Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #5143 in DVD
• Released on: 2002-05-11
• Rating: Parental Guidance
• Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
• Number of discs: 2
• Formats: Box set, PAL, Widescreen
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: Arabic, English
• Number of discs: 2
• Running time: 147 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
To try and please all the fans of JK Rowling's novel was a challenge that the makers of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone met head on. The result of their efforts is one of the most lavish, beautiful and magical cinematic treats to hit our screens in years. Director Chris Columbus and screenwriter Steven Kloves (thankfully with the help of Rowling herself) prove that although you can't translate everybody's reading of this much-loved book onto the cinema screen--maybe Fluffy was a bit more Fluffy in your imagination or Hagrid (superbly played by Robbie Coltrane) a little more giant-like--it is nevertheless possible to transfer Harry's adventures with fidelity as well as superb energy and excitement.

If there is a downside it's that the performances of the child leads tends to verge on the Sylvia Young-tastic in places. Nonetheless, the three young stars are both likable and watchable, showing great potential to grow into the parts as the adventures continue. The main disappointment is the substantial cutting of the ghost scenes and what promised to be a fine comic turn by John Cleese as Headless Nick, though with more Potter films on the way the ghosts will surely assume their rightful prominence later. There are, of course, some areas of the story that may frighten smaller children--such as the entrance of the evil Voldemort--and undoubtedly for any true Potter fan that cinematic entrance cannot live up to the images created in their imagination. All in all, though, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone is what it should be: an unmissable treat for the whole family.

On the DVD: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone really is a magical experience in this lavish two-disc set. Disc one offers the film in all its surround-sound glory along with trailers and links to the Harry Potter Web site, but, disappointingly, there's no commentary.

Disc two is where the real wizardry can be found, with a vast and beautifully designed selection of special features. Entering the Great Hall a mysterious voice invites you to explore and find the secret hidden within (though it's frustrating that in some cases you have to re-enter the Hall after viewing a feature). Various options let you tour around Harry's world: from Diagon Alley to a virtual 360-degree tour of Hogwarts. The interactive component is excellent, with real thought having been put into ensuring that, instead of just the standard behind-the-scenes stuff, there is material aplenty to keep children and adults alike entertained for hours. Throughout the emphasis is on the disc's educational value: yes there are insights to be had from the film crew, but it's in the Classroom where you will find the real precious stones! --Nikki Disney

"Widescreen" vs. "Full Screen"

Widescreen preserves the original theatrical picture ratio of the film (Panavision 2.35:1), which will appear in "letterboxed" format on a normal TV screen.

Full Screen (or "pan and scan") crops the theatrical picture to 4:3 ratio (i.e., 4 units wide by 3 units tall), which is the shape of a standard (non-widescreen) TV screen. There is no letterboxing, but up to a third of the original picture is lost.

DVD Description
DVD Special Features:

Never-Before-Seen Footage
Self-Guided Tour of Hogwarts
Mix potions, perform transfigurations, explore Daigon Alley, catch a snitch and much, much more!
Theatrical Trailers
Languages: English (Dolby 5.1 EX) Subtitles: English, Arabic
Hearing Impaired: English
Screen Ratio: Widescreen 2.35:1

DVD-ROM PC Features:
Collect Wizard Trading Cards
Be Sorted by the Sorting Hat
Download Screensave and Remembrall
Receive Owl e-mails
Link to the Web

Synopsis
American director Chris Columbus (HOME ALONE) brings the magic of British author J.K. Rowling's beloved best-selling fantasy novel to life in HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER'S STONE. Eleven-year-old orphan Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) finds his world turned upside down when he discovers that, like his deceased parents, he is a wizard and has been accepted to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. With fellow first-year students Hermione Granger (Emma Watson) and Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint) by his side, Harry's adventures begin in the rambling castle that is Hogwarts. Vivid special effects make Hogwarts' magic a reality with paintings that come alive, staircases that move themselves, friendly ghosts, and fast-paced Quidditch (the school sport) matches in which students zoom around on their flying brooms. Mixed in with the miracles of Hogwarts are its dark hidden chambers and secrets, which Harry and his friends encounter as they embark on a quest to keep a treasured powerful object from falling into the wrong hands. Staying true to the book with this film adaptation, Columbus follows Rowling's story to the tiniest detail, making it a special treat for readers who were smitten with the novel. Radcliffe is especially engaging as Harry, infusing him with a believable sense of wonderment. The star-studded cast also includes Richard Harris, Maggie Smith, Alan Rickman, and Robbie Coltrane.

Customer Reviews

Good Start
This is a visually beautiful film, with the best of the british lighting up the screen. But it's still my least favourite of the Potter movies, and this is because the pace of the film is slow (though that's mainly due to the setting up of characters and locations). Also though the children do a great job, I just prefer them in the next one because they are much better.
The dvd itself aint great, not too many extra's and no director commentary. For a 2 Disc I give the features 2 out of 5 though the movie is 3.5/5

enjoyable
ive never read the books but this is an enjoyable fun popcorn thats great for all the family.theres a great british cast too

Very poor
I have not been impressed with any of the five Harry Potter movies so far, but the first three are on a different level of badness than number four or five. Fine they are very faithful to the book, but they are terrible adaptations and the director and scriptwriter ought to be ashamed of themselves.

The plot is basically like this ( although everybody knows it ), Harry doesn't know he's a wizard until a giant tells him that he is, he then goes to a magic school called Hogwarts and makes friends with Ron and Hermione, but everything doesn't go well because Harry finds out about the philosophers stone which is hidden in the school, and he suspects one of the teachers is going to steal it.

The problem with this movie is the following: The first two books were more for children than the ones following them, but this takes a novel for 9+'s and turns it into a soppy kids movie for four year olds who aren't able to tell te difference between a good movie and a bad movie, aswell as that they take the direction of the happy ending, and seem to ignore all the horrors that Harry went through during the term. The script is terrible, I mean, no children talk like that, it's just disgraceful that any scriptwriter that bad could be hired for this major a movie. There are some excellent adult actors here, but even they have to struggle with a terrible script, and the three main kids in it are useless, nowadays Emma and Rupert are ok, but Daniel has only imroved a little bit, but certainly not enough to be convincing. The directing is very poor in this one and only starts to improve at number 3, when they got a new director.

I don't recommend this to anybody except young children, and the only reason I didn't give it 1 star is because of the good acting from most of the adults, and because I can't stand giving something even remotely connected to the genius of JK Rowling 1 star.