Peggy

Spell of trouble for Dobby
By Laura Smith, Evening Standard
28 January 2003

Dobby, the computer-animated elf in the new Harry Potter film, could be
at the centre of a court battle over his resemblance to Russian
president Vladimir Putin.

A Russian law firm is reportedly drawing up legal action against the
special effects people who dreamt up Dobby, arguing that the ugly but
caring elf has been modelled on Mr Putin.

The Kremlin and Warner Bros, producer of Harry Potter And The Chamber Of
Secrets, have declined to comment but the controversy has stirred
emotions in Russia.

Lookalikes? Vladimir Putin and Dobby

Potter websites and chatrooms have been inundated with angry Russian
messages attacking anyone suggesting a likeness between the elf and Mr
Putin.

The saga has gripped the Russian media, too. Radio station Ekho Moskvy
has reported on the row and Russian TV is to broadcast results of a BBC
poll in which more than 7,000 people say Dobby does look like Mr Putin.

It is the second Russian controversy surrounding Harry Potter. Last
year, the Russian Orthodox Church called for the books about the boy
wizard to be banned for promoting occultism.

It is not the first time Russians have lashed out over "misuse" of an
image of their president. In 1995, the prosecutor-general investigated
alleged insults against Boris Yeltsin in a satirical puppet show. The
case was later dropped.

kayb85 <[email protected]>

Some people are just too sensitive. So WHAT if the elf looks like a
president? Is the president that sensitive? lol
Sheila


--- In [email protected], Peggy <durrell@a...> wrote:
> Spell of trouble for Dobby
> By Laura Smith, Evening Standard
> 28 January 2003
>
> Dobby, the computer-animated elf in the new Harry Potter film,
could be
> at the centre of a court battle over his resemblance to Russian
> president Vladimir Putin.
>
> A Russian law firm is reportedly drawing up legal action against
the
> special effects people who dreamt up Dobby, arguing that the ugly
but
> caring elf has been modelled on Mr Putin.
>
> The Kremlin and Warner Bros, producer of Harry Potter And The
Chamber Of
> Secrets, have declined to comment but the controversy has stirred
> emotions in Russia.
>
> Lookalikes? Vladimir Putin and Dobby
>
> Potter websites and chatrooms have been inundated with angry
Russian
> messages attacking anyone suggesting a likeness between the elf and
Mr
> Putin.
>
> The saga has gripped the Russian media, too. Radio station Ekho
Moskvy
> has reported on the row and Russian TV is to broadcast results of a
BBC
> poll in which more than 7,000 people say Dobby does look like Mr
Putin.
>
> It is the second Russian controversy surrounding Harry Potter. Last
> year, the Russian Orthodox Church called for the books about the
boy
> wizard to be banned for promoting occultism.
>
> It is not the first time Russians have lashed out over "misuse" of
an
> image of their president. In 1995, the prosecutor-general
investigated
> alleged insults against Boris Yeltsin in a satirical puppet show.
The
> case was later dropped.