What Harry Potter movies to watch?

SAV

SAV

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
We're going to Universal in July and I have never seen a single HP movie or read any of the books. What one, or ones, should I see that will directly relate to the lands in USF?

I don't have time to watch them all, so it really would need to be the best ones so I get the gist of what the lands are about.
 
BrianV

BrianV

Well-Known Member
If you are going in July, bite the bullet and watch them all, you have time. Out of order they will be confusing and some plot lines could be ruined.

But if you must see only some, watch the Sorcerers Stone first, then, I agree, prisoner of askaban and goblet of fire.
 
Disneyhead'71

Disneyhead'71

Well-Known Member
All of them of course. But here is the short list:

HP and the Sorcerer's Stone (Introduction to Diagon Alley, Hogwarts, and most the chracters)
HP and the Goblet of Fire (Dragon Challenge)
HP and the Deathly Hallows 1&2 (HP and the Escape From Gringott's)

There is some major referancences to Chamber of Secrets in Forbidden Journey and Prizoner of Azkaban through out both lands.
 
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catmom46

catmom46

Well-Known Member
I'm in agreement with lazyboy. If you haven't watched any of the movies yet, it doesn't seem worth your time to starting watching them now, as there is so much detail involved. Most people who go to Universal to see the HP attractions are already huge fans of the movies and books. I'm sure you'll be able to enjoy them as a spectator for what they are without having to try to relate to them.
 
lazyboy97o

lazyboy97o

Well-Known Member
catmom46 said:
I'm in agreement with lazyboy. If you haven't watched any of the movies yet, it doesn't seem worth your time to starting watching them now, as there is so much detail involved. Most people who go to Universal to see the HP attractions are already huge fans of the movies and books. I'm sure you'll be able to enjoy them as a spectator for what they are without having to try to relate to them.
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I haven't read any of the books and only decided to watch the films after visiting the Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Hogsmead.
 
BrianV

BrianV

Well-Known Member
Disneyhead'71 said:
All of them of course. But here is the short list:

HP and the Sorcerer's Stone (Introduction to Diagon Alley, Hogwarts, and most the chracters)
HP and the Goblet of Fire (Dragon Challenge)
HP and the Deathly Hallows 1&2 (HP and the Escape From Gringott's)

There is some major referancences to Chamber of Secrets in Forbidden Journey and Prizoner of Azkaban through out both lands.
Click to expand...

My only argument against your list is that if you watch deathly hollows before the others, you know what happens at the end...
 
catmom46

catmom46

Well-Known Member
BrianV said:
My only argument against your list is that if you watch deathly hollows before the others, you know what happens at the end...
Click to expand...

Although given that the OP hasn't expressed any interest in watching the movies until now, not sure how important that is, especially if only watching some of the movies.
 
hth1917

hth1917

Well-Known Member
I have read only the first book, and I think it dreadful. Really a bad book. I have half-watched a couple of the movies and found little to interest me in them. So suffice it to say I'm not a fan of the IP. And yet from the first time I visited Hogsmeade and rode HPFJ, I was absolutely smitten with it purely as theme park excellence. And that goes double for Diagon Alley, which is the most impressive thing I have ever seen in a theme park. The books and films are basically irrelevant. Read or see them if you want to on their own merits (?), but I don't think you need to be familiar with them just to enjoy the Wizarding World.
 
danpam1024

danpam1024

Well-Known Member
You'll wonder why there's a girl wailing in the bathroom if you don't watch Chamber of Secrets. I agree with everyone else if you decide to watch, you have to watch them all in order. It is a fantastic story. There are so many bits and pieces from everything throughout the lands it's hard to pick just a few. You DO have time to watch them all if you make it. My son and I binged them for 2 days before we went to DA- just as a refresher. We'll do them same for our trip in October. We notice new things that way (we go all the time and are still discovering both sides). It is just that immersive.
 
Bairstow

Bairstow

Well-Known Member
Tony Perkis said:
Watch them all.

Minus the first two, which suffer from bad directing and acting, they're exceptional films.
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Yeah, the first two movies have nice production design, but the movies didn't really start getting good on their own terms until the fourth one.
There are bits and pieces from all the movies in the parks, but if you've seen the first and fourth ones you'll at least be able to recognize the majority of what's going on.
Honestly though, you might want to try not seeing any movies, just to have a fresh perspective on the lands. Most people don't get to do that. It's not like you won't enjoy what you're seeing.
 
Tony Perkis

Tony Perkis

Well-Known Member
Bairstow said:
Yeah, the first two movies have nice production design, but the movies didn't really start getting good on their own terms until the fourth one.
There are bits and pieces from all the movies in the parks, but if you've seen the first and fourth ones you'll at least be able to recognize the majority of what's going on.
Honestly though, you might want to try not seeing any movies, just to have a fresh perspective on the lands. Most people don't get to do that. It's not like you won't enjoy what you're seeing.
Click to expand...
If by "start getting good on their own terms", you mean the third one, then 100% correct.
 
DznyGrlSD

DznyGrlSD

Well-Known Member
In the Parks
Yes
Read the books. I tried to watch the movies before I read the books and I was very disappointed.

Read the books...all of them...in order.
 
M

Mouse_Trap

Well-Known Member
I've never seen any part of any of the films, or read any of the books. It didn't spoil my enjoyment of the lands at all.

In fact, if I ever decide to watch the films in the future (quite possible) or read the books (highly unlikely) I think it will only add to the enjoyment of the lands when I visit next.

If you need to start somewhere, I would start with the first because that's how the author intended it to play out.
 

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