Spellbinding (Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (DVD))

Member Name: sugarlump

Product:	Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (DVD)
Date:	18/11/01 (36 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Brilliant. 9 out of 10.

Disadvantages: Aching bum

What else can I say? Absolutely well worth the wait.

The queues were long, and many families were wearing full wizarding outfits waiting to get in.

At two and a half hours, the film seemed long on the bum, but it was riveting from start to finish. There's usually a dull bit in every film where you can nip out to the toilet, but not this one! I bet the kids were leaving wet seats behind them.

First of all, it is a PG-rating, but I didn't see any children being scared. Instead of the usual shuffling and muttering, there was only a quiet rattle of wrappers as popcorn was shoved into mouths without taking an eye off the screen.

The film is edited compared to the book, but if you've never read the book, I don't think you'd really notice the difference.

Harry, for those of you who are unaware by now (and there can't be many of you) is a wizard who is orphaned when an evil wizard kills his parents when he is a baby, and he is sent out to live with his evil step-parents, or in this case, his aunt, uncle and cousin, who are particularly horrid to poor Harry, banishing him to the broom cupboard under the stairs.

On his 11th birthday, he is invited to go to Hogwarts School for witches and wizards, and the fun continues. It ends in a battle between good and evil, and no guessing who wins as we leave the cinema with a feel-good factor.

Most of the characters are stereotypical but that is not detrimental at all. It's almost like a pantomime in a way. Harry and his friends are lovable, Snape is the apparent bad boy with brooding evil. Hagrid the caretaker is like a lovable bear as he looks after Harry, and as for Quirrell - well.... can't say more, or it will spoil it for you.

The special effects are breath-taking, from the moving staircases and living portraits, to the fantastic Quidditch game and the witches chess set at the end.

All in all, a fantastic film, w
hich I would have preferred personally to have all the cuts put back in and the film broken into two parts, but who knows, maybe it will have all the edited bits put back in when it eventually comes out on video.

I went to see it only a few hours ago, and I am already feeling the urge to watch it again, as are my two children. This will go to be a classic in the same way as Star Wars, and who knows, maybe to the same extent of "Wizard of Oz".

Absolutely brilliant for muggles and mudbloods alike. I can't wait for the forthcoming Chamber of Secrets sequel due out sometime late 2002/early 2003!

Summary: