Warner Bros. reaches for another classic and invites a crew of actors and filmmakers to the set that for 10 years became almost home to Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint and others. Harry Potter returned in style with a whole bunch of interesting facts, previously unseen scenes and behind-the-scenes information. I invite you to review "Harry Potter - 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts".
Some extremely popular productions will never come back - however, recently we can have some doubts about this statement. In my opinion, Warner Bros. is a leader in reminding audiences of their most beloved films and TV series. Apart from such productions as "Sex in the City", "Gossip Girl" or "The Matrix" the company invites artists and filmmakers involved in projects that were once very popular. After the meeting with "Friends" the time has come for Harry Potter. The occasion is no small matter, as it is the 20th anniversary of the first film adaptation of J.K. Rowling's book, "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone".
The story of a young wizard who ended up at the school of magic and wizardry Hogwarts has become a phenomenon on a global scale, and this is confirmed not only by the results of the films, but most importantly by the interest in the works of J.K. Rowling. The Harry Potter series has been translated into more than 80 languages, while in 2018 it exceeded the result of 504 million copies sold, thus becoming the most box office book series. When the first clap was taken on the set in 2000, the enthusiasm of fans reached its zenith - in many countries, all the reports about the activities of the film team were followed with bated breath. The efforts paid off - 8 productions under the HP banner earned more than 7.7 billion dollars, and with millions of children on the screen, also the actors playing the main roles grew up.
Can I call myself a Harry Potter fan? Definitely yes!
I've read all parts of the books several times, not to mention the movies which I've watched dozens of times since I was a kid for sure. I like to go back to the saga all the time and if HP is on TV, there's no way to get me out of the house. In my small Potter home collection, there are currently two complete series of books with different covers, a Dumbledore figurine from Funko, through mugs signed with the houses of Hogwarts and even clothes. So yes, I can definitely be described as a Harry Potter fan.
Coming back to the film, its main message is very positive - during more than 10 years of working on the films, the young actors matured and gained acting experience, and in many cases, participation in such a box office universe turned out to be a prelude to a bigger career. Above all, however, they made friends who will remain in their memories for many years. From the very first shots, when the participants tenderly greet each other and fall into each other's arms, you can feel that Harry Potter had a huge impact on them. Their reactions seem sincere, warm and not directed - everyone managed to convey the atmosphere of a social meeting after many years, which positively influences the reception of the special edition.
The creators of the anniversary event were tempted by a slightly different form of realization than we might expect. "Harry Potter - 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts" has been divided into several chapters that look at particular aspects of the production. Instead of the classic gathering of most of the cast, we watch conversations between the main actors, excerpts from their speeches, as well as Daniel Radcliffe's encounters with some of the leading actors playing experienced wizards. A great asset of the reviewed film are the unique shots from rehearsals or sets, when we could see the small actors for the first time - often without make-up or proper anthropology. At the same time the creators do not shy away from revealing many interesting facts about the whole series: the backstage story of the search for small actors playing the main characters, the doubts that troubled Emma Watson, the trivia about the creation of the first two parts or the reason why one of the directors broke 2 ribs on set. 20 years after the debut of the first show some artists are already missing - Return to Hogwarts was supposed to be one of the ways to pay respect and keep the memory of actors like Alan Rickman, Richard Harris or even Richard Griffiths.
I think even the biggest fans can learn something they didn't know before, the actors are great at telling stories about how they got the part, an interesting story is told by the actress playing Luna
To whom can I recommend "Harry Potter - 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts"? I think that not only the most faithful enthusiasts of the films will have a great time during the over 100-minute screening. It was extremely nice to revisit well-known stories and their creators, as strong emotions are not lacking. If you loved the pack of Harry, Hermione and Ron and you prefer to get to know all the secrets from the set, you cannot pass by the item available on HBO GO indifferently. This comeback was really successful for Warner Bros.
Let us know what your feelings were after watching.