Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (film)
Template:Short description Template:Good article Template:Use British English Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox film Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (also known as Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone in the United States, India, and the Philippines) is a 2001 fantasy film directed by Chris Columbus and written by Steve Kloves, based on the 1997 novel by J. K. Rowling. It is the first instalment in the Harry Potter film series, and stars Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter, with Rupert Grint as Ron Weasley, and Emma Watson as Hermione Granger. Its story follows Harry's first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry as he discovers that he is a famous wizard and begins his formal wizarding education.
Warner Bros. Pictures bought the film rights to the book in 1999 for a reported £1 million ($1.65 million). Production began in the United Kingdom in 2000, with Columbus being chosen to helm the film from a short list of directors that included Steven Spielberg and Rob Reiner. Rowling insisted that the entire cast be British and Irish, with the three leads chosen in August 2000 following open casting calls. Filming took place at Leavesden Film Studios and historic buildings around the United Kingdom from September 2000 to March 2001.
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone was previewed for two days in cinemas in the United Kingdom from 10 November 2001, and opened on 16 November in both the United Kingdom and the United States. It became a critical and commercial success, grossing $974 million at the box office during its initial run and over $1 billion with subsequent re-releases, against a $125 million budget. It became the highest-grossing film of 2001 and the second-highest-grossing film at the time. The film was nominated for several awards, including Academy Awards for Best Original Score, Best Art Direction and Best Costume Design. It was followed by seven sequels, beginning with Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets in 2002 and ending with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 in 2011.
Synopsis
Orphaned 11-year-old Harry Potter grows up believing he is an ordinary boy until he learns from Rubeus Hagrid that he is a wizard who has been accepted to study at Hogwarts School. Befriending Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, Harry learns that the philosopher's stone is being hidden within the school and that somebody is trying to steal it. To prove his bravery, Harry must work with his friends to prevent the theft of the stone which could result in the emergence of the dark wizard who murdered his parents.
Plot
Orphaned as a baby, Harry Potter is entrusted to his only living relatives, the Dursley family, by Professor Albus Dumbledore, Professor Minerva McGonagall, and gamekeeper Rubeus Hagrid from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The Dursleys keep Harry unaware of magic until his eleventh birthday approaches, when their home is flooded with letters addressed to Harry, informing him he has been accepted to study magic at Hogwarts. When the Dursleys intercept the letters, Hagrid is sent to confirm that Harry is a wizard. Harry subsequently purchases school supplies with Hagrid at Diagon Alley, where he learns he is celebrated for surviving the dark wizard Lord Voldemort, who seemingly perished after murdering Harry's parents and left him with only a scar.
Harry journeys to Hogwarts aboard the Hogwarts Express, where he meets Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. Upon arrival, the first-year students are sorted into four houses: Harry, Ron, and Hermione join Gryffindor, while the haughty Draco Malfoy goes to Slytherin, known for producing dark wizards. As they begin learning about magic and exploring Hogwarts, the three accidentally wander onto a forbidden corridor on the third floor, guarded by a giant three-headed dog named Fluffy; they subsequently question what it could be guarding.
While Harry and Ron become friends, Hermione's studious ways ostracise her from the other students. After Ron insults her, she retreats to the girls' toilets at the same time a mountain troll is found loose in the school. Harry and Ron rescue her from the troll and, when the teachers find them, Hermione takes the blame by saying she went looking for the troll, affirming the three's friendship; at the same time, Harry notices potions professor Severus Snape has sustained an injury. At his first flying lesson, Harry displays such impressive flying skills that McGonagall makes him Seeker for the Gryffindor Quidditch team; during his first match, Ron and Hermione act when they see Snape appearing to jinx Harry's broomstick. Snape's actions lead Harry to suspect him of trying to get into the third-floor corridor, which Hagrid dismisses, unintentionally revealing Fluffy is guarding something known only to Dumbledore and Nicholas Flamel.
Harry and Ron spend Christmas together at Hogwarts, where Harry receives a Cloak of Invisibility and discovers the Mirror of Erised, which displays one's deepest desire. When Hermione returns, she informs the boys that Nicholas Flamel is the creator of the Philosopher's Stone, which can grant users immortality, and determines that this is what is being kept on the third floor. When Harry later encounters someone in the forest surrounding the school feeding on a unicorn, which the centaur Firenze informs him can keep a person alive, Harry deduces that it was Voldemort and that Snape wants to use the Philosopher's Stone to revive him.
When Dumbledore is summoned to London, the three suspect Snape will attempt to steal the stone and decide to stop him. Sneaking onto the third floor, they get past Fluffy and face further defences of a strangling plant, flying keys, and a giant, enchanted chessboard, which leaves Ron incapacitated. Hermione tends to him, leaving Harry alone to confront the intruder, which turns out to be timid Professor Quirrell, whom Snape had been investigating all year while protecting Harry. Harry is granted the Stone by the final defence, the Mirror of Erised, by virtue of not desiring it. Quirrell reveals Voldemort's weakened form on the back of his head, and they attempt to persuade Harry to hand it over. When Harry refuses, Voldemort orders Quirrell to kill him, but Harry's touch incinerates Quirrell's body, from which Voldemort's soul escapes.
Harry wakes up in the hospital wing, where Dumbledore explains that the Stone has been destroyed, and that Harry has twice overcome Voldemort owing to his mother's sacrifice, which repels harmful magic through him. As the school year ends, Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Neville Longbottom earn house points for their heroism, enabling Gryffindor to win the House Cup despite Slytherin's lead. As the summer nears, Harry is happy to have found a real home at Hogwarts.
Cast
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- Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter:
An 11-year-old orphan living with his unwelcoming aunt, uncle, and cousin, who learns of his own fame as a wizard known to have survived his parents' murder at the hands of the dark wizard Lord Voldemort as an infant when he is accepted to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Columbus had wanted Radcliffe for the role since he saw him in the BBC's production of David Copperfield before the open casting sessions had taken place but had been told by casting director Susan Figgis that Radcliffe's protective parents would not allow their son to take part in fear of him not going to have a normal childhood.<ref name="JensenEW2001p5" /><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref> Columbus explained that his persistence in giving Radcliffe the role was responsible for Figgis' resignation.<ref name="JensenEW2001p5" /> Radcliffe was asked to audition in 2000 when Heyman and Kloves met him and his parents at a production of Stones in His Pockets in London.<ref name="KoltnowEVT2007" /> Heyman and Columbus successfully managed to convince Radcliffe's parents that their son would be protected from media intrusion. They agreed to let him play Harry.<ref name="JensenEW2001p5" /> Rowling approved of Radcliffe's casting, stating that "having seen [his] screen test I don't think Chris Columbus could have found a better Harry."<ref name="SussmanCNN2000p2" /> Radcliffe was reportedly paid £1 million for the film, although he felt the fee was "not that important" to him.<ref name="TheTimes2001" /> The Saunders triplets appear as Harry as a baby.<ref name="SaundersBuzzFeed" />
- Rupert Grint as Ron Weasley:
Harry's best friend at Hogwarts and a younger member of the Weasley wizarding family. A fan of the series, Grint decided he would be perfect for the part "because [he has] ginger hair".<ref name="TheTimes2001" /> Having seen a Newsround report about the open casting he sent in a video of himself rapping about how he wished to receive the part. His attempt was successful as the casting team asked for a meeting with him.<ref name="TheTimes2001" /> - Emma Watson as Hermione Granger:
Harry's other best friend and the trio's brains. Watson's Oxford theatre teacher passed her name on to the casting agents and she had to do over five interviews before she got the part.<ref name="SchwartzEW2001" /> Watson took her audition seriously, but "never really thought [she] had any chance of getting the role."<ref name="TheTimes2001" /> The producers were impressed by Watson's self-confidence and she outperformed the thousands of other girls who had applied.<ref name="KulkaniBuzzle2004" /> - John Cleese as Nearly Headless Nick: The ghost of Gryffindor House.<ref name="LinderIGNMar2001" />
- Robbie Coltrane as Rubeus Hagrid:
A half-giant and Hogwarts' gamekeeper. Coltrane was one of the two actors Rowling wanted most, along with Smith as McGonagall.<ref name="DaviesTelegraph2000" /><ref name="BradleyHuffPost2016" /> Coltrane, who was already a fan of the books, prepared for the role by discussing Hagrid's past and future with Rowling.<ref name="JensenEW2001p4" /><ref name="MzimbaNewsround2001" /> - Warwick Davis as Filius Flitwick: The Charms Master and head of Ravenclaw House.<ref name="RobinsonAVClub" /> Davis also plays two other roles in the film: the Goblin Head Teller at Gringotts,<ref name="VarietyReview" /> and dubs the voice of Griphook, who is embodied by Verne Troyer.<ref name="GriphookPeople" />
- Richard Griffiths as Vernon Dursley: Harry's Muggle uncle.<ref name="VarietyReview" />
- Richard Harris as Albus Dumbledore: Hogwarts' Headmaster and one of the most famous and powerful wizards of all time. Harris initially rejected the role, only to reverse his decision after his granddaughter stated she would never speak to him again if he did not take it.<ref name="YoungPeople2001" /><ref name="McGoohanBBC" /><ref name="ConneryDH" />
- Ian Hart as Quirinus Quirrell:
The stuttering Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts.<ref name="VarietyReview" /> Hart also voiced Lord Voldemort,<ref name="VoldemortSR" /> while Richard Bremmer provided his physical appearance and portrayed him as a hooded figure during a flashback.<ref name="VoldemortSR" /><ref name="DaviesTelegraph2001" /> - John Hurt as Mr. Ollivander: a highly regarded wandmaker and the owner of Ollivanders.<ref name="VarietyReview" />
- Alan Rickman as Severus Snape: The Potions Master and head of Slytherin House.
- Fiona Shaw as Petunia Dursley: Harry's Muggle aunt.<ref name="VarietyReview" />
- Maggie Smith as Minerva McGonagall: The Deputy Headmistress, head of Gryffindor and transfiguration teacher at Hogwarts. Smith was one of the two actors Rowling wanted most, along with Coltrane as Hagrid.<ref name="DaviesTelegraph2000" />
- Julie Walters as Molly Weasley: Ron's mother. She shows Harry how to get to Platform Template:Frac.<ref name="BBCNov2000" />
Additionally, Zoë Wanamaker appears as Madame Hooch, Hogwarts' flying instructor and Quidditch referee;<ref name="WanamakerBBC" /> Tom Felton portrays Draco Malfoy, a student in Slytherin and Harry's rival.<ref name="FeltonAuditions" /> Harry Melling plays Dudley Dursley, Harry's Muggle cousin; and David Bradley appears as Argus Filch, Hogwarts' caretaker.<ref name="NYTimesReview" /> Matthew Lewis, Devon Murray and Alfred Enoch portray Neville Longbottom, Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas respectively, three first year students in Gryffindor;<ref name="MurrayNine" /> James and Oliver Phelps play twins Fred and George Weasley, Ron's brothers,<ref name="LinderIGNReview" /> while Chris Rankin appears as his other brother Percy, a Gryffindor prefect,<ref name="RankinBBC" /> and Bonnie Wright appears as Ron's sister Ginny.<ref name="WrightInsider" /> Sean Biggerstaff portrays Oliver Wood, the Keeper of the Gryffindor Quidditch team;<ref name="BiggerstaffBBC" /> Jamie Waylett and Joshua Herdman play Crabbe and Goyle, Malfoy's minions;<ref name="HerdmanWaylettNewsround" /> and Leslie Phillips voices the Sorting Hat.<ref name="LinderIGNNov2000" /> Derek Deadman plays Tom, innkeeper of The Leaky Cauldron;<ref name="DeadmanRadioTimes" /> and Elizabeth Spriggs appears as the Fat Lady, a painting at Hogwarts.<ref name="SpriggsTelegraph" /> Jean Southern plays dimpled woman on train.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
Production
Development
In 1997, producer David Heyman searched for a children's book that could be adapted into a well-received film.<ref name="JensenEW2001p1" /> He had planned to produce Diana Wynne Jones' novel The Ogre Downstairs, but his plans fell through. His staff at Heyday Films then suggested Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, which his assistant believed was "a cool idea."<ref name="JensenEW2001p1" /> Heyman pitched the idea to Warner Bros.<ref name="JensenEW2001p2" /> and in 1999, Rowling sold the company the rights to the first four Harry Potter books for a reported £1Template:Nbspmillion.<ref name="BagwellAFR2000" /> A demand Rowling made was for Heyman to keep the cast strictly British and Irish; the latter's case has Richard Harris as Albus Dumbledore and Fiona Shaw as Petunia Dursley, and not to cast foreign actors unless absolutely necessary, like casting of French and Eastern European actors in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005) where characters from the book are specified as such.<ref name="GuardianReview" /> Rowling was hesitant to sell the rights because she "didn't want to give them control over the rest of the story" by selling the rights to the characters, which would have enabled Warner Bros. to make non-author-written sequels.<ref name="RossBBC2007" />
Although Steven Spielberg initially negotiated to direct the film, he declined the offer.<ref name="LinderIGNFeb2000" /> Spielberg reportedly wanted the adaptation to be an animated film, with American actor Haley Joel Osment to provide Harry Potter's voice,<ref name="JensenEW2000" /> or a film that incorporated elements from subsequent books as well.<ref name="JensenEW2001p3" /> Spielberg contended that, in his opinion, it was like "shooting ducks in a barrel. It's just a slam dunk. It's just like withdrawing a billion dollars and putting it into your personal bank accounts. There's no challenge".<ref name="Hollywood2001" /> Rowling maintains that she had no role in choosing directors for the films and that "[a]nyone who thinks I could (or would) have 'veto-ed' Template:Sic him [Spielberg] needs their Quick-Quotes Quill serviced".<ref name="Rowling2006" /> Heyman recalled that Spielberg decided to direct A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001) instead.<ref name="JensenEW2001p3" /> In a 2023 interview, Spielberg stated that he turned down the project so he could spend time with his family.<ref name="sharf"/>
Template:Quote box After Spielberg left, talks began with other directors, including Chris Columbus, Jonathan Demme, David Fincher, Terry Gilliam, Mike Newell (who would later direct the fourth film), Alan Parker, Wolfgang Petersen, Rob Reiner, Ivan Reitman, Tim Robbins, Brad Silberling, M. Night Shyamalan and Peter Weir.<ref name="JensenEW2001p3" /><ref name="SchmitzYahoo" /><ref name="DouglasComingSoon2006" /><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Shyamalan declined as he already working on Signs (2002).<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Petersen and Reiner both pulled out of the running in March 2000,<ref name="LinderIGNJul2000" /> and the choice was narrowed down to Silberling, Columbus, Parker and Gilliam.<ref name="DavidsonIGN2000" />
Rowling's first choice director was Gilliam,<ref name="BeyondHogwarts2005" /> but Warner Bros. chose Columbus, citing his work on other family films such as Home Alone (1990) and Mrs. Doubtfire (1993) as influences for their decision.<ref name="LinderIGNJun2000" /> Columbus had become a fan of the book series after his daughter persuaded him to read the first three books, leading him to call his agent to arrange a meeting at Warner Bros. to direct the film. When his agent told him that at least 25 other directors were eager to helm the project, Columbus requested his agent to secure his meeting to be the last one so he could give a "lasting impression" and be the studio's "freshest person in their memory".
During two weeks of waiting, Columbus wrote a 130-page director's version of the screenplay to explain his vision for the film's tone. The day of his meeting with Warner Bros. executives including Alan F. Horn, Columbus delivered an "impassioned 45-minute talk" and showed them his annotated script. Weeks later, the studio notified Columbus that he had got the job and sent him to Scotland to meet with Rowling and Heyman.<ref name="PerezTHRNov2021" /> Columbus pitched his vision of the film for two hours, stating that he wanted the Muggle scenes "to be bleak and dreary" but those set in the wizarding world "to be steeped in color, mood, and detail." He took inspiration from David Lean's adaptations of Great Expectations (1946) and Oliver Twist (1948), wishing to use "that sort of darkness, that sort of edge, that quality to the cinematography," while being further inspired by the colour designs from Oliver! (1968) and The Godfather (1972).<ref name="JensenEW2001p3" />
Steve Kloves was selected to write the screenplay. He described adapting the book as "tough", as it did not "lend itself to adaptation as well as the next two books".<ref name="SragowSalon2000" /> Kloves often received synopses of books proposed as film adaptations from Warner Bros., which he "almost never read", but Harry Potter jumped out at him.<ref name="JensenEW2001p2" /> He went out and bought the book, and became an instant fan of the series.<ref name="SragowSalon2000" /> When speaking to Warner Bros., he stated that the film had to be British, and had to be true to the characters.<ref name="SragowSalon2000" /> Kloves was nervous when he first met Rowling as he did not want her to think he was going to "[destroy] her baby".<ref name="JensenEW2001p2" /> Rowling admitted that she "was really ready to hate this Steve Kloves," but recalled her initial meeting with him: "The first time I met him, he said to me, 'You know who my favourite character is?' And I thought, You're gonna say Ron. I know you're gonna say Ron. But he said 'Hermione.' And I just kind of melted".<ref name="JensenEW2001p2" /> Rowling received a large amount of creative control, an arrangement that Columbus did not mind.
Warner Bros. had initially planned to release the film over 4 July 2001 weekend, making for such a short production window that several proposed directors pulled themselves out of the running. Due to time constraints, the date was put back to 16 November 2001.<ref name="LinderIGNMay2000" />
Casting
To maintain the British authenticity of the films and keep them faithful to the books, Rowling demanded for an "all-British and Irish cast".<ref name="GuardianReview" /> Susie Figgis was appointed as casting director, working with both Columbus and Rowling in auditioning the lead roles of Harry, Ron and Hermione.<ref name="LinderIGNMar2000" /> Open casting calls were held for the main three roles,<ref name="LinderIGNMay2000-2" /> with only British children being considered.<ref name="LinderIGNJul2000-2" /> The principal auditions took place in three parts, with those auditioning having to read a page from the novel, then to improvise a scene of the students' arrival at Hogwarts, and finally to read several pages from the script in front of Columbus.<ref name="LinderIGNJul2000-2" /> Scenes from Columbus' script for Young Sherlock Holmes (1985) were also used in auditions.<ref name="LinderIGNJul2000-3" /> On 11 July 2000, Figgis left the production, complaining that Columbus did not consider any of the thousands of children they had auditioned "worthy".<ref name="LinderIGNJul2000-3" /> She ended up quitting over disagreements with Columbus over who should play the titular character, as Columbus wanted to cast Americans for Harry and the other roles, with rumors that Columbus was thinking on casting Joel Osment or Jake Lloyd from Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999) to play Harry.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
By August 2000, Alan Rickman and Richard Harris were in final talks to play Severus Snape and Albus Dumbledore, respectively,<ref name="SDavisTelegraph2000" /> and were confirmed later that month. Tim Roth was the original choice for Snape, but he turned it down for Planet of the Apes (2001).<ref name="AdlerMTV2007" /><ref name="SussmanCNN2000p2" /> Sean Connery and Christopher Lee were offered the role of Dumbledore, but both declined. Lee turned it down for The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001).<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Patrick McGoohan was also offered the role, which he declined citing health reasons.<ref name="McGoohanBBC" />
On 14 August 2000, Rowling's favourites Maggie Smith and Robbie Coltrane were cast as Minerva McGonagall and Rubeus Hagrid. According to Figgis, Robin Williams was interested in playing the role of Hagrid, but was turned down for the role because of the "strictly British and Irish actors only" rule which Columbus was determined to maintain.<ref name="BradleyHuffPost2016" /><ref name="Guardian2001" /><ref name="DaviesTelegraph2000" />
On 21 August 2000, Daniel Radcliffe and newcomers Rupert Grint and Emma Watson were selected to play Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, respectively.<ref name="Warner2000Casting" /><ref name=RadcliffeCast>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> According to Columbus, Harry was the hardest role to cast.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Hundreds of young stars auditioned for Harry, including Liam Aiken,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Jamie Campbell Bower (who was later cast as a young Gellert Grindelwald in Deathly Hallows Part 1),<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Tom Felton (who also auditioned for Ron, and was later cast as Draco Malfoy),<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Nicholas Hoult,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> William Moseley,<ref name="CarrollMTV2008" /> and Jack Whitehall.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Aiken was reported as being a frontrunner for the role, having worked with Columbus on the film Stepmom (1998). However, Rowling was firm on her British actors only rule, and even called Columbus to confirm that Aiken would not be cast.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Gabriel Thomson was also initially reported as having been given the role, though this would be proven untrue upon the casting of Radcliffe.<ref name=RadcliffeCast/>
Hatty Jones, who starred in the title role in Madeline (1998), was considered for the role of Hermione Granger and had auditioned alongside Watson; she was later deemed outgrown.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Katy B also auditioned for Hermione,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> with Thomas Brodie-Sangster auditioning for the role of Ron.<ref name="BrodieSangsterGuardian" /> Freddie Boath had been due to audition for a role in the film, but opted instead to star in The Mummy Returns (2001).<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
In November 2000, Julie Walters and John Cleese joined the cast as Molly Weasley and Nearly-Headless Nick, respectively.<ref name="BBCNov2000" /><ref name="deGraafTrouw2000" /> Rosie O'Donnell met with Columbus to express her interest in playing the role of Molly, but was, like Williams and Aiken, turned away over the British actors only rule.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> David Thewlis auditioned for Quirinus Quirrell; he would later be cast as Remus Lupin in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004).<ref name="MorrisMH2004" /> Rowling herself was considered for Lily Evans; Harry's mother, but she turned down the role so Geraldine Somerville was cast.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Filming
Two British film industry officials requested that the film be shot in the United Kingdom, offering their assistance in securing filming locations, the use of Leavesden Film Studios, as well as changing the UK's child labour laws (adding a small number of working hours per week and making the timing of on-set classes more flexible).<ref name="JensenEW2001p3" /> Warner Bros. accepted their proposal.
Principal photography began on 29 September 2000 at Leavesden Film Studios.<ref name="TCMNotes" /> Filming at the North Yorkshire's Goathland railway station took place on 2 October 2000.<ref name="LinderIGNOct2000" /> Canterbury Cathedral and Scotland's Inverailort Castle were both touted as possible locations for Hogwarts; Canterbury rejected Warner Bros. proposal due to concerns about the film's "pagan" theme.<ref name="LinderIGNJun2000-2" /><ref name="AICN2000" /> Alnwick Castle and Gloucester Cathedral were eventually selected as the principal locations for Hogwarts,<ref name="JensenEW2001p5" /> with some scenes also being filmed at Harrow School.<ref name="LinderIGNSep2000" /> Other Hogwarts scenes were filmed in Durham Cathedral over a two-week period;<ref name="LinderIGNSep2000-2" /> these included shots of the corridors and some classroom scenes.<ref name="LinderIGNOct2000-2" /> Oxford University's Divinity School served as the Hogwarts Hospital Wing, and Duke Humfrey's Library, part of the Bodleian, was used as the Hogwarts Library.<ref name="LinderIGNOct2000-3" />
Filming for Privet Drive took place on Picket Post Close in Bracknell, Berkshire.<ref name="LinderIGNSep2000-2" /> Filming in the street took two days instead of the planned single day, so payments to the street's residents were correspondingly increased.<ref name="LinderIGNSep2000-2" /> For all the subsequent film's scenes set in Privet Drive, filming took place on a constructed set in Leavesden Film Studios, which proved to be cheaper than filming on location.<ref name="BehindTheMagic" /> London's Australia House was selected as the location for Gringotts Wizarding Bank,<ref name="JensenEW2001p5" /> while Christ Church, Oxford, was the location for the Hogwarts trophy room.<ref name="LinderIGNNov2000" /> London Zoo's Reptile House was used as the location for the scene in which Harry accidentally sets a snake on Dudley,<ref name="LinderIGNNov2000" /> with King's Cross Station also being used as the book specifies.<ref name="LinderIGNFeb2001" /> Filming concluded on 23 March 2001, with final work being done in July 2001.<ref name="SchmitzYahoo" /><ref name="WBStudioTour" /><ref name="TCMNotes" />
Because the American title was different, all scenes that mention the philosopher's stone by name had to be shot twice, once with the actors saying "philosopher's" and once with "sorcerer's".<ref name="SchmitzYahoo" /> The children filmed for four hours and then did three hours of schoolwork. They developed a liking for fake facial injuries from the makeup staff. Radcliffe was initially meant to wear green contact lenses as his eyes are blue, and not green like Harry's, but the lenses gave Radcliffe extreme irritation. Upon consultation with Rowling, it was agreed that Harry could have blue eyes.<ref name="ConversationJK&Radcliffe" /><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Radcliffe said that the first time he put on the glasses it set off his allergies.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Columbus said the film had a lot of cuts and was filmed with multiple cameras because he had trouble getting the young cast to "stop smiling" into the camera.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
The steam engine used in the film as the Hogwarts Express up until Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, was GWR 4900 Class 5972 Olton Hall, but it was originally not the first locomotive to be selected as the Hogwarts Express. To promote the books, the Southern Railway locomotive 34027 Taw Valley was repainted and renamed temporarily, but was rejected by director Chris Columbus as looking 'too modern' for the film.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The LMS Class 8F No. 48151 had also been considered for the film.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Design and special effects
Judianna Makovsky served as the costume designer. She re-designed the Quidditch robes, having initially planned to use those shown on the cover of the American book, but deemed them "a mess". Instead, she dressed the Quidditch players in "preppie sweaters, 19th-century fencing breeches and arm guards".<ref name="CagleTime2001" /> Production designer Stuart Craig built the sets at Leavesden Studios, including Hogwarts Great Hall, basing it on many English cathedrals. Although originally asked to use an existing old street to film the Diagon Alley scenes, Craig decided to build his own set, comprising Tudor, Georgian and Queen Anne architecture.<ref name="CagleTime2001" />
Columbus originally planned to use both animatronics and CGI animation to create the magical creatures, including Fluffy.<ref name="LinderIGNMar2000" /> Nick Dudman, who worked on Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, was given the task of creating the needed prosthetics, with Jim Henson's Creature Shop providing creature effects.<ref name="LinderIGNJan2001" /> John Coppinger stated that the magical creatures that needed to be created had to be designed multiple times.<ref name="LinderIGNJan2001-2" /> The film features nearly 600 special effects shots, involving numerous companies. Industrial Light & Magic created Lord Voldemort's face on the back of Quirrell, Rhythm & Hues animated Norbert (Hagrid's baby dragon); and Sony Pictures Imageworks produced the Quidditch scenes,<ref name="JensenEW2001p6" /> as well as the effects for the mountain troll, with actor Michael Q. Schmidt serving as reference for the troll's body.<ref name="Schmidt">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Music
{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}} James Horner was initially sought to compose the score, but declined the opportunity.<ref name="Horner" /> Having previously collaborated with Columbus on the Home Alone films and Stepmom, John Williams was selected to compose the score in August 2000.<ref name="OliverIGN2000" /> Williams composed the score at his homes in Los Angeles and Tanglewood before recording it in London in September 2001. One of the main themes is entitled "Hedwig's Theme"; Williams retained it for his finished score as "everyone seemed to like it," and it became a recurring theme throughout the series.<ref name="LinderIGNJul2001" />
Differences from the book
Columbus repeatedly checked with Rowling to make sure he was getting minor details correct.<ref name="LinderIGNJan2001" /> Kloves described the film as being "really faithful" to the book. He added dialogue, of which Rowling approved. One of the lines originally included had to be removed after Rowling told him that it would directly contradict an event in the then-unreleased fifth Harry Potter novel Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.<ref name="LinderIGNFeb2001-2" />
Several minor characters were removed from the film version, most prominently Peeves the poltergeist. Rik Mayall was cast, but his scenes were cut and never released. The book's first chapter, told from the viewpoint of Vernon and Petunia Dursley, is absent from the film. Harry and Draco's first encounter in Madam Malkin's robe shop and the midnight duel are not in the film. In the film, the responsibility of taking Norbert away is given to Dumbledore, while in the book, Harry and Hermione have to bring him by hand to Charlie Weasley's friends.<ref name="DaddsDigitalSpy" /> This necessitated a change in the detention plotline: in the book, Filch catches Harry and Hermione leaving the Astronomy Tower and puts them in detention with Neville and Malfoy, while in the film, all three protagonists receive detention after Malfoy finds them in Hagrid's hut after hours.<ref name="DaddsDigitalSpy" /> According to Kloves, this was "the one part of the book that [Rowling] felt easily could be changed".<ref name="CagleTime2001" /> The Quidditch pitch is altered from a traditional stadium to an open field circled by spectator towers.<ref name="CagleTime2001" />
The book's timeline is not enforced in the film. In the book, Harry's eleventh birthday is in 1991.<ref name="TimelineSR" /> On the film set for 4 Privet Drive, Dudley's certificates from primary school bear the year 2001.<ref name="HarveyCosmo" />
Distribution
Marketing
The first teaser poster of the film was released on 1 December 2000.<ref name="LinderIGNDec2000" /> The first teaser trailer was released via satellite on 2 March 2001 and debuted in cinemas with the release of See Spot Run.<ref name="LinderIGNFeb2001-3" /> A video game based on the film was released on 15 November 2001 by Electronic Arts for several consoles.<ref name="LinderIGNJul2001" /> A port for the game, for the GameCube, PlayStation 2, and Xbox, was released in 2003.<ref name="ThorsenGameSpot" /> Mattel won the rights to produce toys based on the film, to be sold exclusively through Warner Bros. stores.<ref name="LinderIGNFeb2000-2" /> Hasbro also produced products, including confectionery products based on those from the series.<ref name="LinderIGNFeb2000-3" /> Warner Bros. signed a deal worth US$150Template:Nbspmillion with Coca-Cola to promote the film,<ref name="LinderIGNFeb2001" /> although some pegged the deal at $40 million-$50 million worldwide for the movie.<ref name="HiveNewsCokeDeal" /> Lego produced a series of sets based on buildings and scenes from the film, as well as a Lego Creator video game.<ref name="LinderIGNJun2001" />
Theatrical release
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone had its world premiere at the Odeon Leicester Square in London on 4 November 2001, with the cinema arranged to resemble Hogwarts School.<ref name="PremiereBBC" />
The film had previews in the United Kingdom on 1,137 screens at 491 theatres on 10 and 11 November 2001.<ref name="UKPreviewsVariety" /> It officially opened on 16 November 2001 on 1,168 screens at 507 theatres in the United Kingdom and Ireland; in 3,672 theatres in the United States and Canada. It was the widest release at the time in the United Kingdom and the United States.<ref name="UKReleaseVariety" /><ref name="USReleaseNYTimes" />
Home media
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone was first released on VHS and DVD on 11 May 2002 in the United Kingdom<ref name="HiveMediaDVDUK" /> and 28 May 2002 in the United States.<ref name="HiveMediaDVDUS" /> Between May and June 2002, the film sold 10Template:Nbspmillion copies, almost 60% of which were DVD sales.<ref name="DVDSales" /> It would go on to make $19.1 million in rentals, surpassing The Fast and the Furious for having the largest DVD rentals.<ref name="RentalsF&F" /> This record was surpassed by The Bourne Identity in January 2003.<ref name="RentalsBourne" />
In December 2009, a 4-disc "Ultimate Edition" was released, with seven minutes of deleted scenes added back in, the feature-length special Creating the World of Harry Potter Part 1: The Magic Begins, and a 48-page hardcover booklet.<ref name="UltimateEditionHDD" /> The extended version has a running time of about 159 minutes, which had previously been shown during certain television airings.<ref name="MurrayAbout" /> The film was re-released on DVD as part of the 8-disc Harry Potter: The Complete 8-Film Collection in November 2011,<ref name="HomeRelease2011" /> and on Blu-ray as part of the 31-disc Hogwarts Collection in April 2014.<ref name="HomeRelease2014" /> It was released on UHD Blu-ray as part of the 16-disc Harry Potter: 8-Film Collection in November 2017.<ref name="Collection4K" />
Reception
Box office
In the United Kingdom and Ireland, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone grossed a record single day gross of £3.6Template:Nbspmillion during the first day of previews, beating Toy Story 2Template:'s record. It grossed a record £3.1Template:Nbspmillion for a Sunday, bringing its total to £6.7Template:Nbspmillion from the previews.<ref name="UKPreviewsVariety" /><ref name="ukbo">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> It broke the record for the highest-opening weekend ever, both including and excluding previews, making £16.3Template:Nbspmillion with and £9.6Template:Nbspmillion without previews ($13.8 million), setting a further record single day gross on the Saturday with £3.99Template:Nbspmillion.<ref name="RecordsBBC" /><ref name="ukopenmag">Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref name=ukbo/> It set another Sunday record with a gross of £3.6Template:Nbspmillion.<ref name=ukopenmag/> It had a record second weekend of £8.4 million.<ref name=soph/><ref name=ukbo/> It remained at number one in the UK for five weeks.<ref name=ukbo/> The film went on to make £66.1Template:Nbspmillion in the UK alone, making it the country's second-highest-grossing film of all-time (after Titanic), until it was surpassed by Mamma Mia!.<ref name="MammaMiaTelegraph" />
In the United States and Canada, it made $32.3Template:Nbspmillion on its opening day, breaking the single-day record previously held by Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999).<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> On the second day of release, the film's gross increased to $33.5Template:Nbspmillion, breaking the record for biggest single day again. It made $90.3Template:Nbspmillion during its first weekend, breaking the record for highest-opening weekend of all time that was previously held by The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997).<ref name="RecordsHollywood" /> It held the record until the following May when Spider-Man (2002) made $114.8Template:Nbspmillion in its opening weekend.<ref name="SpiderManBOM" /> Plus, the film broke Batman ForeverTemplate:'s record for having the largest opening weekend for a Warner Bros. film.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> It would hold this record for two years until it was surpassed by The Matrix Reloaded (2003).<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Additionally, it shattered other opening records, surpassing Monsters, Inc. for having the biggest November opening weekend, Planet of the Apes for having the largest non-holiday opening weekend, the highest Friday gross and the biggest opening weekend of the year, The Mummy Returns for scoring the highest Saturday gross, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992) for having the highest opening weekend for a Chris Columbus film and Mission: Impossible 2 (2000) for having the largest number of screenings, playing at 3,672 theaters.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In just five days, it became the fastest film to approach the $100Template:Nbspmillion mark.<ref>Template:Cite news Template:Open access</ref> The film grossed $2.3 million in its first two days in Taiwan,<ref name="UKReleaseVariety" /> giving it a worldwide opening weekend total of $107 million. The film held onto the number 1 spot at the US box office for three consecutive weekends before getting overtaken by Ocean's Eleven.<ref>Template:Cite news Template:Open access</ref><ref name="ThanksgivingBOM" /><ref name="NovDecBOM" /> The film also had the highest-grossing 5-day (Wednesday-Sunday) Thanksgiving weekend record of $82.4Template:Nbspmillion, holding the title for twelve years until both The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013) and Frozen (2013) surpassed it with $110.1Template:Nbspmillion and $94Template:Nbspmillion respectively.<ref name="CatchingFireFrozenBOM" /> By Christmas, it went on to become the highest-grossing film of the year, dethroning Shrek.<ref>Template:Cite news Template:Open access</ref>
Similar results were achieved across the world. A week after opening in the United States, the film added 15 additional markets and set an opening week record in Germany, grossing $18.7 million. It also set opening records in Austria, Brazil, Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and German-speaking Switzerland.<ref name="soph">Template:Cite magazine</ref> In the following weekend, after expanding to 31 countries, the film set a record overseas weekend gross of $60.9 million, including record openings in Australia, Greece, Israel, Japan ($12.5 million), New Zealand and Spain.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> It set another overseas weekend record with $62.3 million from 37 countries the following weekend, including record openings in France, Italy and French-speaking Switzerland.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> The international opening weekend record would be held until it was given to Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones (2002) a year later.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> During its theatrical run, the film earned $974Template:Nbspmillion at the worldwide box office, $317Template:Nbspmillion of that in the US and $657Template:Nbspmillion elsewhere,<ref name="BOM" /> which made it the second-highest-grossing film in history at the time,<ref name="2ndHighestBBC" /> as well as the year's highest-grossing film.<ref name="2001WorlwideBOM" /> In addition, it surpassed Twister (1996) to become the highest-grossing Warner Bros. film of all time.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> It is the second-highest-grossing Harry Potter film after Deathly Hallows – Part 2.<ref name="FranchiseBOM" /> Box Office Mojo estimates that the film sold over 55.9Template:Nbspmillion tickets in the US and Canada.<ref name="TicketsUSBOM" />
In August 2020, The Philosopher's Stone was re-released in several countries, including a 4K 3D restoration in China,<ref name="ChinaRereleaseDeadline" /> where it earned $26.4Template:Nbspmillion, for a global $1.026Template:Nbspbillion, making it the second film in the series to surpass the billion-dollar mark, after Deathly Hallows – Part 2.<ref name="BOM" />
Critical response
On Rotten Tomatoes the film has an approval rating of Template:RT data based on Template:RT data reviews, with an average rating of Template:RT data. The site's critical consensus reads, "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone adapts its source material faithfully while condensing the novel's overstuffed narrative into an involving – and often downright exciting – big-screen magical caper."<ref name="RottenTomatoes" /> On Metacritic the film has a weighted average score of 65 out of 100, based on 36 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.<ref name="Metacritic" /> Audiences surveyed by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A" on an A+ to F scale.<ref name="CinemaScore" />
Roger Ebert called Philosopher's Stone "a classic," giving the film four out of four stars, and particularly praising the Quidditch scenes' visual effects.<ref name="EbertReview" /> Praise was echoed by both The Telegraph and Empire reviewers, with Alan Morrison of the latter naming it the film's "stand-out sequence".<ref name="TelegraphReview" /><ref name="EmpireReview" /> Brian Linder of IGN also gave the film a positive review, but concluded that it "isn't perfect, but for me it's a nice supplement to a book series that I love".<ref name="LinderIGNReview" /> Although criticising the final half-hour, Jeanne Aufmuth of Palo Alto Online stated that the film would "enchant even the most cynical of moviegoers."<ref name="PaloAltoReview" /> USA Today reviewer Claudia Puig gave the film three out of four stars, especially praising the set design and Robbie Coltrane's portrayal of Hagrid, but criticised John Williams' music, stating the "overly insistent score lacks subtlety and bludgeons us with crescendos", and concluded that "ultimately many of the book's readers may wish for a more magical incarnation."<ref name="USATodayReview" />
The sets, design, cinematography, effects and principal cast were all given praise from Kirk Honeycutt of The Hollywood Reporter, although he deemed John Williams' score "a great clanging, banging music box that simply will not shut up."<ref name="THRReview" /> Todd McCarthy of Variety compared the film positively with Gone with the Wind and put "The script is faithful, the actors are just right, the sets, costumes, makeup and effects match and sometimes exceed anything one could imagine."<ref name="VarietyReview" /> Jonathan Foreman of the New York Post recalled that the film was "remarkably faithful," to its literary counterpart as well as a "consistently entertaining if overlong adaptation."<ref name="NYPostReview" />
Richard Corliss, of Time magazine, considered the film a "by the numbers adaptation," criticising the pace and the "charisma-free" lead actors.<ref name="TimeReview" /> CNN's Paul Tatara found that Columbus and Kloves "are so careful to avoid offending anyone by excising a passage from the book, the so-called narrative is more like a jamboree inside Rowling's head."<ref name="CNNReview" /> Ed Gonzalez of Slant Magazine wished that the film had been directed by Tim Burton, finding the cinematography "bland and muggy," and the majority of the film a "solidly dull celebration of dribbling goo."<ref name="SlantReview" /> Elvis Mitchell of The New York Times was highly negative about the film, comparing it to "a theme park that's a few years past its prime; the rides clatter and groan with metal fatigue every time they take a curve." He also said it suffered from "a lack of imagination" and wooden characters, adding, "The Sorting Hat ... has more personality than anything else in the movie."<ref name="NYTimesReview" />
Accolades
Philosopher's Stone received three Academy Award nominations: Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design, and Best Original Score for John Williams.<ref name="Oscars" /> The film was also nominated for seven BAFTA Awards: Best British Film, Best Supporting Actor for Robbie Coltrane, Best Costume Design, Best Production Design, Best Makeup and Hair, Best Sound, and Best Visual Effects.<ref name="BAFTA" /> It won a Saturn Award for Best Costume, and was nominated for eight more awards.<ref name="SaturnAwards" /> It won other awards from the Casting Society of America and the Costume Designers Guild.<ref name="Artios" /><ref name="CDGAwards" /> It was nominated for the AFI Film Award for its special effects,<ref name="AFIAwards" /> and the Art Directors Guild Award for its production design.<ref name="ADGAwards" /> It received the Broadcast Film Critics Award for Best Family Film, and was nominated for Best Child Performance (for Daniel Radcliffe) and Best Composer.<ref name="BFCAAwards" /> In 2005, the American Film Institute nominated the film for AFI's 100 Years of Film Scores.<ref name="AFI100Scores" />
References
Works cited
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External links
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