Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Blu-ray delivers stunning video and audio in this exceptional Blu-ray release
Harry and his friends Ron and Hermione return for their third year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where the teenagers are forced to face their darkest fears as they confront a dangerous escaped prisoner and the equally foreboding Dementors, who are sent there to protect them.
Having hit its stride in The Chamber of Secrets, the Harry Potter saga reaches its
zenith with Prisoner of Azkaban. Much of the third film's success is due to the quirky, humorous and
stylistic nuances of director Alfonso Cuarón, who used the element of magic and witchcraft as
devices for nonstop bewilderment, humor and--so far as home theater goes--system-stretching
special effects. In this way, Cuarón effortlessly taps in to
the excitement of the novel while entertaining the masses. The Prisoner of Azkaban keeps within
the formula of the first two films, but also extends to new areas of wizardry, humor, danger and
discovery.
Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) and Hermione Granger (Emma Watson) dabble in time-travel to
battle the forces of darkness in the saga's third installment.
The third story in the series serves up a few laughs at the outset, as Harry's abusive step-
parents,
Petunia
and Vernon Dursley (Fiona Shaw and Richard Griffiths), continue to harass him. Vernon's sister
Marge insults Harry to the point where his wizardry instincts
take
over and he inflates his step-aunt with hot air. The effects, as she expands into a round ball,
floats out
the door and
into the sky, are quite remarkable (and the effects only get better throughout the film). Buttons
fly off the lady's dress as she expands and her reaction is played perfectly. The comic relief ends
as Harry is berated for this mishap. He insists it is the lady's own fault for insulting him, and as
maligned teenagers are wont to do, he packs up his belongings and runs away from the Dursley's
house. As Harry sets his chest down in front of a suburban park, a fearsome beast appears to be
watching him from the bushes--a figure that will figure prominently into the plot.
Harry must quickly figure out how to meet up with his friends and mentors.
Unlike in the other films, including Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Harry is
transported by the magical, triple-decker
Knight Bus. As the vehicle meanders at supersonic speeds through busy streets, we are treated
to more
humor and effects from Cuarón. As the bus averts non-magical vehicles, the sheer thrill of this
segue represents
the very peak of the Potter series. While en route, the young wizard learns that Sirius Black (Gary
Oldman), a
convicted murderer said to be in league with Lord Voldemort, has escaped from prison. The
Knight Bus
drops Harry off in a bed-and-breakfast called the Leaky Cauldron where he is reunited with his
friends.
The conflict soon materializes when Harry is told that Black played a role in the death of his
parents. The prisoner may have escaped to finish him off. Just as daunting are the Dementors--
supernatural, flying beings that are looking for Sirius but also attack Harry during a quidditch
match and menace him later. Much of the plot centers on Remus J. Lupin, Professor for Defence
Against the Dark Arts and Rubeus Hagrid, Professor for Care of Magical Creatures. The theme of
lycanthropy play a key role in the story. Harry learns that people are not who they seem to be,
and he must find Sirius before it is too late.
The video is of the quality seen in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix--that is to say,
nearly reference quality. Unfortunately, while the graphics are gorgeous, the CGI effectively flattens
the picture. While the depth of many scenes is admirable, several of the night scenes appear two
dimensional. Contrast, black level, resolution and color hue are excellent. The detail is pure eye-
candy--especially in daytime landscape shots, such as when Harry and his friends are hiding in the
pumpkin patch on the outskirts of Hogwarts. CGI effects, such as the Dementors and the breakneck
ride of the Knight Bus, are also very impressive. No motion artifacts or excessive noise was
observed.
The audio too is near reference quality, which only makes one wonder how impressive it could have
been with higher-bitrate PCM. Voices and musical arrangements are full and clear, the soundstage is
immersive and apt sonic cues are delegated to the appropriate speaker(s) for a powerful home
theater experience. The audio production values are admirable. Sound effects really hit their mark
with more impact than previous Potter films. The rumble and squeal of the bus ride is a good
example. So, too, is the quidditch match, in which a whole array of sonic cues barrage the ears,
from the flying balls that tweak the tweeters to Harry's Nimbus 2000 broomstick that rumbles the
subwoofer.
The Prisoner of Azkaban Blu-ray includes the featurettes (but not the games) from the standard
DVD releases. It's essentially the same type of fare as on the other BDs in the series, but with
insight into Cuarón's style, the proceedings become more interesting. For example, the Shrunken
Head Interviews, clocking in at 44 minutes, delivers behind-the-scenes interviews with the cast. I
wouldn't describe it as a good "making of" documentary, but it does speak to Cuarón's impact on
the film. The director himself appears only in the 12-minute "Creating the Vision" featurette,
which also includes Potter series author and creator J.K. Rowling and the film's producers. The
emphasis here is more on how Prisoner of Azkaban was produced to fit in with previous films
while adapting elements of the novel in a fresh way. No earth-shattering info here, though. More
rapid-fire interviews come with "Conjuring a Scene", clocking in at a quarter of an hour. Here we
learn how the characters interfaced with the design and set crew to give the movie its magic.
Rounding out the supplementary material are interviews with an animal trainer and his crew who
were instrumental in several scenes; a quick choir performance; standard definition trailers of the
first three films in the series; and five minutes of deleted scenes.
The Prisoner of Azkaban was, by far, the best-directed and -conceived film in the Harry Potter saga.
To see it on Blu-ray in 1080p is a real treat. The actors step up their game, with Radcliffe appearing
more natural. The set design and look of the scenes is enchanting. For fans of the Potter series, this
BD is of course a must-have, but for those who find the saga hard to get into, Prisoner of Azkaban
may be the entrance point into a rewarding series of films. The reason is undoubtedly due to
Cuarón's style. He gets the best performances from his actors and high-caliber effects and set
design from his crew. Enjoy, fellow muggles!
Warner Bros. has unveiled the first look at the U.S. version of the complete Harry Potter collection, which is due on November 11th. Harry Potter: The Complete 8-Film Collection will include Blu-rays of all eight Potter films with a limited selection of extras. ...
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