HBO Max releases teaser for Harry Potter reunion 0:50
(CNN) -
HBO Max has developed a fondness for reunions after that awkward "Friends" reunion and the "The West Wing" voting special.
Yet "Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts" strikes the right balance, recalling the saga with warmth and humor, while delicately capturing the impact on children who grew up on a movie set during a formative decade.
Perhaps most importantly, this 100+ minute documentary, cleverly divided into four chapters, each spanning two films, makes excellent use of deleted clips and scenes to illustrate its anecdotes and memories.
When Emma Watson and Rupert Grint discuss Hermione and Ron's awkward preparation for first kiss, not only the actual scene is presented, but footage of them moving and laughing as they try to shoot it, as well as director David Yates talking about his efforts to guide them.
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Tears run before it's over, but the inevitable sentimentality of it all feels largely deserved, especially when you acknowledge those actors who appear in movies who have died, including Richard Harris, Alan Rickman, and more recently Helen McCrory. .
As for another big name, JK Rowling, the producers managed to incorporate the author, who has sparked controversy with her comments on gender identity and transgender rights, with material taken from a 2019 interview. It's a bit of your own magic, really, to acknowledge Rowling's contribution without fully inviting her to the party.
(Daniel Radcliffe was one of those who responded publicly to Rowling's remarks.)
Not surprisingly, the special begins by recalling the enormous popularity of books and the pursuit of children, with Radcliffe describing himself as a happy child "with a really heartbroken quality," precisely what director Chris Columbus was looking for for the role. principal.
In hindsight, the most remarkable aspect of the "Harry Potter" franchise emanated from the audacity of casting the young actors who would provide their foundation throughout eight films, and then surrounding them with what is accurately described as "royalty. British Acting World "such as Helena Bonham Carter, Robbie Coltrane, Ralph Fiennes, Jason Isaacs and Gary Oldman.
(Seeing Fiennes perform before his nose is digitally removed is one of the most fascinating pleasures of behind-the-scenes scenes.)
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Emma Watson, Daniel Radcliffe and Rupert Grint (center, foreground) in the HBO Max special "Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts."
Tom Felton, who played Draco Malfoy, confesses in amusement to having first seen all these acclaimed actors and "having no idea who they were." In other cases, the boys admit to being impressed by the stars, while the elders and directors discuss the strategies they employed to deal with a set full of minors, including the emergence of "teenage hormones" and crushes in the middle of the film. saga.
Although not entirely intended, executive producer Casey Patterson and company have simultaneously created a record not only of the making of the films, but of the broader problems faced by children who work as actors.
Watson, for example, admits to having thought of leaving it more or less halfway, saying: "The fame thing, in the end it touched me deeply."
Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint together in a photo from the "Harry Potter" anniversary special
In other words, even with all the precautions taken to foster a nurturing environment for minors, something that the central trio, their peers and the filmmakers discuss at some length, they could not be fully protected from the effects of such overwhelming attention to a film. young age, trapped as they were at the center of a multi-million dollar company.
In their most emotional moments, the younger actors express the nature of the bond forged between them in this artificial world.
While one suspects there is a bit of acting in staging the reunions for the cameras, those moments feel genuine enough in terms of how they supported each other in this extraordinary time.
(As a footnote, the special also provides a reminder of the brilliance of John Williams' musical score.)
In general, "Return to Hogwarts" is more full of magic rather than constantly being magical.
But when the special gets it right, the latest Trunk of Memories streaming trip not only serves as an inspiration to rewatch these movies, it casts a certain kind of spell, unlike most meetings orchestrated by. Hollywood, by evoking a poignant sense of the shared experience these boys and girls lived through.
"Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts" premieres January 1 on HBO Max.
Like CNN, Warner Bros. and HBO Max are units of WarnerMedia.
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