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Review: Ultimate Editions of Sorcerer's Stone & Chamber of Secrets
Most Harry Potter fans, whether die-hard book fanatics or regular movie watchers, have the original DVD copies of Sorcerer’s Stone and Chamber of Secrets when they were released eight and seven years ago, respectively. The draw of the Ultimate Editions isn’t to own the original movie itself, but all the extraordinary behind-the-scenes features added.
What Harry Potter fans want is more from the films – more scenes being shot and put together that they never had seen in the final original cut; a "making of" with the cast and crew as they grow up for almost ten years on the Leavesden Studio set; and the overall feeling of love, familiarity, and kinship between the thousands of people, from a crew member drawing the art and sewing the fabrics in an office off the main sets to Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson filming scenes, who work as one to create Harry Potter's wizarding world.
The extra features for Sorcerer’s Stone, aptly titled “The Magic Begins,” is nothing short of an homage to Chris Columbus, the man who not only was elemental in casting Radcliffe, Grint, and Watson, but who gave the man in charge of the series, producer David Heyman, a feeling of respect and need in the intimate everyday life of filming a movie. Columbus, the director of Sorcerer’s Stone and Chamber of Secrets (as well as producer of the third installment, Prisoner of Azkaban), explained his almost hunger to be an integral part of the series, and went to great lengths to land the very coveted role of director (beating some of the top-tiered movie makers such as Steven Spielberg and Rob Reiner).
Throughout the production of the first Harry Potter film, Columbus fills the set with a boy-like joy, living through Hogwarts as though he was a young Gryffindor student himself, and leading his young and inexperienced cast to eventually become confident and well-established actors. Many who worked with Columbus, including Heyman, Radcliffe, Grint, and Watson, praise the director for being the key reason the first two movies were successful in terms of being great and rich stories about the young wizard and his new life full of adventure. Almost ten years later, Radcliffe, Grint, and Watson, all in their late teens and early 20s, reminisce fondly from the set of the final Harry Potter films, The Deathly Hallows, on what they learned from Columbus as children so many years before.
The special footage in Chamber of Secrets hones in on one of J.K. Rowling’s most instrumental pieces of the Harry Potter saga: the "characters." The stories are told through characters anyone can relate to, from insecure and brainy Hermione Granger, funny and loyal Ron Weasley, bullying and jealous Draco Malfoy, to curious and determined Harry Potter himself. Countless actors, well-renowned thespians and award-winning movie stars, lend their talent to play some of the series’ most memorable characters: Kenneth Branagh smarms and charms as Gilderoy Lockhart; Imelda Staunton is a ferocious force of pink and suppressed mayhem as Dolores Umbridge; and Ralph Fiennes, the mellifluous character actor who not only accepts Lord Voldemort’s face of evil, but embraces it as part of his own.
Each actor talks with relish and admiration at the character they portray, and subsequently at the way Rowling brought them to life. From tertiary characters like some of Harry’s classmates to the main three leads, every character is a bit quirky, undeniably relatable, and overall human in an extraordinary and fantastical world. That is Rowling’s gift, and the characters in the special features, from Sorcerer’s Stone to Deathly Hallows, embody a sea of personalities that fans of all spans adore, respect, revere, or are just plain revolted by.
The Ultimate Editions also contain mini-photo books, featuring sketches, artwork, and promos from all eight Harry Potter films in a hardbound booklet that could readily be carried around in the pocket, bag, or purse of the biggest Harry Potter fan. Special character cards (Harry and McGonagall on the Sorcerer’s Stone set; Hagrid and Snape in Chamber of Secrets) add a bit of novelty for fans who, like Harry and Ron with their Chocolate Frog card obsessions, love a fun little set of collectibles. Two different versions of the first two Harry Potter films, the original theatrical release and the extended version with deleted scenes embedded chronologically into the story, let the viewer have the chance to relive their first Harry Potter movie-going experience, or fill the need to see more of the movies than they had originally.
For the biggest Harry Potter fans – book and movies alike – the Ultimate Editions are almost compulsory. And the sets leave the viewer begging for the next installments to be released as soon as possible.
The Ultimate Editions can be ordered via the following links:
So far, this two Creating the World of Harry Potter series of documentaries are the best, most well made special features about how these films were made. They are very well produced and use so much footage from many different time periods. The remind me of the Docs on the LOTR EE special features.
I have them but haven't yet watched them. I'm too busy with school right now. After that I'm going to stay with my grandparents for a week and then watch them in all peace! Can't wait!
I am so totally weak...i just clicked on the amazon link and ordered...way to easy since they already have my billing info...thanks SS for helping me spend more $$ so easily
Review: Ultimate Editions of Sorcerer's Stone & Chamber of Secrets 
They are soo awesome, I was watching number 1 today. They are a must !!!!! Every HP fan has to get them, I can't wait till number 3-7 
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