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My Prisoner of Azkaban Movie & DVD Review
by Matthew Vines
November 28, 2004
The movie itself is superb. It's amazing how much you can forget about a movie over the course of a few months - in my case, the quality. This was my fifth viewing of Prisoner of Azkaban, but my most recent before this one was in July. Sure, I remembered that it was a great film, but I'd forgotten some of the things that, in my opinion, made it great - the subtle foreshadowing, the drop-dead gorgeous scenery, the splendid transitions, the acting, and the fantastic orchestral pieces. Although the script irked me at times, Alfonso Cuaron and the cast did an outstanding job with this film, definitely making it the best 'Potter' yet.
The Subtle Foreshadowing
There is an underlying theme of time throughout the film, which reaches its zenith during the Time Turner sequence. Cuaron masterfully inserted subtle references to time, including the massive pendulum at Hogwarts, the clock in The Leaky Cauldron, and the bells that ring during several transitions. Throughout most of the Time Turner segment, there is a constant tick-tock in the background - loud enough to be noticeable, but soft enough not to distract the viewer from the action.
The Drop-Dead Gorgeous Scenery
The settings selected for the filming of this movie are beautiful. Although the location of Hagrid's Hut was changed for the Prisoner of Azkaban, the move was worthwhile. The shot behind Harry, Hermione, and Ron as they peer out of Hagrid's door midway through the film is gorgeous. Many other stunning locations include a hill on the Hogwarts grounds, the area that Buckbeak flies over, and the new bridge near Hogwarts.
The Splendid Transitions
Cuaron takes advantage of the incredible scenery described above in his scene transitions. The camera follows a tiny bird across the Hogwarts grounds, follows Hedwig across the Hogwarts grounds, or shows the Whomping Willow shedding or gaining leaves, depending on the season. Other transitions include use of one of the movie's themes, fear, and the plot. Several scene transitions show "the dementor effect" on flowers, which wilt and turn to ice when a dementor floats by. Related dialogue is used skillfully to shift from one scene to another as well.
The Acting
There is no denying that Dan Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint, have grown immensely as actors throughout the Harry Potter film series. In the third movie, they exhibit true confidence as actors and seem comfortable on camera. The adult actors perform as well as expected of them. Some of my favorite acting moments:
During Dumbledore's "dreams" speech, the expression on Alan Rickman's (Snape's) face is absolutely perfect for his character.
David Thewlis's reaction to hearing that Harry saw Peter Pettigrew on the Marauder's Map.
Some of my least favorite acting moments:
The extras' reactions are usually nonexistent. Perhaps if they knew what scene they were in, the shots including the extras would have been more realistic.
While Harry is casting "the ultimate Patronus," Hermione can be seen in the background, casually leaning on a tree. As her face cannot be seen well, she needed a larger physical reaction - one that doesn't look like she's enjoying herself in the movie theater. Although Emma Watson has definitely improved as an actress, this moment is not her best.
The Fantastic Orchestral Pieces
John Williams is arguably the greatest composer of the past few decades, and he does not disappoint with the Prisoner of Azkaban soundtrack. The numerous orchestral pieces, which are flawlessly embedded throughout the film, definitely enhance it. A perfect example of the stunning music can be heard during the "Flight of Buckbeak" segment - astounding stuff.
Unfortunately, the script disappointed...
The film's main flaw is the script. Adapting one of today's most popular novels into a movie is no easy task, but it was not carried out well. Although I realize that Steve Kloves has every right to take some liberties in the scriptwriting and that the movie cannot stay true to the book in all respects, there was no need for Kloves to make up spells such as "Bombardo!" and "Halto Momemtumo!," which are not only stupid, but sound like a futile attempt at speaking in Spanish. Also, the omission of the explanation of the Marauders Map and its creators left those who hadn't read the book confused. Several hints were embedded throughout the script, but Kloves left out the explanation, even though there was an ideal scene to include it (the Harry/Lupin chat at the end of the film).
DVD Review
Tour Honeydukes
Kudos to the folks at WB for making this section, which is delectably realistic. My one critique is that you can't follow Fred and George down into the Honeydukes cellar. After all, a cellar set was made for the film, so why not have the option to tour it?
Tour Lupin's Classroom
The tour of Lupin's classroom is even better than the Honeydukes tour due to the fact that you have the privilege of watching how Professor Lupin teaches and how the students behave off-screen. Even though they're technically being filmed, the tour is conducted in a manner that makes you forget that and believe that you are actually in Lupin's classroom.
Deleted Scenes
There are five deleted scenes on the DVD, two of which would have improved the film. The first scene, which is an elongated ride on the Knight Bus, was thankfully cut from the film. Although I'm sure the completed special effects for this scene would have been incredible (most of it is just bluescreen), the script is likely what axed it. The audience gains absolutely nothing from it and listening to that inane shrunken head one second longer in the finished film would have had them (and myself) groaning.
In the second scene, the camera follows the little bird that stars in several of the film's magnificent transitions and Hagrid attempts to catch it. This can hardly be classified as a deleted scene, as most of the shots in it (minus the bit with Hagrid) are included somewhere in the final film.
The third scene is my personal favorite due to the setup of the Great Hall, which is decked with sweets from Hosgmeade. Also, the scenes occurring within the main scene (people opening goodies, Malfoy cronies bullying around a first year, confetti explosions, etc.) make it seem much more realistic. In this scene, Ron gives Harry a Sneakoscope, which is an anti-Dark Magic tool that spins whenever someone naughty/evil is about. Although it's been written off as junk by the main HP characters, true fans know that it works quite well, not only in PoA, but in the next two books as well. Overall, a good, fun scene - it's a shame it was cut.
The fourth deleted scene - "Sir Cadagon" - is just mediocre. Although I feel bad that Paul Whitehouse's (Sir Cadagon) big scene was cut, it adds little to the film. Also, deadpan faces on some of the extras probably helped to doom this scene.
Although the fifth scene has it all - humor, drama, anger, sadness, and the Gryffindors in their pajamas - its length (two minutes) is probably why it was sliced out of the movie. Definitely a nice scene to have on the DVD, though.
Creating the Vision
"Creating the Vision" is an interview with Director Alfonso Cuaron and author JK Rowling. They discuss many different things about the third film, and Rowling mentions the sixth Harry Potter book a few times. Also included in this section is behind-the-scenes footage of the filming of the movie.
Talking Head to Talking Head
The interview with Dan Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint ("The Heroes") is a disappointment. Not only does the interview ask questions that many Harry Potter fans have heard ten times over, but the shrunken head interrupts every few lines, which is, to say the least, irritating.
Other cast members interviewed include James and Oliver Phelps (the Weasley twins), Matthew Lewis (Neville), Devon Murray (Seamus Finnegan), Tom Felton (Draco), Jamie Waylett (Crabbe), Joshua Herdman (Goyle), David Thewlis (Lupin), Gary Oldman (Sirius Black), Michael Gambon (Dumbledore), Robbie Coltrane (Hagrid), Richard Griffiths (Uncle Vernon), Fiona Shaw (Aunt Petunia), Harry Melling (Dudley Dursley), Pam Ferris (Aunt Marge), Stuart Craig (production designer), Alfonso Cuaron (director), and Michael Seresin (director of photography).
The majority of the interviews pose rarely asked questions and are conducted in a fashion that should appease most 'Potter' fans. Unfortunately, the shrunken head makes it a pain to watch the interviews, as it asks cheesy, unrelated questions, which wastes a good five minutes that could have been used to actually interview the actors.
Defense Against the Dark Arts - Magic You May Have Missed
In this part of the DVD, a brief clip from the film is shown, and it is your job to spot things you might not have noticed before. A section for the thinkers, and one which I truly enjoyed!
The Great Hall
This section of the DVD is a tad disappointing. The "Catch Scabbers" game is obviously targeted toward a younger audience and is terribly effortless. Choir Practice is rather dull and seems to be more of filler than an actual feature. The Quest of Sir Cadogan, however, is a more enjoyable ride - it's more fun than the other two games and notably longer.
Hogwarts Grounds
"Hogwarts Grounds" is a fabulous section that makes you think about things that never crossed your mind during innumerable viewings of the film. "Conjure a Scene" is remarkably interesting, as is "Care of Magical Creatures." The DVD is worth purchasing simply for this section!
Brief Overall Thoughts
The special features on the DVD didn't quite live up to all the hype, but are still fascinatingly enjoyable. The movie compensates for any critiques I may have in regard to the special features, but both should please all Harry Potter fans. Here's my list of the "must-watch" sections on the DVD: the tours, the deleted scenes, and Hogwarts Grounds.
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