The Boy Who Lived

Yes, Harry Potter's latest adventure opened in Florence yesterday. It is my husband's birthday today but he had to go on his travels, so we went as a family to watch the first show.

Antonia spent much of the film with my pashmina over her face but by the end she was shouting and clapping with everyone else!

It was a good film, in fact better than the book which I feel was the poorest of the series so far - of course the final installment is published next week, which hopefully will fulfill everyone's wildest dreams!!

It was a very dark film even compared to The Prisoner Of Azkaban which I also think is the best book in the series. I hadn't realised how well J.K. Rowlings had tapped into what kids/teenagers want until the "kissing scene"! It was greeted with many whoops and claps by the largely teenage - early twenties audience, who have obviously grown-up with the story. Many turned up in shirts and ties with little scars drawn on their heads! This was mainly the girls!! It also made me realise just what a phenomenom H.P. really is. The audience was mainly young U.S. students. This wouldn't seem such a thing if the film was American in origin but for a home-grown, British story it was quite something to realise just how big the series really is world wide!

My poor son had his haircut yesterday as well. I say "poor" because at 12 he isn't ready for attention from girls. With his new haircut and glasses he is a bit of a ringer for a certain boy wizard. Consequently there were a number of young ladies nudging and whispering to each other about how he looked. His dad and I thought this hysterical, not surprisingly, he didn't!!

Florence also opened ahead of the UK so we have found one more good reason for living here!