With the final installment of Harry Potter set to open in cinemas tomorrow, we take a look back at some of the great movie moments from the last ten years.
No Potter fan will forget the excitement in cinemas around the globe in 2001, when Philosopher's Stone hit our screens. There was a sense of gleeful recognition for most of those audiences, as they spotted landmarks like Privet Drive, Diagon Alley and of course, the Great Hall at Hogwarts, for the first time. Looking back on these images, there’s no doubt that our favourite magical trio and friends have been on the journey of a lifetime.
2001 – Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
It’s young Harry Potter’s first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where he meets bumbling Ron and super-smart Hermione, as they learn how to become junior wizards and witches. One of the most magical sequences in the series sees the young wizards marched through the Great Hall for the first time to be assigned houses by the tatty-looking Sorting Hat. The goodies get Gryffindor, bad boy Draco gets Slytherin and some of the randomers get Hufflepuff.
2002 – Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Potter’s second adventure begins in hilarious fashion with the introduction of everyone’s favourite house-elf. He jumps on Harry’s bed, flagellates himself with a lamp (‘naughty Dobby!’) and finally drops a purple cake on a friend of the Dursleys. Think a comedy version of Gollum.
2004 – Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Alfonso Cuarón takes the helm as Harry, Ron and Hermione return to Hogwarts for their third year. Darker and more brooding than Chris Columbus’s films, Azkaban ups the fear factor by introducing Gary Oldman as Sirius Black. Our favourite moment is the night bus –one way to beat the traffic!
2005 – Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
The moment we have all feared finally arrives – the return of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Brendan Gleeson stars as ‘Mad Eye’ Moody, Harry’s new Defence against the Dark Arts teacher, while Twilight heart-throb Robert Pattinson and Doctor Who’s David Tennant join the cast as Harry enters the Tri-wizard Tournament. This instalment also marks the moment when the series changes from kid’s adventure to teen romance. Hermione dons a dress for the Yule Ball and turns Ron’s head for the first time, while Harry is jealous when Cho chooses Robert Pattinson’s Cedric over him.
2007 – Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
TV director David Yates takes the helm of the Potter franchise. The Ministry of Magic don’t believe Harry when he tells them that Voldemort is back and he is soon an outcast of Hogwarts – as is Dumbledore. Harry finally gets lucky with the ladies, stealing a kiss from Cho after impressing her with his wand skills. The scene was a big deal for Potter fans, with Katie Leung (who played Cho) becoming a hate figure for tween girls everywhere.
2009 – Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
He was the most important character to bite the dust so far, and despite all the rumours ahead of the film’s release, never in a million years did we think Dumbledore would actually be murdered. But cornered by Death Eaters and Draco at the top of Hogwarts and with Harry powerless, Dumbledore is finally dispatched by Snape. Though some hardcore fans were upset by director David Yates’ understated handling of the scene, it’s still the most dramatic moment in the series so far.
2010 – Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1
The end of the series has so much going on that it was decided to split the final book into two movies – a major bonus for hardcore fans. Part 1 sees our brave trio out on the road and away from the safety of Hogwarts. In a road journey that has been compared to Lord of the Rings, Harry, Ron and Hermione set out to destroy the remaining horcruxes and for the first time their friendship is really put to the test.
