Fantastic Beasts...

Magic, She Said

The film version of Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them has recently hit the cinemas, and the screenplay written by JK Rowling, has been published in an attractive, illustrated hard cover volume. Reports say that it has shot to the top of the bestseller charts. Right now, anything the Harry Potter author touches turns to gold.

The story was based on the textbook written by Rowling’s fictional “magizoologist” Newt Scamander, which is used by students at Hogwarts. In 2001, Rowling published a version of this textbook –with scribbled margin notes by harry Potter – with a large chunk of the proceeds from the book’s sales going to UK charity Comic Relief. Now a five-part movie franchise has been planned to grow out of this slim volume, the first, starring Eddie Redmayne as Newt was out a couple of weeks ago.

The film, following the screenplay, is set in 1926 New York, where Scamander arrives with his magical briefcase, in his quest to find and protect magical creatures. His encounter with a No-Maj (or Muggle) named Jacob ends up in the escape of a few of his fantastic beasts from the briefcase, into a city already terrorised by viciously destructive attacks.

There has been trouble brewing between the community of magic folk and the No-Majs. The villain here is Grindelwald, who is just as evil, if not more, as Voldemort from the Potter books.This story with its clear allusions to social problems of today—like suspicion or hatred of the outsider or ‘other’ which is far worse now than the race related problems of that era—is meant more for older people than for kids. 

When it comes to creating and naming her fantastic beasts, Rowling lets her imagination run wild--like the kleptomaniac Niffler, or the wondrous Swooping Evil, who would delight kids. The CGI team that worked on the film, must have enjoyed the challenge of bringing them on to the screen.

Those who have seen the film might be a little disappointed with the drawings in the book. Those who have not seen the film, will have fun imagining what the critters would look like. In any case, it is worth picking up.

Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them

By: JK Rowling

Publisher: Little Brown/Hachette

Pages:  288