Harry Potter: Page to Screen

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Admittedly, it got a little rote. The first half of the book was definitely the most interesting to me, although even then it veered into really dry territory. The second half had much less substance and was almost distracting with all the photo / captions. I mean really, did you ever really care to know what thought went into Percy Weasley or Crabbe & Goyle's "Looks"? No. All too often, the book felt like it was written for the people on the film, as a way to sing the praises of the very talented designers behind-the-scenes that you probably don't give a second thought about, but would if they weren't doing their jobs as well as they were. Sort of a catch-22. The books is lavishly illustrated from production images both in front and behind the scenes - it shows a very intimate side to the films and the people who created them which is rarely seen especially on such film considering the huge budgets and massive attention they were drawing.

An amazing Christmas gift... no way is this amazing volume going to be merely a coffee table book. I plan to read it cover-to-cover and soak up every amazing little detail that went into making this series. I want this book! I've put it on my wish-list but unfortunately I live in Denmark so it's going to cost a million to get it over here, it's so huge. It's very well written, and the balance between photos and information is just right. The behind the scenes anecdotes and unknown tidbits, really make this an interesting and enjoyable read. All of the sections were informative, without tipping over into the over detailed, boring and sometimes irrelevant info, that film tie-ins can sometimes lean towards. Harry Potter: The Character Vault / Harry Potter: The Creature Vault / Harry Potter: The Artifact VaultBob McCabe is a noted author, film critic, broadcaster, and screenwriter. He has written over twenty books, including the celebrated Pythons' Autobiography by the Pythons; Dreams and Nightmares: Terry Gilliam, the Brothers Grimm & Other Cautionary Tales of Hollywood; and The Rough Guide to Comedy Movies. He has written extensively for British periodicals such as Empire magazine, Sight & Sound, and the Sunday Times, and has appeared on numerous BBC film-related radio broadcasts. His screenwriting credits include Küssen verboten, baggern erlaubt and Out on a Limb. He lives in London. I advise Harry Potter fans who are on the fence about getting it, to add this title to their Christmas list. It won't disappoint you ;) In addition to his role as a Weasley twin, James Phelps also served as an assistant director on the "Half-Blood Prince" set.

I never expected a tome that would look like it belongs on a shelf in the restricted section of the Hogwarts Research Library. Everything you ever wanted to know (or did not even know you wanted to know) is there from transition from books to film, to cast interactions, to film techniques, to art and costuming.....and on and on and on.I'll just come out and say it: I freaking love Harry Potter. I loved the books as a child, I went to the cinema to see the movies as an adult and I still revel in anything Potter. Simple and to the point - this is a brilliant book for anyone who loves Harry Potter, especially the movies.

The Good & The Bad: I read another book on a *very* similar topic earlier this year, Harry Potter Film Wizardry. You might ask what the difference between them is, and the surface answers would be size and the fact this book encapsulates the final film, while the other (rushed out for last year's holiday gift-giving season) did not. But on a more realistic level, this is a book for a student of the films, not a fan. You have to have a real interest in production and art direction (which I'd say I somewhat do...but not quite to this degree) to really appreciate the final detail included here. I loved seeing the illustrations in the book. Seeing the rooms that you could take your time and eat up each little part! They showed so many beautiful things, like some of the beautiful dresses and clothes the characters wore. I mean they looked so much better in these pictures! As soon as I got this book, I knew I would have to read it cover to cover to really feel complete. I couldn't just skim, I had to know everything! And it was lovely and so rewarding. I knew a lot of stuff, granted, but that's what comes with being so immersed in this universe for so long.

I was a bit reluctant to read this at first because I was scared the book would give away too much information and then the movies would lose its magic, if it makes sense. But I’m so glad I started reading it, it’s incredible everything the cast and crew did to bring to life this little and beautiful thing that is Harry Potter. the Sorting Hat from pre-production on Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. 8 MIDDLE The final Sorting Hat 8 ABOVE Steve Kill, a member of the design team, breaks down a group of Sorting Hat props to ready them for filming.

The first time I saw this, I flipped out. As someone who's obsessed with all things Harry Potter, I just had to get my hands on this massive book. Reading it was even more fun than I thought it would be. It goes through the entire process of making each movie, from selecting the cast to writing the scripts to bringing the incredible magic to life on screen. It's got the big-picture stuff, like the different directors' and producers' visions, as well as the details, like how they made each magical creature. There are tons of interviews and quotes from the cast and crew, plus memorabilia from the sets. Basically, this is the best coffee table book ever if you love Harry Potter. SNEAkoscope The Sneakoscope, used to detect untrustworthy or Dark magic, was created for a scene in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban that takes place after Ron and Hermione return from their first trip to Hogsmeade. Sad that Harry couldn’t join them, Ron gives him a Sneakoscope he bought for him at Zonko’s Joke Shop. Unfortunately, this scene ended up on the cutting-room floor. The book itself is absolutely gorgeous. The biggest and heaviest book I own by far, and it's one of those books that you will look over again and again for years to come. It would have been nice to have a ribbon bookmark included for the book though, just as a useful crowning glory. There are three parts to the book. The first is "The Making of Harry Potter" and covers the complete film making process of all the seven Harry Potter titles. The second is "The Art of Harry Potter" and that covers the characters, locations, creatures and artifacts. The third is the epilogue. It took me several days to finish reading.It's fun to see which anecdotes I remember from magazine articles over the years, and which details are entirely new...