WE ARE WIZARDS
Directed by Josh Koury
Produced by Gerald Lewis
Released by Brooklyn Underground Films
USA. 79 min. Not Rated 
 

Maybe “cult” isn’t the word to use. Considering the millions and millions who have become either casual readers or full-blown geeks for J. K. Rowling’s seven-book Harry Potter series, the folks in We Are Wizards just scratch the surface of who’s out there. Like Star Wars or Star Trek, Rowling’s franchise has galvanized the young (and sometimes not so young), with numerous phrases and characters that have worked their way into the public lexicon. If nothing else, director Josh Koury does a commendable job of revealing to non-Potter fan this still growing phenomenon of fan-based musical tribute bands, literature, and even, as it turns out, adult-themed audio books inspired by Rowling and the Warner Brothers’ film adaptations.

Koury, at first, is fascinated by a wave of young and old(er) fan-bands, kids who have formed groups with geeky names like Harry and the Potters, the Hungarian Horntails (with a 4-years-old who only somewhat comprehends what he’s singing about), and songs like “I’m a Dragon and I Don’t Care” and “Wizard Rock Heart Throb.”

The lyrics of these songs are the main attraction—the music itself is basically amateur hour —as kids, such as brothers Joseph and Paul DeGeorge, load the tunes with references galore, familiar to those who’ve only read the books. And while the snippets of these performances are interesting, anyone who wants to see a full performance will be disappointed. The editing juts away to a so-so interview or to an ex-punk-rocker parent.

But after this first section of the documentary, the focus shifts to Potter fans who have gotten roiled in controversy. Fan sites face legal problems as Warner Brothers’ legal team swoops in and gets more than it bargained for with immovable teenagers. Then, claims of Harry Potter as a destructive societal force are made by Caryl Matrisciana, who goes as far as to make a documentary called Harry Potter: Witchcraft Repackaged; Making Evil Look Innocent. And here and there, we get random if entertaining excerpts from an audio book narrator who creates weird sexual-themed versions of the Potter stories put to animation.

All of these subjects might work much better on their own. Koury gathers enough facts and tidbits of Potter-lore to keep an only-seen-the-movies fan like myself tuned-in, but there’s not enough clarity through most of the film for those not very familiar with the Potter universe. (It doesn’t have the same warped musical appeal as this year’s Young@Heart).

For those already glued to the franchise, who camped out overnight for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows last year or, for that matter, have gone to one of these musical concerts with fellow devotees of Rowling, it’s a decent companion piece-cum-love letter. For those uninitiated, proceed with some caution, or with a fan as a fair-weather guide. Jack Gattanella
November 17, 2008