Movies

Harry Potter, The DVD
A DVD Review by Albert Dumbledore

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone began as a creation of one amazing woman's imagination. Then it was written down, submitted to various publishers, rejected, and then finally accepted. From there it became the one of the UK's most popular books, and caught the eye of Scholastic editor Arthur A. Levine, and was subsequently published in the United States under his imprint of the company. Since then it has become an international phenomenon and a true classic of 20th century literature. Not surprisingly, it drew Hollywood's attention, and various movie studios offered the author large sums of money for the movie rights. All failed to obtain them. But one company, Warner Bros., wouldn't take no for an answer and persisted pestering the author in pursuit of the rights. Eventually, they succeeded, and through the combined talents of some of Britain's finest actors and a little bit of magic, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone became a film. That film became the highest-grossing movie of 2001, magically reeling in $90.3 million in its opening weekend in the USA alone. Now Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is debuting in yet another medium - the DVD (Warner Home Video, $26.99). It is being released as a lavish two-disc set featuring never-before-seen bonus footage including seven deleted sequences and several games that let you explore Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. But is this DVD, billed as a "Special Edition," truly special? This review chronicles each major event in the movie's brief DVD history, from the original announcement to the release date frenzy and everything else in order to try and answer that question.

The Boy Who Lived

In what is quite possibly the most faithful cinematic novel adaptation ever made, his aunt and uncle, the horrible Dursleys, mistreat Harry Potter for ten miserable years of his life until he is rescued by the kindly giant Hagrid and summoned to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. There he befriends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger and has many amazing adventures, from tackling a full-grown mountain troll and playing the popular wizard sport Quidditch, all leading up to the climactic confrontation with the dark Lord Voldemort, the once-powerful wizard responsible for his parents' deaths and for the lightning-bolt-shaped scar found on Harry's forehead. All of your favorite scenes from the book have been translated to film and performed by such noted British actors as Richard Harris (Headmaster Albus Dumbledore), Dane Maggie Smith (Professor McGonagall), Alan Rickman (Professor Snape), Robbie Coltrane (Hagrid), Ian Hart (Professor Quarrell), and Fiona Shaw (Aunt Petunia Dursley) as well as a trio of spirited young actors portraying the three main characters, Daniel Radcliffe (Harry James Potter), Rupert Grint (Ronald "Ron" Weasley), and Emma Watson (Hermione Granger.) Their combined talents and the astounding effort of countless others helped to make the first Harry Potter film a truly magical experience, and I was totally spellbound for all 152 minutes of it. The rich detail and exciting lushness of Harry's world comes alive perfectly on screen, and despite the almost to-the-letter reproduction of the novel in the script, the tremendous attention to visual detail and amazing special effects makes this movie something great.

Warners' Pre-Release Magic

Even before the film was originally released theatrically November 16th, 2001, rumor began to spread that there was a huge amount of footage that didn't make it to the movie screen - the original film (before any editing was done) was rumored to be four to five hours long. Not surprisingly, it didn't take to long for fans to set up a petition to Warner Bros. asking them to include this "director's cut" as the version of the film that would be released to video and DVD. And so Harry Potter DVD mania began.

Not too long after, other rumors began flying around faster than Quidditch players as to the film's release date and bonus features. It was rumored for an April release for a time, and fans fathomed all kinds of great bonuses. Then Chris Columbus was interviewed and said that the DVD would contain "many surprises for fans, especially in the way of games and DVD-ROM features," something that caused even more - if slightly more unpleasant - rumors within the Harry Potter movie fanbase.

Then all became clear on February 5th, when Warner Bros. Online held a live chat with Harry Potter producer David Haymen and announced the release details for the DVD and video The street date, it turned out, was not in April, but in May - specifically May 28th for North America and May 11th for Great Britain. As Columbus had hinted at, the two-disc DVD set was to contain the movie on Disc 1 and many games that you have to win to find ten minutes of deleted sequences in the forbidden third floor corridor on Disc 2. Other bonus materials include a 360-dagree self-guided tour of Hogwarts and 16-minute interviews with Columbus and Haymen shot on the set of the soon-to-be-released sequel, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. The DVD set would retail for $26.99 USD. The VHS features five minutes of never-before-seen footage and retails for $24.99. When the chat concluded, WB updated the official Harry Potter web site with the details and a screenshot of the Disc 1 main menu.

This information caused various reactions in the Harry Potter community. Some people were thrilled with the announcement, while others were disappointed because of the absence of the director's cut, a "making-of" featurette, and audio commentary. Nevertheless, as soon as it was made available to preorder on Amazon.com it soared to the #1 spot on both the video and DVD bestseller charts and held that position for quite some time. If a film overtook it as #1, it would soar back into its position within a couple of days at most - that is, until its first major competitor became available to advance order. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring has held the #1 spot since it became available to reserve until today, May 9th, when Harry Potter flew up to #1 for the first time since April. At this writing, the VHS and DVD are 19 days away from their North American release on May 28. Already there is an unbelievable plethora of advertising, hype, and special deals from various businesses trying to get you to reserve your copy with them instead of their competitors. Amazon.com is offering a QuickTime video steam of one of the seven deleted scenes appearing on the release; Barnes & Noble is giving away a free Harry Potter poster to advance purchasers; ToysRUs will give away a free Harry Potter Trading Card Game card; Warner Bros. online is offering a free Golden Snitch toy, Blockbuster is offering to match the price of their competitors if you find it advertised cheaper anywhere else, and various online merchants are offering free shipping.

Reviewers who have been lucky enough to get a copy early are discrediting the DVD release, which is all one big game. Still, preorders have smashed all previous records. The VHS has become the UK's #1 most successful video of all time, and all signs point to it topping Disney's The Lion King, which has held the record for seven years (right) and becoming the United States' best-selling video release of all time as well.

Disc One: The Movie

If the DVDs themselves aren't special enough, the packaging is. A cardboard slipsleeve cover removes to reveal a book-like cardboard case. Open this and see two flaps that describe the bonus features on Disc 2. Open these flaps and you will see the two discs themselves, decorated elegantly with images of the trio of friends. The first disc has a picture of Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) looking out at you with Hogwarts and the first years in the boats behind him. Disc 2 features Hermione (Emma Watson) and Ron (Rupert Grint.) All are dressed in their formal Hogwarts robes for these photos. Behind the discs there is a wonderful collection of film photos, all soaked in that eerie blue. Also in this space there is an index of the 35 scenes in the film that you can jump to.

Insert Disc 1 into the player and you immediately see the Warner Bros. logo and later a blue screen informing viewers of the movie's PG rating. Then the real magic begins, as you see a montage of film clips set to John Williams' masterful score. At the end of these clips you are docked outside of Hogwarts, John Williams' score still playing strong.

You are presented with four options - Play Movie, Special Features, Scene Selections, and Languages.

If you click on Play Movie, obviously, the movie will begin to play. The other three options take you to submenus all of which pose as walls in the Dursleys' house (with fancy pictures of Dudley, of course.) I wish these had been set at Hogwarts, as I'm not a big Dursley fan (hey, who is?), but they serve their purpose well and are very easy to navigate through. Noticeably, though, the only bonuses on this disc are cast and crew bios and two theatrical trailers. All of these are good additions, but there was a second version of Trailer B with slightly different footage, and I was hoping for it to be included as well as the numerous TV spots that aired in the fall to promote the film. I never seemed to see all the cool ones like the one about Voldemort, and I was hoping to get a chance to see them all on this DVD. Oh well.

The movie itself is presented in a nice, wide 2:35:1 aspect ratio. The widescreen transfer is absolutely stunning, and has to be without a doubt one of the greatest transfers I've ever seen. The colors are deep and rich, the special effects amazing as ever. The sound is crisp and clear, and John Williams' enthralling score is every bit as magical as it was I in theaters. It still carries the film, which appears here as good as or better than it did during its theatrical run. (Please note that a separate fullscreen version, with a 1:33:1 standard aspect ratio, is also available, but this review is of the widescreen transfer only. Those unsure which format to buy can make up their own mind as to which is better by looking at this site - http://plum.cream.org/HP/dvd.htm.)

Disc Two: Special Features

Once you insert the second disc of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone into your DVD player, an animated opening montage of film clips similar to the Disc 1 opening greets you. But then you see the main menu, which looks dreadfully unimaginative, and things are all downhill from there.

Excited to see the closest thing we have to audio commentary, the 16-minute interview documentary Capturing the Stone, I clicked Interviews first. To my dismay, within two or three minutes I was very bored. Chris Columbus and the others interviewed talk mostly about why they love Rowling's books and what they hoped to bring to the movie, or merely repeat information any Potter nut knows, such as how the production team found their Harry Potter at a nighttime performance of a play or that due to the United Kingdom's labor laws shooting with the kids was only allowed about four hours a day. There is no real insight into the first or second movie here, even though the interviews were shot on set of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, the forthcoming sequel. I'd have much preferred a feature-length audio commentary, which would have given Chris Columbus a longer canvas on which to present his directing experience to the fans. But alas, no commentary.

Next, I headed to Diagon Alley to buy school supplies. From the very first challenge I was confronted with - tapping the bricks in clockwise order to get into the alley - I was bored and annoyed, cursing the DVD many times using foul words I cannot repeat here. Not only are the games required playing to reach something readily available for viewing at the menu on any other DVD (deleted scenes), but also they are visually unappealing and never innovative, as any good gaming DVD should be.

For those of you who want to take the most direct path to the deleted scenes, go directly to Classrooms on the main menu. Then select Potions, and once you are in the potions classroom click on the mixing bowl. Then you will be asked to mix three potions correctly. If you correctly concoct the three potions you will be taken to the Flying Key room, where you will have to find the correct key. (If you don't mix the potions exactly right, you will be sent to the Hospital Wing with Madam Pomfrey and have to start over.) Once you have passed the Flying Key room you will be taken to Snape's challenge involving the bottles (they noticeably skipped several challenges, including wizard's chess). Once you are there you will have 60 seconds to pick the right bottle or you will be sent back to the beginning of your adventure. If you click the correct bottle you will be transported to the location of the Mirror of Erised, with the Stone clearly visible inside it. Simply click on the Stone and the deleted scenes will reveal themselves. The deleted scenes include Dudley's Smeltings uniform, letters in eggs, Hagrid and Harry on the London Underground, Harry and Ron befriending Hermione after rescuing her from the troll, Harry's obsession with the mirror, finding Nicolas Flammel on Dumbledore's Famous Wizard card, and an extended version of the Potions class. While all of the scenes are very good it is depressing to note that most are under one minute in length, and that by the time you reach them you will have spent more time looking for them than they actulally total. Furthermore, if you eject or stop the disc at any point in your search, you will be forced to begin again, and there is no way to save the deleted scenes once you have found them. Each deleted scene is presented in the same aspect ratio as the movie is on Disc 1, widescreen 2:35:1 or standard 1:33:1.

In conclusion…

I have been an avid Harry Potter fan for years, and was eagerly anticipating the DVD release of the movie for an excellent experience. Instead, with this underwhelming, boring release Warner Bros. is telling me that the highest-grossing movie of 2001 doesn't deserve a great DVD. I disagree, and I am insulted.

I have nothing against a couple games on DVDs - most are rather fun to play - but this release is excessive, with the entire second disc being comprised of games, and boring ones at that. I hope that Warner Bros. will correct this mistake soon and release a Special Edition that's actually special with a several hours longer director's cut, an in-depth and revealing making-of documentary, and audio commentaries from the cast and crew. Until then, I regard this set as an essential to my collection for the wonderful movie, not for the lackluster extras. There are many better DVD bonus sets - and DVD movies - out there, including the Platinum Edition of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs from Disney, the 2-Disc Special Edition of Shrek from DreamWorks, Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace from 20th Century Fox and Lucasfilm, and, I'm sure, Disney's Platinum Edition release of Beauty and the Beast in October. Spend your money on one of those unless you absolutely have to have this movie.

The Fat Friar Speaks with the DP
by Hermione Granger

You may know him as the fat friar, but his friends and family call him Simon Fisher-Becker. He's a pudgy monk, and extremely forgiving. The Fat Friar has been on a tour thru the UK most recently, but was kind enough to speak with the Daily Prophet.

Daily Prophet So, when will you be working on the latest Harry Potter movie?

Fat Friar I'm expecting to get started this May, and only a little scene, and nothing else. I say, Isn't it wonderful that I'll still be able to be included in such a production, yet still have time for the things I love?

DP It is. What are these other things you love?

FF Well, I was doing a road show for Nick jr. It was this one telly show called "Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends".

DP What role did you actually play?

FF I was the co-host. I did get a bit on the tired side, I daresay, but I managed to do some personal appearances.

DP Are you doing any other movies?

FF Ah, yes, I have participated in a made-for-television movie for Channel 4. It is this spoof on Jane Austen.

DP I'll keep my fingers crossed for you. :)

FF Yes, and do the same for my one man show.

DP Oh, what one man show?

FF I can't give too many details yet, but plan on it being this summer.

DP So what do you know about the Harry Potter movie?

FF Not much at the moment, I daresay. I do understand that some of sequences for the younger ones was quite a complicated match, and the visual special affects were complicated, but that's about it.

DP What about the DVD for the last movie? You wouldn't happen to know anything about that would you?

FF Little old me? Course I don't, I never do.

DP Oh, come off it, you must know something….

FF Well, I happen to know that their will be a party at London's King Cross Station on May the 8th.

DP I knew you were more knowledgeable! Thank you, Mr.Fat Friar, sir, your time with me as be wonderful. If you ever get a chance, come back and speak with one of us soon.

FF Will do.

Backlog at AOL/Time Warner
By Li Trento

These recent weeks, I have found out that there will be a problem in filming the last two Harry Potter films, "Prisoner of Azkaban" and "Goblet of Fire." Warner Brothers, the company that produced both Harry   Potter sequels and Matrix sequels, are in a panic on the scheduling of the releases of their movies. The Matrix sequel, which is being filmed back-to-back, is almost finished and the second sequel is planned to release in early 2003, right after the Harry Potter sequel "Chamber of Secrets" is released this fall. The third sequel to both movies are a problem; they plan to release The Matrix 3 in the fall summer of 2003, and Harry Potter was planned to be released in the near-end of summer, but they want to separate the time factor to let both movies rake in the dough (money.) This will also delay the production of "POA" and "GOF" and the children actors might out-grow their parts. "POA" would be released in late 2003 or 2004 and "GOF" would be released probably 2005. This is also due to Lord of the Rings sequels, since Warner Bros. is owned by Time Warner, TW also owns New Line Cinema which brings us to LOTR and Blade 2 and Austin Powers 3. Time Warner will be the most powerful player in these coming years, but it will have to play safe, people would be confused at what to go see in the theatres. I think I have a problem solver for the Harry Potter sequels, keep filming them, and don't delay the productions. Just film the adult actors only scenes and the CGI scenes, then that will give the children actors some break, then film the children scenes when you're finished, then edit the films in the end like Lord of the Rings. Am I right here? They don't have to delay the production at all, have everyone do a little bit of everything. We'll just see what's in stored for us in the next five years, probably another horrible Star Wars prequel.

Harry Potter the Movie: What Do You Think?
By Hannah Hedwig

Wow. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone the movie seems like it just came out, and they are making a sequel? Slow down, first we need to know what people thought of the first movie. I've been asking around and many people have said that the movie was wonderful, even if they haven't read the book for a first opinion. Some people, including me, think that the move was great but, of course, the book was better. And some people have said that the movie was horrible and the book was definitely better. So what do you think? Is the movie still your favorite, or would you rather sit down and read the book?

Abby's Short, to the Point Movie Review
by Abby Potter

Does anybody think the Harry Potter Movie is missing something? I do. The Warner Brothers ripped apart Harry, and just just wait I got to think of the word, used pieces of him. They left out sooo much stuff out. Where's the Harry Potter magic? Sure, the special effects are cool but where in the world was the magic. It's just money, money, money. Dont they have an ounce of heart?

See ya I'll have a longer review in my next review.

DVD Could Disappoint
By Albert Dumbledore

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is a very magical movie, but it's possible that the DVD, scheduled for an April 2002 release, won't be up to par.

Many fans of the books and movie were hoping for a director's cut DVD, which would have included the entire version of the film as it was filmed, before any editing work was done. This original version of the movie was rumored to be four to five hours long! But recently the movie's director, Chris Columbus, has confirmed in the latest issue of Galaxie Magazine that the extra runtime on the DVD is only ten minutes. He also said that surprises would be in store for fans, including games and DVD-ROM features. But even with these bonuses, some die-hard fans could be upset.

Two versions of the Harry Potter DVD - a fullscreen (also known as "pan and scan") edition and a widescreen one - are planned for release. This is well received by many fans of Warner movies, who have been upset by Warners' insistence on producing only pan and scan DVDs. A VHS videotape edition of the movie will also be released, but as of yet it has not been revealed if the VHS will contain the extra ten minutes of movie footage.

Stay tuned to The Daily Prophet in the coming months for more DVD news than an owl can carry and an in-depth review upon its April release.

News Source: MuggleNet/The Leaky Cauldron

Letter to the Editor - Re: Meg's Harry Potter Movie Review

Dear Meg,

Hello, my name, as you might be able to tell, is Steph Thomson. I am a rabid HP fan, as in I tore through every store selling magazines to find the Vanity Fair HP magazine. I've been obssessed with this movie since I heard it was coming out, about 6-8 before November. I've collected every single screen capture I can, and my collection is somewhere near 175 I believe. You might believe I thought the movie was beautiful. That it deserves best picture. Quite Frankly, I fell asleep almost in the first hour.

I've thought this movie was made for the fans, and CC wanted the fans to be happy when they watched it. He wanted them to actually be at Hogwarts. Sadly to say, I was still in the creaky theatre chair. This movie might be able to entertain the people who just read, and think it's a great book. I'm a die-hard fan of the books. I write fanfiction, and I draw fanart. For the book. I was not entertained byt he movie, and I was pissed off when it turns out Dumbledore sent away Norbert.

Chris Columbus went with his daughters words. She, quite clearly, see's this world differently then I do. But did anyone see the Great Hall's enchatments as a cloud of smoke? I shudder to think about the the second book. If he does the third book, I'll scream my head off and not even skip school or dress up in my Death-Eater costume to go see it the first day.

All in all, the movie sucked, I would like a remake, and to go see Lord Of The Rings again at this moment, but clearly, I am as close to doing that as I am to experiencing what Chris Columbus thinks is Hogwarts.

Yoko aka Steph

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's/Sorcerer's Stone Review
By Meg McGonagall

NOTE: If you're like to speak to me about the review, please do so through email rather than through the Daily Prophet's guestbook. I have a limited amount of space on the guestbook so large postings can over-tax my account, which isn't a very good thing. If you want to say something, email it to me at Meg@InkBlotInc.com. If you want it posted on the site, tell me so and I'll consider it. Thanks!

As many of you may have suspected, I didn't truly wait this long to see the Harry Potter film. In fact, I saw it while I was away on holiday in England, on the very day it opened - November 16, 2001. I was planning to wait, but I was traveling with someone who, believe it or not, is more of a Harry Potter nut than me.

My friend and I went to the Odeon Theatre at Leicester Square in the heart of London; the theatre where it premiered. Honestly, going to see the film was better than actually seeing the film.

I won't pretend that my opinion won't be tainted to an extent more extreme than the average Harry Potter fan. I've had extensive experience conversing with Warner Brothers executives, even beyond what many of you may know from the DADA/PotterWar campaign. However, I see no reason to excuse these experiences, as it all played into what I saw in the film.

One final thing before I get to the review; another reason for the delay in publishing this review is I was worried about hate mail. I've become aware of several professional reviewers having their email inboxes flooded with inflammatory emails from Harry Potter fans. I don't agree with this. I'm ashamed that so many fans have resorted to petty name-calling, simply because someone else didn't enjoy the film, regardless of whether or not they've read the books. One thing we must realize is that in reviewing the film, we are not reviewing the books. The film stands alone in opinion. I love the Harry Potter books, and I believe I always will. However, just because of my loyalty to J.K. Rowling does not entail an automatic loyalty to Warner Brothers. I'll explain why later, but please, do not send me hate mail for my opinion. I will not reply to it.

I had moderate hopes for the film. I went into it without only one worry; that it would be too dark. Thankfully, that worry was slightly calmed, but that proved to be the least of the film's problems.

We have been told since the beginning of production that J.K. Rowling would be involved in the production of this film from beginning to end. Several things went unnoticed by fans during pre-production. For example, it was bragged about by Warner Brothers that J.K. Rowling would be the film's executive producer. By the time HarryPotter.com was launched, her name had been removed from the credits. No one knows what happened, but that is when I believed her involvement dwindled.

To prove this point, simply look at the small details that went awry. I don't mean to be a nit-picky fan - I even tried to ignore these things. But they aren't small when put into perspective. Take, for example, the constant mispronunciations in the film. Rubeus was pronounced in the Americanized form. Voldemort's name lost its incredibly important French roots. And Dumbledore was mispronounced in its commonly misused form. Even I'm guilty of mispronouncing that one, I'll admit, but I don't claim to have J.K. Rowling guiding me step by step.

For further proof, may I remind you of the scandal involving the placement of Harry's scar over his right eye. Since when has the scar been anywhere but the center of his forehead? Warner Brothers is trying to claim that the scar has always been there, that J.K. Rowling told them to put it there. If that were the truth, why is the scar in the center of Harry's forehead in J.K. Rowling's original illustration, published in the special edition of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone? (Note: I'm not talking about the cover illustrations by Mary GrandPre. This was an illustration by J.K. Rowling herself.) That drawing was created long before Warner Brothers ever came into play, there's no denying that the scar has been in the center of Harry's forehead since his inception.

I ask, if J.K. Rowling were truly on hand to guide this project, where was she when all of these decisions were made? That leads to further issues that I will not go into here; if you look, you'll find this to be evident throughout the film.

J.K. Rowling has said several times herself that she was involved with the film. I've already proven how this cannot possibly be one-hundred percent true. How, then, can we trust her when she is quoted as saying she loved the film? The fact is, J.K. Rowling is under contract not to say anything contrary to Warner Brothers. She is bound by law. As someone who's made it a profession to follow J.K. Rowling's quotes, to research her life, I refuse to believe that she liked this film, or that she had any hand in making it. I do not consider this to be a breach of loyalty. I see it as realizing exactly what position that poor woman is in. By seeing through it, we're seeing and being loyal to her true opinion.

The film not only was incorrect, I believe it has made the road ahead look quite rocky indeed for the sequels that are inevitably to come. They cut out some very important details, made some mistakes that may seem small now, but will ultimately come back to bite them in the metaphorical hind-quarters. For instance, the misspelling of T.M. Riddle on the award showcased in the trophy cabinet. We've seen pictures of it, we know it's incorrect. What are they going to do when it comes time in the second film to rearrange those letters to form "Voldemort"? Chris Columbus may pretend to be a wizard, but he's certainly no Merriam Webster. He cannot command the English language to change at his every whim.

Again, mistakes were made involving the Norbert incidence. Chris Columbus has said he'd not to change anything that was important enough to have its own chapter title. He messed up when it came to Norbert.

I saw this one coming, but I never thought it would be this bad. Photos of Warner Brothers' idea of Hagrid's hut were released long before the film ever came out. My first thought upon seeing them was, "Wow, that's pretty cute." Unfortunately, though, they changed something that had no reason to change. It was a stone house, therefore canceling out one of Hermione's best lines; "Hagrid, you live in a wooden house," referring to Norbert's fire breathing capabilities.

In the book, as we all know, Harry and the gang contact Ron's older brother Charlie, and Charlie and a few of his mates come to the tallest tower of Hogwarts to retrieve the dragon from Harry. However, they're later caught by McGonagall and Draco Malfoy, and given detention for being out after hours. This is incredibly crucial to the books, and the replacement in the film made no sense whatsoever. It didn't have the same meaning; it kept Harry from meeting Charlie, which will inevitably damage the third film. J.K. Rowling put years of thought and planning into the flow of each novel, making sure they move right into one another seamlessly. Warner Brothers, little by little, is picking those seams apart. The Norbert sequence is yet another example. And to think they tried to fix it by having Hagrid go to Dumbledore. That's not only out of character for Dumbledore, that's preposterous.

Many people claim, as has J.K. Rowling, that Daniel Radcliffe was perfect for the role of Harry Potter. Several stories have come forth about how he was "discovered", and yet none of them are true. We've been fed half-truths, and the media has been suckered.

I discovered the truth before my involvement in the PotterWar campaign. When open-casting calls were publicized, and fans were asked to send in photos to be considered for the roles, I started poking around. I happened upon a phone number for Warner Brothers's Senior VP of Casting, Marion Dougherty. I got up the guts, and called. I spoke to a very kind secretary who told me I didn't need to speak to Marion; I had to speak to Susie Figgis. I was familiar with the name - she was hired to be the head casting director for the Harry Potter film. Everyone wanted her phone number, and Marion Dougherty's secretary gave it to me. I was elated, to say the least. The next morning I called Susie Figgis in London. Unfortunately, the part I wanted was already taken, but I kept calling anyway. I got casting news two weeks before any of the press did. If you remember, the Daily Prophet was known for its quick movie news. Now you know how I got it; a kind woman who shall remain nameless at Susie Figgis' office would tell me anything I asked. I often called and the first thing I'd ask would be, "How's the Maggie Smith contract going?" News was flowing freely, and I was shocked what I heard on the next phone call.

I had decided that news was running slow from Figgis's office. I called Marion Dougherty back, and was amazed when the same secretary said to me, "Oh no, you don't need to talk to Susie Figgis. You need to speak to Janet Hersham, the American casting director." My jaw hit the floor; an American casting director? That was directly contrary to J.K. Rowling's wishes. I played along, got Ms. Hersham's number, and called her right up. Unfortunately, they weren't quite so helpful. They were short, rude, and I quickly hung up in disgust. I decided to see what Susie Figgis had to say. I called, and said, "I've just spoken to the American casting director," but I didn't have a chance to finish the sentence before the secretary jumped in. "The who?!" I had struck a nerve. I explained what I was told by Marion Dougherty's office. I was thanked, and the phone went dead. Two weeks later it hit the news that Susie Figgis "quit in a snit" because Chris Columbus had hired an American casting director behind her back.

Why did this happen? I soon found out. A young boy's name soon surfaced; Daniel Radcliffe. Funny, he wasn't the type of boy J.K. Rowling wanted. She had been saying constantly she wanted an average British schoolboy. Not an actor, a "no-name." Dan Radcliffe, on the other hand, had appeared in plays, and most predominantly in the BBC's production of David Copperfield. Something was fishy, but it all made sense when some research was performed on the young lad's last name.

"Radcliffe", not surprisingly, soon surfaced in connection with the last name of Columbus. Daniel Radcliffe's mother is a professional casting agent who's worked with Chris Columbus on three of his past projects, including Home Alone. Daniel's father is a predominant literary agent, and the Harry Potter film's executive producer. Funny; J.K. Rowling wanted an anonymous British schoolboy, and instead she got the adolescent male version of Tori Spelling - stealing film roles from perfectly capable actors, simply because Daddy has connections.

I was prepared to dismiss this to average Hollywood back-biting, provided Dan Radcliffe proved good enough. I was sharply disappointed. His face was flat, he never got out of the "I'm shocked, and don't know why" phase. Children have been known for their remarkable acting abilities, attributed to the inherent knack for imagination. I saw none of this in Dan Radcliffe. For a comparison of childhood acting abilities, look at the 1993 film "The Secret Garden", directed by Agnieska Holland. A true classic conversion of book to film, and yet, for some reason, that one worked. Why? Because they had children who could act, who could convey more than one emotion. Who could truly command a screen.

Or, take a look at the more popular "The Sixth Sense", with Haley Joel Osment. He was nominated for an Academy Award for that performance; Dan Radcliffe is nowhere close, and if you watch, you'll see what I mean.

More than anything, it wasn't the film that suffered from Dan Radcliffe's performance, or lack thereof. It was the fans. Over 10,000 children auditioned for that role, several thousand were called back for interviews and screen tests. I've even heard that J.K. Rowling had chosen her favorite. But this was before Susie Figgis was pushed out of the picture. This was before Chris Columbus hired a casting director who would follow his whims. What ever happened to those children? They had their dreams crushed. They were led on for nothing, all while Hollywood had other plans. That sickens me.

I could go on for hours about the little details that all add up, but I think you know what I'm getting at. For one final example, I want to make a comparison that I've been itching to do since this film went into production.

Last night I went to see the first Lord of the Rings film. I've never read a book by J.R.R. Tolkien. I'm not familiar with Hobbits or Middle Earth. And yet, I was excited to see this film. The reason being I happened to see a television program about the making of the film. I noticed a significant difference between the productions immediately, simply by the cast and crew's attitudes. The pains that the Lord of the Rings production team went to were amazing. It was a labor of true love. Great lengths were taken to get that film as close to the books as possible, while still making it a great film. Some things were undoubtedly cut, some things must have been changed, but the film's director, Peter Jackson, has created a classic. A true tribute to Tolkien's work. He didn't try to replace it; he didn't try to make money. He didn't try to do anything, but transform this beloved classic into a new medium, and maintain its integrity. He accomplished just that.

The film, when compared to Harry Potter, is astoundingly different. Any of the reviewers who gave Harry Potter five stars, will have to pull down all the stars in the heavens to do Lord of the Rings justice. It's no surprise to me that Lord of the Rings is nominated for Golden Globe Awards, and Harry Potter is not. It was a work of art. Every scene had my eye captivated, purely by the beauty of it. Thought, planning, and precision were exercised in every scene, every movement, and every placement of the camera.

The difference, I believe, is never more apparent than the attitudes of the actors. When an actor is grateful for the worth of his project, rather than grateful for the fame it has bought him; that is a true indication of greatness. Every actor I saw interviewed from Lord of the Rings said over and over that they were grateful simply to have anything to do with the project, because they loved it so much. Emma Watson, for example, shows the other hand of it. She's become grateful for the international super-stardom, showing up to the premiere in her bright purple boa. When has she said she was grateful for the worth of the project? When have any of them said what a joy it was to sacrifice anything for the sake of Rowling's legend? Elijah Wood, who plays Frodo Baggins in Lord of the Rings, took a great risk when accepting that role. He had to spend 18 months straight filming in New Zealand. This meant being out of circulation as an actor for years; a great risk to any career. And not only that, filming was nothing short of painful. A small example being the four hours he had to spend every morning, standing still as they put the Hobbit feet onto his own. Four hours every day for 18 months. That's a very long time to spend in agony, while still, after it all, being grateful for the opportunity to participate, still being grateful for the "journey."

Harry Potter lost its magic in translation. It lost the vivid beauty of the descriptions on every page. It lost the dramatic twist at the end, because they focused so much on the bad aspects of Snape instead of hinting at Quirrell. It lost the innocence, it lost the charm, it lost the characters. All in all, I feel cheated as a Harry Potter fan. I should have gotten art, and instead I got a franchise. I should have gotten true love of the books from the production company; instead I got the love of money. So many directors turned down this project, not because of straight-forward "creative differences", but because they were disgusted by the attitude towards it. Terry Gilliam, J.K. Rowling's first choice as the film's director, was considered by Warner Brothers for a time. He flew to Los Angeles for a meeting with Warners. Before he sat down, he said he was told, You won't be making a movie, you'll be making a franchise. You do it for the money, or you don't do it at all. Disgusted, Gilliam walked out the doors not willing to destory the books in such a fashion. He wasn't willing to betray J.K. Rowling. If that isn't evidence enough of the production's incentive, I don't know what is.

Editor's Note: Below you'll find four articles voicing two different opinions about the upcoming Harry Potter film. Read them for yourself, and see what you decide about the film. Are you going to see it? Do you think it'll be true to the books? It's up to you. Here are the thoughts from four individuals about those very questions.
And finally, after three of the articles, check out a review by our very own Callisto Riddle who had a chance to see the Harry Potter movie early. Warning, it might contain some spoilers! I'd tell you, but I don't want to read it myself, I'm afraid it'd give something away. :)

A Movie Analogy
By Hermione Granger

In 1997, when the Harry Potter books went on to bookstore shevles, no one  could of guessed that “Harry Potter”, “Muggles” or “Hogwarts” would have become household words. In fact, I doubt anyone really would have guessed anything. But now, well, some Potter fans say that they can only guess.

Rumours have it that 95% of the movie is true, but as a fanatic would have figured out by now, they may not be true. People report that Peeves will not be showed at all in the entire movie, and the scene of Norbert is given to Charlie Wealesy’s friends.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (renamed Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone for its American version) was written by Steve Kloves (who wrote “Wonder Boys”) and directed the sure to have been strained Chris Columbus (directed both Mrs.Doubtfire and Home Alone) with an appalling $125 million movie, making the expectations big. Those special effects can really add up. Danial Radcliff, who’s now involved in a once-in-a-lifetime, Voldemort sighting importance, seems to show a surprising no-sweat attitude. (Take note; he’s a "professional" actor)

Also, although the audience of people who will see Potter of their own free will are expected to be pre-teens and teenagers, larger than one would expect groups of adults will be there. It was, in the beginning at least, that parents were the ones screaming “Aha! Caught you reading!” to their children who were uninterested in books, it has become more like “Aha! Caught you reading!” the children scream to there parents.

We’d all better get use to multimillion galleon (or pound or dollar depending on who and where you are) publicity, as it’s going to explode after the movies release. Most fans are expecting to see Daniel Radcliff, the young star playing Harry Potter, to be drinking a Sprite or chewing a Mars Bar, but it looks like neither of those in the near future. Instead, expect Coke Cola. Toys, which have been sitting on shelves (and getting a little dusty), may be soon looking at the kind of excitement compared only to beanie babies. And the magazine covers may just put you over the top, with their darling pictures of Harry and Co.

But goods things have come from this movie, such as a increase in tourism in Britian, (having been deflated because of mad cow disease) with its especially beautiful castles seeming to take the gold. The tourism business is hoping for even more tourists to come after the movie is finally publically released. Also, it seems boarding school numbers are on a rise, and parents, as well as students, no longer thinks it’s the birthplace of freezing cold showers.

In 1997, when David Hayman came back to London, looking for a children’s book (his first choice was “The Ogre Downstairs”), his staff suggested he take a look at Harry Potter and The Philosopher’s Stone. Harry, he reasoned was an “anybody”, giving it a large appeal (seen quite clearly in the group reading the books), making it a good film. The book which was described by some as having an edge similar to having a Marine for a teacher during the now belligerent world we live in thanks to September 11th and comparable to Ronald Dahl’s work was written about a boy going to a school and leaving behind his near-evil relatives. Heyman soon had a relationship with the mysterious Joanna Kathleen Rowling, who originally expected someone was out to “butcher her baby”. By the time Heyman said anything to Warner Brothers,   Britian had a country full of Potter fans, and America was ready to explode.

It may be the movie of magic this Thanksgiving season, but it took real wizards to put it together, not just some “Bippity, Boppity, boo” stuff.

The True Price of a Movie Ticket
By Alexi Firebolt

While many diehard Potter fans have probably bought every magizine that even mentioned the word "Harry", please think of this, what happens when the sets don't match the exact pictures in your head? Remember the exact way Harry looks? You may not after you see the movie. The pictures you see on the big screen may wipe any images in your mind, any names you know may be replaced by some vile word that is repeated until you can't think or remember your word.

But what if everything matches your picture of "Harry's World," then good for you. But the chances of that are very small. I think of Harry's voice like he's an American, because I'm American. Remember how you think of the Great Hall. Because you might not be able to later on.

Please don't think of me as tring to ruin your time at the movies, because thats the last thing I want to do. I just don't want the next time you enter Harry's World to be a nightmare.

So please, think before you enter that darkened theatre, set down your popcorn and plunge into two hours of special effects, or you could save months of reading about Harry, exactly the way you pictured him. That's something no movie ticket can replace.

Harry Potter, The Book
By Albert Dumbledore

“These people will never understand him! He’ll be famous - a legend - I wouldn’t be surprised if today was known as Harry Potter day in the future - there will be books written about Harry - every child in our world will know his name!”

-Professor McGonagall in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

Now, in November of the year 2001, almost five years after the book containing that quote was released in the United Kingdom under the title Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, that statement is even truer than ever before. Only a number of days remain until the event we’ve all been waiting for - the release of the first Harry Potter movie, based on the book that started it all. I’ve been counting the days for months now, hardly being able to stand the wait until I’m in the dark room at my local theater, watching the excitement of my favorite book ever come to life. And yet today, I’m having second thoughts. Books are wonderful things, and so are movies. I’m a fanatic about both. Don’t get me wrong, and like I said I’ve been anticipating this particular movie for who knows how long. Plus, J.K. Rowling has seen the movie - twice! - and given it an overwhelmingly enthusiastic two thumbs up. So why am I nervous?

The answer is rather simple, actually.

I’m always amazed at how grand each book I read is when I sit down with it. It’s so personal, and I fix into my mind my own image of everything. I know exactly how Harry looks, where his scar is; what Quidditch looks like, the look on Harry’s face when he was trying to keep hold of his broomstick during the match; I even once concentrated really hard and, upon focusing in on my personal image of Fluffy, saw that he had a dirty brown material on one of his razor-sharp teeth.

But when I see the movie, will Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, and the rest of the cast replace all of those personal images? Will I see book five differently when it comes out because they are in my head and not my own visions? And the thing I worry about most is that J.K. Rowling’s Harry might have changed having seen the film twice. And if it did, will that change be reflected in the last three books?

Every Harry Potter fan - me, you, and even that old guy over there who keeps scratching his head when he turns the pages of the books - has their own personal picture of everything in the books, especially Harry himself. And in that way, one single brave, proud boy wizard, Harry Potter has a thousand different faces. Some of the faces many people see and know. For incidence, Mary GrandPre’s Harry from the US book jackets; or the Harrys from any of the other jackets. And nowadays we know Daniel Radcliffe as Harry. But like I said, there’s always that one Harry Potter you created in your mind when you first met the magical boy. And come November 16th, you might loose him to Daniel Radcliffe. Then again, you might be able to just add Daniel’s Harry as another of the thousands of Harry faces in your head, but either way, remember to spend some time with him before you see the movie. Reread the books, and savor your imagination. It may very well be the last time you can see your own images. Who knows? Maybe - possibly - next time you read it, the ones in that film version you saw on the 16th will have replaced those images. So, as much as you and I and everyone else is looking forward to the movie, do remember the time when Harry Potter wasn’t a sure-fire billion-dollar-grossing Warner Brothers franchise. Remember those early times when you sat down with a book called Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone and simply enjoyed it, without even thinking that someday it would be a series of pictures flashing across a huge wide screen. Just for one more time see it as it is, no matter what happens with the film version, once and forever, a book.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's/ Sorceror's Stone Movie Review!

Oh yes it is, written on the VERY FIRST DAY the movie is shown to the general public!!!!!!! The Harry Potter movie is totally fantastic, although there are some noticeable deviations from the book- for instance, the part just before Harry reaches the Stone, where he and Hermione have to work out the correct potion to take, is missed out completely and Hermione stays behind to revive Ron before owling Dumbledore. That said, the special effects are really something- Fluffy and Norbert look really lifelike and as for the Quidditch scene- well, that is just totally out of this world! Oliver Wood is funny, but this is not a movie to take your little three year old brother to as there is some swearing and stuff like Fluffy and Quirrel's second head are quite scary. John Cleese as Nearly Headless Nick, Prof. Snape, Professor McGonagall and Albus Dumbledore are my favourites because they really look like I imagined them, but my only quibble is that you don't see enough of Fred and George Weasley- they're pretty much only cameo roles but look good none the less. The soundtrack is also cool- it’s magical, spooky and haunting all at the same time. I give this outstanding movie ten out of ten- and my friends agree.

Can't wait for the sequel!

Callisto Riddle

10th November 2001

Shakespearean Veteran to Star as Gilderoy Lockhart

According to the Associated Press, acclaimed British actor Kenneth Branagh has been signed to play the annoyingly self-promoting Gilderoy Lockhart in the second Harry Potter film, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.

The film, set to begin shooting on November 16 -- the same day the first film opens -- will go nose to nose with Branagh's performance of Shakespeare's Richard III for the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, which he's set to perform on February 11. However, shooting has been arranged so he will finish most of his work before the Shakespearean performance, and then return in mid-April to finish up any leftovers.

According to us, we think Branagh's a perfect choice. He's a wonderful actor, he's blonde, he's British, and he'll certainly be an amazing addition to the cast list.

Branagh was recently nominated for an emmy for his performance in HBO's "Conspiracy", where he played a truly hair-raising Nazi general in WWII. His other recent performances include Philip Noyce's upcoming ``Rabbit Proof Fence,'' and ``Shackleton,'' the true story of Ernest Shackleton's 1914 endurance expedition to the South Pole.