Harry Potter is a name that rarely graces the pages of FANGORIA, but it is a legendary franchise rich in spells, magic, fantasy, and monsters…so why ignore it?  This week saw the release Potter fans have been waiting for, a behemoth of a Blu-ray set that dwarfs everything else out there.This massive anthology, properly named the HARRY POTTER WIZARD’S COLLECTION, is truly bursting at the seams with features and rewards for the faithful.

The "Wizard’s Chest" packaging itself is a thing of marvel, meticulously crafted to be a source of constant discovery.  It boasts plenty of secret drawers and little enigmas; try to find the secret bonus disc...you will definitely be rewarded for your efforts.  You’ll experience several features like “Designing the World of Harry Potter”, “When Harry left Hogwarts - Extended Version” and “Secrets Revealed - Hagrid.  There are also spring-loaded drawers containing other goodies, like your very own Horcrux locket featured in THE DEATHLY HALLOWS.

And then there's the real wave of genius here, the films themselves.  Here’s what you get in this mammoth set:  Blu-ray editions of all eight theatrical films presented in glorious 1080p—including the 3D versions of THE DEATHLY HALLOWS, PARTS 1 & 2 for those of you with the technology—the theatrical and extended versions of THE SORCERER’S/PHILOSOPHER’S STONE and THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS (both on Blu-ray & DVD), the DVD versions, and lastly you get the Digital Copies and codes for your tablets, iPods and phones.  Wow!  Take a deep breath and then gleefully giggle some more; we haven’t even covered the bonus discs.  These include complete special features discs for Years 1 to 4 (peruse featurettes like “Preparing for the Yule Ball” “Capturing the Stone: A Conversation with the Filmmakers” and “Conjuring a Scene: Creating Buckbeak and the Dementors for the Screen”).  There is also an eight-part documentary series, one chapter per film, featuring dozens of TV spots, cast & crew interviews, theatrical trailers, deleted scenes, conversations with J.K. Rowling—endless treasures waiting to be explored. 

If you, or your kids, are fans of this beloved supernatural series, incredible doesn’t even describe the WIZARD’S COLLECTION. There’s so much here…you get a Certificate of Authenticity, and eight gorgeous conceptual prints from production designer, Stuart Craig.  The collection also includes several items for the most rabid Potter fans: a 48-page hardcover book entitled CATALOGUE OF ARTIFACTS, an authentic Map of Hogwarts and surrounding areas, a blueprint poster of Hogwarts Castle, and eight production paintings, one from each of the films…

Harry Potter is obviously fantasy-driven, but with its ample monsters, sense of the macabre and escalating darkness, there has always been plenty to savor for and you just can’t dismiss the wonderful talent associated with these films; veteran directors like Chris Columbus, Alfonso Cauron, Mike Newell and David Yates; incredible scores by legendary composers John Williams, Nicholas Hooper and Alexandre Desplat;  memorable performances by some of Hollywood’s greatest seasoned professionals – Alan Rickman, Gary Oldman, Helena Bonham Carter, the late Richard Harris, Jason Isaacs, Michael Gambon, John Hurt, Kenneth Branagh, and Bill Nighy.  And let us not forget Ralph Fiennes’ brilliant portrayal of the evil, reptilian Lord Voldemort and see how he has become one of cinema’s most enduring villains.

The HARRY POTTER WIZARD’S COLLECTION is so thorough there is very little to complain about.  The addition of all eight scores would have made this collection absolutely complete, but really, this is just a minor beef. This is the Holy Grail for every Potter enthusiast and the only foreseeable problem may be the hefty price tag of 350 bones. For the most rabid fans, this is rarely a deterrent, and this collection will no doubt find its way onto many 2012 Christmas lists.  Enjoy this true gem, it will not disappoint.

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