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when the director is overqualified for the job

CinemaStix

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#homealone #harrypotter #videoessay

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What do the first two Harry Potter movies and the first two Home Alone movies have in common? Quite a lot, actually. Director Chris Columbus made two of the greatest Christmas comedies in the early 90s with Home Alone. But when it came time to direct Harry Potter, it laid a surprisingly firm foundation, from similar protagonists, plot beats, style and tone. Today I'll show off some of those comparisons.

Written & edited by Danny Boyd

Watch the Cinemassacre x Home Alone crossover I referenced here:
Home Alone Games with Macaulay Culkin - An...

Interview links:
‘Home Alone’ Director Chris Columbus Reflects On Film 30 Years Later | TODAY All Day
‘Home Alone’ Director Chris Columbus Refle...

Chris Columbus Interview: Harry Potter And The Sorcerer's Stone's 20th Anniversary
Chris Columbus Interview: Harry Potter And...

Chris Columbus on Home Alone, Harry Potter, Gremlins & Christmas Chronicles 2 - Collider Connected
Chris Columbus on Home Alone, Harry Potter...

Chris Columbus Talks 20 Years of HARRY POTTER and Why the Series Should Never Be Remade | INTERVIEW
Chris Columbus Talks 20 Years of HARRY POT...

20 Comments

@CinemaStix Creator 2 years ago Pinned

Thank you all for watching! If you would like to support me and my work directly, you can make a pledge on my Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/CinemaStix

@Advent3546 2 years ago

Home Alone and especially the first Harry Potter movie have this "book by the fireplace" coziness to them that really sticks to me.

@cameronmcgee7113 2 years ago

This explains why Harry Potter feels like a Christmas movie

@alexalexis7899 2 years ago

John Williams is the closest thing we have to a living wizard, and it doesn’t hurt that he uses a wand for part of his work either.

@ronaldeliascorderocalles 2 years ago (edited)

One thing that was really downgraded in HP films is color. The first two have this beautiful colors in every scenario, but by the 8th film there is only green, black, and inbetween. I know its because of the darker atmosphere, but its something I really missed

Edit: Wow, I was just saying that I missed color. I wasnt expecting a Spanish Inquisition

@tochefaruz 2 years ago (edited)

Sometimes I wish I could live in an alternate reality where Chris directed all 8 movies. He just grasped everything that makes Harry Potter so lovable and made it so incredibly tangible. Yates, on the other hand, by directing the last movies with a lack of color and fun (which the books never stopped having even though things took a dark turn) squeezed out all that makes Harry Potter so memorable. They're not terrible movies obviously but wow the vision was so different.

@Veilou24 2 years ago

And when you consider that Daniel Radcliffe and Macaulay Culkin both seem to have real down-to-earth personalities as well, it really ties in with how real the characters of those films feel

@lysblack 2 years ago

I truly believe Columbus was the best director of the HP movies, he truly understood the books and characters, it's a shame he didn't work on more of them.

@eduardorickrot4763 2 years ago (edited)

I find it fantastic how all three main kids became accomplished actors. Not just celebrities, but amazing actors doing all kinds of challenging work, and in the case of Daniel Radcliff, using his influence to help smaller and weird projects.
Chris Columbus really chose the right kids.

@Heidi2003 2 years ago (edited)

Watched Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone with my 9 year old two weeks ago, and then Home Alone last week and he said during the opening credits: "Hey, this is the Harry Potter music!"

This video is well timed!!

@Gojirawars03 1 year ago

You can literally watch the color slowly drain more and more out of the films as the series goes on, starting with the third. The first two are so gorgeous and vibrant, and the final film is practically greyscale, it’s so dull to look at.

@Willp4139 2 years ago

Richard Harris really embodied the warmness of Dumbledore, something which I feel Michael Gambon was never able to do.

@Kyrieru 1 year ago

The main thing that stands out to me is how amazing the sets are. They're full of warm but natural and varied tones. Modern movies often look monotone with the amount of tinting they do.

@patrik3482 9 months ago (edited)

The first 2 HP movies are in league of their own. You don't even need to know the trivia behind the movies, that the director changed. Just by watching you just feel that they are different from the rest.

@jakeself1911 2 years ago

Columbus should’ve directed all 8 movies. As you pointed out in your video, Columbus had an eye for and interest in horror, and he didn’t shy away from putting kid characters into deadly situations, so I think he would’ve done a great job translating the more serious, mature books into films.

@freshestmanonearth 10 months ago

Simple answer: “Childlike wonder”

@Scrahdabley 2 years ago

Just recently watched All the Harry Potters again and first ones definitely have a unique feeling to them and feel good to rewatch. While the later ones start feeling like just high budget action movies.

@balcorn9211 10 months ago

It's a shame he didn't direct all of the HP series. Also, its too bad Richard Harris didn't get to be Dumbledore for the whole series. They were both perfect for it.

@JGGNGHS 1 year ago (edited)

There is a German YouTuber called coldmirror and she has had this Podcast/Video-Essay for about 7 years where she dissects 5 Minutes of the first Harry Potter Movie each Episode. And it is absolutely amazing how much attention to detail Chris Columbus and the crew put in. Incredibly entertaining Podcast aswell. If some of you know german it's an absolute joy