Residents Eager to See 'Harry Potter'

"Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone," the first highly anticipated film to arrive since Sept. 11, opened Friday and brought in a record-breaking $93.5 million nationwide this weekend. Local figures were not available Sunday.

The Movies at Timberlyne in Chapel Hill, located in the Timberlyne Shopping Center, braced itself with additional staff and screens for the masses of Harry Potter fans that showed up on opening weekend. "We have two screens running and a full staff. We've been selling advance tickets for a week, and we're sold out until Nov. 25," said Kristen Moos, the manager of Movies at Timberlyne.

Rachel Stratton, an employee at the Lumina Theatre in Southern Village, said the theater began selling tickets for the Friday shows last Monday and sold out Thursday. "I think they're estimating about $10,000 (in ticket sales) for the entire weekend," Stratton said. "I'm willing to bet this is our biggest ever."

Children buzzing with excitement arrived at the theater with their parents as much as an hour before the show began to get a good seat.

"I've been waiting to see it since last year when I heard it was coming out," said Chapel Hill's Mason Cordell, who was standing in line with his father.

But children weren't the only people excited about "Harry Potter."

Bonnie Bunn, a visitor from New York, was first in line at the Lumina Theatre on Sunday, bringing along a wizard hat and wand. "We've never been this excited about going to a movie ever," Bunn said. "We've never dressed up for a movie before."

Ruth Moose, a creative writing professor at UNC who uses Harry Potter in her classes, said the movie provides families with an opportunity to come together.

"It does appeal to all ages, and it's good for kids to be able to share that language with their parents," Moose said.

More than two months after the terrorist attacks, many people in Chapel Hill said it is time for people to put aside grief and return to normal activities.

"People have to move on with their lives -- you can't dwell on things like that," said Betty Beane of Chapel Hill. "('Harry Potter') is a good distraction."

But some, like Alice Smith of Chapel Hill, said "Harry Potter" is more than a distraction from terrible events. "The books teach children wonderful things like how to recognize prejudice and the goodness of tolerance and acceptance," Smith said.

Smith also said "Harry Potter" could help people get back to normal after September's incidents. "There's something magical about Harry Potter, and that's important in the healing process," Smith said. "People just can't go on being sad like they are."

The City Editor can be reached at citydesk@unc.edu.