The film that brought the wizarding world to life — from Hogwarts to Hedwig to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named — is now 20 …
The film that brought the wizarding world to life — from Hogwarts to Hedwig to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named — is now 20 years old. «Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone» premiered on Nov.16,2001, four years after the series’ first book hit the shelves. Seven books, eight movies, multiple theme parks, millions of book sales, a Broadway show and several spinoffs later, the beloved franchise has left its mark on millions of muggles. It has influenced everything from popular culture to children’s literature to classroom curriculums. To celebrate, we’re dusting off our Pensieve to revisit NPR’s coverage of the very first movie. Los Angeles Times film critic Kenneth Turan offered a mixed but overall positive review, focused on the movie’s extreme loyalty to the book. «Like hulking NFL offensive linemen signed on to safeguard a valuable quarterback, every Harry Potter hire was made with an eye toward ensuring that hordes of fanatical fans won’t be disappointed,» he said on air. Turan described that as both a blessing and a curse. On the one hand, he said, «woe to those who would mess with that story.» On the other, even an impressive replica doesn’t leave much room for risk-taking, objection or celebration.
