Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (film)
historyHarry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is a 2005 fantasy adventure film, based on J. K. Rowling's novel of the same name, and is the fourth film in the popular Harry Potter series.
Directed by Mike Newell, the film concerns Harry Potter's fourth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Hogwarts has been selected to hold the recently returning wizard competition known as the Triwizard Tournament. Though Harry does not apply, the Goblet of Fire mysteriously selects him as a second representative of Hogwarts in the tournament. Filming began in early 2004 and the scenes of Hogwarts took place at the Leavesden Film Studios.
Five days after its release, the film had grossed over US$102 million at the North American box office, the highest first-weekend tally for a Harry Potter film, and enjoyed an immensely successful run at the box office, earning over $896 million worldwide, making it the highest grossing film of 2005 and the 8th-highest grossing film of all time. It was the third highest grossing film in the U.S. for 2005 making $290 million. It is currently the unadjusted 12th highest-grossing film of all time. The DVD went on to become the fastest selling DVD of all time. It is currently the third-highest grossing Harry Potter film, behind Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone and Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.
The film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Art Direction, but lost to Memoirs of a Geisha.
This was also the first Harry Potter film to receive a "PG-13" rating in the US and a "12a" in the UK or its international equivalents (for sequences of fantasy violence and frightening images), the preceding films having been rated PG or its international equivalents. This was the second Potter film to be released in IMAX theaters.
Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley enter their fourth year at Hogwarts school. First, in a graveyard attached to an old country house; the gardener Frank Bryce awakes in his cottage to see a light on in the house. He investigates the light, and finds Lord Voldemort and Peter Pettigrew discussing plans with an unidentified man; Voldemort kills Frank. Harry awakes at The Burrow before departing with the Weasley family and Hermione for the Quidditch World Cup. After the introduction to the game, there is a temporal jump to that evening, when the camp is attacked by Death Eaters. Harry and the others run away from the scene wherein Harry witnesses the Dark Mark being cast into the sky by an unknown man (David Tennant); the Death Eaters disperse when the Dark Mark appears in the sky. Harry is accosted by a Ministry of Magic official who accuses the trio of having conjured up the Dark Mark. After the misunderstanding is cleared up Mr. Weasley tells Harry about the Death Eaters.
Harry, Ron and Hermione arrive at Hogwarts, where they find that the school will be hosting the Triwizard Tournament, a legendary event in which one wizard each from two rival schools and Hogwarts compete in three dangerous tasks. Dumbledore reveals the Goblet of Fire, a magical cup which acts as an impartial judge to select candidates. The candidates are revealed to be Cedric Diggory from Hogwarts, Viktor Krum from Durmstrang and Fleur Delacour from Beauxbatons. The goblet then unexpectedly announces a fourth champion, Harry, although he did not enter his name and is under the age limit set by the Ministry of Magic. Harry's entry into the Tournament incites jealousy and suspicion from his fellow students, including a breakdown of his friendship with Ron. Dumbledore asks the new Defence against the Dark Arts professor, Alastor Moody, to keep an eye on Harry.
In the first Triwizard task, the four champions each battle a dragon to retrieve a golden egg. Harry casts a summoning charm to bring his broom into the arena, but the dragon breaks free of its chains and chases Harry through the Hogwarts grounds. Harry retrieves the egg, which is said to contain a clue about the second task, though only a horrible screeching emerges when he opens his egg. With help from Cedric Diggory, and Moaning Myrtle, Harry discovers he must open the egg underwater. Harry does so in the prefects' bathroom and hears the clue clearly; it informs him that the merpeople will take something of Harry's and that he must retrieve it from the lake in the Hogwarts grounds.
In the second Triwizard task, each champion must find and save someone close to them who is now chained underwater. Harry swallows Gillyweed which allows him to breath underwater, then begins searching for what has been taken from him. Harry finds Ron, Hermione, Cho Chang, and Gabrielle Delacour catatonic and chained to a rock with thousands of merpeople guarding them. Harry cuts Ron free, hesitates, and then moves to cut free Gabrielle realizing that Fleur, who had been attacked by Grindylows will not be able to save her sister. Though the merpeople protest, Harry frees Gabrielle and begins swimming to the surface, pulling Ron and Gabrielle with him. On the way, Harry is viciously attacked by a herd of Grindylows. He pushes Ron and Gabrielle upwards, draws his wand and scatters the Grindylows. He then propels himself to the surface using a spell, but still finishes outside the task's one hour time limit. Despite this, he is awarded second place in the trial because he was delayed by his decision to risk himself to free Gabrielle.
A traditional part of the Triwizard tournament is the Yule Ball; Harry asks Cho to go with him but discovers that Cedric Diggory has already asked her. Hermione declines Ron's insensitive invitation, but does not reveal who her date is. Harry and Ron do not find out until the Yule ball that it is Krum himself who has invited her. Eventually, Harry asks Parvati Patil, who accepts; her sister Padma partners Ron. Although Hermione greatly enjoys the ball, Harry and Ron do not; Ron, who is particularly jealous of Krum, accuses Hermione of "fraternising with the enemy," leading to a serious row between the two characters.
For the third task, the Triwizard cup is placed inside a large maze whose magical hedges are capable of attacking the champions as they attempt to reach it: the first champion to touch the cup will be declared the winner. Harry and Cedric reach the cup together and decide to claim a draw, both touching the cup at the same time. The cup turns out to be a portkey which transports the two to a graveyard, where Pettigrew appears carrying Voldemort. Upon Voldemort's command, Pettigrew kills Cedric and traps Harry against an enchanted tombstone. Pettigrew takes blood from Harry's arm and mixes it with other ingredients to restore Voldemort. Voldemort tortures Harry as he explains the story of "The Boy Who Lived" to his assembled Death Eaters. The two duel, but Harry escapes when his wand unexpectedly caused Voldemort's to disgorge the spirits of the people Voldemort has killed, who protect Harry as he escapes and takes Cedric's dead body back to Hogwarts. Moody takes Harry to his office and starts interrogating Harry about what took place in the graveyard, Harry realizes something is wrong when Moody asks about the graveyard, though Harry had not yet mentioned it. Dumbledore, Snape, and McGonagall burst in the room and stun Moody; he begins to change shape as they watch and quickly transforms into Barty Crouch Junior, who has been impersonating Moody all year in order to ensure that Harry was entered into the Triwizard Tournament as part of Voldemort's plan to regenerate himself using Harry. The school year ends as the foreign schools depart after Dumbledore exhorts them to stand together against Voldemort.
- Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter: the main protagonist. Now entering his fourth year as Hogwarts, Harry is unknowingly entered into the Triwizard tournament.
- Rupert Grint as Ron Weasley: one of Harry's best friends. Although he falls out with Harry at the beginning of the Triwizard tournament, the pair reconcile and remain good friends.
- Emma Watson as Hermione Granger: one of Harry's best friends. Although she loathes her position as an intermediary between Harry and Ron during their period of hostility, she remains supportive of Harry throughout.
- Ralph Fiennes as Lord Voldemort: the primary villain. The darkest wizard of age, who returns to a human body at the climax of the film.
- Michael Gambon as Albus Dumbledore: the Hogwarts headmaster. He is supportive of Harry throughout the year, although he does not suspect Moody until it is almost too late.
- Brendan Gleeson as Alastor Moody: the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher. He is revealed as an impostor at the end of the film.
- Robert Pattinson as Cedric Diggory: a rather dishy Hogwarts student who is chosen as a Triwizard champion. He is murdered in the graveyard at the climax of the film.
- Gary Oldman as Sirius Black: who appears for a brief expository scene in a fireplace in the Gryffindor common room. His role is much larger in the book.
- Miranda Richardson as Rita Skeeter: an over-inquisitive journalist.
- Alan Rickman as Severus Snape: the Potions teacher.
- Robbie Coltrane as Rubeus Hagrid: the Hogwarts gamekeeper. He is responsible for showing Harry the dragons before the first task.
- Maggie Smith as Minerva McGonagall: the Transfiguration teacher, and Harry's Head of house.
- Timothy Spall as Peter Pettigrew: Voldemort's main servant, who helps in his rebirth.
- Jason Isaacs as Lucius Malfoy: Draco Malfoy's father and one of Voldemort's henchmen, who is seen in the graveyard at the film's climax in Death Eater robes for the first time and at the Quidditch World Cup.
- David Tennant as Barty Crouch Jr: the impostor who impersonates Alastor Moody, to assist in the return of Voldemort.
- Frances de la Tour as Olympe Maxime: a half-giant who is headmistress of Beauxbatons Academy of Magic.
- Predrag Bjelac as Igor Karkaroff: the headmaster of Durmstrang.
- Tom Felton as Draco Malfoy: Harry's school nemesis. Moody's imposter briefly turns him into a ferret.
- Robert Hardy as Cornelius Fudge: the Minister for Magic.
- Roger Lloyd-Pack as Barty Crouch: head of the Department of Magical Co-operation, who is murdered by his son.
- Clémence Poésy as Fleur Delacour: the Triwizard champion from Beauxbatons.
- Stanislav Ianevski as Viktor Krum: the Durmstrang Triwizard champion. He invites Hermione Granger to the Yule Ball, much to the displeasure of Ron.
- Katie Leung as Cho Chang: a girl on whom Harry has a crush, and who he unsuccessfully tries to invite to the Yule Ball.
- Matthew Lewis as Neville Longbottom: a Gryffindor student
- Mark Williams as Arthur Weasley: Ron's father. He takes the children to the Quidditch World Cup.
- James and Oliver Phelps as Fred and George Weasley: Ron's rebellious older brothers.
- Bonnie Wright as Ginny Weasley: Ron's younger sister.
- Shirley Henderson as Moaning Myrtle: a Hogwarts ghost who haunts the school plumbing network.
- Jeff Rawle as Amos Diggory: Cedric's father.
- Adrian Rawlins and Geraldine Somerville as James and Lily Potter: Harry's parents, who appear as ghosts at the climax of the film.
- Shefali Chowdhury and Afshan Azad as Parvati Patil and Padma Patil, Harry and Ron's partners to the Yule Ball.
As in Prisoner of Azkaban, most of the classes shown in the book were removed, with only the single lesson where Alastor Moody demonstrates the Unforgivable Curses making the final cut. However, in the lesson, he states that only Harry has survived the killing curse, but he does not state that this is because the curse is unblockable (It is unclear whether it is still intended to be). After Harry's duel with Voldemort in the novel, in which Voldemort shot the killing curse at Harry at the same time Harry shot the disarming spell at Voldemort, it is stated that their wands connected because a feather from Dumbledore's phoenix powers them both. This is never stated in the film, and it appears that they connected merely because Harry and Voldemort shot a spell at each other at the same time. The same happened in Order of the Phoenix; in the novel, it isn't mentioned, but the moviemakers decided to do 'priori incantatem' between Dumbledore and Voldemort's wands in the duel at the Ministry. Goblet of Fire is also the only film adaptation not to begin in Privet Drive; after the opening sequence, Harry awakens at the Burrow on the morning of the Quidditch World Cup. The arrival of Mr. Weasley in Privet Drive was also cut. This makes Goblet of Fire the first and, to date, only film in the series in which the Dursleys do not appear. Other scenes are shortened and amalgamated to include only the most essential plot details; the three Death Eater trials Harry witnesses in the Pensieve are merged into one short sequence, and all of Sirius Black's lines are condensed into a single fireside conversation.
The maturity of Harry, Ron, and Hermione, among others, impressed most critics. While the major characters were portrayed as children in the previous films, "they have subtly transitioned into teenagers (in Goblet of Fire)" according to one USA Today reviewer. Harry has also physically matured since Prisoner of Azkaban. In the scene in the prefects' bathroom, Daniel Radcliffe's character is shown with significant axillary hair and muscle growth.
Negative criticism included the film's pace which The Arizona Republic described as being "far too episodic", while CNN.com described the film as "clunky and disjointed". Another criticism was that the many supporting characters did not get enough screen time. Some fans criticised the film for changing and leaving out too much of the source material, particularly those parts that developed character, and those parts of the story that set-up events that occur later in the series.
After an opening day of $40m at the North American box office and staying at #1 for three weeks, Goblet of Fire enjoyed a successful run at the box office, running for 20 weeks in theatres and closing on 6 April 2006. The film set numerous records including the highest non-May opening weekend in the US and earnt £14.9m in its opening weekend in the UK, a then record which has since been beaten by the 2008 Bond film, Quantum Of Solace, which took £15.4. Goblet of Fire then drew $102.7 million from 3,858 locations its opening weekend at the North American box office, setting a new opening high for the franchise and selling about as many tickets as the first movie, '' Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'', did in its opening weekend. The debut marked the fourth $100 million weekend in history and to this day stands as the ninth largest opening weekend ever, behind The Dark Knight's $158.4 million, Spider-Man 3's $151 million, 's $135 million, Shrek the Third's $121 million, Spider-Man's $114.8 million, 's $112 million 's $108.4 million, Shrek 2's $108 million, and 's $102.8 million. In Mainland China the film generated 93 million yuan.»»http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2006-03/07/content_4269696.htm Xinhuanet.com Retrieved on 05-29-07
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Goblet of Fire has earned US $896 million worldwide, making it not only the highest grossing international and worldwide release of 2005, but also one of the few films to have ever passed $600 million in international box office receipts. It has joined seven other titles that have passed the $600 million mark, including Titanic, , Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, , and the first, second and fifth Harry Potter films. Its worldwide total includes $290 million from the U.S. and Canada, making it the third-highest grossing film of U.S., includes U.K.'s $48 million, making it the highest-grossing film of U.K. and AUS's $35 million, closley making the second-highest grossing film for AUS.
The film was also released in IMAX theatres and grossed a total of US $20,033,758 worldwide for a cumulative per screen average of $188,998 thus setting a new record and a new milestone for a digitally remastered 2-D IMAX release.»YahooFinance »http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/060418/to193.html?.v=22 YahooFinance Biz.yahoo.com Retrieved on 05-29-07
In January 2006, '' Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire'' surpassed the box office takings of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, to become the eighth highest-grossing film worldwide, during that time, and the second highest-grossing film in the '' Harry Potter'' series, behind Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. Today, it is the third highest-grossing Harry Potter film behind The Philosopher's Stone and Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.
The film ranks third in the North American box office (domestic) behind and for 2005 though both films rank lower than '' Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire'' in worldwide terms.»»http://www.boxofficemojo.com/yearly/chart/?yr=2005&p=.htm Boxofficemojo.com Retrieved on 05-29-07
Before the film was released, Warner Brothers claimed that it had never used the name THE WEIRD SISTERS in any way in the film or otherwise and that it would not do so in the future. However, since this turned out not to be true, the Canadian band is continuing its action in the Federal Court of Canada where Warner Bros. and some of its major licensees are being sued for misuse of the Canadian band's name in Harry Potter merchandise along with misuse in the film and soundtrack. In the Ontario Court, Warner Bros. and its counsel on the injunction are the subject of contempt proceedings relating to alleged violations in Warner Bros.' testimony on the interlocutory injunction. The judge that heard the matter, Mr Justice Colin Campbell of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, is the subject of a complaint to the Canadian Judicial Council arising from allegations of judicial misconduct relating to the injunction hearing itself and interference with the action in the Ontario Court in the months following the injunction hearing.
Wal-Mart had a special bonus disc available for purchase alongside the single-disc editions that features extra features and a sample of the Harry Potter edition of the Scene It? DVD game.
On its first day of release in North America, over 5 million copies were sold, recording a franchise high for first-day sales. Within its first week it sold over a total of 9 million units of combined sales of both the widescreen and full-screen versions of the DVD.»»http://www.panandscan.com/news/show/Harry_Potter/433 Panandscan.com Retrieved on 05-29-07
The UK edition was released on DVD on 20 March 2006 and became the fastest selling UK DVD ever, selling six copies per second on its first day of release. According to the Official Charts Company, the DVD sold 1.4 million copies in its first week alone. It is also available in a two-disc edition with special features similar to the North American two-disc edition.»»http://www.dvdactive.com DVDactive.com Retrieved on 05-29-07»News.bbc.co.uk Retrieved on 05-29-07
The DVD currently holds the Guinness World Record for being the fastest selling DVD of all time. The achievement is added to the 2007 edition of The Guinness World Records book which includes a picture of the award being presented at Leavesden Film Studios in April.»»http://www.hpana.com/news.19410.html Hpana.com Retrieved on 05-29-07
»Future Shop has an exclusive promotion including a holographic cover for the two-disc edition.
»Warner Home Video announced the HD DVD edition of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire was to be released on 11 April 2006; however, due to the delayed release of Toshiba's HD DVD player, the HD DVD edition of Goblet of Fire was pushed back to 18 April 2006.»»http://itvibe.com/news/3993/ Itvibe.com Retrieved on 05-29-07 This deadline was also missed.
In the United States, the first five Harry Potter films were released on HD DVD and Blu-ray disc on 11 December 2007. They are available individually or in a gift set containing all five films and a set of collectible cards and bookmarks.»EyeCraveDVD.com - Harry Potter: Years 1-5' Blu-ray, HD DVD Suitcase Exterior
The Chinese DVD edition was released 2 weeks before the North American release as an effort to combat DVD piracy in the country of China. The DVD was sold at a low price of $2.73 USD.
The Indian Version of the DVD was a two-disc special edition, which was released by Saregama home video on 7 April 2006. Instead of VHS, a VCD was released. The DVD priced Rs.699 INR($14.86 USD) and VCD priced Rs. 299 INR($6.37 USD)
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Differences from the book
With the Goblet of Fire novel almost twice the length of Prisoner of Azkaban, the writers and producers reduced certain scenes and concepts to make the transition from page to screen. Director Mike Newell described the problem as one of "compressing »a huge book into the compass of a movie." This was achieved by "putting aside" all the components of the novel which did not directly relate to Harry and his journey. Even producer David Heyman admitted missing many of the scenes which were removed. In particular, the game play at the Quidditch World Cup was removed for timing reasons, leaving an abrupt temporal jump which some reviewers considered awkward or "rushed". In addition, in the novel, Viktor Krum catches the snitch, but his team loses to Ireland by ten points. In the film, it is implied that Ireland was defeated soundly in the match. In the book, Harry and many of the Weasleys supported Ireland, while in the movie Harry and Ron supported Bulgaria. In the film, the caretaker that Voldemort murders in the beginning is not identified. In the novel, he is Frank Bryce, and his past is connected to Voldemort's – he almost got the blame, in the Muggle world, for Voldemort's murder of his father and grandparents, as they lived in the house of which he was caretaker. In the book version, the groundskeeper witnesses a conversation between just Voldemort and Wormtail, not Voldemort, Wormtail, and Barty Crouch, Jr. as depicted in the movie. Heyman also regretted the removal of S.P.E.W., Hermione's Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare; this omission was continued in the following film, as for the absence of Dobby and Winky in the Hogwarts kitchen.
As in Prisoner of Azkaban Hogwarts made another scenery change. In Goblet of Fire the Quidditch Arena was moved, as was the Owltower. The first task in the book, where Harry has to snatch a golden egg from a Hungarian Horntail, is different from the book. The first task was expanded to get a more cinematic action sequence. In the book Harry never leaves the tent, while in the movie the Horntail follows Harry over the Hogwarts grounds. What happened to the other contestants was also left out.
Reaction
Critical reception
The film had generally positive reviews by critics and currently garners an 89% "Certified Fresh" approval rating overall and another 89% "Cream of the Crop" rating at Rotten Tomatoes. This was the same rating that Prisoner of Azkaban received, they both are currently the most favourably reviewed Harry Potter films on the site. Likewise on Metacritic.com, the film has again the same as the Prisoner of Azkaban, with both films receiving an 81 out of 100, which indicates "universal acclaim", and they are again both the most favourably reviewed Harry Potter films on the site. The New York Daily News praised the film for both its humour and its dark tone. The young actors were praised for demonstrating a "greater range of subtle emotions", particularly Daniel Radcliffe whom Variety described as delivering a "dimensional and nuanced performance". New cast members were also praised: Brendan Gleeson's portrayal of Mad-Eye Moody was described as "colourful"; Miranda Richardson's scenes as Rita Skeeter were described as "wonderful"; and Ralph Fiennes's portrayal of Lord Voldemort was described as "sublime villainy". (Requires membership)
Box office performance
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire opened both into United States and United Kingdom together on 18 November 2005 including a other opening release in Australia on 1 December, a month later into 3,858 theatres including of the several of IMAX theatres after another WB films Batman Begins and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, making it the third-film release on autumn after first and second Potter film, and the first Potter film with a "PG-13" rating in US and "12a" in UK.
Awards
The film was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Art Direction, but lost to Memoirs of a Geisha. At the 2006 Kids' Choice Awards, the film won the Blimp Award for Favorite Movie, becoming the first and so far the only Harry Potter film to do so.
Wyrd Sisters lawsuit
In the run up to the movie, Warner Bros. approached a Canadian folk group called the Wyrd Sisters to obtain permission to use the name THE WEIRD SISTERS for its Harry Potter Band. When a deal could not be made, the Canadian band filed a US$40-million lawsuit against Warner Brothers, the North American distributor of the film, for the misuse of their group's name. The Canadian band also brought an injunction to stop the release of the movie as it contained a performance by the improperly named Harry Potter band. An Ontario judge dismissed this motion.
DVD
The film was released on DVD in North America on 7 March 2006. It was available in one- and two-disc editions, as well as part of an 8-disc box set that includes all four films to date.»»http://www.mugglenet.com Mugglenet.com Retrieved on 05-29-07 The bonus disc features three interactive games, as well as seven behind the scenes featurettes. The film was also released in UMD format for PSP.