Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002)

Film Type:

Feature

Language:

English

Colour Info:

Color

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital EX, DTS Stereo, Sony Dynamic Digital Sound

Camera:

Panaflex 65mm HR Spinning Mirror Reflex – 65HSSM, Panaflex Gold, Panaflex Gold II, Panaflex Lightweight, Panaflex Millenium, Panaflex Millenium XL, Panaflex Millenium XL2, Panaflex Platinum, Panaflex System 65 Studio Camera – 65SPFX, Panaflex-X, Panavision Panaflex

Frame Rate:

24 fps

Aspect Ratio:

2.35:1, 2.39:1 (Scope)

Stereoscopy:

No

Taglines:

"Dobby has come to warn you Sir."
Hogwarts is back in session.
The Chamber of Secrets has been opened. Enemies of the heir... beware!
Something evil has returned to Hogwarts!
The Chamber of Secrets has opened...
The second year begins November 15

Movie Connection(s):

Followed by: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (English)
Followed by: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (English)
Followed by: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (English)
Followed by: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (English)
Followed by: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (English)
Followed by: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (English)
Follows: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (English)

Filming Locations:

Trivia:

Although based on the second shortest book, this is the longest of the films. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007), which is based on the longest book, is the second shortest of the films.

The opal necklace, which plays an important role in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009), can briefly be glimpsed inside a display case in Borgin and Burkes' shop in Knockturn Alley when Harry first enters.

Fourteen Ford Anglias were destroyed to create the scene where Harry and Ron crash into the Whomping Willow.

Daniel Radcliffe was initially only offered £125,000 (approximately US $181,500) for this film. The actors' union, Equity, stepped in and negotiated new terms which increased his salary to roughly £2,000,000 (US $3,000,000).

The Weasley's car is a Ford Anglia. This is actually the same color and model car that author J.K. Rowling and her best friend from school used to ride around in when they were younger. She used the car for the book, and later the movie, out of her fond memories driving in it.

During production, Emma Watson frequently brought her pet hamster Millie on set. Unfortunately, Millie passed away shortly after shooting began. The set department for the film created a specially-made hamster coffin, complete with velvet lining and the name "Millie" engraved on the top. "I don't think a hamster has ever had a better send-off." Watson said.

It was Jason Isaacs's idea to have Lucius Malfoy sport long blond hair, as well as carry a walking stick inside of which he would conceal his wand. The books make no mention of either of these things. Issacs grew attached to the walking stick and at one point tried to walk off with it, though he was caught.

Richard Harris died a few weeks before the film's release.

When Hagrid is escorting Harry out of Knockturn Alley, and again when Lockhart turns to show his other profile to the photographer, hardcover editions of Harry Potter books can be seen on the shelves.

The set for Dumbledore's office was, at the time of its construction, the most expensive set built for the films. Both director Chris Columbus and production designer Stuart Craig agreed that, as headmaster, Dumbledore should have the most elaborate office possible. However they were informed that the proposed design, with its massive stone columns, bookcases, curio cabinets, paintings on the walls, tables filled with various objects, antique desk and throne-like chair, and a giant telescope, would be far too expensive to produce. The producers ultimately were able to secure the funds needed to build the set.

Hugh Grant was originally cast as Gilderoy Lockhart but was forced to withdraw at the last moment because of scheduling conflicts.

Christian Coulson landed the role as Tom Riddle, even though he was 23 and exceeded the 15-17 age group set for auditions.

Shirley Henderson, who played Moaning Myrtle, is the oldest actress (age 37) to portray a Hogwarts student.

When Draco Malfoy says "I didn't know you could read" to Harry (looking like Goyle with polyjuice potion) it was actually improvised because Tom Felton forgot his line.

A gag from the book is rendered incomprehensible in the film, due to lack of information. While chatting with the Grangers at the bookshop, Mr. Weasley says, "I understand that other Muggles are afraid of you." This is because they are dentists.

The animatronic Phoenix used to portray Fawkes looked so lifelike (despite the fact that Phoenixes are mythical creatures) that Richard Harris (Albus Dumbledore) thought it was a real living bird when he first saw it.

On an episode of Have I Got News for You (1990) broadcast around this film's release, the panelists discuss an article claiming that the Russian President (later Premier) Vladimir Putin was deeply disturbed and offended that Dobby the House elf seemed to have been created in his image. There is an undeniable resemblance either way.

During post-production, producer David Heyman went to visit Richard Harris in the hospital. Though he was very weak from his illness, Harris insisted that the role of Dumbledore not be recast. Sadly, Harris passed away shortly before production was to begin on the next film, necessitating a recast.

Many people think that Professor Gilderoy Lockhart is a character based on JK Rowling's ex-husband. Rowling has said on her official website that Lockhart is based in an egocentric person that she really dislikes, but he is not her ex-husband.

Young Hagrid is played by Martin Bayfield, who stands in for Robbie Coltrane as his height double in all the Potter films. His voice is dubbed by Coltrane, for the sake of consistency.

Director Chris Columbus instructed cinematographer Roger Pratt to bring a darker look to the film, reflecting the darker tone of the story. Hence, the sets were lit with more subdued lighting and the color palette was desaturated a bit. These changes would continue throughout the series with each film getting darker and increasingly desaturated.

Robbie Coltrane had to turn down a part in The West Wing (1999) to reprise his role as Hagrid.

During the Quidditch Match, some of the music used while Harry and Draco chase the Golden Snitch was used during the speeder chase scene in Star Wars: Attack of the Clones. John Williams did both scores.

In the UK, this became the first movie to achieve a million DVD sales in its first weekend.

During the shoot, the part of Dobby was played by a ball on a stick (he was added digitally later, of course).

Lucius Malfoy originally was not supposed to have long hair, however when Jason Isaacs was cast in the role he requested the longer hair so that he could be distinguished from his son Draco. In order to keep the hair from falling in front of his face Issacs had to keep his head tilted back, which further added to the snobbishness of the character as it made him appear as if he was "looking down his nose at everyone".

Rupert Grint has a very real case of severe arachnophobia, to such a degree, he has still not watched the entire scene where Aragog and the spiders appear. In that scene, the look of fright on Ron's face and his uncomfortable squirming throughout was not from acting, that was due to Rupert being legitimately terrified.

The film earned over $88 million in the US on its opening weekend, which at the time placed it third in the all-time biggest opening behind Spider-Man (2002) and Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001).

To get a sense of how nasty his character should be, Jason Isaacs had to go back and watch Tom Felton's performance in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001).

he various bookcases and cabinets in Dumbledore's office actually concealed removable walls (known in the film industry as "wild walls") that allowed the cameras to have enough room to be able to shoot from various angles, as the set, despite its grandiose appearance, was rather cramped.

A cinema manager in Stavanger, Norway reported that the film was making his younger patrons ill. Evidently many children who had overindulged on sweets and popcorn were throwing up when Ron begins vomiting giant slugs. "It is not a particularly fun task for our employees to have to wash away the sick," he said.

All four of director Chris Columbus's children appear in this movie. Eleanor Columbus plays Susan Bones (also plays her in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001)), Brendan Columbus plays a boy in study hall, Violet Columbus plays the little girl with flowers, and Isabella Columbus plays the little girl in the bookstore.

The tapestries hanging in the Gryffindor Common Room are copies of the "Lady and the Unicorn" series, a set of 16th century tapestries that are now displayed in the Cluny Museum in Paris.

The train station interior used in the film is King's Cross in North London, whereas the exterior shot is actually St. Pancras. The two stations are adjacent to one another, but not the same building. This was done because the architecture of St. Pancras is much more visually appealing.