Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (Three-Disc Ultimate Edition) [Blu-ray]

Comments

1. Guest says

   July 22, 2015 at 12:00 am

   Umm HARRY POTTER is awesome. Dont fool yourself on the extended feature part. only the first 2 have added footage. your basically paying more for the cards they give you.

2. Guest says

   June 6, 2015 at 12:00 am

   For years, the Wife-O-Meter has shown her annoyance about the versions of the "Potter" movies she sometimes runs across while casually channel surfing through cable TV, because she says they are longer than the versions we have on disc, with additional scenes she enjoys. The first time she complained of this, I asked her to call me if she saw a scene that wasn’t in our sets. She did, and she was right, after I put the appropriate disc on and found the scene missing. Now, Warner Bros. have rectified the situation with the first of their series of "Ultimate Editions," which include both the theatrical and extended versions of the "Potter" movies. In the case of the first box set, "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone," it includes the regular edition at 152 minutes and the extended cut at 159 minutes.

   This initial installment in the "Potter" movie saga from 2001, reviewed here on Blu-ray, may not look as sharply defined in high def as subsequent episodes, but it is still plenty good, and in addition to the two cuts of the film, the movie comes with a lossless DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack that’s better than ever. Add in a slew of bonus goodies, and the set establishes a high standard for the rest of the "Ultimate Editions" to follow.

   Wizards, giants, dragons, trolls, goblins, monsters, castles, hidden passageways, magic wands, flying broomsticks, and humorous names. How could the J.K. Rowling’s fantasy-adventure novels not fail to catch the public eye, first among its intended audience, children, and then among grown-ups. The question is why director Chris Columbus ("Home Alone," "Mrs. Doubtfire") couldn’t quite make the film version of this first book truly fly. It’s certainly an entertaining and recommendable film, but it never soars to the heights of filmmaking or imagination the way I had hoped it might.

   I have a few answers right off the Quidditch bat, so to speak. First, the author never meant the book primarily for adults, but it is adults who are doing the reviewing and criticizing. Seems a little unfair. Second, in another of Hollywood’s monumental coincidences and after a drought of good fantasy films, the initial "Potter" movie arrived only a month or so ahead of another highly anticipated fantasy adventure, the opening installment of "The Lord of the Rings." Comparisons were inevitable, mostly to "Potter’s" disadvantage. After all, J.R.R. Tolkien, an Oxford professor of medieval literature, aimed his "Ring" trilogy squarely at adults, writing in an eloquently poetic style, with intricately developed characters, and an epic landscape. It was no wonder the film version of his work would succeed on a more mature and elaborate scale. Ms. Rowling’s relatively simple, straightforward prose is fun and easy to read but no match for Tolkien’s lyricism. Third, in an effort to satisfy its legion of fans, Columbus attempted to put almost everything in the book into the movie, and it’s clear that not every book translates well to the screen on a word-for-word basis. In fact, the "Potter" film outlasts its welcome by a good thirty minutes or more, becoming tiresome to this reviewer shortly after the two-hour mark. Heck, most of this initial outing is exposition–character and setting introductions–and the actual plot doesn’t even kick in until the last third of a very long, 152-minute film.

   Now, for the sake of those few readers who might still be wondering what all the fuss is about in the first place, let me tell you that the story is a fantasy about a boy who discovers a world filled with magic and that he, much to his surprise, is a major player in it. The boy is Harry Potter, the son of a pair of good wizards murdered by an evil wizard when Harry was but a babe. The child’s friends then placed him in the keeping of a pair of non-magical humans (or Muggles asthey refer to us mere mortals), who raise Harry in a cupboard beneath the stairs, keeping him totally unaware of his heritage before his coming-out and training in the arts of wizardry on his eleventh birthday.

   The story follows Harry’s adventures as goes to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. There he meets new friends, makes new enemies, and encounters the various dragons, trolls, and monsters alluded to earlier as he attempts to solve the mystery of a hidden power. Originally, English writer Rowling titled her novel "Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone," but the publishers weren’t sure if Americans would understand the meaning of a "Philosopher’s Stone" (an imaginary object believed capable of transforming base metals into gold and, in some legends as here, of effecting a person’s regeneration). This reminds me that when the James Bond adventure "License Revoked" came to the screen, its filmmakers weren’t sure if Americans would know what "revoked" meant, so they retitled it "License To Kill." You think if Americans just read more?

   Anyway, in order to make the movie succeed, Warner Brothers had to get several things right: They needed the right script, the right cast, the right director, and the right "look." They managed most of it, and, as I say, maybe the reason the movie doesn’t entirely click is as much a fault of the book as it is the film. The screenplay by Steven Kloves sticks closely to Rowling’s novel, including almost every character and action. The big exception comes at the end where fans of the book may notice that suddenly things don’t happen in the film’s climax exactly as they occurred on the printed page. It didn’t bother me very much, but it annoyed the devil out of the Wife-O-Meter, who kept nudging me that this and that was "wrong." Oh, well, all I can say well is the ending is a minor aberration for the sake of cinematic simplicity and continuity.

   Then, there’s the cast. They all look terrific, appearing almost exactly as you imagine them in the book. How they act and behave in the film is another matter, though, and the actors’ performances may or may not meet everyone’s expectations. After an exhaustive search for the perfect English lad to play Harry, they settled on young Daniel Radcliffe. Like the other cast members, Radcliffe looks physically well suited to the role. He just seems a bit less animated than I had wished, a bit less charismatic, a bit less of a screen presence. Nevertheless, Radcliffe is an appealing actor exuding an appropriately simple naïveté, and he would grow into the part to the point where today audiences probably think of Radcliffe and Potter as the same person.

   Rupert Grint and Emma Watson as Harry’s friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger actually come off with a degree more charm than Radcliffe. They are properly innocent, precocious, and mischievous at the same time. Richard Harris plays the Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, but you’d hardly guess it under the heavy beard and makeup. He hasn’t much to do, in any case. More to the point is Maggie Smith as the Deputy Headmistress, Professor Minerva McGonagall, who has a better-written role and who has more of a chance to develop a serious character. Likewise, Robbie Coltrane as the giant gamekeeper, Hagrid, is a major figure in the action, and Coltrane as always is watchable and enjoyable. Whether he quite defines the soft-at-heart tough-guy image we get from the book is open to question, but his more amusingly droll interpretation is highly acceptable. John Cleese has a brief part as Sir Nicholas, "Nearly Headless Nick," a comical ghost who inhabits Hogwarts and shows up at the least-expected and most-inopportune times.

   Filling out the remainder of the major roles are Alan Rickman as the ominous Professor Severus Snape; Ian Hart as the inconspicuous Professor Quirrell; John Hurt as Mr. Ollivander; Zoë Wanamaker as Madame Hooch; Richard Griffiths and Fiona Shaw as Uncle Vernon Dursley and his wife, Aunt Petunia Evans Dursley, the Muggles who raise Potter; and Harry Melling as the Dursley’s horribly bratty spoiled child, Dudley Dursley.

   The director, Chris Columbus, had to keep all of these people and events flying in the air with the skill of a circus juggler, and he is generally up to the task. To blame him for any flatness in the final product might be unfair, given that his job was primarily to translate almost every moment in the book to the screen. He undoubtedly did his best with what the script offered, but he didn’t take many liberties to be overly inventive or innovative.

   Which brings us to the "look" of the movie, where we see its greatest strengths. A combination of computer graphics, detailed sets, and real-life locations gives the film the authenticity its fans expect. Unquestionably, the most important set piece is Hogwarts, and it comes off splendidly. Our introduction to the ancient school comes at night, after a spooky supernatural train ride to somewhere in another dimension. Here, the film’s huge budget proves its worth as footage of real castles intertwines with matte shots and computer animation to create a convincingly portentous yet wholly magical place–dark and forbidding yet endlessly fascinating, warm, and comforting. Likewise, the forests, the shops, the alleyways, even Hagrid’s hut have an imaginative, inviting, fairy-tale enchantment about them.

   It isn’t the film’s fault that the settings haven’t the scope or variety of those in "The Lord of the Rings," but "Sorcerer’s Stone" does the best with what it’s got.

   Video:
   The dual-layer BD50 Blu-ray disc’s 1080p, VC-1 encoded, widescreen reproduction captures the film’s 2.40:1 aspect ratio nicely. The image is a tad softer than that of the later installments in the series, although it still looks fine. Colors are quite bright in daylight sequences, the tiniest bit duller in others, black levels are strong, and shadow detail appears reasonably well captured at night and in dimly lit scenes. Flesh tones are particularly natural, although there is bit of glassiness to the image now and then. There is also a touch of light grain one notices throughout, undoubtedly a condition of the original print and nothing to fret about.

   Audio:
   Whereas the HD DVD of "The Sorcerer’s Stone" had a Dolby TrueHD track and the previous Blu-ray edition used uncompressed PCM, this new Ultimate Edition BD comes with DTS-HD Master Audio. On the theatrical version it’s 6.1 and on the extended cut 5.1. I couldn’t tell much difference between the 6.1 and 5.1, but I’m sure if I sat down and spent more time with it, I would notice some differences in some scenes.

   In any case, I’d say the audio provides just about everything you could want, although the soundtrack itself isn’t quite as embellished in the surround-sound department as subsequent ones. The frequency range and dynamic impact are certainly impressive, and the bass thunders deeply when the situations calls for it. The side/rear channels add a pleasant ambient bloom to the musical score and enhance one’s enjoyment of storms, rain, wind, and creepy noises in the night, though often subtly. I loved the episode with the owls and the letters early on. It is, however, in the disc’s transient attacks–the quick, sharp sounds–that the lossless audio track comes into its own. Sounds are crisp and forceful, reproducing gunshots, lightning bolts, and thunder with commendable realism.

   Extras:
   Disc one of this four-disc Ultimate Edition contains the two versions of the movie, the theatrical and extended cut, both in widescreen. The main added bonus is the "In-Movie Experience," an interactive feature with picture-in-picture commentary on all aspects of the filmmaking process. The "however" is that it only comes with the theatrical version. In addition, there are English and Spanish spoken languages; Spanish subtitles; English captions for the hearing impaired; BD-Live access; and thirty-five scene selections.

   Disc two is also a Blu-ray on a single-layer BD25 and contains several items, the main one being the high-definition documentary "Creating the World of Harry Potter: Part 1: The Magic Begins." It’s a little over an hour long, and as the title suggests, it is the first of a series of documentaries that cover every inch of the films and will eventually stretch into many hours. In addition, the disc contains a two-minute introduction by Daniel Radcliffe; a nine-minute, standard-def featurette made in 2001, "A Glimpse into the World of Harry Potter"; seven additional scenes in HD, most of which the studio incorporated in the extended cut; and a gallery of two theatrical trailers, one teaser trailer, and fifteen TV spots.

   Disc three is a regular DVD that duplicates the extras on the previous standard-def edition. It’s the fun-and-games portion of the program, which adults (at least this adult) may find tedious. Here, the bonus items become an amusement, with the viewer using the remote to maneuver through the many twists and turns of Diagon Alley and Hogwarts in order to explore and find the secret hidden within. But, as the narrator tells you, stay away "from the third floor corridor on the right-hand side unless you want to die a most painful death." With this in mind, here are some of the things you’ll encounter on your way: (1) "Capturing the Stone: A Conversation with director Chris Columbus and producer David Heyman." (2) Diagon Alley: Gringott’s Bank, Ollivanders Wands, and Eeylops Owl Emporium. (3) Hogwarts’ self-guided tour, in which you use your remote to walk through the school, viewing, among other things, the Gryffindor common room, the Great Hall, Harry’s room, the classrooms, and Hagrid’s hut. (4) Hogwarts’ classrooms, but you’ll need to get your wand at Ollivanders first. (5) Hogwarts’ library, where you can meet the characters of the book and the ghosts of Hogwarts, open a screaming book, catch a clue to the Mirror Erised, and more. (6) Hogwarts Grounds, where you can catch a Snitch with your remote, get a lesson in Quidditch, and more. (7) Cast a spell over a scene in eight languages with "Harry Potter Throughout the World," an item I still didn’t have time or ambition to pursue. And (8) Extra Credit: DVD-ROM materials that include being sorted by the Sorting Hat, playing with Wizard Trading Cards, downloading flying owls, Quidditch screensavers, and Rememberalls, owl e-mail messages, game demos, and so forth. Finally, remember, your goal is to find the stone, so we’re told to sneak past Fluffy and other challenges to reveal the secret in the Mirror of Erised. Or something.

   Then, disc four contains a digital copy of the theatrical version of the film in standard def. The digital copy is compatible with iTunes and Windows Media, the offer expiring December 8, 2010.

   But, wait, as the infomercial announcers would say, that’s not all. Besides the four discs, the package includes a forty-eight page, hardbound photo book; the first two cards–Harry Potter and Minerva McGonigall–in a series of character cards; a foldout Digipak case for the main three discs (a case that is also suitable for placing on the shelf if you don’t want to display the entire box); an elaborately ornate hard-cardboard box for all the materials; and a fancy, embossed slipcase for the box. Nice.

   Parting Thoughts:
   I recall coming out of the motion picture theater after first seeing "The Sorcerer’s Stone" and thinking, "It’s cute, I liked it, but it’s not quite what I had hoped for." There wasn’t, for instance, the sense of joy, awe, and elation I experienced after watching "LOTR: The Fellowship of the Ring" a month or so later. No, "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone" may not meet everyone’s expectations, particularly adults who are looking for something less staid, less wooden, less grounded in the here and now. Despite the film’s glorious special effects and dead-on characters and imagery, older viewers may find the movie never seems fully to come to life. Nonetheless, it is a delightful fantasy for children, and on the strength of its Blu-ray high-definition graphics and lossless DTS-HD Master Audio sound alone, it’s worth watching. If you’ve already read the book, the movie is self-recommending in any case.ough it still looks fine. Colors are quite bright in daylight sequences, the tiniest bit duller in others, black levels are strong, and shadow detail appears reasonably well captured at night and in dimly lit scenes. Flesh tones are particularly natural, although there is bit of glassiness to the image now and then. There is also a touch of light grain one notices throughout, undoubtedly a condition of the original print and nothing to fret about.

   Audio:
   Whereas the HD DVD of "The Sorcerer’s Stone" had a Dolby TrueHD track and the previous Blu-ray edition used uncompressed PCM, this new Ultimate Edition BD comes with DTS-HD Master Audio. On the theatrical version it’s 6.1 and on the extended cut 5.1. I couldn’t tell much difference between the 6.1 and 5.1, but I’m sure if I sat down and spent more time with it, I would notice some differences in some scenes.

   In any case, I’d say the audio provides just about everything you could want, although the soundtrack itself isn’t quite as embellished in the surround-sound department as subsequent ones. The frequency range and dynamic impact are certainly impressive, and the bass thunders deeply when the situations calls for it. The side/rear channels add a pleasant ambient bloom to the musical score and enhance one’s enjoyment of storms, rain, wind, and creepy noises in the night, though often subtly. I loved the episode with the owls and the letters early on. It is, however, in the disc’s transient attacks–the quick, sharp sounds–that the lossless audio track comes into its own. Sounds are crisp and forceful, reproducing gunshots, lightning bolts, and thunder with commendable realism.

   Extras:
   Disc one of this four-disc Ultimate Edition contains the two versions of the movie, the theatrical and extended cut, both in widescreen. The main added bonus is the "In-Movie Experience," an interactive feature with picture-in-picture commentary on all aspects of the filmmaking process. The "however" is that it only comes with the theatrical version. In addition, there are English and Spanish spoken languages; Spanish subtitles; English captions for the hearing impaired; BD-Live access; and thirty-five scene selections.

   Disc two is also a Blu-ray on a single-layer BD25 and contains several items, the main one being the high-definition documentary "Creating the World of Harry Potter: Part 1: The Magic Begins." It’s a little over an hour long, and as the title suggests, it is the first of a series of documentaries that cover every inch of the films and will eventually stretch into many hours. In addition, the disc contains a two-minute introduction by Daniel Radcliffe; a nine-minute, standard-def featurette made in 2001, "A Glimpse into the World of Harry Potter"; seven additional scenes in HD, most of which the studio incorporated in the extended cut; and a gallery of two theatrical trailers, one teaser trailer, and fifteen TV spots.

   Disc three is a regular DVD that duplicates the extras on the previous standard-def edition. It’s the fun-and-games portion of the program, which adults (at least this adult) may find tedious. Here, the bonus items become an amusement, with the viewer using the remote to maneuver through the many twists and turns of Diagon Alley and Hogwarts in order to explore and find the secret hidden within. But, as the narrator tells you, stay away "from the third floor corridor on the right-hand side unless you want to die a most painful death." With this in mind, here are some of the things you’ll encounter on your way: (1) "Capturing the Stone: A Conversation with director Chris Columbus and producer David Heyman." (2) Diagon Alley: Gringott’s Bank, Ollivanders Wands, and Eeylops Owl Emporium. (3) Hogwarts’ self-guided tour, in which you use your remote to walk through the school, viewing, among other things, the Gryffindor commonroom, the Great Hall, Harry’s room, the classrooms, and Hagrid’s hut. (4) Hogwarts’ classrooms, but you’ll need to get your wand at Ollivanders first. (5) Hogwarts’ library, where you can meet the characters of the book and the ghosts of Hogwarts, open a screaming book, catch a clue to the Mirror Erised, and more. (6) Hogwarts Grounds, where you can catch a Snitch with your remote, get a lesson in Quidditch, and more. (7) Cast a spell over a scene in eight languages with "Harry Potter Throughout the World," an item I still didn’t have time or ambition to pursue. And (8) Extra Credit: DVD-ROM materials that include being sorted by the Sorting Hat, playing with Wizard Trading Cards, downloading flying owls, Quidditch screensavers, and Rememberalls, owl e-mail messages, game demos, and so forth. Finally, remember, your goal is to find the stone, so we’re told to sneak past Fluffy and other challenges to reveal the secret in the Mirror of Erised. Or something.

   Then, disc four contains a digital copy of the theatrical version of the film in standard def. The digital copy is compatible with iTunes and Windows Media, the offer expiring December 8, 2010.

   But, wait, as the infomercial announcers would say, that’s not all. Besides the four discs, the package includes a forty-eight page, hardbound photo book; the first two cards–Harry Potter and Minerva McGonigall–in a series of character cards; a foldout Digipak case for the main three discs (a case that is also suitable for placing on the shelf if you don’t want to display the entire box); an elaborately ornate hard-cardboard box for all the materials; and a fancy, embossed slipcase for the box. Nice.

   Parting Thoughts:
   I recall coming out of the motion picture theater after first seeing "The Sorcerer’s Stone" and thinking, "It’s cute, I liked it, but it’s not quite what I had hoped for." There wasn’t, for instance, the sense of joy, awe, and elationI experienced after watching "LOTR: The Fellowship of the Ring" a month or so later. No, "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone" may not meet everyone’s expectations, particularly adults who are looking for something less staid, less wooden, less grounded in the here and now. Despite the film’s glorious special effects and dead-on characters and imagery, older viewers may find the movie never seems fully to come to life. Nonetheless, it is a delightful fantasy for children, and on the strength of its Blu-ray high-definition graphics and lossless DTS-HD Master Audio sound alone, it’s worth watching. If you’ve already read the book, the movie is self-recommending in any case.

3. Guest says

   April 5, 2015 at 12:00 am

   Great edition of an excellent story.

4. Guest says

   March 29, 2015 at 12:00 am

   Love the extended version!!

5. Guest says

   March 14, 2015 at 12:00 am

   great product and shipping

6. Guest says

   September 19, 2014 at 12:00 am

   Fantastic Set! I am very happy that this is the extended edition. I am also grateful for all the extras and special features.

7. Guest says

   July 30, 2014 at 12:00 am

   I love these movies and having the little extra that came in this was great.

8. Guest says

   July 2, 2014 at 12:00 am

   This Blu-Ray ultimate edition of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone is just awesome. As a HP fan there’s nothing more you can ask for the first movie. No, really.

   The three discs included in this edition are:
   • DISC 1 (Blu-Ray): Theatrical and Extended versions of the movie (extended version is 7 minutes longer), in-movie experience available for the Theatrical version
   • DISC 2 (Blu-Ray): Introduction by Daniel Radcliffe, documentary "Creating the World of Harry Potter – Part 1: The Magic Begins", international TV special "A Glimpse into the World of Harry Potter", additional scenes, comprehensive gallery of trailers and TV spots
   • DISC 3 (DVD): Special features for Sorcerer’s Stone (BEWARE: this DVD is region 1, this means it can only be played in the US and Canada, unless you play it on a computer)
   • BONUS DIGITAL COPY (DVD): Useless, as the Digital Copy offer expired December 8, 2010.

   Collectibles:
   • 48-page photo book with images from years 1-7
   • Two character cards (Harry Potter and Professor McGonagall)

   Audio for the Theatrical Version is DTS-HD Master Audio: English 6.1, Dolby Digital: Español 5.1 EX. For the Extended Version it’s DTS-HD Master Audio: English 5.1, Dolby Digital: Español 5.1. Subtitles for both versions are English SDH and Español.

9. Guest says

   January 28, 2014 at 12:00 am

   This was a present for a dear friend. This was blue-ray 3 disc ultimate edition. Great present and she loved it.

10. Guest says

    December 5, 2013 at 12:00 am

    We had the original DVD set, but decided to upgrade to the blu-ray Ultimate Edition to get the extended cut (and make the jump to HD). The purchase was well worth it, with the additional scenes making an already great movie even more fun for fans of the books – or just fans of the movie who want to see more. The image quality is great, and the Ultimate Edition extras have a little something for everyone. Although I’m not usually a big fan of all the little things that come with a collector’s set, the book and behind the scenes material here is fun, and worth diving in to if you have the time. As for the rest of the Ultimate Edition collection, I’d say that Chamber of Secrets is also worth the Ultimate Treatment (since it also includes an extended cut), but 3-7 are worth skipping in their ultimate formats unless you absolutely need every special feature.

11. Guest says

    November 19, 2013 at 12:00 am

    The content itself its perfect, but its not the product i purchased and ordered, I’ve got the DVD inted of BluRay version of the film.

12. Guest says

    November 6, 2013 at 12:00 am

    Arrived quickly! product was as described. I know my husband will love this for Christmas and I was glad to get it at such a great price.

13. Guest says

    October 23, 2013 at 12:00 am

    Maybe I will change my rating if I get the correct Item. I received the Standard DVD edition and not the Blu-Ray edition.

14. Guest says

    July 9, 2013 at 12:00 am

    I ve just all in this edition one of the best!!!! except for the price, its a bit high. But its recommendable

15. Guest says

    June 24, 2013 at 12:00 am

    I have really enjoyed the movie and I am glad to own such a great work in my collection. Get it

16. Guest says

    June 4, 2013 at 12:00 am

    Another block buster in the franchise. As usual it is wonderful! Effects are TOTALLY AWESOME!!!!! I hope they continue the franchise like The Hobbit, Star Wars, Indianna Jones and others. No reason to stop!

17. Guest says

    March 17, 2013 at 12:00 am

    If you read the Harry Potter books before seeing the movies, this is the one that will take a lot to get used to. Then you will get a feel for how much they have to cut from the books to make the movie, and get used to the characters etc. After that movies are almost perfect. The special effects are amazing, the casting was great and as you probably know the story is very very good.

    The only drawback to this film is that the kids were so young, and so inexperienced as actors that their performances were very forced at times. Luckily those who did the casting found actors who could learn quickly and develop great skills so that even by the second movie they had their characters down and really became those characters. Of course all of the adult casting was great. Snape is played perfectly by Alan Rickman, and Richard Harris was perfect as Dumbledore. The only bad thing about the movies was that he passed away before they were complete and the actor they brought in to replace him was just not the same. He played him differently, and did not give the character the same feel as Harris did.

    All in all, this movie sets up the series well. It introduces the characters, blends the humor with elements of the dark material that would come in the subsequent films and told the story from the book as well as could have been done. There are portion of even the first book that had to be cut out, and as the books got longer and longer more would have to be cut. The Ultimate Edition, while giving an extended version of the movie does not replace much of the material that was cut from the book, just enhances the theatrical version of the film. The big ticket item on the Ultimate Edition are the extras, specifically the five part documentary series that is the focus of the second disk. In this set it is Creating the World of Harry Potter. They talk about finding the cast, filming and how they created Howart’s, the Quidditch arena, the various locations used etc. Not just in the first movie, but throughout the series. You also get things like the trailers, TV spots, Deleted Scenes, and a bunch of interactive content.

    If you love the books and want to get the most out of the movies you can than this is a must have for your collection. Even though it is probably the weakest of all the movies, it is still an excellent film.

18. Guest says

    February 20, 2013 at 12:00 am

    I am a huge collector when it comes to movies. The must have dust covers, all disc, and what not. Im usually worried about buying from amazon when it comes to movies cause I like to see what it is I am buying and and I want to make sure it has everything. This item was exactly what I was looking for and now I can feel safe in knowing when I buy the rest of the Harry Potter series from this seller, it will be exactly what is displayed.

19. Guest says

    January 23, 2013 at 12:00 am

    This Blue-Ray version of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone has marvelous graphics and my son loved this ultimate edition because of all of the extras including special features. He especially likes the deleted scenes in the extended cut.

20. Guest says

    July 23, 2012 at 12:00 am

    I love the package and all the extras, it has a great picture and sound. If you love harry potter like I do, get this.I ordered it through amazon not one of the other sellers and went with 3-5 day shipping ordered it on 7/21 on a sat mind you and got it monday the 23rd so 2 day shipping for the price of 5 day. I love amazon

21. Guest says

    June 6, 2012 at 12:00 am

    This edition has it all! My favorite part being an uncut version with the deleted scenes included. LOVE this purchase!

22. Guest says

    May 30, 2012 at 12:00 am

    I decided to start collecting all of my favorite movie series on Blu Ray such as Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, and Harry Potter and after looking at several Blu Ray releases I was most interested in the Ultimate Editions. I bought and watched this first Ultimate Edition and for everything it comes with, it is worth the money. The movie looks fantastic on Blu Ray and sounds great. The \\”Creating the World of Harry Potter\\” disc is the best part of this Edition. Each of these editions comes with a new part of Creating the World.. It comes with 2 character cards which actually are not of much use. It also comes with a Creating the World of Harry Potter booklet which isnt bad, It contains alot of movie and production stills with captions as to what they are. Absolutely worth the money, I highly recommend it.

23. Guest says

    April 3, 2012 at 12:00 am

    I just got this today love it debated along time whether I should get this glad I did great picture and sound.

24. Guest says

    February 15, 2012 at 12:00 am

    Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
    Ultimate Edition Blu-Ray Review

    Year: 2001
    Rating: PG
    Runtime: 2 HRS 32 MIN (Theatrical), 2 HRS 39 MIN (Extended)

    Directed by: Chris Columbus
    Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Robbie Coltrane, Richard Harris, Maggie Smith, Alan Rickman

    Film Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

    Video Rating: 3 out of 5
    Audio Rating: 4 out of 5
    Extras: 4 out of 5
    Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

    The Film

    Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone was a film I absolutely despised upon its release in November 2001. At the time, I was a complete Harry Potter virgin and didn’t know a \\”muggle\\” from a \\”bezoar\\” and I wasn’t patient enough to give the film a chance. It wasn’t for several more years until I could sit down and actually enjoy this opening entry into one of the more magical (pun intended, stop rolling your eyes) franchises in recent memory.

    HP1 tells the story of a neglected 10 year old orphan with a lightning bolt scar on his forehead who is raised by his cruel aunt and uncle and finds out of his 11th birthday that he is in fact a wizard. He travels to a distant magical school named Hogwarts where he meets new friends (and enemies), learns about how he received that lightning scar, what happened to his parents, and runs across an old foe in a new form.

    This film is extremely loyal to the book which is both a blessing and a curse. Sorcerer’s Stone is the shortest entry in the book series and that allows for a more literal adaptation when you have 150+ minutes to tell your story in the theater. Unfortunately, the film doesn’t take many risks when it comes to differentiating itself from the book. Many fans appreciate how dedicated this film is to it’s book but I think for the sake of pacing some liberties should have been taken.

    HP1’s biggest problems come in the form of direction, acting, and effects:

    -Sorcerer’s Stone is directed by Chris Columbus (Home Alone, Mrs. Doubtfire) who is obviously very good at working with child actors but I’ve always felt that he is a little out of his element working on a film of this scale. HP1 looks as though it could have been directed by anyone, it’s competently directed but there’s nothing to set it apart style wise.
    -Kid actors always seem to cause problems. For every film with good child actor performances (think The Goonies) there’s a movie filled Jake Lloyd (Anakin Skywalker, Star Wars Episode I) level actors. Sorcerer’s Stone falls somewhere in the middle when it comes to the children’s performances. Daniel Radcliffe (Harry) and Rupert Grint (Ron) come off a lot better than Tom Felton (Draco) and especially Emma Watson (Hermione). What’s funny is, Emma Watson has put in some of the best performances in the later film entries so kudos to her for putting in the effort to become a much better actress.
    -CGI has come along way since 2001. There are far too many scenes in HP1 where the effects have not aged well or just weren’t that good in the first place. The Quidditch match in particular is a scene that I remember rolling my eyes at when I first saw the film and it continues to take me out the film years later.

    There are a lot of good things working in favor of HP1. Set direction, practical effects, sound design, and the soundtrack are among the many things in this film that are top notch. The adult actors such as Alan Rickman, Richard Harris, Maggie Smith, and Robbie Coltrane add a lot credibility to the film and usually seem to elevate the children’s performances while in their presence. The last thing you have to keep in mind when judging this film is the often forgotten fact that this is the setup film of a huge franchise. Sorcerer’s Stone had the near impossible task of introducing the characters and wizarding world to the movie going audience. While I didn’t appreciate this film upon my first viewing I’ve grown to enjoy it more now that I’ve seen and read what comes after.

    The Blu-Ray

    Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone Ultimate Edition Blu-Ray comes housed in a sturdy blue cardboard case with slip cover. Inside you’ll find the movie blu-ray with both the theatrical and the extended cut of the film, a special features BD, a standard-def DVD of special features, a theatrical cut digital copy disc, a collectible book, two character cards (Harry Potter & Minerva McGonagall)

    As stated above, this set features both the theatrical and extended cuts of the film. The extended cut runs approximately 7 minutes longer than the original cut. Most of the extra footage are scene extensions and most novice Harry Potter fans won’t notice any difference between the two. Both cuts of the film appear to be mastered from the same source print which is identical to the transfer used for the 2007 HD-DVD and Blu-Ray editions of the film. While the transfer is very good, it’s not likely to blow anyone away but it is accurate to the designed look of the film. I no longer own the SD DVD version of the film to compare this release to but I believe it would be safe to say this BD outclasses it in every conceivable way. Black levels are very good, I didn’t notice any crushing even in the darkest scenes. Color accuracy was consistent and the level of detail is usually on par with what I’ve come to expect from Blu-Ray with only a few scenes appearing overly soft. I didn’t notice any use of Digital Noise Reduction since there is always an appropriate level of film grain visible during the film.

    Regarding the audio tracks, there several differences between the this and previously released editions but I doubt that most listeners will hear the difference. Unlike the aforementioned HD-DVD and Blu-ray releases, which featured a Dolby TrueHD and an Uncompressed 5.1 PCM track respectively, this release features a DTS-HD Master Audio 6.1 track for the theatrical cut and a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 for the extended cut. The added channel for the theatrical cut most likely stems from the fact that when released in theaters this film was released in Dolby Digital Surround EX which is a 7 channel format. Since the extended cut of the film adds back segments of the film that were never encoded in that format that cut of the film feature a 5.1 audio mix.

    Extras on this set range from wonderful to \\”I couldn’t care less.\\” I typically don’t watch extras that aren’t presented in HD so only extras presented in high definition will be included in this review. The only significant extra on disc one is the PiP (Picture in Picture) commentary track from director Chris Columbus. The track is sporadic at best with Columbus popping up more frequently the farther a long into the film we go. He’s interesting to listen to and seems to have fond memories of working on the film but there are long gaps without his input that hinders this from being a must watch for anyone but the most die hard HP fans. Since disc one’s only special feature is the PiP track disc two houses the rest. First off is a brief introduction by Daniel Radcliffe which is both amusing and a little creepy. He makes it clear in no uncertain terms that you’ll absolutely love the Ultimate Edition Blu-Rays and you’ll learn things about Harry Potter that you never knew. The best special feature included on the set (and for some the entire reason they bought the set) is the Creating the World of Harry Potter Part 1: The Magic Begins documentary. This is part one of the eight part series with a new installment being included on each new Ultimate Edition set. The Magic Begins is presented in HD and looks as though great care and effort has been put into the documentary. Each documentary is themed and as the title leads you to believe this segment dives into the launching the franchise. Most of the interviews with cast and crew are newly produced and everyone is very candid about what led to certain decisions being made, what works and doesn’t work, and how it those decisions affected future films. It’s an interesting look back at the beginning of the franchise especially now that we’re so close to the release of The Deathly Hallows Part 2. Other extras include 10 minutes worth of deleted scenes. Most of these scenes are what make up the Extended Cut of the film so your not going to see any hidden treasures if you already watched that version of the film. The only other extras on disc two are the teaser trailer, two full trailers, and 15 television spots all presented in standard definition (SD trailers, etc. are inexcusable in this day and age). Disc three extras are all presented in SD and are recycled from previous editions of the film so I didn’t even bother wasting the time to put the disc in my player.

    Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone is a faithful adaption of the inaugural Potter book. A number of issues, namely the children’s performances, the bland direction, and some spotty CGI hinder the film from being truly magical. It does however setup the world of Harry Potter effectively, tells the story competently, and looking back, makes enough good decisions to help future Potter films succeed in ways this film could never achieve.

    Highly Recommended for any Potter fan with money to burn. If you’re unsure if Harry Potter is right for you I suggest checking out the single disc Blu-ray, it will only cost you around $10 so your financial risk is a lot smaller. The disc sports the same transfer, similar audio, it doesn’t include The Magic Begins doc, or the extended cut of the film but if you’re looking for the cheapest HP1 option this is it.t that when released in theaters this film was released in Dolby Digital Surround EX which is a 7 channel format. Since the extended cut of the film adds back segments of the film that were never encoded in that format that cut of the film feature a 5.1 audio mix. Extras on this set range from wonderful to \\”I couldn’t care less.\\” I typically don’t watch extras that aren’t presented in HD so only extras presented in high definition will be included in this review. The only significant extra on disc one is the PiP (Picture in Picture) commentary track from director Chris Columbus. The track is sporadic at best with Columbus popping up more frequently the farther a long into the film we go. He’s interesting to listen to and seems to have fond memories of working on the film but there are long gaps without his input that hinders this from being a must watch for anyone but the most die hard HP fans. Since disc one’s only special feature is the PiP track disc two houses the rest. First off is a brief introduction by Daniel Radcliffe which is both amusing and a little creepy. He makes it clear in no uncertain terms that you’ll absolutely love the Ultimate Edition Blu-Rays and you’ll learn things about Harry Potter that you never knew. The best special feature included on the set (and for some the entire reason they bought the set) is the Creating the World of Harry Potter Part 1: The Magic Begins documentary. This is part one of the eight part series with a new installment being included on each new Ultimate Edition set. The Magic Begins is presented in HD and looks as though great care and effort has been put into the documentary. Each documentary is themed and as the title leads you to believe this segment dives into the launching the franchise. Most of the interviews with cast and crew are newly produced and everyone is very candid about what led to certain decisions being made, what works and doesn’t work, and how it those decisions affected future films. It’s an interesting look back at the beginning of the franchise especially now that we’re so close to the release of The Deathly Hallows Part 2. Other extras include 10 minutes worth of deleted scenes. Most of these scenes are what make up the Extended Cut of the film so your not going to see any hidden treasures if you already watched that version of the film. The only other extras on disc two are the teaser trailer, two full trailers, and 15 television spots all presented in standard definition (SD trailers, etc. are inexcusable in this day and age). Disc three extras are all presented in SD and are recycled from previous editions of the film so I didn’t even bother wasting the time to put the disc in my player. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone is a faithful adaption of the inaugural Potter book. A number of issues, namely the children’s performances, the bland direction, and some spotty CGI hinder the film from being truly magical. It does however setup the world of Harry Potter effectively, tells the story competently, and looking back, makes enough good decisions to help future Potter films succeed in ways this film could never achieve. Highly Recommended for any Potter fan with money to burn. If you’re unsure if Harry Potter is right for you I suggest checking out the single disc Blu-ray, it will only cost you around $10 so your financial risk is a lot smaller. The disc sports the same transfer, similar audio, it doesn’t include The Magic Begins doc, or the extended cut of the film but if you’re looking for the cheapest HP1 option this is it.

25. Guest says

    February 6, 2012 at 12:00 am

    This Ultimate Edition of hte movie is EXCELLENT. It includes about 8 minutes of materiel that I had never seen before. The extra features are there from the origional package, plus more. Great job, Warner Bros.!

26. Guest says

    January 8, 2012 at 12:00 am

    Surprise, surprise! Warner Bros is trying to get even MORE of our money for this franchise. The digital copy that this supposively comes with expired, OVER A YEAR AGO. DO NOT get if you are expecting that.

27. Guest says

    January 6, 2012 at 12:00 am

    A must have for any Harry Potter fan. Better yet, this movie collection is great for anyone interested in film production, as it has hours of behinds the scenes footage.

28. Guest says

    November 17, 2011 at 12:00 am

    Delivery was quicker then I excepted. The only problem was I was sent the UK ultimate edition (HARRY POTTER AND THE PHILOSOPHER’S STONE) and I ordered the American ultimate edition (HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER’S STONE). There is no real difference but anyone with kids knows what I’m talking about.

29. Guest says

    November 13, 2011 at 12:00 am

    My fault for not reading the description. I just read the title. I was expecting a DVD, instead I got the one disc of special features which the kids liked, but the third disc was a gathering of interviews with pats on the backs by the directors saying how great they were with all the special effects etc, It also had repeats of disc two. Like I said a terrible waste of money. This will teach me to read the descriptions not just the titles.

30. Guest says

    October 26, 2011 at 12:00 am

    This is a very good adaptation to the book. It truly brings the book to life. I know the young actors aren’t the best, but you have to cut them some slack. They are children in their first big movie. The whole family can enjoy this movie. All in all, done very well.

31. Guest says

    October 24, 2011 at 12:00 am

    This Blu-ray is amazing…it has tons of special features the picture is of course spectacular and the packaging of the movie is great. Only major let down was the digital copy…I purchased my movie October 2011 brand new, but the digital copy expired December 2010…what is that about!!

32. Guest says

    August 28, 2011 at 12:00 am

    The film that started it all. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone is the movie that got me hooked on the Harry Potter franchise and I’m so glad I caught it on HBO when I was younger. Now I get to experience the magic in great Blu-ray quality! The extended editions are fantastic! They add more story to the films that I could never get tired of watching and while the special features are alright the brilliance lies in the extended version. Christopher Columbus was brilliant with the films and it’s a shame the later directors didn’t come back to take time to create extended editions of all the remaining films as well. It’s what almost every Harry Potter fan wants!

33. Guest says

    August 26, 2011 at 12:00 am

    simply amazing! is a new way of seeing and experiencing the world of Harry Potter! Anyone who is a fan of Harry Potter should have the ultimate edition of the films!

34. Guest says

    July 25, 2011 at 12:00 am

    Harry Potter is an amazing movie. The book inside the DVD is also wonderful! I really love the books and the movie and this Box is something that I really wanted!

35. Guest says

    June 13, 2011 at 12:00 am

    The film was great and obviously in awesome picture quality being Blu-Ray. I love the collector’s items that come with the set. Didn’t really need the digital copy… so, meh. I also really liked that even with all the extra content particular to this edition, there were still the special features that come with the standard 2-disc editions. So some old fun with new fun! All in all I was pleased. I will purchase the others!

36. Guest says

    May 17, 2011 at 12:00 am

    I love this film, but this review is for this item in particular, which I bought mostly for the digital copy. Much to my dismay, in tiny print on the insert inside, it notes that the code is redeemable for a limited time and expired in December 2010.

    Suck.

37. Guest says

    April 6, 2011 at 12:00 am

    We love the Harry Potter movies, and this ultimate package is wonderful, but why can we not get sound on the \\”in-movie experience\\”? We get the picture in the corner, but we can’t get the sound; we can get BD-live and everything else; any suggestions – we want that \\”in-movie experience\\”.

38. Guest says

    February 17, 2011 at 12:00 am

    Good afternoon everyone. I would like to thank you for sending this product that arrived after a certain time. came very well packaged and well protected, I recommend. thanks

39. Guest says

    February 17, 2011 at 12:00 am

    I ordered Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone Ultimate Edition on Blu Ray and i got a regular disc for the film not a blu ray!

40. Guest says

    February 6, 2011 at 12:00 am

    Please be warned – the digital copy for this Harry Potter bluray set expired on Dec 8th 2010. The digital copy apparently was only a promotional feature with a limited offering. I only found this out after purchasing this item. It is displayed in the package insert’s fine print. I contacted customer service for both Amazon and Warner Brothers, but they will not or cannot renew the code for the digital copy. I now have to go through the hassle to return this item. I was very disappointed with this purchase!

41. Guest says

    December 30, 2010 at 12:00 am

    The movie isn’t really that much different from the extended version. The box is kind of nice, but unless you have it out where people can see, what does that matter? I got this for two reasons: 1) It was supposed to have lots of new scenes, and 2) the digital copy. The \\”new scenes\\” are okay. Most seem to be the deleted scenes and such from other versions of the movie I already had. The digital copy is a bust. I received the DVDs on the very day they expired, but the system still would not let me download them. I emailed customer service, and got a completely unsatisfactory answer. Basically, if you want their digital copy, don’t count on them to give it to you. I now had a useless DVD in a pretty box sitting on a shelf where nobody can see it unless they to looking for it. Was it worth the money? Probably not. Unless, that is, you feel like you have to collect everything. But don’t think you are getting a \\”deal\\” when you get it.

42. Guest says

    December 27, 2010 at 12:00 am

    The one star rating isn’t for the movie – it’s for the packaging. Just bought this for Christmas for my 9 year old. One of the main reasons for investing in a second copy was the digital versio n for her laptop. Well, you can’t tell from the box or the web page, but that expired Dec. 8th so it is completely worthless.

43. Guest says

    December 13, 2010 at 12:00 am

    So as is often the case, this movie isn’t as good as the book, but it is still a must buy for the DVD collection. I watched it again recently and was surprised just how young the actors are in this film, compared to later films. They really do a great job and the director is reasonably true to the book. I’m still not convinced Harry potter is actually a kids movie. I think I would have been freaked out as a child. However this first movie is pretty slow moving and has loads of lovely scenes and ideas that kids will just love. Be warned it does get scary in patches.

    This is a great introduction to the land of magic. We meet Professor Dumbledore, Hagrid, Harry Potter (and his Muggle family), all within the opening minutes; And of course Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger aren’t too far behind once Harry gets to Hogwarts. The magic of the first book is brought to life in this first movie, and the best thing I think about it is that it is virtually stand-alone. No previous knowledge is required and nothing but a vivid imagination is needed. It is exactly the sort of movie I would have enjoyed watching as a kid, and it has the same appeal to me today as Disneyland does.

44. Guest says

    December 7, 2010 at 12:00 am

    Extremely happy with this collector’s set. Quality of video and audio is worth the extra money. Love the little extras it comes with…the collector cards, mini photo book…etc. Plus the extended version includes the removed scenes and you have the option to watch either version. Well worth the money!

45. Guest says

    November 20, 2010 at 12:00 am

    In love with this. It was worth every penny to me especially if your an Ulimate Harry Potter Fan! The extras and documentary had me intrigued and fasinated all the way through, way more extras than I orginally thought it would too! Only thing with the package I got is that the book thats included actaully came out to be a misprint and the cover and the pages of the book are reversed…so you have to read it backwards kinda thing, which sucks but im not heavly complaining since I’m probably one of the few that got this misprint edition. LOL

46. Guest says

    October 15, 2010 at 12:00 am

    The first in the series and worth the money now. The additional DVD of behind the scenes work and directors comments add immensely to the value of this Blue Ray. I am curious about what the next Ultimate Blue Ray will have in it that has not been seen before. Of course that goes on for the rest of the series as they become available.

47. Guest says

    October 10, 2010 at 12:00 am

    Added scenes should have been in original release. Really added to the film. Awaiting future ultimate editions.

48. Guest says

    September 22, 2010 at 12:00 am

    This is an amazing set. I have the first two ultimate editions of the Harry Potter series. The only problem I have is with the information on the Amazon site regarding this product. The discs are region free and not Region A or Region 1 as Amazon states. Please update your product information Amazon.

49. Guest says

    September 3, 2010 at 12:00 am

    make my purchase on 16 July and the approximate date of arrival was on August 18, but today is September 3rd and my product I have not yet what’s up with that?

50. Guest says

    August 10, 2010 at 12:00 am

    Update : August 31 2010 : I received the new disks from Amazon and the audio issue has been resolved. This is a review for the Blu Ray Disc Set and not the movie itself (which I have no problems with). The audio track for the main movie was defective and had an almost Headphone-ish feel to it. No sound from center and back speakers, and only sound from front left & right. Furthermore, there was no option (that I could readily find) to change the audio track so that I could troubleshoot the problem. Thankfully, Amazon has agreed to ship a replacement. Awaiting the replacement set and will update the review accordingly. Note that other BD’s work perfectly on my setup and only the main movie from this set had the problem.