Stars:
Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, John Cleese, Robbie Coltrane,
Warick Davis, Richard Griffiths, Richard Harris, Ian Hart, John Hurt, Alan
Rickman, Fiona Shaw, Maggie Smith, and Julie Walter
Writer:
Steve Kloves
Based
Upon The Novel By: J.K. Rowling
Director:
Chris Columbus
Feature
length: 152 minutes
Extras:
Never-Before-Seen Footage, Self-Guided Tour Of Hogwarts, Mix Potions, Perform
Transfigurations, Explore Diagon Alley, Catch The Snitch, Theatrical Trailers
DVD-ROM
Extras: Collect Wizard Trading Cards, Be Sorted By The Sorting Hat, Download
Screensaver And Remembrall, Receive Owl E-mail, Web Links
Languages:
English Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround EX and Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround EX
Subtitles:
English Captions and Closed Captions and Spanish Subtitles
Packaging:
Gatefold Within Slipcase
Chapter
Stops: 35
Sound:
Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound EX
Year
of Theatrical Release: 2001/DVD Release: 2002
Theatrical
Distributor: Warner Brothers Pictures
Home
Video Distributor: Warner Home Video
MPAA
Rating: PG
Reviewer:
Mark A. Rivera
Harry
Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) is an orphaned grade school aged old boy living with
his nasty Uncle and Aunt and his bratty cousin and given to strange powers he is
discouraged from using until on his eleventh birthday he learns that his parents
were alumni of the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and is given the
opportunity to learn about his true heritage and destiny. Accompanied by the
gentle giant Hagrid (Robbie Coltrane), Harry learns that not only is he a
naturally born wizard, but he might one day become a great and powerful wizard
because he is the lone person to have ever survived the onslaught of the evil
wizard Voldemort, whose name is forbidden to ever be spoken aloud or low.
From
this point the viewer discovers another world of magic and majesty that exists
somewhere within our own, but cannot be seen by non-magical folk otherwise
referred to as “muggles.” We follow Harry as he goes to Diagon Alley and
sees Gringotts bank, which is run by goblins, and purchases his magic wand from
Ollivanders, where the wand picks the wizard or witch and not the other way
around. We follow Harry aboard the Hogwarts Express, which leaves promptly from
Platform 9 ¾, which is where we meet Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint) and Hermione
Granger (Emma Watson) and watch as the trio enters the amazing Hogwarts School,
which is near an enchanted, but dangerous forbidden forest. Eventually the plot
of the film comes together between Harry’s adventures in his first year of
Wizard’s School and the discovery of his heritage bring him and his friends
face to face with a dangerous foe in league with Voldemort.
I
must confess that prior to seeing the film in theaters and after seeing it on
the big and small screen as well, I have not read any of the “Harry Potter”
books though I have a brother and cousin who have filled me in on it enough to
have me agree that the film appears to be very faithful to the novel. What I
love about J.K. Rowling’s story and the film it was adapted from is that she
has created a new fantasy world for a new generation of kids and adults alike to
explore and inhabit in our imaginations. This is a rich world filled with
mythical creatures both good and bad and yet it all somehow exists without the
rest of the unsuspecting non-magical world even aware of its existence. This is
a film for the kid in all of us and I have to state that I went to see the film
back on opening day for the first matinee exhibition thinking since this is a
work and school day that the theater would be empty and quiet. However instead
it was filled with grade school children and their teachers to a point where I
had no choice, but to squeeze into a corner surrounded by psyched up boys and
girls yapping away. I shook my head until the lights went out and the movie
began. To my surprise aside from the film, there was complete silence from the
school children. They were more behaved than some adults I’ve seen at the
movies and their excitement created this wonderful atmosphere where I felt like
I was sharing their experience from their point of view and aside from the
occasional whisper where a child might say, “There’s Hagrid” or whatnot,
the quiet excitement from these kids enriched my viewing experience in a way I
never expected. So rightfully Warner Home Video has fashioned their upcoming
“Harry Potter And The Sorcerer’s Stone: Special Widescreen Edition: Two-Disc
Set” for the mutual enjoyment and shared experience of both the child and the
child within all of us regardless of our age.
Disc
one contains the feature film in a beautiful anamorphic widescreen (2.35:1)
aspect ratio, preserving the way in which the film was exhibited in theaters.
“Harry Potter And The Sorcerer’s Stone” is a film of sharp contrasts. Some
scenes appear muted and dark while others are bright and colorful and the DVD
presents the entire look of the film beautifully with no anomalies or grain
whatsoever. A fantastic truly theatrical quality English Dolby Digital 5.1
Surround EX Soundtrack is provided and is just perfect. The extra sound quality
within the EX sound mix rivals many DTS 5.1 Soundtracks I have heard on DVD and
even surpasses some. A Spanish Language Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround EX Soundtrack
is also provided along with English Captions and Closed Captions and Spanish
Language Subtitles encoded on to the dual layered DVD as options. A cast and
crew list and widescreen (2.35:1) theatrical teaser and trailer are presented
with English Dolby Pro Logic Surround Sound and wrap up the features on disc
one. The opening animation on disc one features a montage of scenes from the
film coupled with subsequent interactive menus that show us the inside of
Harry’s stepparents’ home. The image of Daniel Radcliffe as “Harry
Potter” is on the face of disc one while the images of Rupert Grint and Emma
Watson as “Ron” and “Hermione” grace the face of disc two.
Disc
two is where the rest of the extra features are presented. Here we are within
the world of and about Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.” The basic
setup of the menus is sort of like an interactive game. The viewer uses their
DVD player’s remote control to access the extra features by navigating the
various choices, which grow as one explores the environments of disc two. The
game portion centers upon one’s exploration of “Diagon Alley” for
essential supplies at Ollivanders, Eeyylops Owl Emporium, and Gringott’s Bank.
While some instances do not require the viewer to successfully pass a test in
order to continue, some menu options will only appear if you perform the tasks
like buying your wand for class. Then you can attend class where the viewer can
learn about potions, defense against dark magic, casting spells, shape shifting
and whatnot. There are character profiles with clips from the film, which are
narrated and give some background exposition not included in the film that
fleshes out the characters even more.
There
are (1.85:1) 360 degree tours “Gryffindor Common Room,” “The Great
Hall,” “Harry’s Room,” and “Hagrid’s Hut.” Some explorations look
a bit soft, but all are very detailed and contain details on elements and
characters seen in the film as well as hints to unlocking other special
features. One can visit the library, where among other things one can find more
character montages from the film, a detailed sketch and production art gallery,
learn about the ghosts that inhabit the various school houses, and even
encounter the screaming book from the film. DVD-Video viewers can also get
information the background of the various houses, learn about “Quidditch,”
catch the “Snitchm” and see a scene from the film in different languages.
There is also a videotaped widescreen (1.85:1) featurette with interviews with
Director Chris Columbus, Producer David Heyman, and Screenwriter Steve Kloves.
The featurette has an approximate running length of 16-minutes I do wish there
was a way of checking out some of the extra features without having to go
through some of the interactive games and maybe there is, but as a whole this is
truly a unique and rewarding interactive experience that enables interactive
possibilities that are unlike anything I have ever seen a DVD-Video produce
before.
Windows
compatible DVD-ROM users have access to more exclusive extra features, which
include an enhanced real-time personalized tour of Hogwarts with split screen
forward and reverse views simultaneously, exclusive electronic trading cards, a
“Harry Potter” game demo, personalized owl e-mail, a sorting by the Sorting
Hat, downloadable screensavers and remembralls, and
“One-Voice” navigations, which gives users with computer microphones
the option of navigating the DVD features by simply speaking. The navigation
commands are available in separate languages including U.S. English, U.K.
English, French, Spanish, German, and Italian as well. These enhanced DVD-ROM
extra features help to make Warner Home Video’s “Harry Potter And The
Sorcerer’s Stone: Special Widescreen Edition: Two-Disc Set” a groundbreaking
interactive DVD-Video movie experience.
The
discs come packaged within an attractive gatefold with photos from the film that
slips into a high quality cardboard slipcase, much like the way the Disney
“Vista Series” discs are packaged. With a suggested retail price of $24.99
and pre-order sales prices below twenty dollars, “Harry Potter And The
Sorcerer’s Stone: Special Widescreen Edition: Two-Disc Set” is truly a great
value. Share the magic and bring “Harry Potter And The Sorcerer’s Stone:
Special Widescreen Edition: Two-Disc Set” home when it debuts on DVD on
Tuesday, May 28, 2002 from Warner Home Video.
©
2002 Warner Home Video. © 2001 Warner Bros. Harry Potter Publishing Rights
© J.K. Rowling. HARRY POTTER, characters, names and related indicia are
trademarks of and © Warner Bros. All rights reserved. Courtesy of Warner Home
Video.
“Harry
Potter And The Sorcerer’s Stone: Special Widescreen Edition: Two-Disc Set”
DVD Review At GENRE ONINE.NET © Copyright 2002 By Mark A. Rivera
All Rights Reserved.
The Top Ten DVD-Videos Of 2002 As Reviewed At GENRE ONLINE.NET!