MovieChat Forums > An Awfully Big Adventure (1995) Discussion > The HP dork in me just had to post this....

The HP dork in me just had to post this...

posted 17 years ago by lms4000
15 replies | jump to latest

Okay so I just watched 'An Awfully Big Adventure' the other day & couldn't help but notice some similarities between this story & Harry Potter. This is not intended to be a serious (or sirius! :D) post, just something I picked up on while watching the movie.

1) Well obviously there are characters in both stories called 'Potter'.
2) The Potter in AABA wears rounded glasses & a Gryffindor-colored scarf just like Harry.
3) Stella is orphan who is raised by her aunt & uncle.
4) It also just so happens that her uncle's name is Vernon. (Surprise, surprise, so is Harry's!)
5) Both movie versions have Alan Rickman in them! (Haha, well if that wasn't blatantly obvious, then I don't know what is.)
6) Both of Alan's characters have vendettas/grudges/hatred for a character named 'Potter'.

I hoped you enjoyed it. If you have any more comparisons, please post them! :)

(Oh, my thoughts on the movie are as follows: As always, I loved Alan Rickman. I was absolutely disgusted when his character had sex with a 16-year-old girl, but felt horrible when he found out it was his own daughter. It was really unexpected to be honest. I also thought it was a job well done for Hugh Grant. After all the crap he's been doing lately, it was refreshing to see something worthwhile out of him. I gagged while watching American Dreamz, literally.)

[–] Irishwench 16 years ago

HG's character was disgusting with the chain smoking and yellow fingers. Revolting I thought so I guess great acting on his part. Not his usual type of role.

Severus Snape my hero....

[–] crmbgrl 16 years ago

That's great - I just watched AABA and had to come check if anyone else had picked up all the HP 'similarities'.
(Alan Rickman's the reason why I rented this movie. He's great!)

[–] hmacnaughton 16 years ago

Also, Stella's aunt is named Lily.

[–] Icyblackkatt 16 years ago

You all must read this from the Slightly Weird Alan Rickman Fansite

The writer makes an excellent point.

http://www.thebottomstripe.net/alan/jkr.html

[–] Flossieandflo 16 years ago

That certainly is interesting reading, although there are a few that are dubious - for example the lightening scar (Blow Dry was 2001, and Harry's scar had been long established by then).

I do remain convinced about the relevance of An Awfully Big Adventure however, there are just too many coincidences (as mentioned). When Hugh Grant bursts forward with his round glasses and Gryffindor coloured scarf going by the name of 'Potter' I don't think anyone could doubt a link.

J K certainly has taste that's for sure.

[–] Frankiegrrl2-3 16 years ago

Mike Newell Directed AABA and GOF
"I was in the hall, I know cuz I was there" Wadsworth (Clue)

[–] 16 years ago

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[–] ma_petro 15 years ago

Severus Snape is my hero too.
He is really not trying to do Potter in, but I guess I shouldn't have said that.

[–] LaaLaa5143 15 years ago

Also, Hugh Grant was originally cast to play Gilderoy Lockhart in HP COS but couldn't do it due to scheduling conflicts. Pity that. I think he would have been a much better Lockhart than Kenneth Brannagh

[–] Rachelle-Hardy 15 years ago

I don't remember seeing Hugh Grant do any "physical" roles. While it's certainly possible that some of the difficult stunts done by Brannagh as Lockhart could have been stunt doubles, it looked like he did most of it himself.

I have a hard time seeing Hugh Grant play that kind of broad physical role.

[–] dshenderson 13 years ago

Please, NO! IMHO, Branagh's Lockhart was superb! I love when he and Snape/Rickman (I also watched AABA b/c of him) square off with their wands in COS, dueling on the tables in the Great Hall, both looking oh-so-fine in their snug attire...
Grant could conceivably have done a good job in that role, he was wonderful in this movie, but Branagh gave a perfect twinkle to Lockhart...he seemed like he was having such fun with the role. I think his acting chops were more in line with the casting that had been done so far in the movies, and added more star power to the original cast, helping to set the bar for future HP movies and roles.
Rickman seemed completely in his prime here...I've never seen him in a role like this...I watched most of this movie a 2nd time through, without stopping or getting up!

Here's a shout-out to Frankiegrrl2-3...we've got the same tagline! I've never seen any one else with it...fellow Timbo, for sure! Don't even get me started on him! I'm a simple South Texas girl who LOOOVVVESSSSSSSS sexy British actors...

"At the beginning of the evening, I was in the hallway. I know because I was there." Wadsworth

[–] hmm71 15 years ago

Maybe someone should ask JK rowling if she read the book or saw the film before she wrote HP.
On the Lockhart topic; for me his book character always reminded me of Lord Flasheart from Blackadder and I was really disappointed that Rik Mayall didn't play Lockhart.

[–] Black_Raven_Poet_07 14 years ago

Wow, great connections. I am watching this movie now. Makes it more interesting now that I have these connections to think about.

[–] 13 years ago

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[–] freebird1987 9 years ago

I've noticed a lot of Harry Potter connections as well. Another one is Alan Rickman falls in love with a redhead who's in love with a jerk named Potter.