DVD, no let your imagination soar with the book (Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (DVD))

Member Name: cabletow

Product:	Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (DVD)
Date:	22/05/02 (287 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: dramatic action

Disadvantages: wooden dialogue

Harry Potter, the boy who has reawakened our need for magic, love and traditional family values has made it to the small screen in the living rooms of the nation. Expected to be a smash this DVD has not let AOL Time Warner, its financiers, down. Written by J.K.Rowling, "the philosopher's stone" is the first part of a tremendous tale of magic, courage and the fight of good against evil. The DVD attempts to recapture the essence of the literary surprise of the nineties.

I, however, feel that somehow the transition to the big and small screen has not been successful. The book rolls along from tragedy to comedy, from love to magic in a totally unforgettable way. The film was partially able to recreate the scenes and action in graphic detail and the DVD does too but on the small screen the impact is somehow lessened. The character development is let down by acting that is wooden in relation to the screenplay and the plot and nowhere near the characterisation of the book.

Why? The book depends heavily on Harry's narration to carry the fear, loathing and amazement of a boy in his early teens, taking his first faltering steps to become the greatest wizard of his day. The DVD loses a lot in removing the first person element from it. The ask is too much of Daniel Radcliffe, the young actor picked to portray the young wizard Harry. The dialogue is too stilted to convey the essential messages of Harry's journey.

Wonderful casting (Robbie Coltrane is undoubtedly the main support) does try to lift the wooden dialogue but Harry on the screen cannot magic the emotion of the Harry in your imagination as you read the tale. Daniel Radcliffe will become a great actor, do not get me wrong, but in comparison to the limitless boundaries of your imagination, he cannot live up to the expectations of your Harry. Unfair of me to expect that of him, true, but it is that factor that has made the books the bestsellers they are. The DVD has to be
measured by that yardstick. The DVD is stilted in comparison.

Awards do have to be credited to the wonderful special effects and the scenery. This is really brought to life in the extra bits that a DVD has. In this DVD the extra footage deals with the special effects in great detail and tries to make a star of it. But we have become used to the fantastic computer generated wizardry in films now and this was not a surprise. It was a little like watching an Arnold Schwarzenegger (please excuse the spelling) film and being surprised when his muscles come out, this does not happen any more.

The effects of the DVD itself are fantastic. The sound is 6 channel digital surround sound and with the right hardware this makes for a cinema like experience. The abilities to stop the action and [pick out scenes are superb, but we are now used to that in all DVDs and they are common place. Extras on this DVD include a tour of Hogwarts (but you ot that from the marauders map in the book) theatrical trailers; a visit to Olivanders where you can pick out a wand; sessions in different classes at Hogwarts and a chance to find the Philosopher's Stone which rewards you with deleted film clips from the finished movie.

Is it worth getting the DVD? Yes, probably. This is one collection that I will get for my library. It will rank up there as the definitive Harry Potter collection from film 1 to film 4 (as it stands at the moment, there are rumoured to be 7 planned by ms Rowling). It will take pride of place next to my complete Star Wars collection and undoubtedly my complete Lord of the Rings trilogy when those are completed. It will not, however stand above the other fantasy collections it is not as good as the books and they will forever have a place that is more special in my library.

If you have not read the books then I heartily recommend them as being far more entertaining than the DVD. The DVD is good but not great. The books are great.

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