Washed It!

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On a sticky June night just outside London, the magic finally came to an end for the cast and crew of the “Harry Potter” movies. After a decade together, the small army that has been the busiest in British filmmaking wrapped the final shoot of the last “Potter” production.

The green-screen scene featuring the now world-famous main characters — a trio of young fugitive wizards named Harry, Ron and Hermione — required actors Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson to hurl themselves onto some off-camera mats to escape danger at the Ministry of Magic. It was an oddly slapstick finish for such a monumental franchise — but that didn’t sap the emotion of the moment.

“I admit it, I did cry like a little girl,” Radcliffe said, recalling the day. “There was a feeling that I had, that we all had, that it was the end of something very special.”

It’s doubtful that pop culture will ever see a phenomenon quite like this sprawling tale that for a decade cast a spell on the page, the screen and beyond. The fantasy epic begins its Hollywood fade-out Nov. 19 with the release of “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — Part 1″ and finishes next summer with the eighth film, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — Part 2.”

Both movies are poised to be global blockbusters — and may even earn the franchise its first nominations in marquee Academy Award categories — but the numbers posted by their predecessor films are extraordinary already. The six Warner Bros. movies released to date have pulled in $5.7 billion at theaters worldwide; home video adds an additional $1.3 billion. The seven novels from which they sprang, written by J.K. Rowling, account for 400 million books sold in 69 languages.

Then there’s a jaw-dropping $7 billion in retail products, a recently opened amusement attraction in Orlando, touring exhibits of props and costumes and plans for a permanent exhibit outside London.

Still, the true impact of the books and films may not be fully recognized for a decade or two. With ever-rising ticket prices, box-office records don’t stand for long, but no franchise has delivered anything close to eight films in 10 years.

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roducer David Heyman and his team were able to keep their cast intact — including the young lead stars who started as adolescents and grew into young adults with millions in the bank, and no scandals. The movies arrived even as the audience for Rowling’s books grew, creating a unique synergistic effect. The “Potter” movies have earned Warner Bros. more than $1 billion in profit — and the admiration of industry rivals.

“The books and movies fed each other brilliantly to become these commercial tidal waves,” said veteran literary agent Ron Bernstein, of International Creative Management, who has no connection to the books or films.

Former Walt Disney Studios Chairman Dick Cook, who launched his own mega-franchise with “Pirates of the Caribbean,” agreed that “Harry Potter” has been a breed apart.

“It has unequivocally been the best-managed franchise that we’ve ever seen, top to bottom,” he said. “The movies have been terrific and Warner Bros. managed to position each one as a worldwide event. Each movie has been unique and built on the last one and the anticipation has never been better. They’ve honored the source material and done everything right.”

And, unlike, say, “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy, the “Potter” movies adapted a living, breathing literary sensation whose ending was unknown. Rowling would visit the set and sometimes whisper to actors hints of their characters’ destiny, but screenwriter Steve Kloves, who penned seven of the eight scripts, said no one really knew how everything would conclude.

The entire exercise, he said, was a “10-year tightrope walk … and something that will be never be done again for the simple reason that you won’t see another Jo Rowling come along.”

Lucky break

The rags-to-riches story of Rowling seems as unreal as the world of dragons and goblins she created. Joanne Kathleen Rowling (“J.K.” was manufactured by a publishing executive who thought a gender-neutral author name might sell more books to boys) was a single mom in Edinburgh, getting by with the help of welfare, when she finished “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone,” her first novel.

In late 1997, a copy of the book found its way to Heyman’s London office but ended up on a shelf for low-priority leads. A curious secretary took it home for the weekend. Her enthusiasm prompted Heyman to get past what he has called “that rubbish title,” and the story captured his imagination.

“The funny thing is with all of the magic, all of the wizardry, what really makes the ‘Harry Potter’ stories work are the characters,” he said. “The fantastical elements and the action are wonderful, but the characters are what people remember.”

Heyman sent the book to his friend and fellow Brit Lionel Wigram, a production executive at Warner Bros., to gauge the studio’s interest. Wigram said some in Burbank questioned the viability of the creaky fantasy-adventure genre and viewed the tale of a magical boarding school called Hogwarts as too British for the American heartland. “Don’t spend too much on it,” was the word from the home office, Wigram recalled.

Warner Bros. secured the rights for four “Harry Potter” novels for about $2 million. At that point, only the first book was on shelves in England and none had reached America. Warner Bros. tried to get a financial partner on the project, reaching out to studios including Steven Spielberg’s DreamWorks, which passed.

The end nears for ‘Harry Potter’ on film

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LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Perfection eluded Zenyatta in the Breeders’ Cup Classic on Saturday night when horse racing’s superstar lost for the first time after 19 consecutive wins.

Blame won by a head in a thrilling finish with the 6-year-old mare, who threaded her way through traffic from last place while the crowd of 72,739 urged her on down the stretch under the lights at Churchill Downs.

Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith blamed himself for the loss. He walked off the track with his head down, dirt stuck to his face.

“It was my fault,” he said, sobbing. “She should’ve won.”

It was so close, a matter of inches, the result had to be resolved by a photo — a picture that broke the hearts of not only Zenyatta’s owners and trainer but millions of fans around the world.

Blame went to the front in mid-stretch, then fought off another gutty run by Zenyatta, who lagged well behind 11 rivals — all boys — in her customary style.

Blame ran 1 1/4 miles in 2:02.28 and paid $12.40 to win at 5-1 odds. Fly Down was third, while Preakness winner Lookin At Lucky finished fourth.

Zenyatta was the sentimental even-money favorite, playing to the crowd at every chance on her way to the starting gate. She high-stepped her way to the paddock, playfully pawing the ground as they roared. Co-owner Ann Moss held her finger to her lips as a signal for the fans to quiet down.

Zenyatta proved she could beat the boys last year when she rallied from behind to win the $5 million Classic at Santa Anita. It was one of her 17 wins on synthetic surfaces in her home state of California.

This time, though, she was facing the deepest, most talented field of her career on a surface on which she had limited experience. Still, trainer John Shirreffs had said she preferred it to synthetic tracks.

It was her third time running on dirt; in her two previous races, she beat other girls at Oaklawn Park in Arkansas.

But Blame owned home-court advantage. He won twice before on dirt at Churchill, where Zenyatta had never raced.

“She ran an excellent race and just came up a little short,” Shirreffs said. “She ran her heart out.”

Zenyatta’s 19 consecutive wins tied her for most all-time with Peppers Pride, who retired last year after running against much lesser competition. Peppers Pride never raced outside New Mexico and all her wins came against fillies and mares.

American horses earned 12 victories over the two-day championships, with Europe-based horses winning twice.

Goldikova wins $2 million Mile race

Goldikova won the $2 million Mile at the Breeders’ Cup for the third consecutive year, giving Europe its first win of the two-day championships.

The 5-year-old mare bred in Ireland ran the distance on the turf in 1:35.16 on Saturday at Churchill Downs. She became the first three-time winner in the event’s 27-year history.

She paid $4.60 to win as the 6-5 favorite in the field of 11.

Zenyatta loses Breeders’ Cup Classic by a head to Blame

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President Obama visited the site of the 2008 terrorist attacks here Saturday, making it the first stop of his two-week trip to Asia in order to convey a message to plotters of that attack and others.

“In our determination to give our people a future of security and prosperity,” he said, “the United States and India stand united.”

Obama spoke with a group of hotel employees and other survivors gathered in a hotel courtyard shortly after checking into the hotel. He is the first foreign head of state to stay at the Taj Mahal Palace and Tower Hotel since the attacks, an event known in India by the shorthand 26/11.

In a scene some local newscasters compare to President Bush’s bullhorn declaration from the rubble of the World Trade Center, Obama then stood in a hotel plaza overlooking the Arabian Sea to issue his own defiant message.

“By striking the places where our countries and people come together,” he said, “those who perpetrated these horrific attacks hoped to drive us apart . . . (but) today the United States and India are working together more closely than ever to keep our people safe.”

Later the president visited a museum devoted to the life of Indian independence leader Mahatma Gandhi. He also plans to meet with some 200 American business leaders who have traveled to India to join Obama at a business roundtable promoting trade between the two nations.

First and foremost, said Obama’s economic point man, the trip is about improving trade relations and creating new opportunities for American jobs.

Nevertheless, as the first event of his four-day stay in India, Obama chose to highlight the terrorist attacks and what he said was a shared commitment to fighting extremists around the world.

During the attacks two years ago, millions watched horrific and vivid images of smoke pouring from the windows of this hotel, in a coordinated attack by a terrorist organization based in Pakistan. More than 170 people died.

Fully renovated since then, the Taj hotel now stands as a symbol of India’s resilience, administration officials say. Obama wanted to recognize India’s rejection of terrorism, according to close advisers.

One of those who met with Obama today was Karambir Singh Kang, the hotel manager. He lost his wife, Niti, and their two sons in the attacks, but then went on to help save others.

“Mumbai is a symbol of the incredible energy and optimism that defines India in the 21st century,” Obama said. “And ever since those horrific days two years ago, the Taj has been the symbol of the strength and the resilience of the Indian people.”
Obama visits site of Mumbai attacks, praises India’s resilience

Aaron Shannon Jr. was a bumblebee last year for Halloween. His family didn’t have much money for a new costume, but his grandfather figured no self-respecting 5-year-old boy could be a bumblebee two years in a row — not this boy, anyway.

Bright and precocious, Aaron was treated like the mayor in his corner of South L.A. He shook so many hands and hugged so many teachers that it could take an hour just to pick him from up from school, where he had been in kindergarten for all of a few months. Adults marveled at his ability to hold his own in grownup conversations. He was an old soul and he was old-school — often coming up with silky dance moves while singing along with the Temptations.

He was not a bumblebee, so his grandfather showed up with a Spider-Man costume on Sunday, Halloween. “I’ve never seen him so excited,” 55-year-old William Shannon said.

Aaron tried it on, flexed his fake muscles and pretended to fire spider webs at his uncle. Then he dashed around the backyard of his house on East 84th Street. His grandfather tried to slow him down, but Aaron took a spill. He popped up, summoning as much bravery as he could, but soon whispered to his grandfather: “I hurt my hand.”

“I told him: ‘You’ll be all right,” William Shannon recalled. “‘Nothing can hurt Spider-Man.”

Twenty minutes later, Aaron was dead.

A bullet fired from the alley behind his house hit Aaron in the head. Aaron’s uncle and grandfather were wounded.

On Friday, authorities announced the arrest of two alleged gang members in connection with the shooting. Marcus Denson, 18, and Leonard Hall Jr., 21 are both suspected members of the Kitchen Crips gang, Deputy Police Chief Pat Gannon said. Denson and Hall were booked on murder charges and were each being held on $1-million bond.

Gannon said the suspects crossed into a rival gang’s territory looking for someone — anyone — to shoot as payback for a shooting earlier this year.

“They were not targeting any one individual,” Gannon said. “These are violent people with no sense of how their violence affects other people, including a young, innocent boy.”

Gannon said tips from the community led to the arrests — including tips from gang members, which is unusual.

“Nobody — absolutely nobody — thinks this is acceptable in any possible way,” Gannon said. Aaron’s family has met his death with immense sadness, but also with another emotion that is all too common in this part of town — a steely resignation that this is the way it’s always been and the way it’s always going to be.

“It’s not going to stop,” said Aaron’s father, 25-year-old Aaron Shannon Sr., who is studying law enforcement at a trade school. “This is the way people were brought up. It’s just their way of life.”

Aaron’s life had not been simple or easy. His mother, his grandfather said, had spent time in prison, and for a time Aaron was in foster care. A few years ago, he was about to move to Texas with his foster family; his family scrambled to intercede.

But in the last year, Aaron’s life had stabilized and he seemed unfazed by any of the turmoil. He split his time between his grandfather’s house in Compton, which was where he went to elementary school, and his great-grandmother’s duplex on East 84th Street in South Los Angeles.

The duplex is cream-colored, with lace curtains hanging on the front windows and a little rock and succulent garden out front. It is around the corner from a carwash, a fish market and a pool hall — and South Central Avenue, the dividing line between the territory claimed by two rival gangs, the Kitchen Crips and the Swan Bloods. It’s a place that suffered decades of declines as jobs disappeared and gangs took root.

“If I could afford to move, I would,” 78-year-old Mary Hall said Friday. She lives around the corner from the duplex where Aaron was shot, in the house she and her husband bought in 1956 after moving from Mississippi. Back then, the neighborhood felt safe. Now, she said, her 6-year-old great-grandson does all of his playing indoors.

Asked about the changes she has seen in the neighborhood, Hall called over her shoulder: “Oh, Lord.”

From the street, many of the little stucco houses in the area, most topped with red-tile roofs and fronted by tidy yards, look deceptively peaceful. It’s in the alleys behind the homes, though, where the gangs thrive.

Aaron’s backyard, which has a clothesline and a lemon tree, has a chain-link fence at the back. Beyond that is a fetid alley full of dark, standing water, a shattered mirror and an old couch. The walls of the alley are coated with graffiti — “playboy,” “scrappy,” “circle city.”

‘Nothing can hurt Spider-Man’ and then a deadly gunshot in South L.A.

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