Movie watching: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

[lindalupos]

(Ugh I'd typed a bunch but then my browser froze and then I lost my draft. I hate when that happens.)

Amy asked me a while back whether I was going to watch the movies after reading all the HP books. Sure, why not. So here we are. :p I calculated that if I start around Halloween, I'll have finished by New Year's! So let's start from the beginning.

The one that started the crazy fandom. I'd actually read the first four books before the first movie came out (does that make me a hipster? A HiPster?) so I was anticipating the first movie with bated breath. The first trailer did not disappoint - I remember watching it over and over again. I especially loved the music!
Naturally, I saw it in the theater. I... am pretty sure I loved it, but I can't remember exactly? At any rate, I LOVED seeing Hogwarts on the big screen. I watched the movie a ton after it had come out, got it on video etc. And now... the last time I saw it in its entirety was ten years ago? :p Once it became a Christmas TV Staple I stopped watching it, haha. So rewatching was quite an event.

It.... sort of holds up? The magic is still there. I loved all the kid actors, and I'm so happy they managed to retain pretty much all of them (I think they only recast Crabbe or Goyle?). And some of them got really hot, haha. Which was not at all visible here - they were all sooo tiny! All the squeaky voices and the pre-braces teeth. I loved how sincere they all were in their acting, too.
It probably helped that they were supported by an absolutely STELLAR cast of adult actors. One could say they are slumming it but they are much too professional for that. So instead you have all these award-winning top-notch British actors taking the material 100% seriously, and it is glorious. I especially loved the first Potions class, with Alan Rickman doing his wellknown Alan Rickman Thing... for a bunch of eleven-year olds who have no idea who the hell he is. And he doesn’t betray a hint of ironic “yeah I know this is a kids’ movie”. It’s brilliant.
I especially loved Fiona Shaw as Petunia Dursley. It’s such a small role but she gave it so much life. There are some great reaction shots from her where she is not at all the focus of the scene but she still does her own thing. But I guess it’s not surprising from the woman who portrayed my absolute favourite Austen role as Mrs Croft in the 1990s Persuasion. I wanted to BE that woman.
On the other hand, while the movie was nostalgia central, I did get bored about halfway through. It’s a bit too long and a bit too faithful to the material (so much book dialogue). And the CGI REALLY hasn’t held up well. The castle and its environments don’t fare too badly (although it doesn’t appear as real and lived-in as it will in later movies) but moving people and creatures seem out of a computer game, especially during the Quidditch match. Ah well, it was 2001 and it was only the first movie. :p

I kept a sort of liveblog while watching, so without further ado:

Aaaaah the HP theme. :D And the WB logo is so supercheerful.

 

~Privet Drive~ with an owl. And I'd forgotten Dumbledore just sort of... appears.

 

MCGONAGALL. Also, Dumbledore's Put-Outer (which is honestly a dumb name). 

 

... I accidentally had a Hindi version wtf. Back to English, I need Maggie Smith's real voice. (Speaking of, hiii.)

 

This Dumbledore is so... sedate.

 

Hagrid on the motorbike, carrying Harry in a sling, aww.

"Little tyke fell asleep just as we were flying over Bristol." Book dialogue! 

 

I love Maggie's slight Scottish accent as McG. "They're the werst kind of Muggles imaginable."

 

Scar! And we go into a titlescreen with... thunder? And then we fade to DanRad. 

 

That is the tiniest cupboard. What where the Dursleys gonna do once Harry outgrows it?

 

"Yes Aunt Petunia."

 

This kid playing Dudley is pretty good honestly. "I DON'T CARE HOW BIG THEY ARE."

And Harry has side-eyes for daaaaaaaaaaays.

 

DANRAD IS SO SO SO TINY. 

 

"D'you talk to people often?" Erm. It's a snake. come on.

 

Pretty good CGI for the snake.

Love that moment where Petunia discovers Dudley inside the cage. That actress was só underrated. 

 

"There's no such thing as MAGIC."

 

Ew Dudley's Smelting's uniform. 

 

There is so much book dialogue. And even the mail has a postcard from some beach location! 

 

Petunia should recognise that crest on the letter... 

 

Sad Harry is sad playing with toy soldiers.

 

WTF I'd forgotten about the letters in the eggs?? Poor Petunia, really. 

Vernon burning letters, grinning evilly.

 

"Fine day, Sunday. In my opinion best day of the week. Why is that, Dudley?"

"Because there's no post on Sunday?" Uh this is owl post, Vernon, I'm not sure they work on a regular mail schedule. Great crazy hair though.

 

HARRY JUST GRAB A RANDOM LETTER OFF THE FLOOR INSTEAD OF DANCING ON THE TABLE. (OK it wasn't as bad I remembered.) 

 

"Daddy's gone mad, hasn't he?" Yes.

 

Little hut on an island. How did they even survive that crossing.

 

Did Hagrid wait outside until it was exactly midnight?

He does look quite formidable. 

 

Love Petunia looking up at the hole in the ceiling.

 

Happee birthday Harry.

 

"Yer a wizard, Harry."

"I'm a whot?"

 

Hagrid accepts it pretty easily that Harry has no fricking clue about his parents. 

 

I love how DanRad visibly waits until Petunia is done speaking until he says his "blown up?!" But on the other hand his reactions to Hagrid as lovely and quite natural. 

 

Dudley tail. 

 

London!

Dragonhide gloves. "Do they mean from a real dragon?"

"Well they wouldn't be from a penguin now, would they?" Fair enough.

 

Leaky Cauldrooooon. Looking quite Dickensian.

"Bless my soul. It's Harry Potter." 

 

... how did I forget Professor Quirrel looks like David Thewlis's brother? That was a weird moment. 

 

DIAGON ALLEY YAY. I love this music - and it's not even on the official soundtrack. It's so Christmassy. I wanna go to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Or the studio tour in London. 

 

OK the Goblin looks a bit fake.

 

"It's about the you-know-what involving the you-know-which." But not You-Know-Who?

 

"Lamp please. Key please."

 Piles and piles o' money.

 Vault 713. Mind paying a visit to the one next door, too? (Is this Dumbledore's vault?)

 

"Here Harry, go into the creepy wand shop on your own." (Wasn't this set later turned in the bookshop in CoS?)

 John Hurt yay.

 I kind of wonder at Ollivander's businessmodel. Does he just make hundreds of wands in the hope that they will match up with a wizard eventually?

 

Twinkly music and wind and light, it's the one! 

"Sorry, but what's curious?" 

 Ollivander acts like the Doctor. Which is fitting I guess. Also he's the first one to talk about YKW and he doesn't 100% condemn him.

 

Hee Harry when he sees Hedwig: "... what the"

 

*whisper* "Voldemort"

"VOLDEMORT?!" Geez Harry.

 

"You are the Boy Who Lived." Who is also immediately dropped off at King's Cross because Hagrid apparently couldn't wait ten minutes or explain about the platform. That's a pretty big plothole. 

 

"Stick to it Harry, that's very important, STICK TO YOUR TICKET." 

Harry: *ducktapes it to his forehead*

 

Mollyyyyyyyyyyyy. Shouting about Platform 9 3/4. So much the statute of secrecy.

 

BABY RON. Also Ginny got to say something to Harry! 

 

Whoo Platform 9 3/4! And the Hogwarts Express!! :D

 

"I'm Ron by the way. Ron Weasley."

"I'm Harry. Harry Potter."

Ron: GASP

 

TROLLY WITCH ARGH. Also Harry just bought the entire cart?? Man.

 

Ron explaining about the candy is the cutest.

 

BABY EMMA. "Oh! Are you doing magic? Let's see then." 

Hee both boys are like "oh well" and Hermione is just being a complete showoff. 

 

"YOU'RE Harry Potter! And... you are?" Hahahaha her face. 

 

HOGWARTS. :D Looking a lot like an illustration. And there's baby Seamus and Hannah Abbot! And Neville and Dean! 

 

McGonagaaaaall. And Malfoy already knows he's in Slytherin. 

 

"It's true then, what they said on the train. Harry Potter has come to Hogwarts. This is Crabbe. And Goyle. And I'm Malfoy. Draco Malfoy." OMG I love him.

"Red hair, and a hand me down robe? You must be a Weasley." 

 

The Great Hall! With the same music as Diagon Alley.

 

"It's not real, the ceiling, it's just bewitched to look like the night sky. I read about it in Hogwarts: A History." Oh Hermione, never change. 

 

Snape I seeeeeeeeeee yooooooooouu. 

Seating: Snape, Quirrel, Hooch, Flitwick, McGonagall, then Dumbledore. Then a bunch of randoms (including a quite beautiful black woman) and Hagrid.

 

"The third floor corridor is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a most painful death. Thank you." 

Harry: W.T.F.

 

Sorting Hat! It goes Granger, Malfoy, Bones, wtf. Then Weasley then Potter.

 

Snaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaape. 

 

Dumbledore looks bored during the Sorting, as well he might. 

 

Nom feast. Ron is double-handing drumsticks. And Hermione looks amused. 

 

Oh hi Nick. And all the other ghosts. The Bloody Baron looks so.... cheerful.

 

"Neeeeeeearly headless? How can you be nearly headless?" Harry eyerolls and Hermione pretty soon regrets asking, lol.

 

Moving pictures! "Welcome to Hogwarts!"

 

OG Fat Lady. 

 

The common room! With some familiar tapestries on the walls. 

 

Yay animagus McGonagall.

 

SNAPE CLASS. What an entrance. And he's already favouring Malfoy.

 God what a drama queen. They're eleven year olds, stop showing off. This whole performance is wasted on them.

 

Why aren't you ALLLLLLLL copying this DOOOOOOWWWN??" 

 

"Eye of rabbit, harpstring hum, turn this water into rum."

"What's Seamus trying to do?" 

Also I love how puzzled one of the Twins looks since apparently they were doing their own regular homework during filming these scenes so he is genuinely puzzled. 

 

Why is Ron getting the paper?

 

The remembrall! 

And Lee! Pop-pop! 

 

Flying class. Haha Hermione doesn't like that Harry got it right the first time. And Ron of course gets smacked in the face (love Dean and Neville giggling).

 Hooch ells them to kick off, Neville does it and she wants him to get back down immediately?? Geez. Also grab a broom and get after him, woman. 

CGI Neville. Poor little baby.

 "WOT an IDIOT."

 Hahaha that flying effect  was really damn obvious.

 

Quirrel with a random lizard.

 Hiiii Oliver Wood.

"I have found you a Seeker!"

Harry: a whot?

 

Hermione showing up to show off again. Also James was never a seeker?

 

Love Hermione realising first that the staircase is gonna change. There are so many little reaction moments.

 Kids, you could have just... gone back.

 

"It's locked!"

"That's it, we're done for!"

"Oh move OVER! Alohomora!"

"Alohomora?"

"Standard Book of Spells, Chapter 7!"

 

Hi Fluffy, CGI much.

 

"Now, IF you two don't mind, I'M going to bed before either of you come up with another clever idea to get us killed, or worse, EXPELLED!!!!!"

"She NEEDS to sort out her priorities." 

 

Quidditch lesson! Nice gansey, Harry. Where did you get fitting clothes?

 Love that Wood looks around to find the Snitch and Harry has his eyes on it from the start.

 

"LeviOHHHHHsa." Malfoy pronounces it wrong, too, lol. 

 

HALLOWEEEEEN. Trooool in the dungeon!! LOVE his squeaking voice. 

 Dumbledore laying down the law and everybody looks at him like "oh right Dumbledore's here too." 

 CGI troll. 

 Hermione lying to a teacher?! D: And Quirrel is being twitchy behind McGonagall. 

 OMG Harry and Ron discussing Hermione and she's RIGHT THERE. 

Harry: "mind you, she might not have needed saving if you hadn't insulted her."

Hermione: *nods sagely*

 

Snape randomly wishing Harry good luck. That's a bit of awkward scripting just for showing the limp.

 

"But why would anyone want to go near that dog??" You said yourself it was guarding something!!

 

... the Nimbus gets delivered THE DAY OF THE FIRST MATCH?! Cutting it REALLY close, McGonagall. 

Hahaha Wood is staring with open mouth.

 

Quidditch match. Poppop!

Dumbledore has some handsome young wizard sitting next to him. They exchange appreciative nods. I'm shipping them.

 THAT was an obvious foul by Slytherin and everybody saw it, come on Hooch.

 Oh right, the rogue broomstick. See, maybe he shouldn't have gotten it like half an hour ago. 

 Snape on fire. And Harry burps up the Snitch. And Hooch suddenly excists again.

 

Hagrid inadvertendly dropping some plot info about Nicholas Flamel. "I should not have said that."

 

Christmas! And wizard chess! 

Hermione suggesting sneaking into the restricted section, gasp.

 

"I've got presents?!"

 

Aw, is it just the two of them in the tower?

 

... Dumbledore makes his d's the same way I do. Weird. 

Also the invisibility cloak looks weird. "My body's gone!" 

 

"It just said, use it well." Proceeds to use it for illegal activity.

 Shouty book.

 Snape and Quirrel having an intimate moment in the hallway... 

 Ah, the Mirror. Lily! James! Aw. And Ron being innocently insensitive.

 

Ah, there the other Weasleys are. 

 

"It shows us what we want, whatever we want."

"Yes... and no. It shows us only our deepest desires. Nothing more. Nothing less." That's... kind of what he said though?

"It does not to do dwell on dreams and forget to live." <3 

 

Yay Harry and Hedwig. 

 

Hermione being the worst study partner. I entirely forgot about this moment. 

 Sean having his tiny moment about his eyebrows, lol. 

 

"I checked it out for a bit of light reading."

"This... is light?" 

This whole interaction is great. "Honestly, don't you two read?"

"Immortal?!"

"It means you will never die."

"I know that!" 

 

OMG tiny Emma sitting on Hagrid's huge chair. 

 Oh boy, the dragon's egg.

 God this movie takes long. I thought it was an hour and a half or something.) 

 

There are no werewolves in the forest, Draco. Also there are SO MANY EYEROLLS IN THIS MOVIE.

 Wait til my FATHER hears about this." "SCARED, Potter??" Haha. 

 Oops, dead unicorn.

 Draco don't run away, you'll get a hug from this guy in seven movies. And it'll be really awkward. 

 Huge CGI centaur is huge. And CGI.

 "Harry Potter. This is where I leave you." Harry hasn't moved an inch but sure.

 

Hagrid is so totally not playing that flute. 

 McGonagall and her ghost student.

 Oh boy, Snape again. "People might think you're........................ up to something."

Random staring contest.

 

Neville and his teddybear pyjamas! 

 Smooth move with your wand, Hermione. You ARE brilliant but scary.

 

Of course it's Ron who gets drooled on. 

 

I miss the "but there's no wood!" moment here. :( Hermione is too coolheaded here. Although of course since they cut the potion puzzle, they also cut her competence moment so it makes sense that they made this 'her' puzzle. 

 

"Nggg! There must be a THOUSAND keys up there!" Love Emma's linereading. 

 

"It's a chess board!"

"White moves first. And then... we play." Dundundunnn.

"I think this is going to be EXACTLY like wizard chess." 

 

Love Rupert's face when Ron is going to sacrifice himself.

 

"Books, and cleverness! There are more important things, like friendship and bravery, and Harry, be careful." <3

 

Plottwist! It is Quirrel! Don't monologue, just kill the kid. 

 "COME HERE, POTTER! NOWWWW!!" Geez.

 

Whoo Philosopher's Stone in the pocket 

 

VOLDEMORRRRRT. Offering to bring James and Lily back. Hm.

 "YOU LIAR!"

 

Burn Quirrel burn.

 Voldeghost. Bye.

 

"What happened down at the dungeons between you and professor Quirrel is a complete secret. So naturally, the whole school knows." That took me so long to parse the first time I heard it. 'But, if it's a secret, how do people know?!' 

 

This Dumbledore is so... sleepy. 

 "Alas, earwax!" *keeps chewing*

 

"Alright there, Ron?"

"Alright. You?"

*shrug* "Alright. Hermione?"

"Nevah bettah."

Aw, British kids.

 

House cup! Which is totally not rigged. Poor Ravenclaws, so close. And Snape is sooooo not amused at the sudden last minute points, lol.

 

Hahaha. "To Mr Ronald Weasley."

"... Me?!" 

"You!"

 

Aw Neville. He is so stunned. And Draco is so heartbroken, lol. 

 

Hagrid, was this really the best moment to do this? Minutes before the train is leaving.

Cute present though.

 

Awww. The train leaves as we soar into Hedwig's Theme and we close on a shot of Hogwarts. The End.