Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is the third film in the series, released in 2004 directed by Alfonso Cuaron. The film which, like the book of the same name , marks Harry’s transition from childhood to adolescence and an almost perfect adaptation, yet, there is no shortage of differences. After telling you about the first and second episode of the series, let’s find out the differences between the book and the film in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. Differences between book and film
The film directed by Alfonso Cuaron in 2004 is perhaps the last to almost faithfully respect the novel. From this film on, and the most experts will agree, there will be many if not too many licenses that the other directors will take.
The film is the first of the series that introduces us to those dark atmospheres that will be present both in the novels and in subsequent transpositions. In this film then we have the introduction to the character of Sirius Black, Harry’s godfather and the new Dumbledore played by Michael Gambon. Harry Potter and the Homework for the Holidays
The Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban movie starts with Harry trying to do his exercises without Uncle Vernon noticing, too bad that in the book all his magical tools were seized by the Dursleys and he there was not much he could do, much less shout lumus maxima at night in his room. Summer holidays are. In all the films the holidays are only hinted at and it seems that everyone always begins with the arrival at the castle. Aunt Marge
Aunt Marge, in the book, arrives at the Dursley house to spend a longer period than the one that transpires from the film, the scene of her swelling over Little Whinging is a very apt comic stunt, an exemplary punishment, which however in the book is not there is. Il Nottetempo
One of the most emblematic magical inventions is certainly the Nottetempo which has very different characteristics in the book. As it passes, things, like people, move and there are no sudden braking we have always been used to. Here, too, the dark tones mix with a good dose of comedy. The Cauldron
In the film, after Nottetempo, Harry is dumped in front of the Leaky Cauldron and greeted by a Tom, the inn’s waiter, who looks more like Igor than Frankenstein Junior. In the book he will spend many days here, reaching Diagon Alley, discovering the new Firebolt in a shop window and meeting Ron talking about a Crust enthusiastic about the trip to Egypt, while in the book it was not quite so, and Ermione holding his crookshanks without, on the other hand, having told us how it came into possession. Crookshanks
Ermione’s animal could not but be a cat. A feline, however, with extraordinary intelligence and character: it will be he who will understand who is hiding under the clothes of Scabby and communicate with Sirius transformed into a dog. All things contained in the book which, once again, treasure many more pearls of the transposition. The Dementors
In this film, as well as in the book, we are introduced to these creatures. But even here, we need to note differences. In Rowling’s novel the Dementors, which she herself has indicated as a symbol of her period of depression, are creatures that just whirl rather than fly, they can be felt by Muggles but they don’t know how to freeze the environment with their presence. They are, together with Sirius, the real two new protagonists of the transposition.Professors Hagrid and Cooman
Another novelty are the two new teachers: Hagrid, struggling with his first assignment, and Sibilla Cooman. On the divination teacher there are entire pages in the book, with details and premonitions that are not reported in the film like those made during the Christmas dinner in which, in a nutshell, it predicts the death of Dumbledore, that of Srius and that of Lupine. Lupine, the defense against the dark arts professor
The curse on the Defense Against the Dark Arts chair leads to a new teacher: Remus Lupine who in the book always appears tired but less old than the character brought to the screen by David Thewlis. A sort of further father figure who will prepare Harry for the final confrontation with the Dementors. She will be the protagonist of the boggart scene with which Neville’s fear of Snape is never explained. Reading the books, in fact, it turns out that not only Harry and Ron are his victims, but also Nevile, guilty in her eyes of not having been the predestined one. Buckbeak
Buckbeak is the magical creature of this episode, beautifully reproduced for the film and the protagonist of one of the most beautiful scenes of all the films: the flight over the castle and the lake. The animal will become Sirius Black’s companion in the next novel as well. Sirius Black
Sirius Black is Harry’s godfather, the one who will enter the castle, not thanks to the fat lady, as we are shown in the film, but thanks to Sir Cadogan, who will let him into the Gryffindor common room to kill Scabby and not scare Ron, as we know from the books. He’ll be the one to sign Harry’s permission to travel to Hogsmeade and he’s the one to give Harry his Firebolt. The Shrieking Shack
The place where both Lupine and his friends Animagus used to transform themselves into animals and carry out a thousand adventures as The Marauders, and an old abandoned house near the village. A place that everyone believes is haunted but actually designed by Dumbledore to help Remus in his transformations. This is where the truth about how it went, really that night is revealed, but Snape gets smashed into the book by all three boys’ spell convergence and not just Harry’s action. The rescue of Sirius
Sirius will be saved thanks to the use of Hermione’s Time Turner and the awesome power of Harry’s Patronus. He will become a faithful companion of Buckbeak who will also appear in subsequent novels. The film misses the speech with Dumbledore and the arrival of Sirius’ permission for Hogsmead to Harry.
An excellent transposition, combined with the scenes designed independently by Cuaron and the settings that make it one of the best transpositions in terms of structure and fidelity to the book.
