Review: ‘Harry Potter’ 4K goes back to where it all began Special

It’s amazing to think that Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint were introduced to the world 16 years ago, and then grew up before audience’s eyes over the next decade as they and the beloved characters they portrayed turned from children to young adults. A few months ago, years five through seven at Hogwarts were released on 4K ultra-high-definition and the effect was stunning. The darkest scenes were displayed in rich shades of black that illuminated the many wicked deeds that occurred in the shadows. Now the first four years of their magical education and battles against Voldemort have also been transferred to 4K: Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone; Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets; Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban; and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. While the format will never alter the entertainment provided by these movies, it can affect the viewer’s experience in watching it. In this case, it’s easy to see why Warner Bros. opted to begin by releasing the back-half of the collection and then the earlier pictures — films shot before a certain time simply don’t transfer to high-def as well as others shot later. Thus, the Philosopher’s Stone doesn’t look nearly as good as the year 7 movies, but the next film already looks better than the first. This improvement continues until the fourth, which is indistinguishable in quality from its predecessors. In any case, these tales of wizardry, muggles and good vs. evil continue to intrigue and delight. Nothing compares to the awe of watching the students enter the Great Hall for the first time or the excitement of Harry’s inaugural Quidditch match. Then there’s the wonderful creatures from the poor house elf Dobby, the three-headed guard dog, the lovely phoenix and the well-meaning hippogriff. Viewers witness the gradual escalation of Malfoy’s maliciousness, while conversely watching Hermione and Ron develop feelings beyond friendship for each other. These early movies aren’t quite as dark as the later ones, but they are inarguably equally thrilling and captivating. J.K. Rowling created a world one never tires of visiting and these enhanced visuals simply add another level on which to enjoy the narratives. Moreover, as the release still contains the previous Blu-ray version, fans can still enjoy all the many hours of special features that explore the making-of these magical pictures, as well as the first four parts of the documentary, Creating the World of Harry Potter.