Review of Harry Potter and The Philosopher`s Stone (Widescreen)

Introduction

I won`t bother doing that "if you haven`t heard of Harry Potter, you must have been living under a rock for the past five years" gag, because obviously you`ve heard of both him and his blockbuster movie.

In the head to head fantasy movie-of-the-year stakes, this was the competition faced by Lord Of The Rings, and very stiff competition at that.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher`s Stone is the first of a projected seven-novel series by Joanne (JK) Rowling, currently being given the multi-million dollar picture treatment by Warner Bros. Peculiarly British, it is a relief to see that director Chris Columbus has avoided slathering on the saccharine and made a movie to match the original novel.

If there`s one complaint one can make about the picture, it`s that it`s too short (even at 147 minutes). There is so much detail and minutiae in the novel that parts of the movie (specifically the build-up at the start where Harry discovers his true nature) have an almost shorthand feel to them.

But that`s the only criticism. Otherwise, the movie is a sheer delight for hardened Potter fans and those just introduced to the trainee wizard.

Video

Presented in glorious 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen, the image is pin sharp and brightly coloured, with an excellent contrast range and no artifacts. More studios should take the care that Warners have lavished on this release.

Audio

A quite thrilling Dolby Digital 5.1 EX mix that really gives your surround speakers and woofer a work out. Highlights of the soundtrack are the "no Sunday Deliveries" sequence, the Quidditch match and the climax, where the soundtrack is at its most dynamic. The movie does not carry a DTS soundtrack, but it is difficult to see how any improvements could be made.

Features

Presented as a double pack, the first disc has the movie presentation, with minimum extras - subtitles, a cast list and two trailers (both in 2.35:1 anamorphic). The second disc contains the bulk of the extras, which are aimed at the junior audience rather than cinephiles. There is a short interview piece for that latter audience, but the majority of the disc contents are of the puzzle-and-prize variety. There is a self-guided tour of Hogwarts, utilising panning software to look around the sets. There are items to be picked up at Diagon Alley, potions to be brewed and spells to be cast as well as learning everything you need to know about Quidditch. DVD-ROM owners can download screensavers, collect Wizard Trading Cards and receive owl emails.

The two discs are presented in a four-fold card package with two central clear-plastic disc holders of the type used in the first Buffy series release, and are housed in a thin card slipcase with the British release poster art on the front and a shot from the Quidditch match on the back.

Conclusion

This is a really entertaining family movie, and a truly impressive start to the Harry Potter movie franchise. As with the books, the story is a self-contained adventure (although it helps to have read the novels first to fill in a little of the gaps occasionally).

One word of caution - parents who are hypersensitive about bad language may want to vet the picture before letting very small members of the family watch this one - young Ron Weasley is a little too fond of "bloody" as an intensifier.