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Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Widescreen) | 
| Director: Alfonso Cuaron
Actors: Julie Christie, Robbie Coltrane, Warwick Davis, Pam Ferris, Dawn French
Studio: Warner Home Video
Category: DVD
List Price: CDN$ 18.70
Buy New: CDN$ 8.99
You Save: CDN$ 9.71 (52%)
New (8) Used (10) from CDN$ 5.95
Rating:  33 reviews
Sales Rank: 5253
Format: Ac-3, Dolby, Dubbed, Ntsc, Subtitled, Widescreen
Languages: English (Original Language), French (Original Language), Spanish (Subtitled), French (Subtitled), Spanish (Dubbed)
Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.4
Dimensions (in): 7.5 x 5.3 x 0.6
MPN: WARD28445D
ISBN: 0790783517
UPC: 085392844524
EAN: 9780790783512
ASIN: B00005JMAH
Theatrical Release Date: June 4, 2004
Release Date: November 23, 2004
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
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From Amazon.com
Some movie-loving wizards must have cast a magic spell on IHarry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban/I, because it's another grand slam for the Harry Potter franchise. Demonstrating remarkable versatility after the arthouse success of IY Tu Mama Tambien/I, director Alfonso Cuaron proves a perfect choice to guide Harry, Hermione, and Ron into treacherous puberty as the now 13-year-old students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry face a new and daunting challenge: Sirius Black (Gary Oldman) has escaped from Azkaban prison, and for reasons yet unknown (unless, of course, you've read J.K. Rowling's book, considered by many to be the best in the series), he's after Harry in a bid for revenge. This dark and dangerous mystery drives the action while Harry (the fast-growing Daniel Radcliffe) and his third-year Hogwarts classmates discover the flying hippogriff Buckbeak (a marvelous CGI creature), the benevolent but enigmatic Professor Lupin (David Thewlis), horrifying black-robed Dementors, sneaky Peter Pettigrew (Timothy Spall), and the wonderful advantage of having a Time-Turner just when you need one. The familiar Hogwarts staff returns in fine form (including the delightful Michael Gambon, replacing the late Richard Harris as Dumbledore, and Emma Thompson as the goggle-eyed Sybil Trelawney), and even Julie Christie joins this prestigious production for a brief but welcome cameo. Technically dazzling, fast-paced, and chock-full of Rowling's boundless imagination (loyally adapted by ace screenwriter Steve Kloves), IThe Prisoner of Azkaban/I is a Potter-movie classic. I--Jeff Shannon/I
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| Customer Reviews: Read 28 more reviews...
 Dementors, Mad Dogs and a Howling Wolf January 24, 2007
cluricaune (Co. Armagh, N. Ireland)
Based on J. K. Rowling's book, "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" covers the boy wizard's third year at Hogwarts and hit the big screen in 2004. The film opens at Privet Drive with the end of the summer holidays approaching. The previous summer, at the start of the Chamber of Secrets, Harry had been blamed by the Ministry of Magic for a spell performed by Dobby the House Elf in Dursley's house. This summer, Harry panics as he accidentally casts a spell on Uncle Vernon's thoroughly obnoxious sister. Knowing he's in trouble, he decides to go on the run - but, following a bumpy ride on the Knight Bus, the Minister for Magic corners him at Diagon Alley. Harry is somewhat surprised to be let off, given the trouble he got into the previous year - but relieved all he same. br / br /The Magic Community seems to be much more concerned with a very dangerous criminal called Sirius Black, the first person to escape from Azkaban (the wizard prison). He had been sent there after being found guilty of murdering thirteen people - twelve of them muggles - with a single curse about twelve years earlier. Widely believed to have been a big supporter of Voldemort's, the rumour is he's hunting for Harry. As a result, some Azkaban guards (terrifying creatures, known as Dementors) have been posted at Hogwarts for the protection of the pupils and staff. br / br /Harry is, once again, joined by Ron and Hermione at Hogwarts. There's a bit of trouble between Harry's two friends, however. Much of that is caused by Hermione's new pet Crookshanks - a crazy cat, who seems determined to kill Scabbers, Ron's rat, at every opportunity. This year's Defence Against The Dark Arts teacher, is Professor Lupin who - like the Dementors, the three friends meet him for the first time on the Hogwarts Express. Despite the fact he dresses rather shabbily and gets strangely ill from time to time, Lupin actually seems to know what he's doing. He also proves to be highly popular with the majority of pupils, particularly Harry. There are a couple pf other new teachers introduced this year - one of them is Hagrid, who has taken over the Care of Magical Creatures class. Unfortunately, his first lesson leads to a bit of trouble with a Hippogriff. Another is Professor Trelawney, the Divination teacher - who seems to be a bit of a crackpot. In their first lesson, she somehow picks out the Grim (a death omen) from Harry's tealeaves. Harry probably wouldn't have been too worried, only he'd already seen something of a death omen just as he was boarding the Knight Bus. br / br /The movie is very enjoyable, though a good deal darker than I had imagined. Despite the criticism I've heard of their performances in the previous films, I thought Daniel Ratcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint were very good in their roles. (Draco, Harry's arch nemesis, would've stolen the show had his role been any bigger : Tom Felton plays the part of a strutting, arrogant, little twerp superbly. One of the most enjoyable scenes came when Hermione puts him firmly in his place). Professor Trelawney was also an enjoyable addition, played by the barely recognisable Emma Thompson. (Her ex-husband, of course, was also once on the teaching staff at Hogwarts : Ken Brannagh played the part of Gilderoy Lockhart in "The Chamber of Secrets"). For fans of the Stone Roses, meanwhile, Ian Brown stops by the Leaky Cauldron for a quick drink. The film's effects are hugely impressive, especially the Dementors : their first appearance on the train was the best scene in the film for me. Parts of the book have been minimised or dropped - particularly the 'history' of the Marauder's Map, its authors and how Lupin knew how to use it. However, it's a very enjoyable movie and is highly recommended.
Well-done in places, but the changes go too far overall July 14, 2006
Daniel Jolley (Shelby, North Carolina USA)
I put this review off for a long time because I wanted to re-read the book before offering final judgment on the movie. I have to admit that I cannot add my name to the supposed list of people hailing Alfonso Cuarn as the perfect director for this pivotal film in the Harry Potter series. It is natural that a new director would make changes to redefine the world in his own image, but I think this movie makes far too many changes - I could forgive that, but some of the additions are just, well, silly and wholly unnecessary. J.K. Rowling herself might love the shrunken head on the Knight Bus, but I have no use for it - Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is not a comedy, and it does not need the intellectual equivalent of a man doing a pratfall. At Hogwarts, you get ghost horsemen crashing through windows and thumping into the Great Hall. There are a number of similar additions I consider useless at best. Why throw these things in there? It's not like you are starting with a weak story and having to pad the film. Did Cuaron think he needed to add a few silly scenes in order to make the film appeal to children? As if there's a child in Western society who isn't already a rabid Harry Potter fan. And the clothing rubs me the wrong way - rarely do you see the kids in their Hogwarts uniforms in this movie. And speaking of Hogwarts, it looks nothing like it did in the first two films; I kept expecting Julie Andrews to come strolling over one of the hills singing The Sound of Music. All of these needless changes took away from my enjoyment of Rowling's story. The fact that the kids are outgrowing their characters didn't help either - Neville, Malfoy, and, to some degree, Ron hardly resemble themselves from the first two movies. I didn't like the fact that Dumbledore's attire was completely changed (and that little rubber band in the beard thing was - to me - horrible) - in my opinion, all of that added unneeded complications to the transition process from the late Richard Harris to Michael Gambon in this pivotal role. br / br /I'm not saying Cuaron didn't do some things well, though. The guys and gals who designed Buckbeak (in both model and CGI form) went well beyond the call of duty and should be praised. Aunt Marge, Professor Trelawney, Professor Lupin, and Sirius Black were perfect embodiments of their literary selves. Hogsmeade was an unqualified visual success. The Dementors were brought to life very effectively. Definitely, in many ways this was a very impressive film. Notice I haven't mentioned the story yet. br / br /Ah, yes, the plot. Obviously, I think the movie left out more than it should have to make room for a lot of unnecessary fluff. What we do have, though, feels somewhat disjointed to me - just a bunch of scenes thrown together. Obviously, I knew when the seasons changed as Cuaron went to the well too often with the soaring seasonal transitions, but I did not get the sense that a school year at Hogwarts had passed by the end of the film. Speaking of the ending, I will declare that it was well done indeed. It could have been confusing for younger viewers (assuming, of course, there might actually be one young viewer out there who hadn't actually read the book before seeing the film), so I was glad to see Cuaron really take the time to concentrate on bringing it off as seamlessly as possible. br / br /The extras on the bonus DVD are something of a mixed bag. I think I speak for all of us when I thank the studio for not making us go through some kind of infernal maze just to find a deleted scene. The five deleted scenes included here, though, aren't much to talk about. The games and the tours of Honeydukes and Lupin's classroom will appeal to some, but the real meat of the extras comes in the form of the cast interviews (even though they do force us to endure more of that infernal shrunken head), the featurette on the extraordinary animals seen in the film, and the interviews with director Cuaron and author J.K. Rowling. br / br /I know I've been critical of the film, but that doesn't mean I don't love it. I just think it could have been much better than it was. Many of us take our Harry Potter extremely seriously, and I just would have preferred stricter adherence to Rowling's original story (and, of course, less silly fluff).
 Harry grows up and things change July 2, 2006
B. Chandler (Arlington, Texas)
------------------------------------------------------------------- br /Harry still has to put up with the Dursley's and with too mangy negative remarks about his parentage he has an uncontrolled confutation with Aunt Marge. Realizing he is doomed for performing magic outside of Hogwarts (which is a no no for students) he runs away from home. This could not be at a worse time as a mad prisoner has just escaped form Azkaban prison. And you can guess who his nest target is. br /------------------------------------------------------------------- br /As with most movies there is no justification to book readers as to what was left out or modified. We can however compare this to the previous movies. The first thing you notice is how much danker the scenes are, even the train that used to be so colorful is now just a train and filtered out. That is fine as Harry grows up so does the target audience. br / br /The one disappointment for me was the castle that they portray in this movie is so much shabbier and deteriorated. It was not necessary unless the director could not find the old sets and locations. br /Also Sirius never cleans up well. br / br /No problem with Hermione getting a punch line, however Draco Malfoy is turned from an dude of evil potential into a snotty wimp; where is this leading us? br / br /I would like to give a laundry list of goods and bads but then the surprise will be lost for new viewers that have not read the book. br / br /Again other than a few abbreviations and consolidations this film takes in the senesce of the book. br / br /
Not the book, but still good April 22, 2006
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I liked all the Harry Potter movies. They weren't the books but they were good. The best one was probably the second. The only thing that really got me was the scenery. Was there something wrong with it?! Did anyone notice how suddenly the land scape, the location of the womping willow, and the whole caslte were different than the first and second? All I can say is: What was wrong with the old way?!
Better than the first two August 30, 2005
Christine1012 (Toronto, Ontario Canada)
I have absolutely nothing against Chris Columbus' versions of the Harry Potter series. I just much preferred Alfonso Cuaron's interpretations. I like the fact that it's much darker than the first two. The humour is sublte and the transitions from one scene to the other are great. The new whomping willow has attitude and spunk. Who'd have thought that a tree would have such traits? There is one issue with which I was quite disappointed, and that was when Harry conjures up his Patronus when the Dementors were after him and Sirius. It's just that what I saw wasn't how I'd imagined it. What I had imagined was that his partonus would chase the dementors away and not just stand there and glow...Otherwise, the movie is great to watch, though I can understand why younger childern may get scared at some points...but kudos to Alfonso Cuaron because I think the movie looks and is great.
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