Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
Year: 2001
Director: Christopher Columbus
Starring: Tom Felton, Rupert Grint, Richard Harris, Daniel Radcliffe, Alan Rickman & Emma Watson
Runtime: 159 mins
BBFC: PG
Published: 12/10/20
Director: Christopher Columbus
Starring: Tom Felton, Rupert Grint, Richard Harris, Daniel Radcliffe, Alan Rickman & Emma Watson
Runtime: 159 mins
BBFC: PG
Published: 12/10/20
I remember it well, Christmas 2002, little 7-year-old me unwrapped the VHS of Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone, and that was the moment I was exposed to a fantastical world so many people had already been enthralled by since 1997. I was certainly a little late to the party, but it came at exactly the right point for me. I was about to have the most difficult year of my life, both at school and at home, and the wizarding world was a perfect escape for me. I quickly snapped up all the books that were published at that point, as well as buying the VHS of Chamber of Secrets soon after its release. It’s a world I loved and still love to this day, and although I’ve yet to finish the books (I know, I’m a disappointment) the films are a key player in why I adore films so much. I spent a lot of time with those VHS versions of Philosophers Stone and Chamber of Secrets as a child and the rest of them I snapped up as soon as I could. But now I’m older, I’m wiser (sort of), and the traumatic experiences that pushed me into that world in the first place are long since passed, how do the Harry Potter films fare?
Harry Potter is an orphan. He lives with his aunt, uncle, and cousin who treat him like a slave, and he has no friends. On his eleventh birthday Harry is visited by a big bearded man named Hagrid who tells him that he is a wizard and will be attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. When attending the school Harry befriends Ronald Weasley, the youngest boy in a very large and poor wizarding family; and Hermione Granger, a girl with an insatiable thirst for knowledge who comes from two non-magical parents, and like Harry is exposed to this world for the first time. Together the three navigate their new school setting which is rife with all the things you would expect such as strict teachers, sports events, and bullies. But there are also rumblings of sinister happenings at Hogwarts, as well as rumours that the dark Lord Voldemort, the wizard who murdered Harry’s parents, is returning after disappearing eleven years ago.
Harry Potter is an orphan. He lives with his aunt, uncle, and cousin who treat him like a slave, and he has no friends. On his eleventh birthday Harry is visited by a big bearded man named Hagrid who tells him that he is a wizard and will be attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. When attending the school Harry befriends Ronald Weasley, the youngest boy in a very large and poor wizarding family; and Hermione Granger, a girl with an insatiable thirst for knowledge who comes from two non-magical parents, and like Harry is exposed to this world for the first time. Together the three navigate their new school setting which is rife with all the things you would expect such as strict teachers, sports events, and bullies. But there are also rumblings of sinister happenings at Hogwarts, as well as rumours that the dark Lord Voldemort, the wizard who murdered Harry’s parents, is returning after disappearing eleven years ago.
The Philosopher’s Stone has all the hallmarks of a great children’s story, but it’s laced with just enough darkness and depth that allows it to maintain its appeal to adult audiences. The characters are imbued with a lot of depth, most of it not told through expositionary dialogue either. The world is also really well fleshed out through subtle visual cues and a frequent drip feed of information from characters. Part of the reason the series is so beloved is because the world feels lived in and rich with history that is near constantly fed to the viewer in various ways.
In terms of the Philosopher’s Stone as a standalone entity, the information can feel like it’s being hurled at you in a never-ending barrage, much of which seems completely irrelevant come the films end. This can be problematic to say the least, but in this day and age it would certainly be a peculiarity to watch just one Harry Potter film without at least trying some of the others. Even if you don’t make it all the way through, bits of information provided in the first film pay off at different points in the series. It does a hell of a job laying the groundwork for what would become the biggest film franchise in history (until the MCU really got into the swing of things a little over a decade later).
The performances in The Philosopher’s Stone are a mixed bag to say the least. When looking at the child actors with older eyes it’s clear to see just how inexperienced they are, with often awkward line delivery and looking somewhat rigid when moving around the set. This also isn’t helped by the script which has clearly been lifted in many places directly from a book, because it’s written in a way that no normal person would speak. The kids being inexperienced wouldn’t have the knowledge or even ability to make this kind of dialogue work, or even improvise better dialogue. The adult performances are thankfully much better and when they are alongside the child actors it’s clear that they’re aiding them in almost any way they can with a guiding arm to put them into the right position, or subtle cues in the way they talk which indicate how the next line should be delivered.
In terms of the Philosopher’s Stone as a standalone entity, the information can feel like it’s being hurled at you in a never-ending barrage, much of which seems completely irrelevant come the films end. This can be problematic to say the least, but in this day and age it would certainly be a peculiarity to watch just one Harry Potter film without at least trying some of the others. Even if you don’t make it all the way through, bits of information provided in the first film pay off at different points in the series. It does a hell of a job laying the groundwork for what would become the biggest film franchise in history (until the MCU really got into the swing of things a little over a decade later).
The performances in The Philosopher’s Stone are a mixed bag to say the least. When looking at the child actors with older eyes it’s clear to see just how inexperienced they are, with often awkward line delivery and looking somewhat rigid when moving around the set. This also isn’t helped by the script which has clearly been lifted in many places directly from a book, because it’s written in a way that no normal person would speak. The kids being inexperienced wouldn’t have the knowledge or even ability to make this kind of dialogue work, or even improvise better dialogue. The adult performances are thankfully much better and when they are alongside the child actors it’s clear that they’re aiding them in almost any way they can with a guiding arm to put them into the right position, or subtle cues in the way they talk which indicate how the next line should be delivered.
One of the things I really enjoy looking at with the Harry Potter films is how each director handled the films. Philosopher’s Stone was directed by Christopher Columbus and his style makes the film feel very warm and childlike. It works perfectly for this first entry to the series as the stakes are never overwhelmingly high and the threats, whilst certainly dangerous, are little compared to what the characters are to face later down the line. Columbus really hones in on the warmth and wonder of Hogwarts as Harry’s new home in terms of how he frames the castle as a character. Its corridors are lit with an orange glow from lamps and candles, the grand scale retains a cozy feel thanks to how sets are arranged and how lived in the castle feels. Similarly, outdoor shots are often bright and full of colour. There’s no fog, mist, or grey skies in sight, even when the story hits its darkest moments.
Columbus is not one for establishing shots though and as a result the castle feels a little disjointed, something which later directors remedied, but in the first and second films the castle seemingly has no discernible layout. Everything seems close together as a result and you get no real idea as to how large Hogwarts really is, even from the few external shots we do get of the castle.
I also find the way Columbus moves the story, and how he frames shots makes the films feel long and slow. For this I often consider his two entries to be the weakest in the series which is odd considering how they are the first two films. I still enjoy them, but it always means I need a good reason to start watching the series again at times as I know the first two entries, I’m just going to have to put up with rather than truly enjoy. Though I do find Philosopher’s Stone better than Chamber of Secrets.
I appear to have been very critical of the film in this review, but rest assured I do still enjoy Philosopher’s Stone. I simply feel that perhaps this film is designed more with children in mind than any other entry in the series, and as a result it can occasionally feel boring to me as an adult. But it’s a solid start for a series that proves itself to be worthy of its popularity as for the most part the series goes from strength to strength over time.
Columbus is not one for establishing shots though and as a result the castle feels a little disjointed, something which later directors remedied, but in the first and second films the castle seemingly has no discernible layout. Everything seems close together as a result and you get no real idea as to how large Hogwarts really is, even from the few external shots we do get of the castle.
I also find the way Columbus moves the story, and how he frames shots makes the films feel long and slow. For this I often consider his two entries to be the weakest in the series which is odd considering how they are the first two films. I still enjoy them, but it always means I need a good reason to start watching the series again at times as I know the first two entries, I’m just going to have to put up with rather than truly enjoy. Though I do find Philosopher’s Stone better than Chamber of Secrets.
I appear to have been very critical of the film in this review, but rest assured I do still enjoy Philosopher’s Stone. I simply feel that perhaps this film is designed more with children in mind than any other entry in the series, and as a result it can occasionally feel boring to me as an adult. But it’s a solid start for a series that proves itself to be worthy of its popularity as for the most part the series goes from strength to strength over time.