| NEW YORK (Reuters) - The new Harry Potter film had its world premiere on Sunday as Hogwarts' famous young wizards flew to New York to join an estimated 6,000 first-nighters in a red-carpet opening at Radio City Music Hall.
"Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban," created a big buzz outside the famed theater as crowds eight-deep jammed the sidewalk for a glimpse of Daniel Radcliffe, the 14-year-old actor who plays Harry, and his co-stars, Emma Watson (Hermione) and Rupert Grint (Ron).
Inside, an enthusiastic audience cheered the young trio and eight other cast members brought out on stage before the screening, including Robbie Coltrane, who plays good-natured giant Hagrid, and Alan Rickman, who portrays the sneering, sinister potions teacher, Severus Snape.
The movie will have its European premier next weekend in London and will open around the world on June 4.
The third film of the phenomenally successful fantasy book series written by J.K. Rowling is a briskly paced 136 minutes that deals with more sophisticated themes than the first two films, reflecting the growing maturity of the teen wizards.
Directed by Spaniard Alfonso Cuaron, who brought Oscar-nominated "Y Tu Mama Tambien," to the screen, the new film spends little time explaining the wizarding world in contrast to the exposition in "Sorcerer's Stone," (2001) and "Chamber of Secrets," (2002) the first two Harry Potter flicks, directed by Chris Columbus.
Instead, the audience is hauled immediately into the dark tale of a wizard who has escaped prison and is believed to be hunting down Potter, who ends up terrorized by the spooky dementors, the dreaded guards of Azkaban prison.
Many in the opening night crowd said "Azkaban," is the best Harry Potter movie yet. "It might be scary for some little kids, but I thought it was very good," said Al Ades, 11. "I think the adventures are more interesting."
"I thought it was really good, way better than the other ones," said 10-year-old Juliet Garrett Wolosoff. "It seemed more realistic than the others."
Priti Malik, 18, liked the special effects. "I jumped at least 20 times in the movie," she said.
For some, the pacing was too fast.
Hannah Burwell, 9, said the story was "sometimes confusing because they said it so fast."
"I liked the book better," said 9-year-old Samantha Beberman. "They were rushing the movie a little."
Anuj Malhotra, 18, who is unfamiliar with the Harry Potter series, said he was lost at the movie. "I was utterly confused the whole time," he said. "I made no sense."
Sydney Stewart, a 12-year-old fan of the series, had no such problems. "It was cool," she said. | |
without seeing it, I've already made that assumption 
