From Book to Screen: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

(This is the first of a new series here on the Unicellular Review, where I read a book, then watch the movie, and I compare and contrast the two trying to decide which I think is better, the book or the movie. Today, we kick things off with one of my favorite books, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.)

I was introduced to the world of Harry Potter at a young age, and I like many in my generation thrilled to the delights of the books and took part in controversial conversations about the films and what was cut that shouldn't have been. As it is, the Harry Potter books and films lend themselves perfectly to this sort of discussion, and what better book and film to compare and contrast than the first in the series, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.

Now, I'll preface all of this by saying that I think both the book and the film are two of the most enchanting and magical books and movies ever made, so it truly is a close call, but as with adaptation, certain things are lost in the translation, luckily that is not the case with Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. The book and film are very much the same, very little of the book missing in the film adaptation, while there are small, subtle changes, such as exchanging Neville for Ron in the Forbidden Forest scene or having Harry going straight to Hogwarts as opposed to returning to the Dursleys after his meeting Hagrid, all of these changes actually flow better into the story and make the story more forward moving. As well, while the book has a richness to it, that even though the movie is fantastic, it could never replicate, the film manages to relay all of the magic of the story far better than the book does.

In the first book, J.K. Rowling's writing style was not as vivid or clear at painting the picture of certain scenes. As the books progress, her writing style becomes more cinematic and imaginative, but in this first book, in particular the action scenes, a lot is left to the imagination to figure out and certain moments of suspense are lacking like in the Chess Game at the end that is pretty flat in the book, but amazingly epic in the film. Director Chris Columbus just breathes magical life and energy into the proceedings such as the Quidditch Match and the Troll Attack to make the film a more magical and sweeping experience (plus, John Williams' rousing score on top of it all).

So for me, this really isn't too tough of a call. While the book, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, is a fascinating read and is the reason why we all fell in love with Harry in the first place, Rowling's writing matures with age, and the film actually better relays the story of the first installment in clearer tones than the book actually does. For that, the film Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is better.

Verdict: The Movie