Harry Potter turns 20 – at least the films. Time for a ranking in which we review one of the most popular and best franchises in film history.
Exactly 20 years ago today – on November 16, 2001 – “Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone” saw the light of day. Seven other parts and two spin-offs cemented the most magical franchise in film history in the following years, which made a little boy with raven-black, disheveled hair, glasses and a lightning-bolt scar on his forehead a legend.
To celebrate, I created a personal ranking, starting with what I think was the worst film to the best film of the series, with no spin-offs.
Platz 8: «Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince» (2009)
I like all Harry Potter films. With one exception: “Half-Blood Prince”, the sixth part. His book is incredibly good. It focuses on Voldemort’s career, which is told in the form of magical memories that Harry and Dumbledore researched in the Pensieve. Because somewhere in these memories, according to Dumbledore, is the missing piece of the puzzle that reveals how the invincible Dark Lord could ultimately be defeated.
What about the movie? One or two short scenes about Voldemort’s past. That’s it. Much more time is devoted to the love affair of Harry and his friends. Sometimes even to the shame of others. If you don’t know the books, you could easily mistake the sixth part for “Twilight” – and would be closer to the truth than you or he is aware.
The first two “Twilight” films were released in 2008 and 2009 and triggered a veritable flood of new youth novel adaptations with languishing young people. The Harry Potter producers wanted to jump on that bandwagon. By doing so, they screwed up the whole movie. Worse: They falsified the story and left out a lot of details that would have been incredibly important for the last two parts. The only thing I think is Malfoy’s inner turmoil is that the makers hit it well.
Platz 7: «Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2» (2011)
“As now, you only put the epic conclusion to the series on the penultimate place !?” you may ask me. Yes, but not because I don’t like the film. On the contrary.
Only: I still remember very well how I sat there in the cinema. From the first minute on with this slack, melancholy feeling in my stomach: Today is the last time I will see a new Harry Potter film “for the first time”. That shook me. To this day I cannot see this film without feeling this sad feeling in my stomach somewhere, even if only very far away. Do not know why.
The film itself? It lives up to its template, even if it takes a little long to get going. But at the latest when the group returns to Hogwarts, it is almost impossible to even blink once for fear of missing out on something, so much is happening there. And then the iconic “Always” scene. Fans know what I’m talking about. Oh … there it is again, the melancholy feeling.
Platz 6: «Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1» (2010)
The exciting thing about “Deathly Hallows 1” is that it feels completely different from all the other seven Harry Potter films. This is due to the fact that the plot does not take place for a single second in Hogwarts Castle. “Deathly Hallows 1” is therefore more of a road movie. Almost shot in a documentary style. Compared to “Deathly Hallows 2”, it is above all this refreshing aspect that made the difference in the ranking.
And compared to the children’s first part, there can hardly be any talk of a youth novel adaptation. The color is practically completely out. The war in the world of witches and wizards, which was previously only rumored, is visible and palpable for the first time. The tonality has changed completely. Jokes and gossip disappear in favor of sadness and terror, and that from the first scene.
We remember: The Order of the Phoenix comes to Harry on Privet Drive to escort him to the safety of the Weasley’s burrow – and is attacked by Voldemort and his Death Eaters. Right at the start, two cherished characters die, and we viewers realize that the story is slowly but surely approaching its end, which may not be a happy ending.
Platz 5: «Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire» (2005)
I almost hated the fourth film for how criminally shameful it reduced the Quidditch World Cup from the books to a brief run-in of the two teams. I mean: what the … !? The one thing book fans have been looking forward to the most – and it’s next to nothing in the movie!
But then “Goblet of Fire” does his job so incredibly well that I forgive him for the start-up faux pas. The tasks of the Triwizard Tournament are grippingly staged. The emerging romantic feelings are dosed just right, without them unnecessarily standing in the way of the actual plot – yes, “Half-Blood Prince”, I mean you. And Brendan Gleeson’s Mad-Eye Moody is just as dangerously cranky and crazy as it is fatherly and funny. Just like in the books. Victory all along the line.
But the end kills the bird. First Ralph Fiennes Voldemort. The cemetery scene. Played insanely well. Then Cedric’s death: how his lifeless body lies there, in the midst of pomp and solemn music, because the audience does not immediately notice that a boy has just died there. But then the father, sobbing, screams his grief into the night sky – that gets under your skin. And that in a youth novel adaptation. Respect.
Platz 4: «Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets» (2002)
Where the second part often takes one of the lower ranks in many rankings, it almost makes it to the podium for me. There is almost one single reason for this: Gilderoy Lockhart, divinely narcissistic and wonderfully self-indulgent played by the great Kenneth Branagh.
No, seriously: every scene with him is a pleasure. The guy is so busy with himself that it makes you scream. For example, when he stands in front of a picture of himself, as he is painting a self-portrait. Wow. Or the exams that the students take – they always only contain questions about Lockhart himself. “What is Lockhart’s favorite color?” and stuff like that. Or how he swirls around, swinging speeches about fame and prestige. Haha. I just love the absurdities of the Gilderoy Lockhart.
But I also like “Chamber of Secrets” in other ways. The world of witches and wizards gets more depth. Things like racism are discussed. Quidditch gets a bombastic upgrade. And Dobby. Oh dobby. I miss dobby.
Platz 3: «Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix» (2007)
It’s funny: In my opinion, the weakest book in the series has almost become my favorite Harry Potter film. Perhaps because screenwriter Michael Goldenberg realized that the fifth book has too many storylines that are lengthy and lead nowhere. And: Harry doesn’t act like an ass in the movie either. Usually. Thanks!
In the German edition, the book actually has 1022 pages. Ironically, this resulted in the shortest film in the series at 138 minutes – that says more than 1000 pages … uh, words. Goldenberg streamlines the plot to the bare minimum, deleting things like Harry, who destroys Dumbledore’s office out of anger, or Harry who yells at his friends out of frustration, or Harry, who is banned from Quidditch by Umbridge for spanking Malfoy – okay, that would be maybe it was still funny to see.
On the other hand, in my opinion, the film has some of Daniel Radcliffe’s best-played scenes in the entire series. For example, when he and his friends went to Dumbledore’s office late at night after Harry had dreamed that he was attacking Arthus Weasley at the Ministry as a snake Nagini. And: Dumbledore versus Voldemort. What. For. A. Struggle.
Platz 2: «Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone» (2001)
Every beginning is difficult. And on Chris Columbus, the director, there was nothing less than the weight of the Harry Potter world; the burden of making a film worthy of what is possibly the most popular book of all time. “I was always aware: If I screw it up, then I will probably never get a job anywhere, let alone the millions of fans who would be pretty angry with me,” said the American in a recent interview with Variety.
But Columbus had a good nose from an early age: “Only British actresses and actors,” he said, and the crème de la crème of the British drama guard followed his call. Over the years he has gathered – first as a director, from Part 3 as a producer – greats like Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman, Maggie Smith, Gary Oldman, John Cleese, Ralph Fiennes, Richard Harris and of course the perfectly cast children.
But Columbus often had the right feel for the franchise. First when he brought art director Stuart Craig on board. It was Craig who first drew the world as Rowling described it in the books and then turned it into the iconic sets. Perhaps the most important icing on the cake, Columbus put on the commitment of composer John Williams. Williams, with whom Columbus made the first two “Home Alone” films. It is no coincidence that some Harry Potter themes sound like those from “Home Alone” – and vice versa.
In short: Columbus not only made a simply fantastic film; he built the foundation on which all subsequent Harry Potter films would be built. That deserves nothing but respect.
Platz 1: «Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban» (2004)
This movie. I love him. Everything about it. Starting with the choice of director: Alfonso Cuaron. He became known through “Y Tu Mamá También”, a film about young people exploring their sexuality. An exciting choice for the third Harry Potter film, especially after Chris Columbus’ first two childish and family-friendly films.
But the choice fit like a fist. In keeping with the books, which were also growing up, Cuaron deleted almost all the colors from the film. The sets got darker. The subjects too. Adult. More personal, above all. Especially the dynamic between Harry and the apparent traitor to his murdered parents, Sirius Black.
What distinguishes «Azkaban» from all other Harry Potter films is Cuaron’s craft. From the very first scene you notice: “Oh, that’s different. Special ». Every setting is a work of art. Every tracking shot is a pleasure. For example the one through the mirror, in which there is a bogus. Add to that John Williams’ divine score, the best of the entire film series. From the jazzy «The Knight Bus» about the medieval «Double Trouble» and the triumphant «Buckbeak’s Flight» to the heartbreaking one «A Window to the Past».
In short: my favorite Harry Potter film.
Do you agree with my ranking? Or do you think I Muggle didn’t understand anything? Write it in the comments. I am excited.
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