Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (film)

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Theatrical poster
Directed by Mike Newell
Produced by David Heyman
Written by
Starring
Music by
Cinematography Roger Pratt
Editing by Mick Audsley
Studio Heyday Films
Distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures
Release date(s) 18 November 2005 (2005-11-18)
Running time 157 minutes
Country
  • United Kingdom
  • United States
Language English
Budget US$150 million
Gross revenue $895,921,036[1]
Preceded by Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Followed by Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is a 2005 fantasy-adventure film directed by Mike Newell and based on the novel of the same name by J. K. Rowling. The film is the fourth installment in the Harry Potter film series, although 1492 Pictures decided to leave the series. The film was produced by David Heyman and his company Heyday Films. The screenplay was penned by Steve Kloves. The film stars Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson as Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger respectively. The film is set during the trio's fourth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. A highly dangerous competition, the Triwizard Tournament, is being held at Hogwarts with only one student from each of the three competing schools selected to take part, but mystery occurs when the Goblet of Fire chooses Harry Potter as a fourth competitor.

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 $895 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. As of September 2009 it is the unadjusted 16th highest-grossing film of all time. As of September 2009 it is currently the fourth-highest grossing Harry Potter film, behind Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.

The film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Art Direction, but lost to Memoirs of a Geisha. However, the film won BAFTA Award for Best Production Design making it the only Potter film to win a BAFTA award. This was also the first Harry Potter film to receive a PG-13 rating by the MPAA and a 12A by the BBFC, for sequences of fantasy violence and frightening images. This was the second Harry Potter film to be released in IMAX theatres.

Contents

Plot

Further information: Plot of the novel

Harry Potter has a dream about an event while it takes place. He sees an elderly man investigate a light that is shining in the house he looks after and overhears Lord Voldemort making plans with Peter Pettigrew and another man that Harry does not recognise. The caretaker is caught and murdered by the Dark Lord. Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger express concern over Harry's dreams. The Quidditch World Cup allows Harry to take his mind off his nightmares. However, followers of Voldemort known as Death Eaters terrorise and destroy the spectators' campsites after the match.

At Hogwarts, headmaster Albus Dumbledore introduces Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody as the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, unaware that Barty Crouch Jr has previously subdued Moody and is now using Polyjuice Potion to impersonate him. Dumbledore also announces that the school will host the Triwizard Tournament, in which one wizard from each of the three magic schools competes in three difficult tasks. The champions are selected by the Goblet of Fire, a magical cup into which the names of candidates are placed. Cedric Diggory is chosen to represent Hogwarts, Quidditch champion Viktor Krum is chosen to represent Durmstrang Institute, and Fleur Delacour is selected to represent Beauxbatons Academy of Magic. The goblet unexpectedly chooses a fourth champion, Harry. As Harry is underage and therefore should have been ineligible to compete, Hogwarts teachers and fellow students alike are suspicious.

In their first Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson, the students learn of the three Unforgivable Curses. The Imperius Curse causes absence of free will, the Cruciatus Curse causes unbearable torture, and the final curse, Avada Kedavra, causes death.

In the first task, each of the four champions are instructed to retrieve a golden egg guarded by a dragon. Moody advises Harry about which talent he should use to overcome the dragon, and the two ultimately decide upon flying. Harry summons his broomstick and retrieves the egg, which contains information about the second challenge. In exchange for previous aid, Cedric Diggory provides him with a clue that prompts him to open the egg underwater. With help from Moaning Myrtle, he learns that the second task entails the retrieval of "something precious" to each of the competitors from mermaids in the nearby Black Lake. In last-minute preparation for the task, long-time friend Neville Longbottom provides Harry with Gillyweed, which allows him to breathe underwater. Harry is the first to arrive at the location, and finds Ron, Hermione, Cho Chang and Fleur's sister, Gabrielle Delacour, in suspended animation. Finishing last in an attempt to free all four at once, Harry is awarded second place for "outstanding moral fibre."

Following an exchange with Mad Eye Moody, Ministry official Barty Crouch, Sr. appears confused and troubled. Harry finds him dead shortly after the second task. While waiting in Dumbledore's office, Harry's curiosity leads him to look into Dumbledore's pensieve, causing him to revisit one of Dumbledore's memories. He witnesses a trial before the Wizengamot (Wizard Court) in which captured Death Eater Igor Karkaroff, the current headmaster of Durmstrang, denounces a number of Death Eaters, including both Severus Snape and Barty Crouch Jr. While Dumbledore vouches for Snape's integrity, Crouch Sr. is horrified at this revelation and disowns his son, sending him to Azkaban. Upon returning to reality, Dumbledore tells Harry that he is searching his memories for a clue as to why extraordinary events have taken place at Hogwarts since the start of the Triwizard Tournament. While walking the halls Harry is confronted by Snape, who believes Harry has stolen the ingredients for Polyjuice Potion, by which a person can change their appearance.

In the Triwizard Cup's third and final task, the four competitors are placed inside a large hedge maze, the challenge being to reach the cup first. Viktor Krum, acting under the Imperius curse, incapacitates Delacour and attempts to do the same to Cedric. Harry stops Cedric from attacking Krum, and the two run for the cup. When Cedric is trapped by vines, Harry frees him and the two claim a draw and touch the cup together.

The Triwizard Cup transports the two champions to a graveyard where Peter Pettigrew and Voldemort are waiting for Harry. Peter Pettigrew kills Cedric and traps Harry. Pettigrew performs a ritual that rejuvenates Voldemort, who then summons the Death Eaters and bids them to witness a duel between their lord and his nemesis. As Harry repels Voldemort's killing curse, a connection called Priori Incantatem occurs between their wands. Harry's wand forces Voldemort's to disgorge the spirits of the people Voldemort has most recently killed, including Harry's parents and Cedric. Harry is briefly protected by the spirits and escapes with Cedric's body using the cup.

Upon his return, Harry tells Dumbledore and Minister for Magic Cornelius Fudge that Voldemort has returned and is responsible for Cedric's death. Moody leads Harry back to the castle, where his questions make Harry suspicious. Upon the arrival of Dumbledore, Snape and McGonagall, the false Alastor Moody's Polyjuice Potion wears off and he is revealed as Barty Crouch Junior. The true Alastor Moody is found imprisoned in a trunk.

As the representatives from Durmstrang and Beauxbatons depart, Dumbledore exhorts them to stand together against Voldemort, telling them that "in light of the recent events, the bonds of friendship made this year will be more important than ever."

Cast

See also: List of Harry Potter films cast members

Jarvis Cocker, Phil Selway, Jonny Greenwood, Steve Mackey, Jason Buckle and Steven Claydon cameoed as the members of the Weird Sisters.

Soundtrack

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".[2] This was achieved by "putting aside" all the components of the novel which did not directly relate to Harry and his journey.[2] Even producer David Heyman admitted missing many of the scenes which were removed.[3]

Goblet of Fire is the first film adaptation to not begin at Privet Drive; after the opening sequence, Harry awakens at the Burrow on the morning of the Quidditch World Cup.[4] This makes Goblet of Fire the first film in the series in which the Dursleys do not appear. 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 the book, Harry and many of the Weasleys supported Ireland, who won despite Victor Krum catching the "snitch", while in the film Harry and Ron supported Bulgaria, who apparently won by a large margin in the film.[5] In the film, the caretaker that Voldemort murders 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, the groundskeeper witnesses a conversation between just Voldemort and Wormtail, not Voldemort, Wormtail and Barty Crouch, Jr. Heyman 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. No house elves have dialogue in the film, although a few appear very briefly during the Quidditch World Cup sequence.[3] Also, there is the fact that Ludo Bagman is the head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports in the Ministry of Magic. He helps run the Quidditch World Cup and he is a judge in the Triwizard's Tournament, but in the movie, he is not mentioned at all. Moreover, Barty Crouch gets supposedly get really "sick" in the book and does not come to the second task. In the end of the book, Barty Crouch Jr. reveals that he was under the Imperius Curse, but this is not mentioned in the movie, nor is his final fate at the hands of a Dementor accompanying Cornelius Fudge when he is summoned to Hogwarts by news of Crouch Jr.'s capture.

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 sequence, and all of Sirius Black's lines are condensed into a single fireside conversation.[4] Also, in the book, Dobby gives Harry the Gillyweed in the library; however, in the film, Dobby is replaced with Neville, and the setting is changed to the second task. Also ommitted is Karkaroff's fleeing Hogwarts after feeling the Mark on his arm burn.

Release

Box office

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire opened in the United Kingdom and United States on 18 November 2005, in Australia on 1 December, and a month later in 3,858 cinemas, including several IMAX.

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 20 week run in cinemas, closing on 6 April 2006. The film set numerous records including the highest non-May opening weekend in the US and earned £14.9m in its opening weekend in the UK, a record which has since been beaten by the 2008 James Bond film, Quantum of Solace, which took in £15.4. Goblet of Fire drew $102.7 million its opening weekend at the North American box office, setting a new opening high for the franchise and selling about as many tickets as Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone did in its opening weekend. The debut marked the fourth $100 million weekend in history and as of August 2010 stands as the 15th largest opening weekend ever, behind The Dark Knight's $158.4 million, Spider-Man 3's $151.1 million, New Moon's $142.8 million, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest's $135 million, Iron Man 2's $128.1 million, Shrek the Third's $121 million, Alice in Wonderland's $116.1 million, Spider-Man's $114.8 million, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End's $112 million, Toy Story 3's $110.3 million, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen's $108.9 million, Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith's $108.4 million, Shrek 2's $108 million, and X-Men: The Last Stand's $102.8 million. In Mainland China the film generated 93 million yuan.[6]

Goblet of Fire earned almost US$896 million worldwide, making it the highest grossing international and worldwide release of 2005.

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.[7]

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 at the time, and the second highest-grossing film in the Harry Potter series, behind Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. As of July 2009 it is the fourth highest-grossing Harry Potter film behind The Philosopher's Stone, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.

The film ranks third in the North American box office (domestic) behind Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith and The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe for 2005 though both films rank lower than Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire in worldwide terms.[1]

Critical reception

The film was released to universal acclaim from critics. As of July 2009, the film holds an 88% "Certified Fresh" approval rating overall and an 89% "Cream of the Crop" rating at Rotten Tomatoes.[8] Likewise at Metacritic, the film has the same score as The Prisoner of Azkaban, with both films receiving an 81 out of 100, which indicates "universal acclaim"; they are 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.[9] The young actors were praised for demonstrating a "greater range of subtle emotions",[10] particularly Daniel Radcliffe whom Variety described as delivering a "dimensional and nuanced performance".[11] New cast members were also praised: Brendan Gleeson's portrayal of Mad-Eye Moody was described as "colourful";[11] Miranda Richardson's scenes as Rita Skeeter were described as "wonderful";[9] and Ralph Fiennes's portrayal of Lord Voldemort was described as "sublime villainy".[12]

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",[13] while CNN.com described the film as "clunky and disjointed".[14] Another criticism was that the many supporting characters did not get enough screen time.[11][14] Some fans criticised the film for changing and leaving out too much of the source material, particularly those parts that developed character[15] and set-up events that occur later in the series.[16]

Home media

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.[17] 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.

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.[18]

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.[19][20]

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.[21]

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.[22] 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.[23] The Chinese DVD edition was released 2 weeks before the North American release as an effort to combat DVD piracy in China.

The Indian Version of the DVD was a two-disc special edition, which was released by Saregama home video on 7 April 2006.

Awards

The film was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Art Direction, but lost to Memoirs of a Geisha. At the 2006 Teen Choice Awards, the film won the award for Choice Movie Drama. The film won the BAFTA Award for Best Production Design, the only Potter film to win a BAFTA award as of July 2009.

At the 2006 Kids' Choice Awards, the film won the Blimp Award for Favorite Movie, becoming the first Harry Potter film to do so.

Wyrd Sisters lawsuit

In the run up to the film, 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 Bros., the North American distributor of the film, as well as the members of the in-movie band (members of the bands Radiohead and Pulp, among others)[24] for the misuse of their group's name. The Canadian band also brought an injunction to stop the release of the film in its country as it contained a performance by the identically named fictional rock band. An Ontario judge dismissed this motion, and to avoid further controversy Warner Bros. rendered the band unnamed in the film and many derived products. However, the Winnipeg-based group continued to pursue the lawsuit; lead singer Kim Baryluk stated in her claim that “consumers will assume that the smaller and less famous Canadian band is trying to take advantage of the Harry Potter fame by copying the Harry Potter band’s name when in fact the reverse is true.”[25] The injunction was dismissed, and the band was ordered to pay costs.[26][27] As of March 2010, the lawsuit has been settled, the details sealed.[28]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005)". Box Office Mojo. http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=harrypotter4.htm. Retrieved 5 February 2009. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Harry Potter: Behind the Magic. Grenada Television. 19 November 2005. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 (QuickTime) Goblet of Fire Red Carpet Interviews, Part 2: Interviews filmed with Tolga Safer, David Heyman, Miranda Richardson, and Dan Radcliffe on the red carpet of the US premiere. The Leaky Cauldron, MuggleNet. 14 November 2005. http://www.mugglenet.com/movieViewer.php?u=http://media.mugglenet.com/20051127-gofredcarpetinterviews/20051127-gofredcarpetinterviews.mov&w=320&h=240&l=Goblet+of+Fire+Red+Carpet+Interviews%2C+Part+2&c=Interviews+filmed+with+Tolga+Safer%2C+David+Heyman%2C+Miranda+Richardson%2C+and+Dan+Radcliffe+on+the+red+carpet+of+the+US+premiere.. Retrieved 15 September 2007. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Dadds, Kimberly; Miriam Zendle (9 July 2007). "Harry Potter: books vs. films". Digital Spy. http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/movies/a64205/harry-potter-books-vs-films.html?page=2. Retrieved 14 September 2007. 
  5. ↑ Burr, Ty (17 November 2007). "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire movie review". The Boston Globe. http://www.boston.com/movies/display?display=movie&id=7080. Retrieved 15 September 2007. 
  6. ↑ http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2006-03/07/content_4269696.htm Xinhuanet.com Retrieved on 29 May 2007
  7. ↑ YahooFinance http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/060418/to193.html?.v=22 YahooFinance Biz.yahoo.com Retrieved on 29 May 2007
  8. ↑ "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire". Rotten Tomatoes. http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/harry_potter_and_the_goblet_of_fire/. Retrieved 10 June 2007. 
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 "A blistering Goblet of Fire". New York Daily News. http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/movies/moviereviews/story/366595p-311840c.html. Retrieved 10 June 2007. 
  10. ↑ Zacharek, Stephanie (17 November 2005). ""Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire"". Salon.com. http://dir.salon.com/story/ent/movies/review/2005/11/17/potter/index.html?pn=2. Retrieved 10 June 2007. 
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 McCarthy, Todd (9 November 2005). "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire". Variety. http://www.variety.com/ac2006_review/VE1117928818?nav=reviews&categoryid=1986&cs=1. Retrieved 10 June 2007. 
  12. ↑ Dargis, Manohla. "The Young Wizard Puts Away Childish Things". The New York Times. http://movies2.nytimes.com/2005/11/17/movies/17pott.html?ei=5070&en=480281ca8b81316b&ex=1156651200&adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1156485942-Jmioa5Gb9JG62Z4/tviEug. Retrieved 10 June 2007.  (Requires membership)
  13. ↑ Muller, Bill (18 November 2005). "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire". The Arizona Republic. http://www.azcentral.com/ent/movies/articles/1118harrypotter1118.html. Retrieved 10 June 2007. 
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Clinton, Paul (21 November 2005). "Review: New Potter tries to do too much". CNN.com. http://www.cnn.com/2005/SHOWBIZ/Movies/11/18/review.potter/index.html. Retrieved 10 June 2007. 
  15. ↑ "PotterCast #14". PotterCast. http://www.the-leaky-cauldron.org/pottercast/?mode=transcript&eid=20&on=1. Retrieved 10 June 2007. 
  16. ↑ "Who's seen GoF and what did everybody think?". Fiction Alley. http://forums.fictionalley.org/park/showthread.php?s=&threadid=100226. Retrieved 10 June 2007. 
  17. ↑ http://www.mugglenet.com Mugglenet.com Retrieved on 29 May 2007
  18. ↑ http://www.panandscan.com/news/show/Harry_Potter/433 Panandscan.com Retrieved on 29 May 2007
  19. ↑ http://www.dvdactive.com DVDactive.com Retrieved on 29 May 2007
  20. ↑ News.bbc.co.uk Retrieved on 29 May 2007
  21. ↑ http://www.hpana.com/news.19410.html Hpana.com Retrieved on 29 May 2007
  22. ↑ http://itvibe.com/news/3993/ Itvibe.com Retrieved on 29 May 2007
  23. ↑ EyeCraveDVD.com – Harry Potter: Years 1–5' Blu-ray, HD DVD Suitcase Exterior
  24. ↑ "Winnipeg band's Harry Potter case dismissed". CTV. 5 November 2005. http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20051104/wyrd_sisters_051104/20051104?hub=Canada. Retrieved 21 July 2009. 
  25. ↑ Lambert, Steve (3 March 2008). "Wyrd Sisters still battling Potter". Toronto Star. http://www.thestar.com/entertainment/article/308750. Retrieved 21 July 2009. 
  26. ↑ "'Wyrd Sisters' cannot stop Harry Potter". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. http://www.cbc.ca/arts/story/2005/11/04/wyrdlawsuit_051104.html. 
  27. ↑ "'Winnipeg folk band that took on Harry Potter ordered to pay $140,000 court costs". Canada.com National Post. http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news/story.html?id=bc5b3049-56dc-493b-9ccc-5d4bd0389392. 
  28. ↑ Lambert, Steve (2010). "Wyrd five-year court battle over Harry Potter movie ends with secret settlement". Winnipeg: Canadian Press. http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/100328/national/harry_potter_lawsuit. Retrieved 2010-03-28. 

External links

Films directed by Mike Newell
1980s
The Awakening (1980) · Bad Blood (1982) · Dance with a Stranger (1985) · The Good Father (1985) · Amazing Grace and Chuck (1987)
1990s
Enchanted April (1992) · Into the West (1992) · Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994) · An Awfully Big Adventure (1995) · Donnie Brasco (1997) · Pushing Tin (1999)
2000s
Mona Lisa Smile (2003) · Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005) · Love in the Time of Cholera (2007)
2010s
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2010)