Harry Potter Director Was Bothered By 1 Scene & Wanted To Fix It But An Exec Wouldn’t Allow Him

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
director Chris Columbus reveals that there’s one scene in the movie that he wasn’t happy with, but an executive barred him from fixing it. Released in 2001 and based on the book by J.K. Rowling, the first installment in Warner Bros.’ Harry Potter franchise was a massive success, paving the way for seven sequels. The film, which stars Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson, was beloved for how it brought Rowling’s Wizarding World to life, but Columbus now reveals there’s one effect he wasn’t satisfied with.

In a recent interview with THR, Columbus reveals that he was left bothered by the Devil’s Snare scene toward the end of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. According to the director, he wanted to enhance the scene in post-production using visual effects, but a powerful executive producer shut the idea down. Columbus shares the anecdote to explain how he operates as an executive producer, revealing that he strives not to get in any filmmakers’ way. Check out Columbus’ comment below:

“One of the executives said to me, ‘Well, it doesn’t matter if that [Devil’s Snare] scene is not as good as the other scenes in the film. It’s fine.’ So I told myself that I’m never going to say that if I’m producing for someone else. This is probably going to be the death knell for Maiden Voyage as a company, but our philosophy is we never say no to the director. I’m not kidding. And that attitude of ours has been very successful in helping Rob [Eggers] realize his vision [for Nosferatu].”

What Columbus’ Involvement Meant For The Harry Potter Franchise

Columbus Teed The Franchise Up For Success

Though Columbus was not permitted to augment the Sorcerer’s Stone scene using digital effects as he wanted to, he evidently was a strong decision-maker for the franchise. The first Harry Potter movie grossed $974 million worldwide and carries a respectable 80% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes, with the audience score coming in a little higher at 82%. The film was such a hit that Columbus returned to direct Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets in 2002.

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Chamber of Secrets didn’t quite reach the same commercial heights as its predecessor, but it was still a massive success, grossing $878 million worldwide. The second installment ultimately marked Columbus’ last as director in the franchise, but it was his work on the first two movies that laid the groundwork for all the sequels to come, including establishing the key Harry Potter cast. Alfonso Cuarón took over directing duties on Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004), but Columbus stayed on board for this film as a producer.

Does The Scene Hold Up?

Not all the effects in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone hold up, but the film, generally speaking, still looks great by today’s standards. The Devil’s Snare scene relies mostly on practical effects, so it doesn’t suffer the same problems as, say, the scenes with the three-headed dog, which have some hallmarks of poor, early-2000s CGI.

Though it’s not hard to see why Columbus wanted to inject a little more life into the Devil’s Snare plant tendrils, the scene is ultimately still effective as one of the final trials Harry, Ron, and Hermione face before encountering Professor Quirrell. When looking at the film’s third act, though, it’s really the chess match that stands the test of time as the most memorable set piece.

Source: THR

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The beginning of the adaptations of one of the most-read fantasy novel series, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, was directed by Chris Columbus and follows the titular Harry Potter as he discovers he has magical powers. Living with his cruel aunt and uncle, the orphaned Harry lives a challenging life that is changed when he meets a gentle giant named Hagrid, who spirits him away to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where he soon learns his destiny.

Release Date

November 16, 2001

Runtime

152 Minutes

Cast

Daniel Radcliffe
, Rupert Grint
, Emma Watson
, John Cleese
, Robbie Coltrane
, Warwick Davis
, Richard Griffiths
, Ian Hart
, John Hurt
, Alan Rickman
, Fiona Shaw
, Maggie Smith

Director

Chris Columbus

Budget

$125 Million

Studio(s)

Warner Bros. Pictures
, Heyday Films
, 1492 Pictures

Distributor(s)

Warner Bros. Pictures

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