Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone - Rewatch Diary

In a vote for the best kids movie ever made, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone would probably edge itself out as my winner. Which already feels like a ridiculous thing to say when we live in a world that’s made Spirited Away, but I feel like that might be missing the point. Spirited Away is almost unquestionably a better movie, but that’s not what really interests me about Philosopher’s Stone. If I’m trying to find the best kids movie, then the hours upon hours I spent in front of the TV as a child constantly replaying and reabsorbing Harry Potter are not going to go down without a fight. And I believe the same impulse that drove rewatches such as mine can and will be familiar to others. I’m fairly certain that Philosopher’s Stone is the film I’ve seen more than any other, but it wasn’t until rewatching last Friday that I realised how interesting of a film it can be.

For a movie aimed at children, it’s pretty lengthy, clocking in at about 150 minutes (until Chamber of Secrets sprints past it at an always surprising and hilarious 161 minutes) without ever once feeling as long as it sounds. That’s extra impressive when you consider just how many non-plot related tangents and micro-distractions are found strewn throughout. There are a lot of scenes during the middle of the movie that later films would probably condense down to their most essential elements (for instance, there’s a lot of Quidditch setup for a couple of moments where Snape maybe jinxes a broom and Harry eventually goes key-hunting), whilst often the camera will just gently float past parts of Hogwarts as though Chris Columbus was so transfixed by the art department’s genius that he forgot to yell ‘cut’. But as much as those elements would signal death for most kids films (or general films, for that matter), here they are probably the reason for the franchise’s success.

Consider those elements alongside the ever so slight visual grit that comes with shooting on film, plus the use of practical effects and Hogwarts suddenly feels incredibly tangible. The effects in particular are astonishing in the level of commitment taken to keep as many of them in-camera as possible (even the floating candles are largely wire-hung). Even Columbus' direction - often maligned for its blandness - can't help but feel appropriate for a film whose only desire is to show you everything as clearly as possible. There’s a real sense that you can reach out and touch whatever’s happening on-screen; a sense that is intensified and fuelled by the film’s desire to simply show life at Hogwarts without chasing after the main storyline. That Quidditch scene is largely unimportant to the film’s story, but Harry Potter as an entity cannot exist without it. Philosopher’s Stone isn’t exactly a Miyazaki or a hang-out film (it moves too fast to be either), but for many, the escapism of Harry Potter is the films’ most crucial element and, on that level, this first entry is pure catnip.

Watching as an adult can lead to re-experiencing this kind of warm, fuzzy escapism again; though I do find it impossible to watch Philosopher’s Stone with others without it becoming a kind of spectator sport in gently taking the piss out of what’s happening. Which, to be clear, I’ve always found to be joyous because it’s never felt mean-spirited. Even then, rewatching Philosopher’s Stone feels like an escape.

In many respects, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone is not a great film. But it is a remarkable one.

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