Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001)

User Rating:

7.2/10   

Director:

Chris Columbus

Writers (WGA):

J.K. Rowling (novel)
Steve Kloves (screenplay)

Release Date:

16 November 2001 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Family | Fantasy | Mystery

Tagline:

Let The Magic Begin.

Plot:

Rescued from the outrageous neglect of his aunt and uncle, a young boy with a great destiny proves his worth while attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Plot Keywords:

Wizard | Friend | Witchcraft | Birthday | Letter

Awards:

Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 13 wins & 46 nominations

Cast

Richard Harris	...	Professor Albus Dumbledore
Maggie Smith	...	Professor Minerva McGonagall
Robbie Coltrane	...	Rubeus Hagrid
Saunders Triplets	...	Baby Harry Potter
Daniel Radcliffe	...	Harry Potter
Fiona Shaw	...	Aunt Petunia Dursley
Harry Melling	...	Dudley Dursley
Richard Griffiths	...	Uncle Vernon Dursley
Derek Deadman	...	Tom - Bartender in Leaky Cauldron
Ian Hart	...	Professor Quirinus Quirrell
Ben Borowiecki	...	Diagon Alley Boy
Warwick Davis	...	Goblin Bank Teller / Professor Flitwick
Verne Troyer	...	Griphook the Goblin (as Vern Troyer)
John Hurt	...	Mr. Ollivander
Richard Bremmer	...	He Who Must Not Be Named

Also Known As:

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (Canada: English title) (International: English title) (UK)
Harry Potter (USA) (working title)
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (USA) (alternative title)

MPAA:

Rated PG for some scary moments and mild language. (also 2009 extended version)

Runtime:

152 min | 159 min (extended version)

Country:

USA | UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS-ES | Dolby Digital EX | SDDS (8 channels)

Certification:

Canada:PG (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Ontario) | South Korea:All | Iceland:L | Australia:PG | India:U | Malaysia:U | USA:TV-G (Disney Channel) | USA:TV-PG (ABC Family) | USA:PG (certificate #38522) | Hungary:14 | Italy:T | USA:PG (certificate #45582: 2009 extended version) | Argentina:Atp | Brazil:Livre | Canada:G (Québec) | Finland:K-11 | France:U | Germany:6 (w) | Hong Kong:IIA | Ireland:PG | New Zealand:PG | Norway:11 | Peru:PT | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG | Spain:T | Sweden:11 (original rating) | Sweden:7 (re-rating) | Switzerland:10 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:10 (canton of Vaud) | UK:PG | Greece:K-13 | Netherlands:MG6

Filming Locations:

Alnwick Castle, Alnwick, Northumberland, England, UK

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

John Williams composed a piece of music specifically for the movie's trailer, and it is found on the soundtrack as "The Prologue". As of March 2002, he has done this only once before, for Steven Spielberg's Hook (1991). (However, on the collector's edition of the soundtrack for Jaws (1975), a previously unreleased track appears called "Shark Attack" - this was only used in the trailer for that movie - in 1975.)

Goofs:

Continuity: When Harry is in the restricted section, he sets down the lamp to his left before taking off his invisibility cloak, setting the cloak to his right. When Filch's voice is heard and Harry grabs the cloak, the lamp is on top of the cloak and thus falls onto the floor.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Professor McGonagall: [as a cat] Mraow!
Dumbledore: I should have known that you would be here, Professor McGonagall.
[Professor McGonagall transfigures into her human self]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Honey (2003)

Magically Delicious

I feel, next to Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is the best book-to-movie adaptation that I've ever seen. The sets were stunning - the actors were first rate - the effects were breathtaking. The film flowed quite smoothly in it's transition from page to screen, never tripping on the awkward conventions that other books on film have struggled with. The screenplay, by Steven Kloves, stripped away all unnecessary elements to get to the root of the story. Though many events from the book were excluded, the essential ones made it to the film. And it makes for one smooth story and very enjoyable movie-going experience.

Many kudos to Chris Columbus and the rest of the Harry Potter cast/crew for not turning this movie into what it easily could have become: a 2 and a half hour commercial advertisement for action figures and collectibles, kid's meals and fast food tie-ins, soft drinks and snack products, etc. and instead focused on bringing J.K. Rowling's story to life as accurately and as lovingly as it deserves. There has been much speculation on whether Columbus was the correct choice for the first two installments of the series and I say to that, Yes. I feel that he accomplished what most would have failed. He has proven, at least to me, that Diagon Alley truly exists - if only I could find the right brick to tap on. The world of Harry Potter is no longer fantasy to me, but instead a place where any of us mere Muggles could hope to visit, one day.

One of my favorite moments, is what I'm going to refer to as the Adrenaline Sequence. By Adrenaline Sequence, I mean the sequence in a movie that for all intents and purposes, doesn't necessarily propel the story, but gives the audience a huge theatrical payoff, ala the Pod Race sequence in The Phantom Menace. The Adrenaline Sequence for this particular movie is the Quidditch sequence. I was very happy to finally see the 'hockey/soccer hybrid on a broomstick' come to life. The Quidditch Sequence is, by far, my favorite sequence in the whole film. The scene is dizzying in it's violence and it's one breathless moment after another. My hat goes off to Columbus and his team for succeeding in making this scene as memorable as it should be.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is a fantastic movie for children of all ages. Fans and non-fans alike will enjoy this colorful story of good versus evil and the friendships that endure.