Entertainment Weekly, 06/11/2004, p.93-4, "[T]he first movie in the series with fear and wonder in its bones, and genuine fun, too....The whole movie zips along with a matter-of-fact cleverness that stays a step ahead of you."
Sight and Sound, 08/01/2004, p.51-4, "The magic here works not just on the level of weird and wonderful ghosts and monsters but through a series of haunting images that draw attention to key themes and a breadth of imagination..."
Los Angeles Times, 11/25/2004, p.E27, "[Cuaron] brought a new style and intelligence to Hogwarts."
USA Today, 11/26/2004, p.4E, "Alfonso Cuaron directs for mood, and the result is the most satisfying HARRY to date."
New York Times, 06/04/2004, p.E1, "This is surely the most interesting of the three Potter movies....It feels at once more dangerous, more thoroughly enchanted and more real."
Rolling Stone, 06/24/2004, p.186, "Not only is this dazzler by far the best and most thrilling of the three Harry Potter movies to date, it's a film that can stand on its own..."
Distributor Note
In Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Harry, Ron and Hermione, now teenagers, return for their third year at Hogwarts, where they are forced to face escaped prisoner, Sirius Black, who poses a great threat to Harry. Harry and his friends spend their third year learning how to handle a half-horse half-eagle Hippogriff, repel shape-shifting Boggarts and master the art of Divination. They also visit the wizarding village of Hogsmeade and the Shrieking Shack, which is considered the most haunted building in Britain. In addition to these new experiences, Harry must overcome the threats of the soul-sucking Dementors, outsmart a dangerous werewolf and finally deal with the truth about Sirius Black and his relationship to Harry and his parents. With his best friends, Harry masters advanced magic, crosses the barriers of time and changes the course of more than one life. Directed by Alfonso Cuaron and based on J.K. Rowling 's third book, this wondrous spellbinder soars with laughs, and the kind of breathless surprise only found in a Harry Potter adventure.
Source: Warner Home Video
Release Note
DVD Features:
Region 1 Double Amaray Case 2-Disc Set Widescreen - 16.9 Audio: Dolby Surround 5.1 - English Dolby Surround 5.1 - French (Quebec) Dolby Surround 5.1 - Spanish Additional Release Material: Production Interviews - 1. Cast with Johnny Vaughan and the Shrunken Head 2. J.K. Rowling (Author), Filmmakers Trailers - 1. Original Theatrical Trailer 2. HARRY POTTER AND THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS 3. HARRY POTTER AND THE PHILOSOPHER'S STONE Featurettes - 1. CONJURING A SCENE 2. CARE OF MAGICAL CREATURES Interactive Features: 3D Animated Menus Scene Access Professor Lupin's Defense Against The Dark Arts Classroom iPIX Tour Electronic Arts Game Preview Games - 1. Magic You MAY Have Missed 2. Catch Scabbers 3. Quest With Sir Cadogan 4. Hogwarts Choir Sing-A-Long Text/Image Galleries: Hogwarts Portrait Gallery
VHS Features:
Pan & Scan 4.3 Additional Release Material: Theatrical Trailer
Product Notes
In this adaptation of the third book in J.K. Rowling's best-selling series, Harry Potter (Danielle Radcliffe) and his best friends Hermoine (Emma Watson) and Ron (Rupert Grint), must face the dangerous convict Sirius Black (Gary Oldman), who has ties with their enemy Lord Voldemort. The spectacular fantasy-adventure action of the earlier movies (SORCERER'S STONE and CHAMBER OF SECRETS) is once again presented here, as Alfonso Cuaron lends his unique directorial style to recreating Rowling's magical story on celluloid. A scarier, darker story than the first two, this one concerns the mystery behind why Sirius Black is tracking Harry Potter. Slowly Harry and his friends unravel the clues, and learn secrets about Harry's parents that had all along been hidden from him. Meanwhile, because the deranged Sirius poses a threat to all students at Hogwarts, the school enlists a group of daunting black ghosts called Dementors to stand guard. These flying ghouls have a powerful effect on Harry and frighten him to his core. Yet even these chilling obstacles don't dampen the spirits of the youthful wizards, who meet Buckbeak--a giant flying hawk-horse creature, welcome a new dark arts teacher (David Thewlis) and a new divination teacher (Emma Thompson), and are still determined to beat the rival Slytherin team in Quidditch. HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN offers a visually stunning interpretation of the revered book, and will thrill viewers with its special effects, it's penetrating John Williams score, and its superb performances.
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