Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone Movie
From LoveToKnow Sci-Fi
Director: Christopher Columbus
Screenplay by: Steven Kloves
Genre: Adventure/Family/Fantasy
Released: November 2001
Rating: PG for mild language and scary moments
Runtime: 152 minutes
Theaters around the country were packed on the opening day of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. Adults holding the hands of children in capes and glasses with the signature lightning bolt drawn onto their foreheads were crawling in every available space the eye could see. To say that there were lines would be an understatement, but most of this movie's success lies in the fact that J.K. Rowling wrote some seriously popular books and the idea of watching the vision of her novel become an on-screen reality is thrilling to fans of any age.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone Plot
Year One at Hogwarts is a journey through which Harry Potter learns the truth of his magic-filled past and is introduced into the trials and tribulations that will be his future. Not only does Harry have the usual problems with homework, tests and getting to class on time that every eleven year old boy has, but he is famous; he is the "Boy Who Lived". Everyone knows Harry Potter's name and everyone knows how he aquired the scar shaped like a lightning bolt on his forehead. In fact, everyone in the magical world knows more about him than Harry himself knows, but not everyone is so pleased to make his acquaintance. A child-hood enemy lurks around the corner, hungry for the power offered by the legendary "Sorcerer's Stone", and Harry Potter and his new friends are not about to let evil triumph over good.
Film Adaptation Notes
To compare the movie to the novel would be unfair. Movies based on books have two different stories, one fit for the screen and one that can only be told on the page. Fans complain that the screenplays for the Harry Potter movies cut out too much from the novels, but speaking as a huge fan of the books - spending over two hours in a crowded theater isn't something I look forward to doing no matter what I've paid to see.
What I will say of the adaptation from the page to the screen, (and what I will say of every Harry Potter movie currently available to the public), is that the key elements of the story are all present. Characters that need to be introduced are included in the plot even if the name is merely dropped by another character. A few scenes in the movie; however, allude to events that only happen in the book and serve no purpose in the plot of the film other than to please a well read audience.
Cinematography & Sound
The visual aspect of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is simply stunning. From the actors themselves to the sweeping landscapes of Hogwarts, what is seen by the eyes will drop jaws. Special effects are in great number and the computer generated images are smoothly integrated into the film although they are distinctly noticable. The playful ghosts that roam the halls of Hogwarts seem a little "old school" in their presentation and although they are portrayed by actors they have a more 2D feel than you would expect in a movie filled with magical creatures great and small. The subtlety of the movement in the paintings on the walls, however, more than makes up for the fact that the spirits look no better than the specters you see in the Ghostbuster movies.
From the grind of moving staircases to the rapidly fluttering wings of the elusive "Golden Snitch" the sound effects in the film lock the viewer into Harry's world. The experience for the ears is further enhanced by a haunting score that never fails to embody the emotion of the scene in which it plays, but never outshines the the performance of the actors on screen.
Sorcerer's Stone Performance
Brilliant casting choices make the vision of J.K. Rowling's story truly come alive on screen. Although a few scenes in the movie feel a bit over-dramatized, the overall performances of the actors are believable and more often than not their scenes are executed with the skill of seasoned pros. The children cast in the movie, while they may not have the years of experience as the adults, do their characters enough justice for the first of the Harry Potter films to capture the spirit of innocence with budding grace and make a very clear point that they are professionals.
Sorcerer's Stone Final Thoughts
A great film for the whole family to own and well worth the price of admission a few times over for the die-hard fan, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone will tickle the fancy and provoke the child in every fan to want for a life filled with dragons, invisibility cloaks and magic wands. For those that haven't read the books; however, this film will be less than satisfying. A lot of the imagination of the book is lost in the translation to the screen and only the most forgiving of fans will love Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone in its theatrical form.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone Links
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