think, “Well, that’s quite a big legend,” but it’s only involved in a ‘Harry Potter’ thing, whereas Merlin was involved in the search for the Holy Grail and everyone’s heard of the Holy Grail, and if you can trust someone to that kind of task, they’ve got to be pretty damn powerful. And I think Merlin’s probably got access to different types of wizardry, whereas Dumbledore is more of a ‘Harry Potter’ book thing only, whereas I think Merlin comes in different guises, and he’s probably had more experience than Dumbledore. I think he’s probably older than Dumbledore as well, and age is wiseness and blah, blah, blah, so I think Merlin would cane Dumbledore.
[Everyone laughs]
Micah:
Well, I would just like to add this fact to it. I mean, isn’t Dumbledore ‘Order of Merlin, First Class’?
Jamie:
Awww!
Micah:
And there is no ‘Order of Dumbledore’.
[Everyone laughs]
Andrew:
Oh, darn it!
Jamie:
Awww, that is a great, great – that is brilliant. That is absolutely brilliant. If I…
[Andrew sighs]
Jamie:
I wish I had just said that. I would have just been, like, “Andrew, what is the Order that Dumbledore has got?” And he said, “Merlin,” and I said, “I rest my case.” [laughs]
[Micah laughs]
[Clip ends]
Andrew: [makes time-traveling noises] So, Micah that was one of your brilliant moments this year.
Jamie: That was amazing, that was!
Matt: Oh, this wasn’t – I thought you guys were talking right now.
[Everybody laughs]
Andrew: That was a clip.
Matt: Oh.
Andrew: Obviously.
Jamie: But surely, since you sit with Andrew, and you didn’t see his mouth…
[Eric laughs]
Matt: Well no [unintelligible] – I thought I was just totally lost in the conversation. I thought, “What are we talking about?
Jamie: Weird.
Matt: Sorry.
Andrew: Weird is right.
Matt: Sorry.
Top Seven News Stories of 2010: #7-5
Andrew: Okay, so we’re going to move on now to the top seven stories of the year. We selected the lowest three, so we determined Stories [laughs] Seven, Six, and Five, and we will leave it up to the listeners to determine the top four. And the way we’re going to do that is have you vote for your – what you believe is the top story and from there, we’ll be able to determine the top four if you…
Eric: Of the year.
Andrew: Of the year.
Eric: Of the year.
Andrew: Right. So, number seven – [laughs] boy, we’re really tooting our own horn here – MuggleCast’s landmark 200th episode and podcast inside the Wizarding World. This was obviously very special for us because this was the first time a podcast had been done inside the theme park. Frankly, I don’t know if a podcast has ever been done inside any theme park before, unless it was the park’s own podcast. But that was really special, and we thank everyone who turned out for that and everyone who’s been with us in general.
Eric: And now that episode is separate.
Andrew: What’s that?
Eric: The 200th episode is when we interviewed David Heyman.
Andrew: Right, yeah.
Eric: The podcast inside the Wizarding World was actually 203, was it? Or something? So…
Andrew: 201, I think. Wasn’t it right afterward?
Eric: Oh, really?
Andrew: I think it was – maybe a couple of episodes after.
Eric: Yeah. But…
Andrew: Anyway, it was a good summer because we hit two hundred episodes, which is really – when we look back and think that we’ve done over two hundred of these, it’s pretty insane, isn’t it, Micah?
Micah: Yeah. No, I agree with you. I think two hundred episodes – none of us thought when you, Kevin and Ben [laughs] started the show that it was going to last as long as it has, and going into – what would it be, six years next year?
Andrew: Yep.
Micah: It’s crazy.
Jamie: Six years, aww. Ten years is going to be the big one.
Andrew: Number six story…
[Everyone laughs]
Micah: What are we going to do for that?
Jamie: Oh, I had an idea, actually. Do you know Boys Like Girls? That band…
Andrew: Yeah.
Jamie: …I used to talk about all the time? Well, apparently, they like Harry Potter, so I think we should do a joint show with them. [laughs]
Andrew: [laughs] Okay, let’s start working on that. Let’s start at replying them, too.
Jamie: Well, yeah, yeah, we need to, yeah.
Andrew: Number six, Warner Bros…
Jamie: Tweet them, yeah.
Andrew: Number six story of the year: Warner Bros. purchasing Leavesden Studios. And we selected this story because Leavesden – that is where all of the Harry Potter films have been shot, primarily. And it’s really turned into a Harry Potter world there. I mean, all the sets are there, the Great Hall, Dumbeldore’s office. Even ones they built and then deconstructed and rebuilt a million times, they’ve all been there. And I think the cast and crew would agree that’s been their second home for the past ten years. And the fact that Warner Bros. is purchasing it is great because they are making – they are going to add a Harry Potter museum in there. So, some of the sets are going to live there forever, so that’s pretty special. And people – fans will be able to go and visit.
Eric: Yeah, those are going to be the actual sets, not the re-creations or anything like that.
Andrew: Right.
Eric: I mean…
Andrew: It’s going to nothing…
Eric: What you saw on film, yeah.
Andrew: And it’s going to be better than the exhibition because the exhibition is sort of a reconstruction – I mean, reconstructed. In the exhibit, there are…
Eric: Well, the exhibition is props and costumes.
Andrew: Right.
Eric: I mean…
Andrew: But I’m saying the real sets are going to be…
Eric: Yeah, maybe a few set pieces in the exhibition to help guide you along in a story, but the sets – I mean, what you mean to say is that it will be more authentic than the Wizarding World.
Andrew: Yes, you’re right. And Leavesden – I mean, you’re going where the films were shot. How cool is that?
Eric: Yeah.
Andrew: I mean…
Eric: Yeah, very, very cool.
Andrew: Yeah. Number five story – this is a sort of round-up category – the Harry Potter movie merchandise. There’s a few things that came out this year which I think fans have been really enjoying: the Prisoner of Azkaban and Goblet of Fire Ultimate Editions, the Harry Potter pop-up book, and what I think is the best Harry Potter merchandise to come out this year, Harry Potter Film Wizardry. It’s the book we’ve talked about on episodes of MuggleCast before. It’s basically an encyclopedia about the films. There is tons of new interviews in it, tons of behind-the-scenes pictures, concept art. If any of you have purchased it – you know what we’re talking about. I mean, it’s very comprehensive and a very good read.
Micah: Yeah, especially because it does take a look at the final two films more than I anticipated. Looking at some of the sets and some of the actors, sitting down and interviewing them, and you do get a brief look at Part 2. So, if you want a quick glimpse into what some of the things they worked on for Part 2 is like, definitely go and check out that book.
Matt: Mhm.
Andrew: And now the top four stories of the year, we will – they will be determined by you guys…
Matt: Oh, wait, wait…
Andrew: …our listeners.
Matt: …Andrew, you didn’t say the best Harry Potter merchandise of the year was the Harry Potter Snuggie.
Andrew: Ooh, the Harry Potter Snuggie, have you guys seen that?
Eric: See, I can’t find that anywhere.
Andrew: Matt, go grab it.
Matt: I’ll go get it.
Andrew: It’s available at Hot Topic. I have one, I’ve been wearing it whenever I’m cold and when you wear it, you look like a Gryffindor student. And Matt’s going to model it off on camera right now.
Eric: So, is it just Gryffindor? Because I’ve seen a Harry Potter Snuggie that was all four of the crests.
Andrew: This one from Hot Topic is the crest – or sorry, it’s – you look like a Gryffindor. [to Matt] In front of the camera, right there. Now duck down so we…
Eric: Hang on…
Andrew: …can see your head.
Eric: …there is a lag, so…
Andrew: Doesn’t Matt look like a Gryffindor student?
Eric: Can’t see it yet.
Andrew: He’s nice and warm, and he’s cozy.
Jamie: Lag.
Andrew: [laughs] Okay, that counts as some of the Harry Potter merchandise this year.
[Micah laughs]
Andrew: Thanks Matt. Matt’s going to wear it for the rest of the show now. [laughs]
Matt: It’s nice and warm.
Eric: [laughs] Oh God.
Top Seven News Stories of 2010: #4-1
Andrew: Okay. So, now moving on to the top four stories of the year. Interestingly, our viewer count went up when Matt started modeling. I don’t know if that says something or…
[Eric laughs]
Andrew: The top four stories of the year, they’re going to be determined by the people listening live right now. Competitor number one: the final day of Harry Potter filming. This was, of course, huge because they’ve been filming for ten years. And I think we reported the final day, like, five times because – [laughs] I don’t think it’s still been determined when exactly the last day was because Warwick Davis would tweet, “Oh, it’s the final day!” But now they’re going back for re-shoots, [laughs] so…
Matt: I’m glad they’re doing re-shoots!
Andrew: Yeah. The point is, generally, filming ended this year. Competitor number two: of course, Movie 7 being released. Competitor number three: The Wizarding World of Harry Potter opening. I mean, that was huge.
Matt: It was okay.
Andrew: And finally, two of the competitors in the J.K. Rowling Award: J.K. Rowling’s interview on Oprah which was big because that was the only interview that J.K. Rowling gave this year and we really got a good look into her personal life. So, we’re going to start the poll now.
[“Jeopardy” countdown plays]
Andrew: Now this is big. Do not take your vote lightly. You are determining what the biggest story of the year was. And how we’re going to decide the winners is…
Eric: Huh.
Matt: Oh God.
Andrew: …the most-voted story will be the top story, and we’re going to descend from there.
[Matt laughs]
Eric: Oh wow. Two of them were legitimately tied, man.
Matt: I can’t even vote on this.
Eric: Oh, it’s neck and neck.
Matt: It really just depends on what you consider is huge. The books or theme parks?
Eric: Andrew, we really have to call this a tie.
Jamie: Oh, this is tough.
Eric: We do.
[Music ends]
Andrew: Well, it’s very close. It’s very close. The winner of the – or shall we – well, let’s go up from number four to number one.
Eric: Yeah.
Andrew: So, the number four story, with 9% of the vote, was J.K. Rowling’s interview on Oprah. I enjoyed it! I thought it was a good interview. A lot of people speculated, “Oh, she’s going on Oprah, why would she do this? Is she going to announce anything?” Well, no, [laughs] she didn’t announce anything.
[Everyone laughs]
Eric: We all know, Andrew, that if J.K. Rowling announces something it’s going to be on her Twitter.
Matt: Yeah.
Andrew: Ahhh yes, that is true.
Matt: Well, also, probably not a lot of people voted because most of the time during the interview, Oprah talked about herself.
Andrew: No, that’s not true! The interview was criticized because at one point, they were talking about how rich they both were. [laughs]
Matt: [laughs] Well, they are! I mean, if I was rich like that, I’d talk about it for at least five seconds.
Andrew: “Oh my God, Jo, are you as rich as me?” “Yes, Yes!”
Matt: “Yes! Yes!”
[Eric and Jamie laugh]
Andrew: That’s kind of mean, that’s kind of mean. Anyway, the number three story: the final day of Harry Potter filming. It was kind of bittersweet when – did anyone cry when they heard that they were done?
Matt: No.
Eric: Well, not having been personally involved or invested with the filming of the film franchise, I’ve got to say – well, I’m confused that this isn’t the top story because the Part 1 film being released is actually, I think, less significant than the fact that all the movies together are done filming. And, sure, they have reshoots in December, but that really means that this ten-year film project is finished. That to me is more significant than the second-to-last film being out, as a top story.
Matt: Yeah. What was a huge story I thought, too, was the first release of the Deathly Hallows trailer. The first one, the one that had both movies.
Andrew: It was a big story, but it’s not as big as the film being released.
Matt: I don’t know. I cried…
Eric: Yeah, or the films being finished.
Matt: …when I saw that.
Andrew: The number two story.
[Matt laughs]
Andrew: By the way, the top two stories, very, very tight vote. It was actually going back and forth while the voting was going on. But number two is The Wizarding World of Harry Potter opening, with 34.48% of the votes.
Eric: Nice.
Andrew: I think I agree. It’s a very close competition between the film being released and the theme park.
Matt: Yeah.
Andrew: The significance of the theme park being that it is going to be there forever. I mean, this is a wonderful way for Harry Potter to maintain its influence – for people to come back and feel the magic of being in that park.
Eric: In the heat and waiting in line.
[Micah laughs]
Matt: And it’s only going to get bigger.
Andrew: And yeah, there’s already some rumors that it’s going to get bigger and I think that has potential to be a big story in 2011.
Micah: Yeah. I mean, I voted for the theme park. I thought that – I mean, when you look at it – this goes back to what Eric was saying before with – this movie being released was only one part of a larger series. So to me, even the final day of filming should have been higher than the Movie 7 release.
Andrew: And the number one story of the year goes to…
[Drum roll plays]
Andrew: …Deathly Hallows: Part 1 being released!
[Trumpet sound plays]
Matt: Well, of course!
Jamie: Ooh.
Andrew: Of course.
Jamie: It had to be, didn’t it?
Matt: Yeah.
Jamie: It had to be.
Andrew: Yeah. But it is interesting…
Micah: It didn’t have to be! [laugh]
[Andrew laughs]
Jamie: Okay, sorry…
Eric: I know!
Jamie: …it didn’t have to be. I hate…
Eric: Does that mean that next year, the top story no matter what…
Micah: Yeah, is Part 2?
Eric: …is going to be Part 2 being released?
Jamie: No, you’re absolutely right!
Matt: Yeah, pretty much.
Jamie: I shouldn’t have said that. I hate it when people say that it had to be because there was no reason it had to be that whatsoever!
[Andrew and Eric laugh]
Jamie: I just felt it was the right thing to say at such an emotional juncture.
[Eric laughs]
Andrew: But that’s what fans get most excited about and the theme park was extremely exciting, too, and that’s why it was such a close race between those two.
Eric: Yeah.
Andrew: Plus, I think if – let’s say all of our listeners had been to the theme park this year, I think that one would have won.
Eric: Well, out of 470 votes – I mean, a difference of nine votes which really determined the first and second place winners – nine votes out of 400 and whatever I just said. That’s really neck and neck.
Matt: Mhm, right.
Eric: Aren’t they both 34%, and one’s 34.48% and the other one’s…
Matt: Well, the Wizarding World will probably win the 2012 end-of-the-year show because next year is going to be Part 2. There’s really nothing else in 2012, so we can count on the theme park.
Eric: It has to be.
Matt: Yeah.
Eric: It has to be…
Matt: It has to be.
Eric: …Part 2.
Matt: It has to be.
Andrew: The theme park will win one year.
[Andrew and Matt laugh]
Andrew: By 2015 we’re going to be, like, “And the top story is Universal adds a new drink to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter!”
[Andrew and Eric laugh]
Eric: Yeah, and one of us is going to turn, what, 35 then? I don’t know. That’s pretty intense.
Andrew: Somebody on the show is 30?
Eric: Are they?
Andrew: No.
Eric: How old is Mikey B.?
Andrew: Mikey B. is not 30!
Matt: [laughs] He’s not 30!
[Micah laughs]
Jamie: Aww.
Micah: Oh, come on!
Andrew: Mikey B. is, like, 24!
Eric: I was thinking on my feet, man.
Jamie: Mikey B. is 24?
Eric: He just gives off this maturity.
Matt: No, he’s, like, 26.
Eric: He gives off this maturity.
Jamie: He’s not 24! I’m 24!
[Eric laughs]
Andrew: Okay, maybe he’s 26.
Jamie: Mikey B. is, like, Mikey B.!
[Everyone laughs]
Eric: Let’s look this up.
Andrew: [imitating Mikey] I’m Mikey B.!
Eric: I’ll look this up.
Jamie: [imitating Mikey] Mikey B.!
Eric: All right.
Best MuggleCast Moment of the Year: Episode 197
Andrew: Anyway – oh, [laughs] Eric has got to look it up! So, there we go, there are The Third Annual MuggleCasties. It was a lot of fun and we’ll be back next year for another award ceremony. Don’t forget to tweet the winners. If you want to see the results written down, we will be making a post sometime within the next week with all the winners laid out so you can see how close each competition was – or how easy it was, in the case of the J.K. Rowling Award. Now we’re going to look at another Best MuggleCast Moment of the Year. This comes from Episode 197, it was a clip from our interview with Warwick Davis. And was this the one in April, Micah?
Micah: Yeah, I think so.
Andrew: Okay, I’m pulling up the correct audio file. And I guess there’s not much to intro, so we will just go back in time as I get it ready. And here we go. Let’s go back in time. [makes time-traveling noises]
[Episode 197 clip plays]
Micah: Well, just going back to ‘Potter’ for one second. One of the questions that seems to come up the most often is, if you could take one prop from the set, of all these films, what would it be? What would you love to have on the mantlepiece at home?
Jamie: [in the present] You mean that Emerson always asks that question [laughs] when he does the questions?
Warwick Davis: You know what would be lovely, and I’m sitting here as I’m talking to you looking at a prop that I have from ‘Willow’, I have the ‘Willow’ wand…
Matt: [in the present] [gasps] No!
Warwick: …in a frame on the wall here. And I would love a ‘Harry Potter’ wand in a frame just next to that.
Andrew: Right.
Warwick: I think it would be marvelous.
Jamie: [in the present] That is pretty cool, though.
Matt: [in the present] Yeah.
Warwick: So, that would be the one thing.
Jamie: [in the present] One from every film.
Warwick: I mean, I think all of the professors would tell you exactly the same thing.
Andrew: [in the present] Shhh! [laughs]
Matt: [in the present] Oh.
Jamie: [in the present] [whispering] Sorry, sorry, sorry!
Warwick: All of the faculty at Hogwarts would love to have their wand at the end of all of this. But who knows? Yeah. That would be the one, that would be the one.
Andrew: So you could pick it up from time to time and reenact that classic scene from…
Jamie: [in the present] Sorry for spoiling that.
Andrew: …’Sorcerer’s Stone’, the “swish and flick”. [laughs]
Warwick: Oh, I do enjoy the “swish and flick”, absolutely.
[Eric and Matt laugh in the present]
Warwick: And I do a lot of talks at schools about acting, and how youngsters might get into acting. And at one point somebody will ask me about that and I’ll always end up doing a little Charms class with everybody. And it’s quite magical to see all of the kids kind of practicing their [as Flitwick] “swish and flick”.
[Andrew and Micah laugh]
Warwick: [as Flitwick] “Wingardium Leviosa!”
Andrew: [laughs] That’s it, it brings us all back. [laughs]
Warwick: Absolutely, yeah.
[Clip ends]
Andrew: [makes time-traveling noises] We were totally trying to set him up to do that impression because… [laughs]
[Eric laughs]
Andrew: …we heard that he had done it – [laughs] that he usually does it, so…
Eric: Man, it’s not an impression, though. He is that guy!
Andrew: He is.
Eric: I love it. Although it’s funny, when we asked David Heyman that same question about what would you take, [laughs] he’s, like, “Well, it was funny, I actually have taken a few pieces off the set.” [laughs]
Andrew: Apparently, they get in serious trouble for doing it. Towards the end of filming, there was some extra security to make sure nobody was stealing anything. [laughs]
Eric: Well, it makes sense.
Matt: Well, I doubt David Heyman is going to get in trouble for stealing the movie he is producing.
Andrew: Yeah. I mean, no. But I guess random cast members or something.
[Eric laughs]
Andrew: Who knows? Okay, so…
Micah: Alfie Enoch?
Andrew: [laughs] Before we…
Eric: Does it go by screen time? Do you think that they will set up all the props at the end on a long table, and if you have more than five minutes of screen time, you get sort of the second tier of items that you can choose from to take home?
Andrew: Maybe.
Matt: There’s a booth that you can just take things from?
Eric: Yeah.
Andrew: I think they should just give everyone a Harry Potter Snuggie. By the way, Matt, that was a clip we just played. That was not actually – Warwick Davis did not actually…
Matt: Oh, I was…
Andrew: …just join us.
Matt: …going to thank him for being on the show just then.
Micah: Well apparently, Jamie thought he was joining us.
[Andrew laughs]
Jamie: Oh, when? When? What? Warwick?
Micah: Yeah.
Andrew: Yeah, right now and you were just commenting.
Jamie: No, no, no, no, I got so confused. When you said, “Oh, that’s great,” I thought you were talking now, so I was…
Matt: Yeah. See, it’s not easy.
Jamie: I know, Matt. I know. I know. I ripped you earlier for making the mistake thinking, “How could you do that?” and then I’ve just…
[Andrew laughs]
Jamie: …done it myself now.
Matt: Yeah.
Jamie: Sorry!
Looking Forward to 2011
Andrew: Okay, and now before we get onto the final MuggleCast moment, we are going to look forward to 2011, look into the future. [makes time-traveling noises] Micah, what do we have to look forward to in the year 2011 as Harry Potter fans?
Micah: Deathly Hallows: Part 2.
Matt: That’s it! Yay! [laughs]
Micah: [laughs] That’s it.
[Everyone laughs]
Micah: I mean, there’s a couple of other things here. The Wizarding World, will there be any expansion plans? I’m sure they’re not going to build anything next year, but certainly there could be plans put together. What about J.K. Rowling? I mean, she’s been quiet for a while. Whether we’re talking about the encyclopedia or we’re talking about writing something completely different, we still haven’t heard from her in a long time and I think it’s about time if she’s planning on doing anything else that she might want to let people know. No?
Matt: I think the encyclopedia might be coming out next year.
Micah: Yeah.
Matt: I think she’ll probably announce it. I mean, she’s been doing something. [whispers] You never know.
Andrew: Well, writing has been her priority for a year and a half now, so…
Jamie: Yeah, so…
Matt: She must have written something.
[Andrew laughs]
Jamie: Something is going to have to come out soon.
Best MuggleCast Moment of the Year: Episode 200
Andrew: All right. Now let’s move on to the final MuggleCast moment that we’re reliving today. This came from Episode 200 when producer of all the Harry Potter films, David Heyman, was on. It was an absolute pleasure to have him on the show because he has been such an important person in the Harry Potter franchise. He’s a genuine fan of the series, he’s appreciative of the fan sites. Yeah, he’s just an all-around great guy. So, here now is a clip from Episode 200, “Admit Defeat.” [laughs] I think this clip actually has him saying…
Eric: The namesake.
Andrew: …admit defeat. So, let’s go back in time. [makes time-traveling noises]
[Episode 200 clip plays]
Eric: I guess two short bits here, we do have a segment on our podcast called The Dueling Club which is where we basically choose a character in our heads, and then we state the characters and we face them off against each other, arguing in favor of the character we chose, who would win in a duel. Would you think that’s something you would be interested in playing?
David Heyman: My goodness, I’m going to be – who will I be playing?
Eric: You would be playing against Micah, and you can choose whatever character from the ‘Harry Potter’ books that you could possibly think of.
David: [in a hesitant tone] Okay.
[Andrew and Micah laugh in the present]
Eric: Do you have your character?
David: Yes.
Eric: Okay, Micah, do you have your character?
Micah: Yes.
Eric: Okay, which one…
David: Micah, you go first, just to give me a hand.
[Eric and Micah laugh]
David: What I’m meant to do. [laughs]
Micah: [laughs] I guess I’ll go with Bellatrix.
David: Ahhh, excellent! I’ll go with Snape.
Micah: Wow.
Eric: Ooh!
[Andrew laughs in the present]
Eric: This is good. All right, gentlemen. Since Micah, you presented first, what is your argument in favor of Bellatrix beating Snape?
Micah: Wow. [laughs]
[David laughs]
Micah: I don’t know. I think…
David: Do you want to accept defeat now?
Micah: [laughs] Yeah, exactly!
[Everyone laughs]
Micah: I don’t even know that that’s even a fair fight. I mean, I know she’s a very powerful Death Eater and kind of Voldemort’s right-hand woman, but I don’t know that she would stand up very well in a duel against Snape. I think he’s too powerful. I think…
David: I think Snape is really under – I think the power of Snape – I think we both agree that Snape would win.
Eric: Yes.
Micah: [laughs] Absolutely.
David: But I think – and I didn’t think of that just because you chose Bellatrix – because I think Snape is very underrated. One, he has the ability to deceive brilliantly…
Eric: Yes.
David: …because he deceived the Dark Lord for an extended period of time. He also wanted to be the professor of the Dark Arts forever so you know that he is well versed in all the Dark Arts and defense of as well – or defense against. And also he’s not too bad at Potions either. So, he’s a quite well-rounded wizard…
Eric: Yes.
[Clip ends]
Andrew: [makes time-traveling noises] So, it’s fun to listen to that clip because you could tell how passionate of a fan David Heyman really is.
Matt: Yeah. If he was passionate, he would have said, “Molly Weasley.”
[Andrew laughs]
Eric: I don’t know. She has one good line the entire series. Come on.
Matt: She kills Bellatrix.
Eric: Snape has got several. Does she? It just sounds like she shouts at her, I don’t even remember. It’s been so long since I read the book.
Jamie: Oh Eric, that’s…
Micah: Don’t say that on the show. I mean…
Jamie: Yeah, what’s wrong with you?
Micah: …you just admitted that to 500 people. [laughs]
Jamie: You can’t remember?
Matt: Yeah.
Eric: No…
Andrew: Despicable.
Eric: …it didn’t make an impression on me. It didn’t – there was so much else happening there at that time.
Matt: No one was saying anything, though. She said what everyone was thinking.
[Eric laughs]
Andrew: All right. Well, this…
Eric: I am sure half the people in the room were thinking the opposite.
Show Close
Andrew: This concludes our Year in Review show. It’s been a lot of fun and we thank everybody for listening. Also, thanks to – I think it’s Terrance. Somebody using the username “HogwartsPodcast.” Is that Terrance, Eric? It must be, right?
Eric: I don’t know. He usually goes by the name “Terranceus” or “HogwartsRadio.”
Matt: Yeah.
Andrew: Oh. Well, regardless he’s been modding…
Micah: Plug.
Andrew: …the chat – the live chat, so I just want to say thanks to him or whoever is behind “HogwartsPodcast” right now. [laughs]
Micah: Well, also…
Matt: You don’t even know who is modding the chats?
[Eric laughs]
Andrew: Well, I…
Eric: So, it could be anybody?
Matt: [laughs] It’s just some random name?
Eric: We just give them…
Jamie: Maybe it’s J.K. Rowling.
[Everyone laughs]
Andrew: I trust. I’m a very trustworthy person. Oh, he said, “Thank you, guys.” Yeah, so…
Micah: Oh.
Matt: Okay.
Andrew: He’s good.
Micah: Well, speaking of that, though, we mentioned the Podcast Awards before and obviously, Terrance does Hogwarts Radio and they are nominated, so we encourage people to go out there and vote for them.
Matt: Because we’re not.
Micah: As well as – [laughs] yeah, because we’re not…
[Matt laughs]
Micah: …for whatever reason. And we also have another podcast that we do called “Smart Mouths,” that’s up for “People’s Choice.”
Jamie: Oh, we do? Do we do that?
[Andrew laughs]
Micah: Well, yeah. Yeah, Jamie, you don’t know…
Andrew: Well, the majority of people on this show do it…
[Matt laughs]
Andrew: …so we can say “we.” [laughs]
Jamie: Oh.
Andrew: Don’t worry, Jamie. It’s ending. You don’t have to feel left out anymore.
Jamie: Good.
[Everyone laughs]
Matt: [laughs] Good.
Micah: [laughs] Good.
[Everyone laughs]
Andrew: Jamie is going to start a show called “British Mouths.”
Jamie: [laughs] Yeah, I will. I will. No, no, I’m not. I’m going to call it “Smarter Mouths.”
[Everyone laughs]
Andrew: Good one. Good one. All right. Well, it’s been a lot of fun, and we’ll actually be back before…
[“Auld Lang Syne” plays]
Andrew: …the year ends with Episode 217 and we’re going to have another – just great, Harry Potter discussion. But for just now, we want to say it’s been another great year in Harry Potter. And we appreciate everybody sticking with us as we trek through the final two films and beyond. Any final words, gentlemen?
Matt: The final two? There’s just one left.
Jamie: God, I feel kind of patriotic.
[Andrew laughs]
Eric: To – a decade of Potter is concluding. The decade of Potter is…
Andrew: Yes.
Eric: …concluding.
Andrew: Yes, it is. Well…
Eric: The majority of the books…
Matt: Oh my God, that’s depressing.
Eric: The majority of the books, all of the movies except the final, final one – all of them were filmed.
Matt: [sighs] We’ve got to grow up now, don’t we?
Eric: We’ve got to… [laughs]
Jamie: No, we don’t. Do we?
Eric: “It’s all going to change now, isn’t it?”
[Andrew laughs]
Matt: Yes.
Micah: Well, Jamie, you’re already a business man, so…
Jamie: [laughs] No, I’m not the business man. I can’t take credit for Ben!
[Everyone laughs]
Jamie: He’s the business man, man!
Andrew: All right. Well, thank you everyone for listening! I’m Andrew Sims.
Jamie: Thanks for tuning in!
Eric: I’m Eric Scull.
Matt: I’m Matt Britton.
Micah: I’m Micah Tannenbaum.
Jamie: And I’m Jamie Lawrence.
Andrew: And we’ll see you next time for Episode 217! Thanks for listening live…
Jamie: Thank you!
Andrew: …everyone! Thanks to the…
Matt: Bye guys!
Andrew: …chat mods!
Matt: Whoo!
Andrew: Thanks to everyone!
Matt: Is this…
Andrew: [pronounces incorrectly] Auld “Lew Sang”! Auld Lang “Sin”! [laughs]
Matt: Wow.
Micah: [pronounces correctly] Auld Lang Syne.
Matt: It’s okay…
Andrew: Auld Lang Syne!
Matt: …it’s French!
[Everyone laughs]
Jamie: I wonder if…
Eric: [pronounces incorrectly] “Riss” Ifans.
Jamie: [pronounces incorrectly] “Riss” Ifans, yeah. [laughs]
Eric: [pronounces incorrectly] “Riss” Ifans.
Jamie: I’ll bet he listens to that.
[Andrew and Micah laugh]
Eric: Everybody tweet Rhys Ifans. Apologize for…
Jamie: [pronounces incorrectly] Alexandre De-splat.
Matt: This is Bruce Springsteen, isn’t it?
Andrew: Micah gave it to me, it wasn’t me. Thanks…
Eric: Well, hang on, De-splat – what is it, Jamie?
Andrew: Desplat! It is Desplat! I know for a fact.
Jamie: Okay Andrew, I can’t wait until you’re on the red carpet and you interview him because I’m going to laugh my arse off.
[Everyone laughs]
Andrew: We have interviewed him and his name is Desplat!
Jamie: He was just being polite! He was just being polite! He didn’t want to call you out on it there and then. [laughs]
[Eric laughs]
Jamie: [laughs] What could he say to you?
Andrew: All right. Have a good Saturday, everyone listening. Buh-bye!
Jamie: Bye guys! See you later! Bye!
Matt: Bye.
[Music continues]
[Easy Button plays]