Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone Book vs. Film

Essay by lanelesUniversity, Bachelor's August 2005

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Film and texts work entirely differently due to their different narrative structures. In this essay, we shall look into how the film compares with the text itself in the aspects of form and technique. The film portrays a simplified and shortened version of the text, which can understood as if every detail of the novel is being portrayed in the film, it would stretch very long, too long to sustain the interest of the viewers. However, the scenes in the film have moved too fast, from Halloween to Christmas, which left the viewers lost and puzzled.

In the film, pieces of music are being used to generate emotional responses and to create the mood in the various scenes. Working hand-in-hand with the sound effects, it has effectively managed to instill fear, excitement and anticipation in the film, this is one aspect that the text itself is in capable of doing.

It compliments the plot at various points which enhances the meaning of the story.

The game of Quidditch is certainly made alive by the film as viewers can now see and feel the speed, danger and the excitement of the game itself.

Dialogue →Compliments characterization (sound of voice as aspect of character)

→Cannot be as extensive as in literary text - more condensed.

4. Visual Imagery → Image as a unit of meaning that needs to be "read"

→ Impact of colour/arrangements of colour

The movie opens in modern-day England, on the small rural lane of Pivet Drive, where 11-year old Harry Potter dwells with his aunt, uncle, and cousin. Harry has lived with his mother's sister's family since shortly after birth, when his parents were murdered by the evil wizard Voldemort. Voldemort tried to kill the infant Harry as well, but failed, leaving the boy undamaged except for a...