Possible court action over Dobby-Putin resemblance

Ananova ^ | January 28, 2003 | Ananova

[MadIvan]

Harry Potter character Dobby the house-elf could soon be at the centre of a court battle over his apparent resemblance to Vladimir Putin.

A Russian law firm is reportedly drawing up legal action against the special effects people who dreamt up Dobby as he appears in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.

It is arguing the elf has been modelled on the Russian president, the Novaya Gazeta newspaper reports.

The Kremlin and Harry Potter film producers Warner Bros have declined to comment on the matter but the controversy has stirred emotions in Russia.

Harry Potter websites and chatrooms have been inundated with angry Russians posting messages attacking anyone even suggesting a likeness between the elf and Putin.

The threatened legal action is the second controversy in Russia in recent months surrounding the best-selling children's books.

Last year the Russian Orthodox Church called for the books to be banned. It claimed they promoted occultism and witchcraft.

It is also not the first time Russians have been angered about the apparent misuse of the image of their president.

In 1995, the Prosecutor-General's Office launched an investigation into alleged insults against then-President Boris Yeltsin in the popular satirical puppet show "Kukly". The case was later dropped.

[MadIvan]

No, no, Joe Lieberman looks like this bloke, the dad from "Alf":

Regards, Ivan

[cynwoody]

Actually, he more closely resembles the Little General from Dallas.

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

First, a thirteen-per-cent flat tax. Now, a competition to see if Russia can beat America for Most Frivolous Lawsuit! Man, that country's going places!

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

Is that picture from Lord of the Rings? I'm talking about the lower right one, of course; the upper lefthand one surpasses all attempts at Evil Character-making.

[MadIvan]

Yes, it's the Ring of Power. A satire is waiting to be written in which Hillary, as a young girl in Illinois, reads "Lord of the Rings" and eventually produces a Ring of Power, forged in the fires of a Berkeley hippie commune kiln.

Regards, Ivan