Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (film)

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is a 2001 fantasy film directed by Chris Columbus and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures.[5] It is based on J. K. Rowling's 1997 novel of the same name. The film is the first instalment of the Harry Potter film series and was written by Steve Kloves and produced by David Heyman. Its story follows Harry Potter's first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry as he discovers that he is a famous wizard and begins his education. The film stars Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter, with Rupert Grint as Ron Weasley, and Emma Watson as Hermione Granger.

Warner Bros. bought the film rights to the book in 1999 for a reported £1 million ($1.65 million in 1999). Production began in the United Kingdom in 2000, with Chris Columbus being chosen to create 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, and the film was shot at Leavesden Film Studios and historic buildings around the United Kingdom.

The film was released to cinemas in the United Kingdom and United States on 16 November 2001. It became a critical and commercial success, grossing $974.8 million at the box office worldwide. The highest-grossing film of 2001, it is the 37th highest-grossing of all-time (2nd at the time of its release) and the second most successful instalment of the Harry Potter series behind Deathly Hallows – Part 2. The film was nominated for many 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, nearly ten years after the first film's release.

Plot
In late 1981, Albus Dumbledore (Richard Harris), Minerva McGonagall (Maggie Smith), and Rubeus Hagrid (Robbie Coltrane), professors of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, deliver a recently orphaned infant named Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) to his only remaining relatives, the Dursleys. Ten years later, Harry has been battling a disjointed life with the Dursleys. After inadvertently causing an accident during a family trip to the zoo, Harry begins receiving unsolicited letters by owls. After the Dursleys escape to an island to avoid any more letters, Hagrid re-appears and informs Harry that he is actually a wizard, and has been accepted into Hogwarts against the Dursleys' wishes. After taking Harry to Diagon Alley to buy his supplies for Hogwarts including a wizard uniform, a wand and a pet owl named Hedwig as a birthday present, Hagrid informs him of his past; Harry's parents James (Adrian Rawlins) and Lily Potter met (Geraldine Somerville) their demise via a Killing Curse at the hands of the malevolent and all-powerful wizard, Lord Voldemort (Ian Hart). Harry, the only survivor in the chaos, thus becomes well-known in the wizarding world as "The Boy Who Lived".

Harry is then taken to King's Cross station to board a train to the school, where he meets three other students: Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint), whom he quickly befriends; Hermione Granger (Emma Watson), an intelligent witch born to muggle parents; and Draco Malfoy (Tom Felton), a child from a wealthy wizarding family whom he immediately clashes with. After arriving at school, the students assemble in the Great Hall, where Harry and all the other "first-years" are sorted by the Sorting Hat between four houses: Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Although the Sorting Hat considers placing Harry in Slytherin alongside Draco, he is placed into Gryffindor alongside Ron and Hermione.

At Hogwarts, Harry begins learning magic spells and discovers more about his past and his parents. After recovering the Remembrall of clumsy Gryffindor student Neville Longbottom (Matthew Lewis), Harry is recruited for Gryffindor's Quidditch team as a Seeker, which is extremely rare for first-year students. While exploring the school one night, Harry and his friends discover a giant three-headed dog named Fluffy in a restricted area of the school. Ron insults Hermione after being embarrassed by her in a charms lesson with Professor Flitwick, causing Hermione to lock herself in the girls' bathroom. She is soon attacked by a troll but Harry and Ron manage to save her, befriending her in the process.

The children later find out Fluffy is guarding the Philosopher's Stone, an object that can be used to grant its owner immortality. Harry suspects that potions teacher and head of Slytherin House Severus Snape (Alan Rickman) is trying to obtain the stone in order to return Voldemort to physical form. Hagrid accidentally reveals to the trio that Fluffy will fall asleep if played music. Harry, Ron, and Hermione decide that night to try and find the stone before Snape does. They discover an already asleep Fluffy and face a series of safeguards. These include surviving a deadly plant known as Devil's Snare, a room filled with aggressive flying keys which bruises Harry, and a dangerous life-sized game of chess that nearly kills Ron.

After getting past the tasks, Harry discovers that it was Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher Professor Quirrell (Hart) who was trying to claim the stone, and that Snape was actually protecting Harry all along. Quirrell removes his turban and reveals a weak Voldemort to be living on the back of his head. Through an enchantment placed by Dumbledore, Harry finds himself in possession of the stone. Voldemort attempts to bargain the stone from Harry in exchange for bringing his parents back from the dead, but Harry refuses, causing Quirrell to attack. Harry kills Quirrell by burning his skin and reducing him to dust, after which Voldemort's spirit rises from Quirrell's ashes and passes through Harry, knocking him unconscious.

Harry wakes up in the school's hospital wing with Dumbledore at his side. Dumbledore explains that the stone has been destroyed and that Ron and Hermione are safe. Dumbledore also reveals how Harry was able to defeat Quirrell: when Harry's mother died to save him, her death gave Harry a love-based protection against Voldemort. Harry, Ron, and Hermione are rewarded with house points for their heroic performances, tying them for first place with Slytherin. Dumbledore then awards ten points to Neville, who had attempted to stop his friends, giving Gryffindor enough points to win the House Cup. Harry returns home for the summer, happy to finally have a real home in Hogwarts.

Cast

 * Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter, an 11-year-old orphan raised by his unwelcoming aunt and uncle, who learns of his own fame as a wizard known to have survived his parents' murder at the hands of the psychopathic 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 Figgis that Radcliffe's protective parents would not allow their son to take the part.[13] Columbus explained that his persistence in giving Radcliffe the role was responsible for Figgis' resignation.[13] Radcliffe was asked to audition in 2000, when Heyman and Kloves met him and his parents at a production of Stones in His Pocketsin London.[14] Heyman and Columbus successfully managed to convince Radcliffe's parents that their son would be protected from media intrusion, and they agreed to let him play Harry.[13] 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."[15] Radcliffe was reportedly paid £1 million for the film, although he felt the fee was "not that important".[16]William Moseley, who was later cast as Peter Pevensie in The Chronicles of Narnia series, also auditioned for the role.[17]
 * Rupert Grint as Ron Weasley, Harry's best friend at Hogwarts. A fan of the series, Grint decided he would be perfect for the part "because [he has] ginger hair".[16] 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.[16]
 * 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.[18]Watson took her audition seriously, but "never really thought [she] had any chance of getting the role."[16] The producers were impressed by Watson's self-confidence and she outperformed the thousands of other girls who had applied.[19]
 * Tom Felton as Draco Malfoy, the trio's enemy.
 * John Cleese as Nearly Headless Nick, the ghost of Hogwarts' Gryffindor House.
 * Robbie Coltrane as Rubeus Hagrid, a half-giant and Hogwarts' Groundskeeper. Coltrane was one of the two actors Rowling wanted most, along with Smith as McGonagall.[20][21] Coltrane, who was already a fan of the books, prepared for the role by discussing Hagrid's past and future with Rowling.[13][22] According to Figgis, Robin Williams was interested in participating in the film, but was turned down for the Hagrid role because of the "strictly British and Irish only" rule which Columbus was determined to maintain.[20][23]
 * Warwick Davis as Filius Flitwick, the Charms Master and head of Hogwarts' Ravenclaw House. Davis also plays two other roles in the film: the Goblin Head Teller at Gringotts, and dubs the voice of Griphook, who is embodied by Verne Troyer.
 * Richard Griffiths as Vernon Dursley, Harry's Muggle (non-magical) uncle. Ian McNeice was considered for the role of Vernon.[24]
 * 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.[25]
 * Ian Hart as Quirinus Quirrell, the slightly nervous Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts, and also Lord Voldemort's voice. David Thewlis auditioned for the part; he would later be cast as Remus Lupin in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.[26]
 * John Hurt as Mr. Ollivander, the owner of Ollivanders, a highly regarded wandmaker.
 * Alan Rickman as Severus Snape, the Potions Master and head of Hogwarts' Slytherin House. Tim Roth was the original choice for the role, but he turned it down for Planet of the Apes.[27]
 * Fiona Shaw as Petunia Dursley, Harry's Muggle aunt.
 * 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.[21]
 * Verne Troyer as Griphook, a goblin who works at Gringotts. His voice is dubbed by Warwick Davis.
 * Julie Walters as Molly Weasley, Ron's caring mother. She shows Harry how to get to Platform ​9 3⁄4. Before Walters was cast, American actress Rosie O'Donnell held talks with Columbus about playing Mrs. Weasley.[28]