In 2001 the first edition of what would soon become a worldwide cinematic phenomenon was released on the big screens in the form of 'Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'. The first installment was a huge success and all but kicked off the saga of the franchise that is now worth around 8 million dollars.
The man in charge of getting the ambitious saga out of the starting blocks was Chris Columbus. The rest is history. 7 films later and there is even another pathway being exploited with the five film 'Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them' saga well and truly underway. The challenge of attracting new fans whilst keeping the loyal readers of J.K Rowling's novels happy was a tough one, but was executed with great success.
With the first 'Harry Potter' film, we weren't just gifted with legends in the world of film such as Maggie Smith and Alan Rickman but we also witnessed the instant jump to fame of the trusty trio: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson. To pay tribute to the film that kicked off this worldwide phenomenon in the world of film, we have compiled 10 interesting facts and anecdotes of the 'Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'.
1 Scared of growing up
One of the special things about the journey of the saga is seeing the actors grow up right in front of our eyes. However, this was one factor that Warner Bros. were worried about so the studio tried to think of an alternative to prevent this from being shown in the films. To avoid this problem they suggested using CGI to create animated films or squeeze a number of the novels into a single film. This was eventually declined by author J.K Rowling so the studio decided to produce all eight films back to back so the same child actors could play their roles in every film.
2 Floating candles
Ever wondered how those magical candles in the Great Hall were kept afloat? Well, now you do. The candles were created using candles holders which were suspended from wires from the ceiling that helped to move them up and down to make them seem like they were floating. However, during filming a candle snapped from the wire and fell to the floor, but luckily no one was injured. After that, the candles were re-created using CGI due to safety issues.
3 The chosen one
Maybe you thought J.K. Rowling was all done and dusted when she had finished writing the books, but you'd be wrong. She has been very active in the production of the films to make sure they fit true to the story. This was the case when she was picking actors for their roles, and she had a few legends of the industry already lined up. The brilliant Alan Rickman was personally selected by Rowling and in fact the actor knew details about Snape's future developments earlier than any other character, as only a couple of books had been released. This allowed him to prepare for the role in great depth. Rowling also personally chose the likes of Robbie Coltrane and Maggie Smith.
4 Philosopher's stone or Sorcerer's stone?
The title of the first book is of course 'Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone', and this name is known pretty much all around the world. However, there is an exception. In America, it is known as the 'Sorcerer's Stone'. So, when it came to filming, each time the Philosopher's stone was mentioned they had to film it again and replace it with Sorcerer's for audiences in the States. J.K. Rowling wasn't happy with this however her status as an author at the time meant she couldn't fight to change it.
5 Cathedral dilemma
The desired location to shoot some of the Hogwarts scenes was Canterbury Cathedral, although there was an objection from the Dean of Canterbury. The Dean refused to allow filming at the Cathedral because it seemed unfitting that a Christian church was to be used to promote pagan imagery. Instead, Gloucester Cathedral took its place despite a huge media outcry in the town from the locals.
6 Last minute audition
Finding the perfect Hermione Granger was not the easiest of jobs for the casting team as they aimed to find an unknown actress that would fit the role of the little know-it-all. With this in mind, the team scouted around schools throughout Britain conducting auditions in school halls. Emma Watson was, of course, the actress to land the role however she was close to not auditioning. Whilst all the students lined up in the school gym to audition, Watson was apprehensive. However, with a few wise words from her teacher she bucked up the courage and the rest is history.
7 Turkish trick
It seemed in between filming the younger actors used their technological wit to play pranks on the not so technologically advanced older actors. For example, protagonist Daniel Radcliffe targeted Robbie Coltrane by changing the display language on his phone into Turkish. The Scottish actor was so confused what had happened and he couldn't change it back. Luckily for Hagrid, there was a Turkish girl working in the make-up department who phoned her mum asking for help and the problem was eventually resolved.
8 Paternal protection
Right from the start of casting, director Chris Columbus knew exactly who he wanted to be his Harry Potter. After watching Radcliffe on the BBC miniseries 'David Copperfield' he was sure he wanted him to cast the famous wizard. However, Radcliffe has revealed that his parents originally rejected the role on behalf of him because it would have meant him living for long periods in Hollywood. However, after a few negotiations regarding filming locations his parents were convinced and let him audition. We all know what happened after that.
9 Model students
You'd think that nabbing a role in a film as a young actor would make you exempt from doing any type of school work? Well, not for the Harry Potter actors. Apparently, during filming for scenes in the likes of the Great Hall and all those potion classes, to make everything more authentic the students were actually doing their schoolwork to make the school setting more real.
10 Strictly British
One of the main priorities for J.K. Rowling and the casting team was that the team of actors must be British. With the exception of a few examples, the majority were Brits. Due to this, a number of big names in the industry were left out of consideration after showing their interest. For example, Robin Williams rang up director Columbus asking for a part in the film only to hear that is was planned to be an all-British affair. Once Williams had been declined, you can't really say yes to anyone else.