The Harry Potter movies did a brilliant job of bringing wizardry to the big screen, but did they do justice to these locations from the book?
The Harry Potter movies did a brilliant job of bringing the adventures of the Boy Who Lived to the big screen, with fans captivated by his story between 2001 and 2011. It wasn't just characters that everybody fell in love with, either.
The variety of different locations was fascinating to see and had many dreaming of getting their own invite to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. But what were the best — and which didn't meet the mark?
When fans think of Hogwarts, they can't help but think about the Great Hall as well. It was always going to be tricky for Warner Bros to make it feel as authentic and realistic as possible but, to their credit, they got it right.
It's literally something straight out of the source material. There's the transparent ceiling, which allows students to gaze up at the skies above. There are the five long tables, four for the students and one for the teachers. And there's also the hourglasses that show how many house points each house has collected as they work to win the House Cup.
Warner Bros still did a good job at bringing The Room Of Requirement to the big screen. But it's size and stature, and just what it's capable of, was still a trick missed.
For example, in the Order of the Phoenix, all the students are crammed inside a dull looking room, one that doesn't appear to be that big. That's in stark contrast to the source material, where there are books to read, things to practice on and all while under a huge ceiling. In the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 a handful of students are seen living within the room but this is different in the book, with the numbers considerably greater.
The Gryffindor Common Room is described as ‘cozy’ and ‘round’ by JK Rowling when introduced in the Sorcerer’s Stone book, containing squashy armchairs and tables. It’s a place draped in red, as fans would expect, and is guarded by the Fat Lady.
All of the above are in there and Harry, Ron and Hermione many hours there throughout their time at Hogwarts. It’s also where they freeze Neville Longbottom during their first year the castle after he attempts to stop them from sneaking out at night.
After navigating his way past a dragon and saving Ron Weasley and Gabrielle Delacour in the first two tasks of the Triwizard Tournament, Harry is then thrown into a maze among other contestants Fleur Delacour, Viktor Krum and Cedric Diggory. Things are rather plain-sailing in the book, with a wild hedge the only major obstacle.
However, it’s far different in the books. It’s full of obstacles for the quartet to overcome, including a sphinx, Blast-Ended Skrewts and a Boggart. Harry gets an easier ride due to the help of Barty Crouch Jr, who is disguised as Mad-Eye Moody.
The one place students are not permitted to go at Hogwarts is in the appropriately-named Forbidden Forest. Harry, however, has a fondness for entering its premises during his time at the school — going in there during his first, second, third, fourth, and fifth years there. Seventh if fans count the Battle of Hogwarts.
It’s a dangerous place to be and the movie does a brilliant job at showing this. What with it’s eerie mist and scary creatures, Warner Bros couldn’t have done it any better. Harry encounters Lord Voldemort, sees Dolores Umbridge carried off by Centaurs and sees Dragons while in it’s confinements.
Godric’s Hollow is where Harry Potter grew up before parents Lily and James were ruthlessly murdered by Lord Voldemort on Halloween Evening. The Deathly Hallows: Part 1 replicates it well enough — but fans of the book were left wanting more.
This is because it missed out on one of the best aspects: the mural. In JK Rowling’s novel it’s revealed that there’s a tribute to Lily, James and Harry. Even better it’s scrawled in messages of support from wizards and witches across the world — at a time where he and others are under siege.
Hagrid was kept on by Albus Dumbledore despite being expelled from Hogwarts in his third year after being wrongly accused of opening the Chamber of Secrets. He gets to stay on as Groundskeeper and lives in a small hut on the outskirts of the Forbidden Forest.
And this is shown perfectly on the big screen. It makes fans wonder how Hagrid can sleep in there given his size — and definitely makes his attempt to raise Norbert the Dragon within its walls all the more foolish. Lucius Malfoy mocks him for living there but Hagrid is happy enough — and that’s the main thing.
Like Godric’s Hollow, Grimmauld Place is done well enough in the Order of the Phoenix and Deathly Hallows: Part 1 movies. However, there was still so much more that could have been shown.
It’s actually extremely difficult to clean due to the fact it’s teetering with life. There’s a Boggart, which scares Molly Weasley and reduces her to tears. There’s doxies, which give out nice bites. And there’s a portrait of Sirius Black’s mother that spits out loathsome insults — and is loved by Kreacher.
The Ministry of Magic is marvelously done during it’s appearances in the Harry Potter films. It’s got a huge atrium, elevators that take people around the place and is accessible via toilets from above. Thankfully, all of this was accurate when taken to the big screen.
It’s also the setting of one of the biggest showdowns in the entire series. Lord Voldemort and Albus Dumbledore have an epic duel that results in the Dark Lord fleeing — but not before being seen by Cornelius Fudge. At that point, at long last, the Minister of Magic realizes the horrible truth.
Fans of solely the Potter movies could be forgiven for deeming The Hog’s Head as just a boring pub without any customers. Fans see an old barman (who’s meant to be Abertforth Dumbledore, but that was unknown at the time of release) and a goat.
But it’s different in the fifth book. It’s actually a place full of questionable people and is where Hagrid famously won the dragon from a disguised Quirinus Quirrell. Harry and his friends have to be careful not to be overheard but that’s not a big issue in the movie.
