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Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (2001)
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (original title)
PG | 2h 32min | Adventure, Family, Fantasy | 16 November 2001 (UK)
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone Poster
Rescued from the outrageous neglect of his aunt and uncle, a young boy with a great
destiny proves his worth while attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and
Wizardry.
Director: Chris Columbus
Writers: J.K. Rowling (novel), Steve Kloves (screenplay)
Stars: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Richard Harris | See full cast & crew
64
Metascore
From metacritic.com

Reviews
1,596 user | 252 critic

Popularity
122 ( 1)

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Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 17 wins & 62 nominations. See more awards
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Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone -- On Sept. 1 every year, aspiring young
witches and wizards across the UK meet at Platform 9 3/4 to attend the first day of
the school term at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Photos
Daniel Radcliffe in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (2001) Chevy Chase
and Robbie Coltrane at an event for Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (2001)
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Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002)
Adventure | Family | Fantasy
7.4/10
Harry ignores warnings not to return to Hogwarts, only to find the school plagued
by a series of mysterious attacks and a strange voice haunting him.

Director: Chris Columbus

Stars: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson
Edit
Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:

Richard Harris Richard Harris ...
Albus Dumbledore
Maggie Smith Maggie Smith ...
Professor McGonagall
Robbie Coltrane Robbie Coltrane ...
Hagrid
Saunders Triplets Saunders Triplets ...
Baby Harry Potter
Daniel Radcliffe Daniel Radcliffe ...
Harry Potter
Fiona Shaw Fiona Shaw ...
Aunt Petunia Dursley
Harry Melling Harry Melling ...
Dudley Dursley
Richard Griffiths Richard Griffiths ...
Uncle Vernon Dursley
Derek Deadman Derek Deadman ...
Bartender in Leaky Cauldron
Ian Hart Ian Hart ...
Professor Quirrell
Ben Borowiecki Ben Borowiecki ...
Diagon Alley Boy
Warwick Davis Warwick Davis ...
Goblin Bank Teller / Professor Flitwick
Verne Troyer Verne Troyer ...
Griphook (as Vern Troyer)
John Hurt John Hurt ...
Mr. Ollivander
Richard Bremmer Richard Bremmer ...
He Who Must Not Be Named
See full cast
Edit
Storyline

This is the tale of Harry Potter, an ordinary 11-year-old boy serving as a sort of
slave for his aunt and uncle who learns that he is actually a wizard and has been
invited to attend the Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. Harry is
snatched away from his mundane existence by Hagrid, the grounds keeper for
Hogwarts, and quickly thrown into a world completely foreign to both him and the
viewer. Famous for an incident that happened at his birth, Harry makes friends
easily at his new school. He soon finds, however, that the wizarding world is far
more dangerous for him than he would have imagined, and he quickly learns that not
all wizards are ones to be trusted. Written by Carly

Plot Summary | Plot Synopsis

Plot Keywords: magic | troll | based on novel | wizard | birthday | See All (186)
Taglines: Hidden deep within in the school lies an object that can make you
immortal,that can make you powerful,that can make you deadly! See more
Genres: Adventure | Family | Fantasy
Certificate: PG | See all certifications
Parents Guide: View content advisory
Edit
Details

Official Sites: Warner Bros. [Spain] | Warner Bros. [UK] | See more
Country: UK | USA
Language: English
Release Date: 16 November 2001 (UK) See more
Also Known As: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone See more
Filming Locations: Warner Bros. Studios, Leavesden, Hertfordshire, England, UK See
more
Box Office

Budget: $125,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend: $23,850,015 (Europe) (16 November 2001)
Gross: $317,575,550 (USA)
See more
Company Credits

Production Co: Warner Bros., Heyday Films, 1492 Pictures See more
Show detailed company contact information on IMDbPro
Technical Specs

Runtime: 152 min | 159 min (extended)

Sound Mix: DTS-ES | Dolby Digital EX | SDDS (8 channels)| 12-Track Digital Sound |
IMAX 6-Track
Color: Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio: 2.35 : 1
See full technical specs
Edit
Did You Know?

Trivia
The owls used in the film were shipped over from Massachusetts. See more
Goofs
(at around 1h 3 mins) When Harry, Ron and Hermione just left Fluffy for the first
time and walk into their dorm area, we see, under the painting, the feet of someone
closing the painting. See more
Quotes
[first lines]
Professor McGonagall: [as a cat] Mraow!
Dumbledore: I should have known that you would be here, Professor McGonagall.
[Professor McGonagall transfigures into her human self]
See more
Crazy Credits
Thanks to Duke of Northumberland, Alnwick Castle. See more
Connections
Spoofed in Anthony Goldstein, Ravenclaw, Jewish Wizard: Anthony Goldstein and the
Professorial Bias (2017) See more
Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What are the main differences between the book and the movie?
Q: What's so special about Harry Potter that everyone knows his name?
Q: Who are the Hogwarts professors introduced in this movie?
See more (Spoiler Alert!)
User Reviews

It's a true adaptation, but lacks an edge like the novel. *** (out of four)
18 December 2001 | by Blake French (baffilmcritic@cs.com) (USA) See all my
reviews
HARRY POTTER / (2001) *** (out of four)

Here's a method of evaluating a movie based on previously published material: ask

yourself if the film makes you want to read the material from which it is based?

Before the release of "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone," I was one of the few
remaining souls who had not read J.K. Rowling's fantasy book series. After
screening the first film installment, I did want to read the book. Borrowing the
novel from a family member, I briefly skimmed over the chapters. The book's
intelligence and similarities with the film really surprised me.

With over 100 million copies sold in over 46 different languages, J.K. Rowling's
best-selling series of books has become a worldwide phenomenon. Naturally, with
soaring expectations abound, the filmmakers felt great pressure to create a
faithful adaptation. They have. This film is essentially a visualization of the
words in the novel, with very few differences.

That said, the film does run into a few conflicts with the book's story. The middle
of the movie has nowhere to go. It's like a false second act; almost nothing of
major significance occurs in this period of the film. The young characters wander
from scene to scene with nothing much to do and nothing much to say. We're left
with a grand display of eye-popping special effects.

"Harry Potter" certainly dazzles us with a solid beginning and an engaging final
act, however. We first meet a young wizard boy named Harry Potter (Daniel
Radcliffe). Soon after the film opens, the boy discovers he has magical powers.
He's then thrust into an enchanting world of sorcery, magic, and witchcraft. He's
sent to a school for young wizard children, where he meets new friends, learns
about magic, and participates in fun competitions. But someone at the school
doesn't like Harry, as mysterious events begin to occur. Harry soon finds himself
in the middle of a diabolical scheme of revenge. Who is the culprit and what do
they want with Harry?
The film asks some involving questions. Too bad it doesn't give enough depth to the
side characters or subplots. We don't really care about the mystery because we
don't know enough about the suspects. The movie does conclude with a twist, but it
doesn't encourage another examination of the movie. It lacks a foundation
altogether. The story spends so much time foreshadowing the villain's identity, it
is pointless for the story to abandon its proceeding plot points and develop a new
villain at the end. The book gets away with this; the movie does not.

After his gentle "Home Alone" and sweet-natured "Stepmom," many questioned the
ability of director Chris Columbus to bring a sense of darkness to the story-and
for good reason. "Harry Potter" contains charming, likable characters and a rich
pallet of lush, inventive images. Unfortunately, the film lacks an edge. It's
missing the dark atmosphere Rowling's novel so vividly brought to life. Columbus
does construct some memorable sequences, but the individual scenes themselves are
much better than the movie as a whole.

Despite it's childish story and pre-teen characters, many define "Harry Potter" as
a film for all ages. While that's debatable, during my screening, adults were
plowing through the isles every five minutes. Going to the bathroom? Getting drink
refills? Buying concessions? Who knows? But not a single child budged from their
seat. Their eyes were glued to the big screen.

Conclusion: It's a sure-fire experience for children, especially if they've read

the books. But adults may not encounter the same enticement as kids. Then again, if
I had nothing better to do than to count the people leaving the theater, why am I
recommending the film?

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