Product Description

The Harry Potter Collection is a set of Years 1-3, including each of the three 2-disc sets of Harry Potter 1, Harry Potter 2, Harry Potter 3.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #26078 in DVD
• Released on: 2004-11-23
• Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
• Formats: Anamorphic, Box set, Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English, Spanish, French
• Number of discs: 6
• Running time: 455 minutes

Amazon.com
The filmed version of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, adapted from the wildly popular book by J.K. Rowling, stunningly brings to life Harry Potter's world of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The greatest strength of the film comes from its faithfulness to the novel, and this new cinematic world is filled with all the details of Rowling's imagination, thanks to exuberant sets, elaborate costumes, clever makeup and visual effects, and a crème de la crème cast, including Maggie Smith, Richard Harris, Alan Rickman, and more. Especially fine is the interplay between Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) and his schoolmates Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson), as well as his protector, the looming Hagrid (Robbie Coltrane). The second-half adventure--involving the titular sorcerer's stone--doesn't translate perfectly from page to screen, ultimately because of the film's fidelity to the novel; this is a case of making a movie for the book's fans, as opposed to a transcending film. Writer Steve Kloves and director Chris Columbus keep the spooks in check, making this a true family film, and with its resourceful hero wide-eyed and ready, one can't wait for Harry's return.

First sequels are the true test of an enduring movie franchise, and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets passes with flying colors. Harry's second year at Hogwarts involves a darker, more malevolent tale (parents with younger children beware), beginning with the petrified bodies of several Hogwarts students and magical clues leading Harry, Ron, and Hermione to a 50-year-old mystery in the monster-laden Chamber of Secrets. House elves, squealing mandrakes, giant spiders, and venomous serpents populate this loyal adaptation (by director Chris Columbus and screenwriter Steve Kloves), and Kenneth Branagh delightfully tops the supreme supporting cast as the vainglorious charlatan Gilderoy Lockhart. At 161 minutes, the film suffers from lack of depth and uneven pacing, and John Williams's score mostly reprises established themes. The young, fast-growing cast offers ample compensation, however, as does the late Richard Harris in his final screen appearance as Professor Albus Dumbledore. Brimming with cleverness, wonderment, and big-budget splendor, Chamber honors the legacy of J.K. Rowling's novels.

Some movie-loving wizards must have cast a magic spell on Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, because it's another grand slam for the Harry Potter franchise. Demonstrating remarkable versatility after the arthouse success of Y Tu Mamá También, director Alfonso Cuarón proves a perfect choice to guide Harry, Hermione, and Ron into treacherous puberty as the now 13-year-old students at Hogwarts face a new and daunting challenge: Sirius Black (Gary Oldman) has escaped from Azkaban prison, and for reasons yet unknown (unless, of course, you've read J.K. Rowling's book, considered by many to be the best in the series), he's after Harry in a bid for revenge. This dark and dangerous mystery drives the action while Harry and his third-year classmates discover the flying hippogriff Buckbeak (a marvelous CGI creature), the benevolent but enigmatic Professor Lupin (David Thewlis), horrifying black-robed Dementors, sneaky Peter Pettigrew (Timothy Spall), and the wonderful advantage of having a Time-Turner just when you need one. The familiar Hogwarts staff returns in fine form (including the delightful Michael Gambon, replacing the late Richard Harris as Dumbledore, and Emma Thompson as the goggle-eyed Sybil Trelawney), and even Julie Christie joins this prestigious production for a brief but welcome cameo. Technically dazzling, fast-paced, and chock-full of Rowling's boundless imagination, The Prisoner of Azkaban is a Potter-movie classic. (Ages 8 and older)

Customer Reviews

Not a good value
I was very disappointed in this boxed set. The movies, of course, are great but this boxed set was a big rip off. The only reason I didn't return it was because I promised someone my original copies of the first two movies. I already own the first two Harry Potter movies in their beautiful cardboard slipcovers. I was expecting this boxed set to have some continuity. Instead all they did was put the third movie (in a plastic case!) in a fancy box with the first two movies in their original (cardboard!) packaging. If you already own the first two movies do not waste your money buying this set. Just buy the third movie. You can always find your own box to put them in. If you want a boxed set, wait five or six years until all of the movies are released and buy it then. Maybe the packaging will be better. Yes Wolf, the third movie is in a plastic slip case not the nicer cardboard slipcase.

Great movies, poor boxed set
This review refers to the 6-Disc boxed set. I was disappointed to find out that literally all this is is the original three movies combined and put into a box with some Harry Potter scenes on the outside of it. I didn't expect them to actually create new DVDs, however they could have at least done something new with the packaging to enhance it. The first two movies are in cardboard DVD cases, and the third is in a regular plastic DVD case, which looks wierd. Also, after some use the cardboard cases fell apart. The glue that held the clear plastic piece that actually holds the DVD came off and the plastic piece fell off on both of the first two movies. I had to tape it back on.

I gave it three stars because the movies are great, but the collection is poorly done and a waste of money. At least they could have thrown in a 10 page pamphlet or something to go along with it. I would wait until a few more movies come out and someone does a better box set. Although if you want to own all three movies, this is pretty much the same as buying them separately.

Widescreen or Fullscreen??
I understand that the box set happens to have two cardboard cases( years 1 and 2) and one plastic case (year 3).

My question is if it's the "WIDESCREEN" set why is year three the "fullscreen" version? Was it mispackaged? Has anyone else encountered this problem?