Wednesday, July 15, 2009

#36: Saying that SDH Inspired the Harry Potter Movies

With today’s premiere of Harry Potter and the something or other, it is not only necessary but pertinent to discuss the love that Notre Dame Students have for all things Harry Potter. It’s not surprising that Notre Dame Students love a children’s book such as Harry Potter. While some students have organized Harry Potter activities, one Notre Dame Student apparently made lots of cash by developing a Harry Potter themed website*.

Notre Dame Students love Harry Potter so much that they incessantly claim that South Dining Hall inspired the Great Hall of Hogwarts in the Harry Potter film series. While this claim does have some valid points (such as both dining halls containing high ceilings, long tables, and chairs), Notre Dame Students repeat it far too much for their own good.

These students will tell anybody who will listen that their dining hall inspired Hogwarts. They tell their parents, they tell prospective students, and they tell anybody willing to go on a tour of campus that SDH inspired Hogwarts. However, this legend is completely false as it is well documented that Christ Church College at Oxford served as inspiration for the sets of Harry Potter.

Regardless, many Notre Dame Students will continue to believe that South Dining Hall inspired the Harry Potter series. These same students will continue to play mock games of Quidditch and they will continue to love this series of books and films.

*Apparently there is more money in a Harry Potter website than in a Notre Dame a website, but who’s complaining.

4 comments:

  1. I was at a party once with the guy who made the harry potter website ...he was in a onsie and stayed on the beerpong table all night...until we found out he was (gasp) playing water pong...really?

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  2. emerson spartz playing water pong? why am i not surprised

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  3. there's actually an element of truth to that, whether it was the total inspiration or not-that remains to be known. the daughter of the producer of the first harry potter movie went to notre dame. class of 2004.

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  4. You forgot to mention the house elves that clean the trays/dishes and the picture of the wizard on the one wall...who is that wizard anyway, old headmaster?

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