Join The Death Eaters

By Rafe Telsch: 2007-06-08 15:51:35

I completely understand the need for studios to turn a buck and promote and capitalize on every aspect of a movie. At the same time, I think there should be a limit. To paraphrase Johnny Depp, there just seems to be a problem with the idea of Captain Jack Sparrow toothpaste; after all, the character does have quite a few gold teeth. Studios will go as far as they can, however, to build hype and excitement around their picture, but Warner Brothers has just gone a little too far with the Harry Potter franchise.

The latest promotional tool for the upcoming Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is Death Eater mask art. You go to the official Order of the Phoenix website, download a “Death Eater Art Kit” and create your own mask, like the one on the right. Cute, huh?

So here’s why it crosses the line: For those unfamiliar with the Death Eaters, they are the fictional army of Voldemort, the most evil and vile wizard who ever lived – I mean, this guy is so evil nobody wants to even mention his name, giving him the nickname “he who must not be named.” Essentially, he’s the wizarding world version of Adolph Hitler. And now Warner Brothers is giving you the chance to decorate and design your own little wizarding world Nazi costume. That ought to go over well with the fans.

Think I’m blowing this out of proportion? The last movie, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire gave fans their first look at the Death Eaters, who were practically presented as wizarding Ku Klux Klan members, with pointed hoods and all. It was a brilliant depiction of what is supposed to be the most evil force in Harry Potter’s world. But feel free to let your little kids decorate their masks and vote for whose is the most dreadful… or cute… just forget about the fact that these are supposed to be evil, evil people behind the masks.

I guess Warners ran out of things for kids to customize after five movies, because I would much rather have my kids create their own wands or Hogwart’s robes. Suddenly the idea of cutting down the part of the Weasley Brothers’ practical jokes looks like a bad idea – at least that could have been a better marketing tool than this.

If you want to design your own mask, head over to the Official Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix website or click here to go straight to the Death Eater gallery.

Next week: build your own serial killer costume kits.

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Archive_X Says:
November 16th, 2007 at 12:12
I think you might have over reacted with all that but the next week thing was pretty hilarious.

Marie Verdonck Says:
February 24th, 2008 at 04:33
Firstly I want to say that I completely agree with you, it is an unacceptable product to sell manly because the resemblance to the Ku Klux Klan is so obvious, the masks and pointed hats give it away.

I wonder why they used those outfits, in the books she describes black cloakes with regular hoods, not pointed ones, also the mask does not cover their entire face, she describes it as a piece of skull (probably from a muggle or mudblood) wich only covers the eyes, forhead and nose.

Personnaly I think if they used this description, which is in the books self, then they would not have the KKK look a likes and it would be much more realistic, now they look like a mix between the Ku Klux Klan and the man with the iron mask.

There are many characters which are described in detail in the books but are completely different in the movie. Makes you wonder if they even read the books.

Proud Death Eater lover Says:
July 4th, 2008 at 02:25
Now as my name says I am a Proud death eater lover but I only love the Malfoys, Draco and Lucius. I may not agree with the actions of the death eaters you must agree they are fun to dress up as and pretend to be bad and when the mask comes off the bad will go with it, that is my fellings on the matter. My mother is not happy with the way I go about my love for the "bad boys" but I am a lover of them. My feelings on the Malfoys may be my horemones [sp?] because I am a loyal Jason Isaacs and Tom Felton fan but I do consider your point , and you have a point but I will say that you, like Archive_X Said you did over react and yes they do look like the KKK items but , if you were a true Harry Potter fan you would know that was J.K.'s way of showing the corupped[sp?] lifestyle of today. Yes, it is also not a propper way to sell and catch the intrest of young harry potter fans, but if you ask my family on where my loyalties were they were with Gryifendor[ sp?] but now, as I am older, I am fully with Slytherin.

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