Harry Mania Comes to Babylon Town

Local residents looking to be among the first to see the latest, and possibly last, Harry Potter movie might want to get over to the South Bay Cinemas in West Babylon before the first showing at midnight to grab tickets.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2 is playing at South Bay Cinemas in West Babylon but has not yet arrived at the Babylon Cinema in the village.

As of midday Thursday 200 tickets have been sold at South Bay for the last installment of the Harry Potter movie series, and management expected a record-setting crowd.

The first showings, available in 3D and not in 3D, have been scheduled for 12:01 Friday morning.

Billy Cohen, a manager at the West Babylon theater known for affordable ticket prices, says he's expecting the movie will sell out, or come close to selling out, at all three of his theaters. That's a total of 700 seats, or a total of 700 Harry Potter super fans.

"It's kids, it's adults, it's a little of everyone," Cohen told Patch.

"There are the people who come all dressed up. This is our biggest premiere. We plan ahead for it, and make sure we have enough staff to cover the event."

The movie, the eighth in the series, is likely to be the hit of the summer season, though not everyone's planning to wait on long lines to boast tomorrow about seeing a first showing.

Kim LaCapria, a Babylon resident who joked that although she may or may not have a Harry Potter costume in her closet, said she'd rather wait out the crowds.

"I might go see it tomorrow. I'm not sure," she said. "I hate crowds."

Jen Clark, from West Babylon, agreed.

"I haven't been to a movie in ages, and my husband would kill me if that's the one I chose to go to. I'll wait for the DVD," she said.

This latest Potter film has enjoyed overall good reviews, with many fans noting that they liked the darker, more adult tone the characters and plots have taken.