Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

**Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone** is a UK VHS/DVD release by Warner Bros Home Entertainment on 13th May 2002.

The film also got aired on Sky Movies on 2002, 2003, Harry Potter in 3rd June 2022, The film also got aired on Sky Family in/on 29th July 2022, 18th September 2022, 22nd October 2022, 27th October 2022 and 12th February 2023, The film also got aired on Blockbusters in/on 21st July 2023, The film also got aired on Wizarding Wld in/on 29th July 2023, The film also got aired on Cult Classics in/on 28th August 2023, The film also got aired on Sky Originals in/on 20th October 2023 and the film also got aired on ITV1 in/on 21st October 2023.

## Description

VHS/Blu-ray: In this enchanting film adaptation of J.K. Rowing’s delightful bestseller, Harry Potter learns on his 11th birthday that he is the orphaned son of two wizards and possesses magical powers of his own, at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry, he learns the high-flying sport Quidditch & plays a thrilling “live” chess game en route to facing a Dark Wizard bent on destroying him.

## Plot

Late one night, Albus Dumbledore & Minerva McGonagall, professors of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry, along with the school’s groundkeeper Rubeus Hagrid, deliver a recently orphaned infant names Harry Potter to his only remaining relatives, The Dursleys.

10 years later, Harry has live a difficult life with The Dursleys, Afrer inadvertently causing an accident during a family trip to the zoo, Harry begins receiving unsolicited letters by owls, After he & the Dursleys escape to an island to avoid more letters, Hagrid reappears & informs Harry that he is a wizard & has been accepted into Hogwarts against the Dursleys’ wishes, After taking Harry to Diagon Alley to buy his supplies for Hogwarts & a pet owl named Hedwig as a birthday present, Hagrid informs him of the past, Harry’s parents James & Lily Potter died due to a Killing Curse at the hands of the malevolent & all-powerful wizard, Lord Voldemort, Harry the only survivor in the chaos, thus becomes well-known in the wizarding world as “The Boy Who Lived”.

## 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. 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 Pockets* in London. 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. 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." Radcliffe was reportedly paid £1 million for the film, although he felt the fee was "not that important". William Moseley, who was later cast as Peter Pevensie in *The Chronicles of Narnia* series, also auditioned for the role.
* 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 got] ginger hair". 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.
* 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. Watson took her audition seriously, but "never really thought [she] had any chance of getting the role." The producers were impressed by Watson's self-confidence and she outperformed the thousands of other girls who had applied.
* 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. Coltrane, who was already a fan of the books, prepared for the role by discussing Hagrid's past and future with Rowling. 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 or Irish only" rule which Columbus was determined to maintain.
* Warwick Davis as Filius Flitwick, the Charms Master and head of Hogwarts' Ravenclaw House.
* Richard Griffiths as Vernon Dursley, Harry's Muggle (non-magical) uncle. Ian McNeice was considered for the role of Vernon.
* 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.
* 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*.
* 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*.
* 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.
* 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.

Additionally, Zoë Wanawaker appears as Madame Hooch, Hogwarts’ flying Instructor, Harry Melling plays Dudley Dursley, Harry’s cousin, & David Bradley appears as Argus Filch, Hogwarts’ caretaker, Matthew Lewis & Devon Murray portray Neville Longbottom & Seamus Finnigan, respectively, two first year students in Gryffindor, James & Oliver Phelps play Twins Fred & George Weasley, Ron’s brothers, while Chris Rankin appears as his other brother Percy, a Gryffindor perfect, & Bonnie Wright appears as Ron’s sister Ginny, Sean Biggerstaff portrays Oliver Wood, the Keeper of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, Jamie Waylett & Josh Herman play Crabbe & Goyle, Draco’s minions, & Leslie Philips voices the Sorting Hat, Derek Deadman plays Tom, innkeeper of The Leaky Cauldron, & Elizabeth Spriggs appears as The Fat Lady, a painting at Hogwarts.

## Opening (Original 2002 release)

* Warner Home Video An AOL Time Warner Company Ident (2002)
* Video Piracy Warning (Warner Home Video) [announced by John Leader]
* European Captioning Institute Warning Screen (1995-2005)
* Scooby-Doo: The Movie teaser trailer [announced by Don LaFontaine]
* VSC PG Warning (Warner Home Video) (1995) [announced by Floella Benjamin]
* Warner Bros Pictures An AOL Time Warner Company Ident (silent)
* Start of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (2001)

## Closing (Original 2002 release)

* End of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (2001)
* Closing Credits Film
* Warner Bros Pictures An AOL Time Warner Company Ident (Still Version)
* Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone - Extra Bonus Footage - "Harry Finds Nicolas Flamel Wizard Card" title card
* Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone - Harry Finds Nicolas Flamel Wizard Card (Full Video)
* Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone - Extra Bonus Footage - "Snape's Classroom" title card
* Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone - Snape's Classroom (Full Video)
* Warner Home Video Warning Scroll (1999-2005)

## Trailers and info

1. Video Piracy Warning (Warner Bros Home Entertainment)
2. Scooby-Doo: The Movie (Coming Soon)
3. VSC PG Warning (Warner Bros Home Entertainment) (1995) (announced by Floella Benjamin)