GREAT FILM SHAME ABOUT THE ENDING (Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (DVD))

Member Name: amanda000

Product:	Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (DVD)
Date:	23/05/02 (60 review reads)
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I had to wait until this film was released on DVD and video to see it as I have two very young children and I can't seem to get to the cinema as much as I would like to, anyway I waited until the 11th May and Amazon.co.uk who have had my order for a few months, they promised to deliver it by the 13th May and I thought well I have waited this long another couple of days isn't going to hurt me is it??

On the 11th May I sat down in front of the television watching Cbeebies with my little darlings and then I heard a thud as the post fell on the door mat my kids as usual rushed to get it, they normally have a race I don't really understand how anyone can be that energetic before nine o'clock but when they entered the lounge again I noticed a brown cardboard package with Amazon written on it- Yes it was Harry Potter 2 days early I was like a kid at Christmas!!

Anyway on with the film as I watched it the first time I noticed a few things had changed from the book but I couldn't really concentrate on it properly, it wasn't until that night when I sat down to watch it with my Hubby that I realised that quite a bit had either been missed out or changed in a strange way.

I am not saying that this is wrong as the film makers had to make cuts or else it would have been twice as long but I do want to just say that I think they missed out some very interesting, magical and important bits. For example I didn't hear Harry's Owl's name at all, of course I know its Hedwig but its only in the deleted scenes on my DVD that I found someone actually say the name.

I know that part of the book is Harry's thoughts and this doesn't translate well in a film so these bits are well done. The scriptwriters had a hard time and I wouldn't have liked their job.

On to the plot for those who haven't seen the film or read the book yet, Harry Potter is just a normal boy or so he thinks he lives with his aun
t and uncle and cousin in Privet Drive but one day he starts getting these letters from place called Hogwarts, no one has ever written to him and whoever it is seems to know that he sleeps under the stairs instead of in a normal bedroom. His Aunt and Uncle don't really like him but up with him because he has no one else.

More and more letters come as his uncle tries to keep them from him, his uncle then decided to take him to a remote hut in the middle of the sea where he thinks no one can reach them but someone does and its the Hogwarts ground keeper Hagrid.

This is the start of the film then Harry gets whisked of to Diagon Alley, a wizarding shopping street hidden form the rest of London, because he has to buy a wand and books amongst other stuff, and then on to Kings Cross Station to catch the Hogwarts Express from Platform 9 ¾.

Harry meets Ron Weasly and Hermione Granger and they have a big adventure together at Hogwarts, in between lessons which consist of Potions, Defense against the Dark Arts and much more. They all become great friends.

Sorry to condense it so much but I think most people have the general knowledge of the story. I was really looking forward to seeing the Quidditch matches in this film as its a great game and I wasn't dissapointed at all.

The other thing that did not fail to impress me was Hogwarts itself and in particular the Great Hall, moving Staircases and the Gryffindor Common room these were all exactly as I had imagined them to be.

The things that annoyed me most were the way that Harry and the Weasley's were shown as walking into a wall at Kings Cross station when anyone that knows the book as well as me knows that it is a barrier in the book. Also the ending of the film was totally changed from the book why couldn't he have at least gotten back to Kings Cross and been picked up by his Uncle?? I don't understand!

Enough said, I enjoyed the film very
much but I am so glad that I didn't see it at the cinema I would have been a bit disappointed, I think.

I am going to review the DVD separately so I won't mention too much about the special features but they are well worth taking a look at!

The cast is a wonderful mixture of well known actors like John Cleese who plays Nearly Headless Nick the Gryffindor Ghost, and the youngsters who play Harry, Ron Hermione and the like.

The Main cast list is as follows;
Harry Potter - Daniel Radcliffe
Ron Weasley - Rupert Grint
Hermione Granger - Emma Watson
Professor Dumbledore - Richard Harris
Professor McGonagall - Maggie Smith
Hagrid - Robbie Coltrane
Professor Snape - Alan Rickman
Madam Hooch - Zoe Wanamaker
Draco Malfoy -Tom Felton

The casting in this film is brilliant I can't think of anyone better for any of the parts, I think they were all very believeable and they worked together very well!

One word of warning though my son loved this film he is 3 years 7 months and he was really scared by the bit at the end after the chess match. As it is a PG I suppose I should have watched it without him first but he hasn't had any adverse reactions to it and he wanted to watch it again, so I don't think I have done him any permanent damage.

Thanks for reading and I would suggest that if you haven't read the book see the film first,

Amanda

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