Harry Potter Ultimate Editions - Year 1 and Year 2

As a self-professed Harry Potter fan, I had mixed feelings about revisiting the first two films from the series - even in an "Ultimate Edition." Studios are, after all, notorious for repackaging films (and even special features) into new editions in an attempt to part dedicated fans from yet another $20. Moreover, in my opinion as a film critic, the Harry Potter franchise did not hit its creative stride until the third film. I wasn't sure what these "Ultimate Editions" could offer even the most ardent aficionado of the non-Muggle universe.

The answer lies not in the films, as it turns out. Even the "extended versions" of the movies lack anything of significant interest. There are films (think "Lord of the Rings") whose cutting-floor droppings, when restored, add to plot, characterization, emotional impact, and/or ambience. Not so these feckless little tidbits; they rightfully were cut from the film and, when added back in, merely hold back the pace (which, under Christopher Columbus' pedestrian direction, certainly didn't beg for additional sagging).

The third disc in each set, unfortunately, doesn't contribute in any way to the value of the set. They are the worst sort of pathetic attempts to make of DVDs a gaming system for kids: a group of nested menus into which video clips, artwork and simple games are peppered. It wasn't a diversion to glance through them in order to write this review; it was a chore.

Fortunately, Warner Home Video has included what presumably will be an eight-part (remember, book #7 is being made into two films) documentary exploring the translation and filming of the Harry Potter. Episodes #1 "The Magic Begins" and #2 "Characters" are included on disc four of each of the first two films (a practice that no doubt will continue in subsequent "Ultimate Editions." I wasn't all that thrilled with the first documentary; it was mildly interesting hearing about the casting of the major characters (if you weren't following the press at the time) along with the other initial choices made by the production team during the inception of the series. It does include interviews from individuals across the entire span of the last nine years, which results in the occasional interesting juxtaposition (my favorite occurs in Episode #2 when Emma Watson cops to the fact that in her press interviews during "Sorceror's Stone" she completely and knowingly lied when she attempted to convince the world that she wasn't similar her to bookworm on-screen character.

The second installment of the documentary, however, is fascinating. It's focused entirely on the characters and the actors playing them; given the pedigree of that cadre, it was bound to be somewhat engaging. Actually, it's completely engrossing. Within the Harry Potter universe you've got completely unskilled actors matching wands with some of the most experienced thespians of our age, the realities of life and death (particularly with the death of Richard Harris and the choice of his replacement, Michael Gambon), the values of friendship and family, and a wonderful cross-section of the filmmaking experience.

Of course, if the documentary doesn't lift your skirt, you can always simply delight in the non-digital special features of the "Ultimate Edition." As I write this article, for example, I'm protecting my coffee table's lacquered surface thanks to my creative use of the provided Ultimate Edition Character Cards: nothing sucks up the condensation from a glass of Vodka Tonic like Minerva McGonogall's smiling face.