Coming up on Saturday at the Described Movies: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
From this Saturday at 12am Eastern, that’s 4pm Saturday in NZ, 2pm in Sydney and 5am in the UK, and repeated every four hours throughout the day, it’s the described movies Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince from 2009 and Swallows and Amazons from 1974.
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is a 2009 fantasy film directed by David Yates and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures.
It is based on J. K. Rowling's 2005 novel of the same name.
The film, which is the sixth instalment in the Harry Potter film series, was written by Steve Kloves and produced by David Heyman and David Barron.
It stars Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter, alongside Rupert Grint and Emma Watson as Harry's best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger.
The story follows Harry's sixth year at Hogwarts as he receives a mysterious textbook, falls in love, and attempts to retrieve a memory that holds the key to Lord Voldemort's downfall.
The film is the sequel to Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007) and was followed by Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 (2010).
Filming began on 24 September 2007, leading to the film's worldwide cinematic release on 15 July 2009, one day short of the fourth anniversary of the corresponding novel's release.
With an estimated budget of $250 million, it is one of the most expensive films ever made and the most expensive film in the Harry Potter film series.
The film was simultaneously released in regular cinemas and IMAX 3D everywhere except North America, where its IMAX release was delayed for two weeks.
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince premiered in London on 7 July 2009 and was released theatrically worldwide on 15 July.
The film was a major commercial success, breaking the record for the biggest single-day worldwide gross.
In five days the film made $394 million, breaking the record for highest five-day worldwide gross.
With a total gross of $934 million, it became the eighth-highest-grossing film of all time and 2009's second-highest-grossing film (behind Avatar).
It is the fifth-highest-grossing film in the franchise.
The film received positive reviews, with praise for Yates's direction, the performances, Delbonnel's cinematography, Nicholas Hooper's musical score, and "emotionally satisfying" story.
The film was nominated at the 82nd Academy Awards for Best Cinematography and the 63rd British Academy Film Awards for Best Special Visual Effects and Best Production Design.
Directed by: David Yates.
Screenplay by: Steve Kloves.
Based on: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J. K. Rowling.
Produced by: David Heyman and David Barron.
Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Jim Broadbent, Helena Bonham Carter, Robbie Coltrane, Warwick Davis, Michael Gambon, Alan Rickman, Maggie Smith, Timothy Spall, David Thewlis and Julie Walters.
Cinematography: Bruno Delbonnel.
Edited by: Mark Day.
Music by: Nicholas Hooper.
Production companies: Warner Bros. Pictures and Heyday Films.
Distributed by: Warner Bros. Pictures.
Release date: 7 July 2009 ( London), 15 July 2009 (United Kingdom and United States).
File Length: 147 minutes.
Countries: United Kingdom and United States.
Language: English.
Budget: $250 million.
Box office: $934.5 million.
Swallows and Amazons is a 1974 British film adaption of the 1930 novel of the same name by Arthur Ransome.
The film, which was directed by Claude Whatham and produced by Richard Pilbrow, starred Virginia McKenna and Ronald Fraser, and a young Zanna Hamilton.
Its budget was provided by Nat Cohen of EMI Films who had funded the successful 1970 film The Railway Children.
Directed by: Claude Whatham.
Written by: Arthur Ransome (book) and David Wood.
Produced by: Richard Pilbrow.
Starring: Virginia McKenna, and Ronald Fraser.
Music by: Wilfred Josephs.
Distributed by: EMI Films.
Release date: 1974.
File Length: 86 Minutes.
Country: United Kingdom.
Language: English.
Budget: £250,000.
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