Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone - 2001 | 152mins | Fantasy, Adventure | Colour

The Production Team

Director: Chris Columbus.
Producer: David Heyman.
Script: Steven Kloves. (from the novel by J.K. Rowling)
Cinematography: John Seale.
Editing: Richard Francis-Bruce.
Production Design: Stuart Craig.
Art Direction: Andrew Ackland-Snow, Michael Lamont, Steve Lawrence, Steven Lawrence, Cliff Robinson and Lucinda Thomson.
Costume Design: Judianna Makovsky.
Makeup Department: Nick Dudman, Clare Le Vesconte, Kate Murray and Zoe Tahir.
Sound Department: Steve Browell, Gareth Bull, John Midgley, Ian Munro, Paul Munro, Peter Myles and Gerard Roche.
Original Music: John Williams.

The Cast

Daniel Radcliffe - Harry Potter
Rupert Grint - Ronald 'Ron' Weasley
Emma Watson - Hermione Granger
John Cleese - Sir Nicholas De Mimsy-Porpington
Robbie Coltrane - Gamekeeper Rubeus Hagrid
Warwick Davis - Professor Flitwick
Richard Griffiths - Uncle Vernon Dursley
Richard Harris - Headmaster Albus Dumbledore
Ian Hart - Professor Quirrell
John Hurt - Mr. Ollivander
Alan Rickman - Professor Severus Snape
Fiona Shaw - Aunt Petunia Dursley
Maggie Smith - Professor/Deputy Headmistress Minerva McGonagall
Julie Walters - Mrs. Molly Weasley
Zoë Wanamaker - Madame Hooch

Plot Synopsis

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone is the film adaptation of the first of author J.K. Rowling’s popular children’s novels about Harry Potter. Adapted by screenwriter Steven Kloves, and directed by successful family film director Chris Columbus, the film remains faithful to Rowling's plot. The cast features some young unknowns, and a plethora of talented English character actors including Robbie Coltrane, Richard Harris, Alan Rickman, Julie Walters, Maggie Smith and John Cleese.

Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe), an unwanted foster child, lives in Pivet Drive with his awful Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon. On his eleventh birthday, Harry is visited by the imposing Hagrid (Robbie Coltrane), and learns that he is the orphaned son of two powerful wizards murdered by the evil Lord Voldemort - and possesses unique magical powers of his own. He is summoned to fulfil his true calling as a wizard by becoming a student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, an English boarding school for wizards. There, Harry befriends chess whiz Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint) and bossy know-all Hermione Granger (Emma Watson), who become his closest allies and help him discover the truth about his parent’s mysterious deaths at the hands of a powerful adversary.

The production design is stunning and the film is solid enough, but much of the book's subtle humour is discarded. Even though perhaps running half an hour too long, the film will undoubtedly entertain both the young, and young at heart, who flock to see it.