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One Last Night of Harry Potter Packs the Rialto

Crowds wait hours to watch the final Harry Potter movie.

At first glance, the cluster outside the  late Thursday evening was just a typical summer night scene – groups of children trying to lose those awkward teenage blues by walking the fine line between socializing and loitering. To those passing by, it was merely another sign of the times.

But a closer look at the line around the theater – at the capes being donned by those gripping cappuccinos, at the magic wands being balanced mid-text message – revealed it was actually much more than just a sign of the times. To those on line, it was the end of an era.

“Oh, my God, I’m going to cry at the end,” Maya Nisani said. “It’s going to be the most amazing and depressing movie at the same time.”

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The movie she referred to was “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2”, the final installment of the massively successful book and film series that started in 1998 and began its goodbye with midnight showings of its finale at theaters across the country last night. The series, a coming-of-age tale set in a world of wizards, has gained a loyal following among fans young and old, and Thursday presented what could potentially be the legion’s final chance to display its fanaticism to the rest of the world.

Nisani, 17, said her enthusiasm for the final film had drawn ridicule all week, particularly as she updated the countdown to showtime on her Facebook account every hour Thursday afternoon. Dressed as the character Bellatrix, she arrived outside the Rialto around 9 p.m. to join her friend Monika Nemeth, 14, and others who had circled the theater since noon. The group wanted to have the opportunity to get the best seats for what they anticipated would be a life-defining moment.

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“I’ve been waiting for this my entire life,” added Asha Kapengut, 15, as she attached her enlarged ears and nose to complete her costume of the character Dobby.

Rialto staff members said midnight screenings at the theater are not uncommon for summer blockbusters, and previous “Harry Potter” films had also drawn large crowds to their late-night premieres. Still, with two shows sold out before 10 p.m., four theaters expected to pack to capacity by midnight and at least one showing of the film in 3-D, Thursday’s crowd –  an estimated 700 people – was especially large.

“This is the biggest turnout I’ve ever seen for a midnight showing,” said Brian, an assistant manager at the theater for four years. The film was expected to be a sell-out all weekend, a staff member said.

By 10:30 p.m., the line of attendees waiting to be let in to the Rialto had stretched down Central Avenue and passed Starbucks. A handful of police lingered around the theater, barricading the line of hundreds of anxious attendees to the inside of the sidewalk and ensuring the preoccupation with wizardry did not result in any accidents. Guests were allowed to start entering the theater at 11, and staff members were hopeful that members of the crowd would behave until the movie started.

“I hope they’re not rowdy,” Brian said. “I’m sure people don’t want to get kicked out of the midnight show.”

Though teens dominated the population, the occasional adult could be spotted in the line, some accompanying their children to the event and others just anxious to enjoy the film for themselves.  

“It’s really fun – it’s like a party,” said Sloan Scully, of Fanwood, as she removed a magic wand from her purse and showed off her homemade Gryffindor scarf. “Everyone gets dressed up and gets excited during the movie. It’s a different experience than coming during the daytime.”

Scully said she had attended the midnight premieres of previous “Harry Potter” films with her daughter who had since moved out. In order to keep the tradition going on this night, she was joined by her friend Leslie Milton, who traveled from Short Hills with a wand and scarf of her own. The age difference between the women and most gathered around them seemed irrelevant, as excitement and enthusiasm was the evening’s common characteristic.

“They don’t mind us old folks being here,” Scully said.

Despite the sparse number of adults in attendance, the scene and vibe downtown was especially adolescent in the hours before the show. Summer curfews were abandoned for the night. Normal pick-up times instead saw dozens of minivans and SUVs dropping children off in the parking lot behind the theater to join the growing line of fans.

“This is not just a movie,” Kapengut said. “It represents the end of a story that has brought me such joy. I want to be Harry Potter.”

Most in attendance said they had read all seven of the “Harry Potter” books and had seen the seven previous films, while others were eager to see the finale despite not yet completing the book series.

“It makes you want to read faster so you can see the difference between the movies and the books,” said 16-year-old Lea Ginefra, who has read four of the books.

As midnight shows gradually sold out around the state throughout the day, fans traveled from far and wide to make sure they had a ticket by 12:01. 

“I’m so pumped,” said Matt Hayden, an 18-year-old Branchburg resident who drove 40 minutes with his friend Steve Garfi to see the midnight show in Westfield. Garfi said they had tried to buy tickets at three other theaters, but the other venues had all sold out. The long drive did nothing to dampen their spirits, as they expected the film to deliver action as well as closure.

“The last fight scene is going to be unreal,” Hayden said. “I want all the questions to be answered. I want to see everything come to a close. I set the bar high – I better not be disappointed.”

When asked if he thought his high expectations would be met, Hayden replied, “Oh, hell yeah.”

The film is expected to contend for record-breaking box office sales throughout the weekend, and some in attendance said Thursday night would not be their only viewing of the film. But Thursday marked the night where anticipation would soon give way to elation, and the hundreds of fans shared a sense of relief that the day they had long awaited was finally upon them.

“I made sure I had off today – and tomorrow,” said 15-year-old Sam Hays, who works during the summer as a lifeguard. “I need to get some sleep sometime.”

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