Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (film)
2004 film by Alfonso Cuarón
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is a 2004 fantasy film directed by Alfonso Cuarón from a screenplay by Steve Kloves. It is based on the 1999 novel "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" by J. K. Rowling. It is the sequel to "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" (2002) and the third instalment in the "Harry Potter" film series. The film stars Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter, alongside Rupert Grint and Emma Watson as Harry's best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger respectively. It chronicles Harry's third year at Hogwarts and his quest to uncover the truth about his past, including the connection recently-escaped Azkaban prisoner Sirius Black has to Harry and his deceased parents.
With this film, the "Harry Potter" series switched to a longer eighteen-month production cycle. Cuarón was selected as director from a list that included Callie Khouri and Kenneth Branagh. The cast of previous instalments returned for the film, with the additions of Gary Oldman, David Thewlis, Timothy Spall, and Emma Thompson, among others. It was the first appearance of Michael Gambon as Professor Albus Dumbledore, due to Richard Harris's death in 2002. Principal photography began in February 2003 at Leavesden Film Studios. It was the first in the series to extensively use real-life locations, with sets built in Scotland and scenes shot in London. Filming wrapped in November 2003.
The film was released on 31 May 2004 in the United Kingdom, and on 4 June 2004 in North America. It was the first "Harry Potter" film to use IMAX Technology and released into IMAX theatres. "Prisoner of Azkaban" grossed a total of $808 million worldwide, making it the second-highest-grossing film of 2004, behind "Shrek 2". Critics praised Cuarón's direction and the lead actors' performances. It is credited for marking a notable shift in the franchise's tone and directing style and is often regarded by critics and fans alike as the best "Harry Potter" film. It was nominated for two Academy Awards, Best Original Music Score and Best Visual Effects, at the 77th Academy Awards in 2004. It was followed by "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" in 2005.
Plot.
Harry Potter spends another dissatisfying summer with the Dursleys. On his thirteenth birthday, Vernon's visiting sister Marge viciously insults Harry and his parents, and an angry Harry accidentally causes her to inflate and float away. Expecting to be expelled for using magic outside school, Harry flees.
The Knight Bus, an emergency transport for stranded witches and wizards, takes Harry to the Leaky Cauldron, where the Minister for Magic Cornelius Fudge assures Harry that he will not face punishment. Upon reuniting with his best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, Harry learns that Sirius Black, a supporter of Lord Voldemort, has escaped Azkaban and plans to kill him. While journeying to Hogwarts, the Hogwarts Express is boarded by Dementors, ghostly prison guards searching for Black. One enters Harry's compartment, causing him to faint, but the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Remus Lupin, uses a Patronus Charm to repel it. At Hogwarts, Headmaster Albus Dumbledore announces that Dementors will patrol the school until Black is captured. Rubeus Hagrid is appointed as the Care of Magical Creatures teacher, but his first class goes awry when Draco Malfoy provokes a Hippogriff named Buckbeak to attack him; as a result, Draco's father, Lucius, has Buckbeak sentenced to death.
Returning to Gryffindor Tower, the students find the Fat Lady's portrait has been attacked, and the terrified Fat Lady warns Dumbledore that Black entered the castle. Hogwarts is put into lockdown until Dumbledore deems the area safe. During a stormy Quidditch match, Dementors cause Harry to fall off his broomstick, which is destroyed by the Whomping Willow. Dumbledore uses the Slowing Charm to break Harry's fall, who later wakes up in the infirmary.
Harry, after leaving the infirmary, is caught trying to visit Hogsmeade by Fred and George, who give him the Marauder's Map. Using the map, Harry sneaks into Hogsmeade. He follows Professor Minerva McGonagall, Madam Rosmerta, and Minister Fudge and learns that Black is actually his godfather but divulged the Potters' whereabouts to Voldemort and murdered their mutual friend Peter Pettigrew. The map is later discovered in Harry's possession by Lupin, who confiscates it.
Determined to ward off the Dementors, Harry convinces Lupin to teach him the Patronus Charm. Watching Buckbeak's execution, Ron is dragged by a large black dog into a hole at the base of the Whomping Willow. This leads the trio through an underground passage into the Shrieking Shack, where the dog is revealed to be Black, an Animagus who can transform into an animal.
Lupin appears, embracing Black as an old friend before revealing himself to be a werewolf. Snape arrives to apprehend Black but is knocked out by Harry's spell. Lupin and Black reveal that Ron's familiar, a rat named Scabbers, is actually the Animagus form of Pettigrew. Having betrayed Harry's parents, he faked his death and framed Black for his own crimes. Turning Pettigrew back into human form, the group heads back to the castle, intending to both expose Pettigrew as the true criminal and exonerate Sirius, but the full moon causes Lupin to transform into a werewolf and Pettigrew escapes. Black transforms into his animal form and fights off werewolf Lupin, who seriously injures Black. Black manages to escape when a distant wolf cry distracts Lupin and sends him off. Harry finds Black, who are then both attacked by Dementors until an unseen figure casts a powerful Patronus charm to ward them off. Harry falls unconscious, awakening in the infirmary with Dumbledore and Hermione.
After learning that Black is sentenced to the Dementor's Kiss, Harry and Hermione use Hermione's Time-Turner to go back three hours. They witness their earlier actions and save Buckbeak from execution. When Dementors attack past Harry and Black, Harry realizes he was the one who saved himself and Black with a Patronus charm, and uses it to drive the Dementors away. They successfully free Black, who escapes on Buckbeak. Returning to the infirmary, they find Lupin, exposed as a werewolf, resigning and giving Harry back the Marauder's Map. Black gifts Harry a Firebolt broomstick, which he joyfully rides.
Cast.
Several actors from the previous film reprise their roles in "Prisoner of Azkaban". Harry Melling appears as Dudley Dursley, Harry's Muggle cousin. James and Oliver Phelps play Fred and George Weasley, Ron's twin brothers; Chris Rankin appears as Percy Weasley, Ron's other brother and a Hogwarts head boy; and Bonnie Wright portrays their sister Ginny, while Mark Williams plays their father, Arthur Weasley. Tom Felton portrays Draco Malfoy, Harry's rival in Slytherin, while Jamie Waylett and Josh Herdman appear as Crabbe and Goyle, Draco's minions. Matthew Lewis and Devon Murray play Neville Longbottom and Seamus Finnigan respectively, two Gryffindor students in Harry's year. David Bradley appears as Argus Filch, Hogwarts' caretaker, while Robert Hardy portrays Cornelius Fudge, the Minister for Magic.
Pam Ferris portrays Aunt Marge, Vernon's sister; Lee Ingleby plays Stan Shunpike, conductor of the Knight Bus; and Jim Tavaré appears as Tom, innkeeper of The Leaky Cauldron, replacing Derek Deadman from the first film. Dawn French plays the Fat Lady, a painting at Hogwarts, replacing Elizabeth Spriggs from the first film. Julie Christie appears as Madam Rosmerta, the barmaid at the Three Broomsticks. Warwick Davis appears as the conductor of the Hogwarts choir. The role was offered to him by producer David Heyman due to Filius Flitwick, Davis' original role, being absent from the script. The change in appearance for the new character later became Flitwick's look for the rest of the series.
Production.
Development.
With the film adaptation of "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban", production of the "Harry Potter" films switched to an eighteen-month cycle, which producer David Heyman explained was "to give each [film] the time it required." Chris Columbus, the director of "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" (2001) and "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" (2002), decided not to return to helm the third instalment as he wanted to spend more time with his children. Even so, Columbus remained on as a producer alongside Heyman, as Columbus felt that such capacity offered him a better work-life balance, allowing him to not be present on the set all the time and spend time with his children. Guillermo del Toro was approached to direct, but had envisioned a more Dickensian version of the stories, and was put off by the first two films which he found too "bright and happy and full of light". Marc Forster turned down the film because he had made "Finding Neverland" (2004) and did not want to direct child actors again. M. Night Shyamalan was considered to direct but turned it down because he was working on his own film, "The Village" (2004). Warner Bros. then composed a three-name shortlist for Columbus's replacement, which consisted of Callie Khouri, Kenneth Branagh (who played Gilderoy Lockhart in "Chamber of Secrets") and eventual selection Alfonso Cuarón in July 2002. Cuarón was initially reluctant to direct, as he had not read any of the books or seen the films. Del Toro berated him for his arrogance and told him to read the books. After reading the series, he changed his mind and signed on to direct, as he had immediately connected to the story.
Cuarón's appointment pleased J. K. Rowling, who loved his film "Y tu mamá también" (2001) and was impressed with his adaptation of "A Little Princess" (1995). Heyman found that "tonally and stylistically, [Cuarón] was the perfect fit." As his first exercise with the actors who portray the central trio, Cuarón assigned Radcliffe, Grint and Watson to write an autobiographical essay about their character, written in the first person, spanning birth to the discovery of the magical world, and including the character's emotional experience. Cuarón recalls, "Emma's essay was 10 pages long. Daniel's was exactly two. Rupert didn't deliver the essay. When I questioned why he didn't do it, he said, 'I'm Ron; Ron wouldn't do it.' So I said, 'Okay, you do understand your character.' That was the most important piece of acting work that we did on "Prisoner of Azkaban", because it was very clear that everything they put in those essays was going to be the pillars they were going to hold on to for the rest of the process."
Costume and set design.
Cuarón wanted to establish a more mature tone in the characters' costumes and the sets. He explained, "What I really wanted to do was to make Hogwarts more contemporary and a little more naturalistic." He studied English schools and noted, "Each teenager's individuality was reflected in the way they wore their uniform. So I asked all the kids in the film to wear their uniforms as they would if their parents weren't around." Columbus considered the costumes changes as "a reflection of the character development within the books themselves" and their transition to teenagers. Whereas in the first two films the characters are constantly in their uniforms, in "Prisoner of Azkaban" the characters often wear modern street clothes. Rowling, who was consulted for this change, stated, "for me the cloaks and everything makes sense for the academic time but in personal time they would be wearing their own clothes." Jany Temime joined the film as costume designer, eventually working on all of the following instalments in the series.
For Remus Lupin, Temime opted for "tweeds typical of England." Cuarón stated that the character should look like "an uncle who parties hard on the weekends", so Temime preserved his gown "unkempt and more shabby than the other teachers’ robes." For Trelawney, Thompson made sketches of the costumes and sent them to Temime and Cuarón. Thompson saw the character as "a person who hasn't looked in the mirror for a long time". In order to highlight the character's short-sightedness, Temime used material filled with mirrors and eyes, as well as oversized glasses with magnifying lenses. Cuarón wanted Dumbledore to look like "an old hippie, but still very chic and with a lot of class". Temime used tie-dyed silk that would float behind him while walking, which she considered "a much lighter look" that gave the character more energy, in contrast with the "heavy and majestic" costumes designed for Harris' portrayal of Dumbledore.
Cuarón's main concern was for Hogwarts to have a larger scope and be grounded in the real world. The scale model of the Hogwarts exterior designed for the first film was expanded by around 40% for "Prisoner of Azkaban". Production designer Stuart Craig and art director Gary Tomkins added constructions including a clock tower and a courtyard, and the hospital wing was redesigned and rebuilt. Other sets constructed for the film included the Hogsmeade village and The Three Broomsticks public house.
The use of real-life locations significantly changed the look of Hagrid's hut. For "Prisoner of Azkaban", the landscape around the set changed from being completely flat to the side of a hill. The hut doubled in size, with a separate bedroom built on the back and the addition of a large pumpkin patch and a chimney. Craig cited the Shrieking Shack as a particularly challenging set to create. It was built on a large hydraulic platform with the help of the special effects department, "creaking and moving as if being continually buffeted by the wind" in order to appear almost alive.
Some sets were either reused from earlier films or used for more than one space. The Defence Against the Dark Arts and Divination classrooms were filmed in the same set. The Honeydukes set was a redress of the set of Flourish & Blotts that was seen in "Chamber of Secrets", which, in turn, had been redressed from the Ollivanders set from the first film.
Filming.
Principal photography began on 24 February 2003, at Leavesden Film Studios, and ended on 28 November 2003.
The third film was the first to extensively use real-life locations, as much of the first two films had been shot in the studio. Three sets for the film were built in Glen Coe, Scotland, near the Clachaig Inn. Harry's ride on Buckbeak over Hogwarts' Lake was filmed at the Virginia Water Lake in Surrey. The Black Lake was also filmed from Loch Shiel, Loch Eilt and Loch Morar in the Scottish Highlands. Incidentally, the Glenfinnan Viaduct railway, which was also featured in "Chamber of Secrets", is opposite Loch Shiel and was used to film the sequences when the Dementor boarded the train. A small section of the Knight Bus scene, where it weaves in between traffic, was filmed in North London's Palmers Green on 2 April 2003. Some parts were also filmed in and around Borough Market and Lambeth Bridge in London. Certain scenes were also filmed at the University of Oxford; those set in the hospital wing were filmed at the university's Divinity School.
Director of photography Michael Seresin considered the story much darker compared to its two predecessors, so he employed "moody [lighting], with more shadows". He used a variety of wide-angle lenses to amplify Hogwarts prominence in the story, and only used close-ups sparingly. "We prefer to observe the kids from further away, as I find body language to be very interesting", Cuarón explained.
Rowling allowed Cuarón to make minor changes to the book, on the condition that he stuck to the book's spirit. She allowed him to place a sundial on Hogwarts' grounds, but rejected a graveyard, as that would play an important part in the then-unreleased sixth book. Rowling said she "got goosebumps" when she saw several moments in the film, as they inadvertently referred to events in the final two books, she stated, "people are going to look back on the film and think that those were put in deliberately as clues." When filming concluded, Cuarón found that it had "been the two sweetest years of my life," and expressed his interest in directing one of the sequels.
The Knight Bus sequence was shot over several weeks at various locations in London. In order to give the impression of the vehicle moving at , stunt coordinator Greg Powell explained, "We drove the bus at about and the other cars were going only about . It took weeks of planning with stunt drivers, and even the people you see on the street are stunt men and women, who were trained to walk incredibly slow just to make the bus look faster."
Special and visual effects.
Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) and Framestore handled the key visual effects shots for the film, while The Moving Picture Company, Cinesite, and Double Negative crafted additional VFX material.
Cuarón originally wanted to move away from CGI toward puppetry. He hired master puppeteer Basil Twist and experimented with underwater puppets to figure out the movements of dementors. The tests were shot in slow motion, but ultimately the method wasn't practical. The water test footage provided creative direction for the visual effects team, adding the intangible metaphysical quality Cuarón was seeking. Visual effects supervisors Tim Burke and Roger Guyett, the Industrial Light & Magic VFX team, and Temime collaborated in the creation of dementors.
Cuarón commented on the difficulty of creating Buckbeak, which took months of research and preparation, beginning with the creature's skeletal design. Cuarón said, "Once we worked out the physiology, the way his bones would actually move, we had to capture his personality, which is a mixture of regal elegance, particularly when he is flying, and the clumsy and greedy creature he becomes back on land." Creature effects supervisor Nick Dudman created several practical hippogriffs for the production, while Burke and Guyett oversaw the creation of the computer-generated version. Guyett cited the complex movement of the feathers as an achievement that had "never been done before."
The inflation of Aunt Marge was achieved practically. Ferris said, "I wore various prosthetic bodies, which inflated at different rates, and at my largest I was about four and a half feet wide." The costume prevented Ferris from walking and eating. Thirty-eight tweed suits of increasing size were used for the sequence.
Cinesite was in charge of the time travel shot featured in the film, which was over a minute long. The main action was filmed on a steadicam against bluescreen, and four minutes of background footage was shot separately. The background was then sped up and composited behind the main action. Two other plates of background footage were tiled together as the camera turned.
Music.
When it was announced that Cuarón would direct "Prisoner of Azkaban", there was initial speculation that his collaborative composer Patrick Doyle (who would score the following film) would do the music. Cuarón, however, retained John Williams, for whom it would be the third and final movie he scored in the series. The soundtrack was a significant departure from the previous two, as Cuarón wanted the score to take a different approach. One of the new themes, "Double Trouble", was written during production for a children's choir to perform in Hogwarts's Great Hall in one of the film's earlier scenes. The lyrics of the song were taken from William Shakespeare's "Macbeth". The soundtrack album was released by Atlantic Records on 25 May 2004.
Differences from the book.
"Prisoner of Azkaban" was, at the time of publication, the series' longest book. The increasing plot complexity necessitated a looser adaptation of the book's finer plot lines and back-story. The connection between Harry's father and the Marauder's Map is only briefly mentioned, as is Remus Lupin's association to the map. Additionally, it was never mentioned who the Marauders were or who the nicknames Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs referred to. Some exposition was removed for dramatic effect: both the Shrieking Shack and Scabbers the rat are mentioned only very briefly in the film, while they receive more thorough coverage in the novel. Most of Sirius Black's back story is also cut, with no mention of how he escaped from Azkaban.
On account of pace and time considerations, the film glosses over detailed descriptions of magical education. Only one Hippogriff, Buckbeak, is seen, and only Draco Malfoy and Harry are seen interacting with the Hippogriff during Care of Magical Creatures lessons. Most other lessons, including all of Snape's Potions classes, were cut from the film. The Fidelius Charm's complicated description is removed entirely from the film, with no explanation given of exactly how Sirius is supposed to have betrayed the Potters to Lord Voldemort. Many of this scene's lines are redistributed amongst Cornelius Fudge and Minerva McGonagall; in compensation, McGonagall's exposition of the Animagus transformation is instead given by Snape.
The romantic connection between Ron and Hermione is more prominent in the film than the book; in response to criticism of the first two films for sacrificing character development for mystery and adventure, the emotional development of all three lead characters is given more attention in the third film. However, any mention of Harry's crush on Cho Chang is removed, and she first appears in the fourth film. "Prisoner of Azkaban" also shows a darker tone and more of Harry's emotions. For instance, after learning of Black's "betrayal" of Harry's parents, he shouts in anger "I'm gonna kill him", whereas in the book he is "too stunned to move".
In the book, Gryffindor wins the Quidditch Cup for the first time in the series, a rather significant character-development subplot that is almost completely omitted from the film. Only the first Quidditch match of the school year (where Harry's Nimbus 2000 broomstick is destroyed) is part of the film's narrative, and there are no other mentions of the sport or the Gryffindor team's successful campaign for the Cup during the rest of the film. The final scene before the credits shows Harry on his new broomstick, the Firebolt, as a known gift from Sirius after his aided escape from captivity, whereas in the book, the new broomstick is an anonymous gift midyear from Sirius (unbeknownst to Harry or anyone else at the time) that is examined by the Hogwarts staff for safety and security reasons before it eventually is given to Harry for use in pursuit of the Cup championship.
Distribution.
Marketing.
As with the series' previous instalments, "Prisoner of Azkaban" was a large merchandising opportunity. The video game version, designed by EA UK, was released on 25 May 2004. Mattel released film tie-ins that included the "Harry Potter Championship Quidditch" board game and character action figures. Lego also expanded on its previous merchandising for the first two films with the release of sets that included the Knight Bus, Shrieking Shack and a new Hogwarts castle.
Home media.
"Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" was released on DVD and on VHS on 23 November 2004. The 2-disc Special Editions later came out on DVD and Blu-ray on 4 October 2016. The film was also released on Ultra HD Blu-ray on 7 November 2017.
Reception.
Box office.
"Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" held its New York premiere at Radio City Music Hall on 23 May 2004, followed by its London premiere at Leicester Square on 30 May 2004. The film then opened in the United Kingdom on 31 May 2004, and on 4 June 2004 in the United States. It was the first film in the series to be released in both conventional and IMAX theatres. Upon release, the film broke the record for a biggest single day in the United Kingdom's box office history making £5.3million on a Monday. It went on to break records both with and without previews, making £23.9 million including previews and £9.3 million excluding them. "The Prisoner of Azkaban" had the highest-opening weekend at the UK's box office, until "Spectre" beat the record in 2015. It went on to make a total of £45.6million in the UK. The film made $93.7million during its opening weekend in the United States and Canada playing on 8,900 screens at 3,855 theaters, achieving, at the time, the third-biggest-opening weekend of all time. This opening also broke "Hulk"'s record ($62.1million) for the highest-opening weekend for a film released in June. "The Prisoner of Azkaban" held this record for five years until "" topped it in 2009 with $109million. Additionally, it surpassed "The Matrix Reloaded" for having the largest opening weekend for a Warner Bros. film. The film was also No. 1 at the North American box office for two consecutive weekends.
"The Prisoner of Azkaban" made a total of $808.5million worldwide, which made it 2004's second-highest-grossing film worldwide behind "Shrek 2". In the U.S. and Canada, it was only the year's sixth-highest-grossing film, making $250.1million. However, it was the year's number one film internationally, making $558.3million compared to "Shrek 2"'s $487.5million. Despite its successful box office run, "The Prisoner of Azkaban" is the lowest-grossing "Harry Potter" film, and the third lowest-grossing film of the Wizarding World series.
Critical response.
On Rotten Tomatoes the film has an approval rating of 91% based on 264 reviews, with an average rating of 7.9/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Under the assured direction of Alfonso Cuarón, "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" triumphantly strikes a delicate balance between technical wizardry and complex storytelling." On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 82 out of 100, based on 40 critics, indicating "universal acclaim". Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A" on an A+ to F scale.
Mick LaSalle of the "San Francisco Chronicle" lauded the film's more mature tone and said it was "darker, more complex, rooted in character." "The Hollywood Reporter" called the film "a deeper, darker, visually arresting and more emotionally satisfying adaptation of the J.K. Rowling literary phenomenon," especially compared to the first two instalments. Peter Travers of "Rolling Stone" gave the film three-and-a-half out of four stars: "Not only is this dazzler by far the best and most thrilling of the three Harry Potter movies to date, it's a film that can stand on its own even if you never heard of author J.K. Rowling and her young wizard hero." Stephanie Zacharek of "Salon" considered it "one of the greatest fantasy films of all time." Nicole Arthur of "The Washington Post" praised the film as "complex, frightening, [and] nuanced." Film critic Roger Ebert gave the film three-and-a-half out of four stars, saying that the film was not quite as good as the first two, but still called it "delightful, amusing and sophisticated". He praised the cast, but felt the need for a better plot. Claudia Puig from "USA Today" found the film to be "a visual delight," and added that "Cuarón is not afraid to make a darker film and tackle painful emotions"; while Richard Roeper called the film "a creative triumph." Sean Smith from "Newsweek" said: ""The Prisoner of Azkaban" boasts a brand-new director and a bold new vision," and called the film "moving," praising the performances by the three main leads. "Entertainment Weekly" praised the film for being more mature than its predecessors.
"The Guardian" gave the film 3 stars out of 5, saying, "This new Harry Potter picture will cast a spell on its fanbase. But the broomstick's losing altitude." "Screen Daily" commented, "Cuaron delivers a genuinely spooky and emotionally involving adventure which gives the world of "Potter" much-needed character and atmosphere". The BBC commended the sets and direction, but did not find it "emotionally engrossing". Hollywood.com gave a positive review, praising the plot and storyline, despite a deviation from the first two films.
Accolades.
"Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" received two Academy Award nominations: Best Visual Effects and Best Original Score for John Williams. The film was also nominated for four BAFTA Awards: Best British Film, Best Production Design, Best Makeup & Hair, and Best Visual Effects, and won public-voted Orange Film of the Year award. It received nine Saturn Awards nominations. It won two Visual Effects Society Awards and was nominated for three others. The Broadcast Film Critics Association nominated it for Best Family Film, Best Young Actor (for Daniel Radcliffe), and Best Young Actress (for Emma Watson).
The film ranks at No. 471 in "Empire" magazine's 2008 list of the 500 greatest movies of all time. IGN designated "Prisoner of Azkaban" as the fifth best fantasy film. Additionally, Moviefone designated the film as the tenth best of the decade. In 2011, the film was voted Film of the Decade at the First Light Awards by children aged 5–15. The American Film Institute nominated it for the 2007 revision of AFI's 100 Years...100 Movies, and for AFI's 10 Top 10 in the fantasy genre.
References.
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Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
1999 fantasy novel by J. K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban ( ; also ) is a fantasy novel written by British author J. K. Rowling. It is the third instalment in the "Harry Potter" series. The novel follows Harry Potter, a young wizard, in his third year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Along with friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, Harry investigates Sirius Black, an escaped prisoner from Azkaban, the wizard prison, believed to be one of Lord Voldemort's old allies.
The book was published in the United Kingdom on 8 July 1999 by Bloomsbury and in the United States on 8 September 1999 by Scholastic, Inc. Rowling found the book easy to write, finishing it just a year after she began writing it. The book sold 68,000 copies in just three days after its release in the United Kingdom and since has sold over three million in the country. The book won the 1999 Whitbread Children's Book Award, the Bram Stoker Award, and the 2000 Locus Award for Best Fantasy Novel and was short-listed for other awards, including the Hugo.
The film adaptation of the novel was released in 2004, grossing more than $796 million and earning critical acclaim. Video games loosely based on "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" were also released for several platforms, and most obtained favourable reviews.
Plot.
During the summer, Harry accidentally performs magic at the home of his Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon by blowing up his Aunt Marge, causing her to float into the sky. After this incident, he leaves their house and travels to London by The Knight Bus. At London, he spends his summer there. While staying at the Leaky Cauldron inn, Harry is visited by Minister for Magic Cornelius Fudge, who warns him about Sirius Black, a mass-murderer who escaped from the wizard prison Azkaban.
With Black at large, Dementors have been stationed at Hogwarts as a security measure. During a Care of Magical Creatures lesson with Hagrid, Draco Malfoy is injured after provoking a hippogriff named Buckbeak. Draco's father, Lucius Malfoy, gets Hagrid put on trial for owning a dangerous creature. Harry repeatedly faints in the presence of the Dementors, but eventually is taught by Professor Lupin, a new teacher, how to repel them using the Patronus Charm. When Harry is unable to participate in weekend trips to Hogsmeade Village, Fred and George give him a magical map that shows him how to get there using a secret passage. At the Three Broomsticks pub, Harry overhears that Black is his godfather, that he betrayed Harry's parents to Voldemort, and that he now seeks to kill Harry as well.
When Ron's pet rat Scabbers disappears, he blames Hermione and her cat Crookshanks. Ron and Hermione stop talking to each other, although Hermione is distraught when Ron survives an attack by Black inside the Gryffindor dormitory. After the attack, Black cannot be found. After Harry, Ron and Hermione learn that Buckbeak will be executed, they console Hagrid, and Ron and Hermione resume their friendship. Ron also finds Scabbers, who was hiding in Hagrid's hut. As the friends make their way back to the castle, Ron is attacked by a large black dog, which drags him through the passageway leading to Hogsmeade. Harry and Hermione give chase, and find themselves in the Shrieking Shack, where the dog is revealed to be Black in his Animagus form. Lupin arrives, and Black states that he intends to kill Scabbers, not Harry. He explains that Scabbers is Peter Pettigrew, who betrayed Harry's parents to Voldemort and framed Black for mass murder. Black and Lupin compel Pettigrew to transform into human form, then haul him back to Hogwarts.
On the way to the castle, the full moon causes Lupin to transform into a werewolf. Pettigrew escapes and is pursued by Black, Harry and Hermione, who encounter Dementors and lose consciousness. They awaken in the castle, where Black is now being held captive. Harry and Hermione proclaim his innocence to Dumbledore, who suggests using Hermione's Time Turner. Harry and Hermione travel back in time and save both Black and Buckbeak, who fly away together. Snape blames Lupin for Black's disappearance and makes his werewolf-identity public, which forces Lupin to resign. On the train back to London, Harry receives a letter from Black, expressing his gratitude for saving his life.
Publication and reception.
Pre-release history.
"Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" is the third book in the "Harry Potter" series. The first, "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone", was published by Bloomsbury on 26 June 1997 and the second, "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets", was published on 2 July 1998. Rowling started to write the "Prisoner of Azkaban" the day after she finished "The Chamber of Secrets". Rowling said in 2004 that "Prisoner of Azkaban" was "the best writing experience I ever had...I was in a very comfortable place writing (number) three. Immediate financial worries were over, and press attention wasn't yet by any means excessive".
Critical reception.
Upon release, "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" received mostly positive reviews. "The Daily Telegraph" reported on reviews from several British publications with a rating scale for the novel out of "Love It", "Pretty Good", "Ok", and "Rubbish": "Daily Telegraph", "Guardian", "Times", "Independent", "Sunday Telegraph", and "Sunday Times" reviews under "Love It" and "Observer" review under "Pretty Good". "The Guardian" reported an average rating of 9 out of 10 for the book based on reviews from multiple British newspapers. On "BookBrowse", based on American press, the book received a from "Critics' Consensus" and for the media reviews on a rating scale out of five: "Kirkus Reviews" and "School Library Journal" reviews under five


Here I Am, Lord
Hymn written by Dan Schutte
"Here I Am, Lord", also known as "I, the Lord of Sea and Sky" after its opening line, is a Christian hymn written by the American composer of Catholic liturgical music Dan Schutte in 1979 and published in 1981. Its words are based on Isaiah 6:8 and 1 Samuel 3:4. It is published by OCP Publications.
Schutte wrote the song at age 31 when he was studying theology at the Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley. He was requested to compose, on short notice, a piece for the ordination Mass of a deacon, incorporating in the lyrics God's word, of Jesus as the light, and the bread and wine of the Eucharist.
Schutte's hymn is also sung in many Protestant worship services and is found in multiple hymnals and missalettes.
In 2004 a survey conducted by "the Tablet", an international Catholic magazine, reported "Here I Am, Lord" as readers' favorite. A poll conducted by the National Association of Pastoral Musicians found among members that it came in second among "songs that make a difference".
In 2013 a survey conducted by "Songs of Praise", "Here I Am, Lord" was named the fifth most popular hymn in Britain.
In 2017 "America" ran an article detailing the impact this song has had on the spirituality of American Catholics.
In 2019 "I, the Lord of Sea and Sky" was voted the United Kingdom's 10th favorite hymn.
References.
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Here I Am (Monica song)
"Here I Am" is a song by American recording artist Monica, taken up from her sixth studio album, "Still Standing" (2010). It was composed by the former along with Ester Dean, Paul Dawson, Mark Hartnett, Jason Perry, and her cousin Polow da Don, featuring production by the latter. Chiefly written by Dean, the smoky downtempo song was initially written for and recorded by a male singer but partially reconstructed for Monica. Lyrically, "Here I Am" outlines a woman's physical desires over a dubstep-lite instrumental.
The album version of the song was lined up for a dual single release along with "Nothing Like Me" to US radios in fall 2009. However, its release was scrapped twice in favor of "Everything to Me" and "Love All Over Me", both of which served as the first two singles from the album. Eventually picked as the third and final single from "Still Standing", the song was officially remixed with vocals from American singer Trey Songz. The duet version was released as a digital download in October 2010 and earned positive reviews from music critics. Prior to the album's release, the original version had charted on the "Billboard" Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs at number eighty-three.
Background and release.
"Here I Am" was written by Ester Dean, Paul Dawson, Mark Hartnett, Jason Perry, Monica and her cousin, Polow da Don, with production handled by the latter. It was one of the first songs on which Monica and da Don collaborated on for her-then upcoming album, "Still Standing" (2010), and one out of two songs that he was initially expected to contribute to the album. Monica later told "Rap-Up" magazine that she was very happy and keen to work with da Don, and that their personal bond had transformed "Here I Am" into a standout record amongst the tracks they had previously recorded. Referring to its style, she further added: “It’s a special song to me because it’s totally different than what I normally do.” Chiefly written by singer–songwriter Ester Dean, it was originally crafted for a man and a man previously recorded it. Upon playing it to Monica in the recording studio, the team decided on flipping it and made it fitting for a woman.
On October 27, 2009, Monica revealed on her Twitter account, that "Here I Am" along with Dean and Polow's other contribution, "Nothing Like Me", an uptempo collaboration with rapper T-Pain, was to be released as a dual lead single from "Still Standing". Speaking on this decision, she tweeted: "This was the best way to satisfy my fans of 15 years and the new fans that I hope to gain.” However, its release was eventually scrapped, with Monica confirming in December 2009, that some undisclosed legal issues surrounding "Nothing Like Me" "didn't get cleared" in time. On April 2, 2010, Monica again turned to Twitter to announce that "Here I Am" was scheduled to be released as the album's second single, containing newly recorded vocals from J Records label mate Jamie Foxx. In a last minute change, the single was later switched to fan-favorite "Love All Over Me". "I didn't have a choice [...] I would never ignore the fans so we switched", the singer later replied. During touring with singer Trey Songz on the Passion, Pain & Pleasure Tour, "Here I Am" was eventually announced as the album's third single. In addition, it was revealed that Songz had replaced Foxx on the duet remix version of the original track.
Critical reception.
In a review of the remix, music blog DJBooth.net wrote that "Trey Songz steps into the role of the fella who fulfills the singer’s needs when her main man is off at the club. After lacing Polow Da Don‘s reverb-drenched instrumental with a little soulful call-and-response and some glittering harmonies, the collaborators crescendo to a climax featuring some of the most dazzling vocal pyrotechnics." A fan of the original version, entertainment website ThatGrapeJuice.net called the song "R&B at its best", finding that "this stunning version deserves kudos in its own right". They added: that "despite not featuring new vocals from Monica, the addition of Songz surprisingly breathed new life into the song, with their respective vocals meshing exceptionally well. What’s more, Songz’s powerful runs sees this serve as one of his best vocal out yet." M. Gosho Oakes from SoulCulture wrote that "Responding with persuasive assurances of satisfaction, Trey Songz follows Monica‘s call all the way to the official remix for 'Here I Am'." "Rap-Up" magazine classified "Here I Am" as a "smoky slow jam".
References.
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Here I Am (Patty Loveless song)
"Here I Am" is a song written by Tony Arata and recorded by American country music artist Patty Loveless. It was released in November 1994 as the second single from her seventh album, "When Fallen Angels Fly" (1994). The song reached a number four peak in February 1995.
Critical reception.
Richard McVey from "Cash Box" wrote, "A far cry from her previous release, "I Try To Think About Elvis," this easy-paced, guitar/vocally-driven tune is classic Loveless. She pours emotions through her vocals like few can, and "Here I Am" is no exception."
Music video.
The accompanying music video for "Here I am" premiered in December 1994.
Charts.
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References.
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Here I Am to Worship (song)
"Here I Am to Worship" is a song written by Tim Hughes and was released as the title song of his debut album "Here I Am to Worship". The song is a popular worship ballad. It is commonly sung at Christian churches, festivals and youth gatherings. The song was ranked No. 1 on the Christian Copyright Licensing International (CCLI) two years in a row and was still ranked on their Top 25 Songs list in 2016.
Writing and inspiration.
Hughes wrote the song in 1999 as a response to how he felt after reading Philippians 2. The passage speaks about Christ's humility and how He willingly left His throne in heaven, came to earth as a man, and sacrificed Himself on the cross all because of His love for us. With this passage in mind, he picked up his guitar and, as he sang, the words to the song flowed out, but he was not satisfied with the chorus and felt that it did not flow well with the song. For several months, he struggled with the chorus and even put the song aside for about six months before finally finishing it. However, he was still not confident in the chorus. It was not until he played this song at his home church Soul Survivor, and his pastor told him to play the song more often, that he realized the potential the song had. Since then, this song has spread and become widely known. Hughes himself said. "No one has been more surprised than myself at seeing how God has used this worship song." The themes in the song are the life of Jesus, thankfulness, and worship.
Composition.
"Here I Am to Worship" is a slow worship ballad with a length of five minutes and fifteen seconds. The song is set in common time and has a tempo of 75 beats per minute. It is written in the key E Major. The verses follow the chord progression E - B - F♯m - A - E - B - A, the chorus follows the progression E - B - C♯m - A, and the bridge follows the progression B - E - A.
Versions.
It has been covered by other contemporary worship musicians, including:
References.
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Dan Schutte
American Christian singer
Daniel Laurent Schutte is an American composer of Catholic and contemporary Christian liturgical music, best known for composing the hymn "Here I Am, Lord" (1981, also known as "I, the Lord of Sea and Sky") and approximately 171 other hymns and Mass settings.
Biography.
Schutte was born in Neenah, Wisconsin, on December 28, 1947, grew up in Elm Grove, Wisconsin, and graduated from Marquette University High School before entering the Society of Jesus.
As a Jesuit seminarian, he was one of the founding members of the St. Louis Jesuits, composers who popularized a contemporary style of church music set to sacred texts sung in English due to the liturgical reforms initiated by the Second Vatican Council. Other members of the St. Louis Jesuits are Bob Dufford, Roc O'Connor, John Foley, and Tim Manion.
He released ten collections with the St. Louis Jesuits, including a 30th-anniversary collection in 2005. Their second recording, "Earthen Vessels," sold over one million albums. As a result, beginning with hymnals such as "Glory and Praise", their music became standard repertoire in Catholic parishes in the English-speaking world.
Schutte left the Society of Jesus in 1986.
Schutte continues as a prolific composer of liturgical music, releasing nine solo collections with OCP Publications. Many of his newer compositions found their way into permanent hymnals and missals. Schutte's "Mass of Christ the Savior," released in 2012, quickly became one of the most widely used Mass Settings throughout the English-speaking world.
Notable Christian artists, including Chris Christian, Amy Grant, and John Michael Talbot, have recorded his compositions. His music is credited in movie and television soundtracks, including Dark Waters, Yes, God, Yes, Everybody Loves Raymond, Will and Grace, and Mistresses.
In 2009, he wrote "Walking the Sacred Path – Spiritual Exercises for Today," 2012, "God With Us - A Prayer Book For Advent and Christmas" and, 2014, "From Ashes To Glory - A Prayer Book For Lent and Easter". With the outbreak of COVID-19, he developed a series of virtual spiritual retreats that gained a worldwide audience.
In addition to his Jesuit formation, Schutte holds two master of arts degrees, one in theology and one in liturgy, from The Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley. Schutte is also an alumnus of St. Louis University and Seattle University. He did graduate studies in music composition under the direction of Fr. Kevin Waters S.J. at Seattle University. He was a student of celebrated American painter and artist, Sr. Thomasita Fessler, OSF at Studio San Damiano. He has received four honorary doctoral degrees for his contribution to the life of the church. Two honorary doctorates are in humane letters, and two are in music.
Schutte presently is Composer-in-Residence at the University of San Francisco. He continues to compose new music and write about spirituality.
Legacy.
Schutte's compositions are primarily written for Catholic liturgical use, but over time have been used in Protestant worship. Some of the more notable include "City of God" (1981), "Only This I Want" (1981), "Blest Be the Lord" (1976), "You Are Near" (1971), "Though the Mountains May Fall" (1975), "Sing a New Song" (1972), "Glory and Praise to Our God" (1976), "Here I Am, Lord" (1981), "Table of Plenty" (1992), "River of Glory" (2001), "These Alone Are Enough" (2004), his setting of the Ignatian Suscipe prayer and "Saints and Beloved of God" (2016).
"The St. Louis Jesuit Mass" (1973), co-authored during his collaborative years, was the most-used Mass setting in the United States during the 1970s and 1980s. With the implementation of the Roman Missal, Third Edition in 2012, it wasn't easy to revise the original Mass setting text and well-known melody with the new style of the translation, which follow the original Latin texts more closely. The Publisher and composers decided not to publish a revision. "Mass of Christ the Savior," released in 2012, quickly became one of the most widely used Mass Settings throughout the English-speaking world.
In a circular of July 29, 2008, the Congregation for Divine Worship directed that "in liturgical celebrations, in songs and prayers the name of God in the form of the tetragrammaton YHWH is neither to be used or pronounced." Schutte agreed with the directive. Accordingly, for Catholic liturgical services, the refrain of Schutte's "You Are Near," which began as "Yahweh, I know you are near" now begins with "O Lord, I know you are near."
References.
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Gwahoddiad
1872 Welsh-language hymn
"Gwahoddiad" is a Welsh hymn of American origin.
, also known as and by its first line , was originally the English-language gospel song "I Am Coming, Lord", the first line of which is "I hear thy welcome voice". The English words and the tune were written in 1872 by the American Methodist minister and gospel songwriter Lewis Hartsough (1828–1919) during a revival meeting at Epworth, Iowa, where Hartsough was minister. Hartsough was musical editor of "The Revivalist", a collection of hymns which had begun in 1868 and continued through 11 editions. The English words with Hartsough's tune first appeared in the 1872 edition.
The tune is in 3/4 time, with fermatas at the option of the songleader. The metrical pattern is 6686 with refrain 5576. The rhyme scheme is ABCB; the second and fourth lines rhyme, whether in the verse or in the refrain.
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In 1906 the American gospel singer and composer Ira D. Sankey wrote:
The words and music of this beautiful hymn were first published in a monthly entitled "Guide to Holiness", a copy of which was sent to me in England. I immediately adopted it, and had it published in "Sacred Songs and Solos". It proved to be one of the most helpful of the revival hymns, and was often used as an invitation hymn in England and America.
The Welsh version was translated by Calvinistic Methodist minister and musician Ieuan Gwyllt (literally John the Wild, bardic name of John Roberts) (1822–1877). It has become so well known in Wales that, despite its American origin, many people believe it to be an indigenously Welsh hymn.
"I Am Coming, Lord" is an invitation song, typically sung at the end of a sermon in evangelistic meetings. The tune is usually called WELCOME VOICE in American hymnals and may be labeled CALVARY in British hymnals. During World War I Hartsough expressed gratification not only for having heard the song in various languages but also for having learned of its popularity with soldiers in the trenches of Europe.
Consider now the lyrics, with the Welsh version printed first.
Welsh words.
The Roberts (Gwyllt) translation has four verses. The first verse is a virtual equivalent of Hartsough's original (see "infra"). Roberts essentially skipped Hartsough's second verse and then conflated the remaining three verses into similar but not verbatim thoughts matching Welsh to the metrical pattern of Hartsough's tune.
Original English words.
"I Am Coming, Lord!" as it appeared in the "Revivalist" (1872, p. 231, No. 464):
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The theology of the fourth verse from Hartsough's original has attracted some clarification from editors. The Calvinist Roberts (Gwyllt) in the Welsh version simply massaged the concerns away via the translation. English-language editors who are unhappy with the theology have sometimes gone the way of B. B. McKinney in simply eliminating the verse
or Elmer Leon Jorgenson in revising it as follows:
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American hymn editor William Jensen Reynolds asserted in 1976, as he had done earlier, in 1964, another verse, between the third and fourth verses above:
'Tis Jesus who confirms
The blessed work within,
By adding grace to welcomed grace,
Where reigned the power of sin.

But that verse is included in the 1875 edition of Sankey's "Sacred Songs and Solos".
Notes.
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Here I Am (Kelly Rowland album)
Album by American recording artist Kelly Rowland
Here I Am is the third studio album by American singer Kelly Rowland, released through Universal Motown and Universal Music Group on July 22, 2011. The album is Rowland's first release since parting ways with her manager Mathew Knowles and longtime Sony Music record label Columbia Records (through Knowles' Music World Entertainment). "Here I Am" is predominately a pop, R&B and dance album. It follows Rowland's assertion that "no one puts her in a box" with common themes around womanhood, sexual intimacy and love. Originally scheduled for release in 2010, the album was pushed back after the first round of singles were released to mixed critical and commercial reception.
"Commander" (2010) produced by and featuring David Guetta topped the US Hot Dance Club Songs chart and became a top-ten hit in the United Kingdom and some other European territories. Three other singles: "Forever and a Day", "Rose Colored Glasses" and "Grown Woman", all had limited commercial success and are subsequently included on selected editions of the album or excluded altogether. The international version of the album features seventeen songs including ones excluded from the US editions and some remixes. "Here I Am" also features guest performances from Lil Wayne, Nelly, Rico Love, Lil Playy, The WAV.s and Big Sean. Production of the album was handled by the likes of Rodney Jerkins, Guetta, Jim Jonsin, Hit-Boy, RedOne and The Runners. Love wrote half of the songs on the album, while Rowland co-wrote three songs on the album.
After re-recording the majority of the album, a new single featuring Lil Wayne titled "Motivation", preceded the album in the United States. It was greeted with a positive reception from critics and topped the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart as well as peaking in the top-twenty of the "Billboard" Hot 100, becoming Rowland's second most successful single as a lead artist in the United States. "Here I Am" was received well by critics, many of whom praised the strong productions and vocal performances but questioned some of the guests and a lack of the up-tempo dance sound Rowland had spoken of. "Here I Am" debuted at number one on the US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and number three on the US "Billboard" 200 albums chart, selling 77,000 copies. To date, it's Rowland's highest-charting album in the United States.
Background.
During her 2008 performances at T4 on the Beach in Weston-Super-Mare, United Kingdom, Rowland was exposed to British bands and live festival music. It inspired her to pursue a new sound for her then untitled third album. She then travelled the South of France for vacation in Summer 2008 where she was exposed to dance music. It was here that she met French disc jockey (DJ) David Guetta and heard the foundations of "When Love Takes Over", a song that would leave a lasting impression on the singer. After falling in love with the song, Rowland would take it back to London to write and record the vocals with Australian songwriters, The Nervo Twins. However Columbia Records were not impressed with the new sound and the record was left unfinished until it was rediscovered by Guetta, when compiling his "One Love" album.
In March 2009, it was revealed that the singer was parting ways with Columbia Records. Speaking of her decision to leave, Rowland said, "as a solo artist, I felt the need to explore new directions, new challenges, and new freedoms outside my comfort zone and my friends and family at Columbia have been incredibly understanding about my evolution. I want to thank everyone at Columbia for the love and support they've shown and I will never forget how many good times we've had over the years." It was also announced in March that Guetta was releasing "When Love Takes Over", his collaboration with Rowland. The song went on to be a worldwide success for the duo. Jason Lipshutz of "Billboard" said "the success comes at an intriguing time in Rowland's career", having noted that she had landed a hosting job on Bravo's "The Fashion Show" and was in between labels.
In October 2009 it was suggested that the success of the single had made Rowland consider signing a new record deal with EMI Music. Despite earlier claims, Rowland told "Entertainment Weekly" in 2010 that she didn't leave Columbia Records of her own accord. She was dropped because her previous album, "Ms. Kelly" (2007), was not commercially successful. Then in May 2010, speculation of Rowland's new record ended when an official press release revealed that she had signed to Universal Motown Records. It was whilst recording within the studios with Guetta that Rowland caught the attention of the head of Universal Motown, Sylvia Rhone, which led to the new deal. On the decision to go with Rhone's label, Rowland said "they have really embraced me and have set me up to succeed. I decided, after careful thought, to sign with Universal Motown not only because of their track record of success, but also because they truly put their artists first". "Here I Am" has a distinctly different sound to Rowland's previous albums. "Simply Deep" (2002) followed a rock–dance sound, while "Ms. Kelly" featured an urban sound. However, on her third album, there are a lot of up-tempo tracks. The album is tailored specifically towards individual markets, with the US version of the album featuring more traditional R&B and pop records, while the international version of the album features more of an "up-tempo dancey" sound.
Musical style.
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 "I remember hearing Janet Jackson saying once 'With every album we grow, and we can't be afraid of it. Because we never know everything, and we learn something new every day.' "
—Kelly Rowland
In an interview with "The Independent", Rowland admitted that with her first two records she struggled to find her sound. "I was in a stage with the first two records where I was searching and I was like, let me try a rock-dance approach, the label [and management] wanted me to try it and I did it... And then after that came a more urban approach with "Ms. Kelly" in 2007." She further described the songs on her previous albums as sounding very much the same, which led her to the realisation that she "needed refreshing". She told "Entertainment Focus" that meeting French DJ David Guetta "changed her perspective and helped to inspire the new sound". She then spent more time in Europe in 2009, something which she said had influenced her. "It's different being over here in Europe and just being able to look at different magazines and fashion shows and things like that. And just thinking about the look and working with different stylists as well. I wanted to make sure it was a look that was all me, you know?." She noted that seeing people's reactions to dance music made her feel "completely intoxicated!." In July 2010, Rowland said during an interview with Alex Catarinella of "Paper" magazine that "I spent about a year of my life in Europe really listening to a whole bunch of European DJs and hearing dance music a lot on the radio and really loving it. 'When Love Takes Over' was my first introduction to dance music [and] it was a whole other monster. It's really a culture and I love it."
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 I'm trying to take a page from the amazing books of Donna Summer and Diana Ross. They were so powerful and glam on stage and such a voice for women. I looked at them to take inspiration from and then thought of a way to make it my own."
—Kelly Rowland
When she was interviewed for "Blues & Soul" in 2010, Rowland explained that the album would blend her urban roots with a strong dance music influence. "I'd say the main difference between this new album and my previous albums, is that this time I wasn't afraid to take a risk. I didn't care whether it was urban, dance, hip hop, WHATEVER... I just wanted a great track that I could sing and that people would enjoy." Part of the inspiration for the new sound on the album was wanting to do something different. In her interview with "The Independent", she said "For me, it was being kind of at a flat line with urban music and wanting something different ... when I did 'When Love Takes Over', it was easy to do it – it was almost like it happened before me in spirit and I walked right into it. ...so I knew I couldn't be afraid of this direction, and I wasn't going to let the thoughts and opinions of others make me afraid to go in this direction." Then in response to criticisms that her long-standing fans would not have their expectations met, she said "I did not forget about my urban roots, nor will I ever ... That is one of the reasons I am here period ... I thank everyone for being so wonderful and so open to me trying something new. I won't let you down this record, I promise you."
She expressed frustrations with the constant comparisons to Beyoncé and opinions that urban artists should only produce urban records. Defending her decision to widen the range of genres on the new album, she said "Nobody puts me in a box!." Alex Cantaranella of "Paper" magazine described her position on the album as "an unassuming, poised woman who isn't fazed by the 'bullshit that comes with the territory'." Rowland would go on to say that the album was "a mixture of different sounds that express me and where I'm at right now in my career", and promised that the album would be a "defining moment" in her career.
Upon completion of the album, Rowland said: <templatestyles src="Template:Blockquote/styles.css" />"I'm so excited for everyone to hear the rest of the album. For a long time, I thought about, 'Should it be dance or should it be urban or should it be this or should it be that?' And I was like, 'Why am I allowing people to make me think like that?" She added, "It's just about artistry, it's just about freedom," she continued. "It's just about music. It's about being alive and being happy and living life and being a woman, just feeling amazing..."
Writing and composition.
Sessions took place in Los Angeles, New York City and Miami with Rowland specifically wanting a wide range of songs to choose from.
One of the first people she actually entered the studios with was David Guetta. He co-wrote and produced the song, "Commander", a song with themes of taking control and being sexy. Rowland said of the song, "I hope to see women singing the song like they're in charge. It's important to know that we are commanders who have the power to shape our own destiny." Rico Love wrote the song and, according to Rowland, had credits on around half of the album. "Commander" features on the album as track number nine, while its urban remix featuring Nelly features on the deluxe edition as track fourteen. Guetta also had a hand in co-producing "Forever and a Day" with Danish producer Jonas Jeberg. The song was written by Sam Watters, Andre Merrit, Jeberg and Rowland. During the album's New York listening party in June 2010, "Forever and Day" was described by "Honey Mag" as a display of Rowland's "vocals" with "long-winded riffs and sky-high notes." It was released as a single in some international markets in September 2010. Aside from Guetta, Rowland was reunited with The Nervo Twins who previously helped Rowland to write "When Love Takes Over".
American R&B singer-songwriter Ne-Yo was also involved in the album and wrote three songs which were produced by StarGate. "Shake Them Haters Off" is an "up-tempo" and fun record with lyrics such as "Its like a job I that I never get a break from/because haters never take a vacation." Another collaboration titled "Grown Ass Woman" (later changed to "Grown Woman") was described by Rowland as her favorite song on the album. Ne-Yo conceptualized the song in a three-minute conversation with Rowland, where she told him she wanted a record where she could claim "I'm grown!". According to Janine Simon from "Honey Mag", on "Grown [Ass] Woman" Rowland digs "through old pictures from the Destiny's Child days reflecting on how far she has come yet how 'Grown and silly' she still is." It would later be released as one of the album's two US lead singles. The pair collaborated on a third song, "Heaven n Earth", described by Simon as a ballad using imagery to demonstrate a "sonic portrait, painted with flecks of sentiment; a picture of what the singer believes is what 'we deserve as a people'." According to Rowland, one of these three records was also recorded as a duet featuring Ne-Yo's vocals. None of these songs made the album apart from "Heaven n Earth", which features as song number eleven on the deluxe edition.
Ester Dean and Dr. Luke also worked on the album, respectively writing and producing the other US lead single "Rose Colored Glasses". The song's lyrics portray "the issues that arise when one plays the fool in a relationship." During Rowland's concert series for iHeartRadio, the singer took time out to reflect on the song. She recalled, "The first time I heard the song it made me think of all of the relationships where I had to wear rose-colored glasses." It was also revealed that, during the studio recording session with Dean, she began to cry at the thought of all the "toxic relationships" she had been in "where she needed to leave." Later in an interview with "The Belfast Telegraph", Rowland said that the song had taken its toll on her. She said "It brought back a few memories, and when I recorded it I cried so much my vocal chords got swollen." Dean also worked alongside Rowland during last minute studio sessions with producer Tricky Stewart, which spawned a female empowerment song called "I'm Dat Chick". Although "Rose Colored Glasses" was omitted from the US track listing, Dean's song "I'm Dat Chick" made the album appearing as the opening song. Written as a "confidence-boosting" anthem, "I'm Dat Chick" is built around an urban-electro club beat designed to get "even shy women to come out of their shells" according to "Rap-Up" magazine. Meanwhile, Dean's third contribution, "Lay It on Me", features rapper Big Sean and centers on an up-tempo R&B melody with 808s and high NRG-led production. It features a "tinkling piano" melody and light R&B beat.
"Take Everything", another song recorded for the album, is one of several songs written by Love and produced by Jim Jonsin and was the first record that Rowland recorded with the duo. Jonsin praised his studio sessions with Rowland, describing the new sound as Donna Summer-esque. During an interview with 103.5 KTU FM, she accidentally revealed she had collaborated with Pitbull, but it was not until August 15, 2010, during an interview with 97.9 The Box FM, that it was revealed that he features on "Take Everything". Another song written and produced by the duo is titled "Motivation" featuring Lil Wayne. It was released as the album's lead single in April 2011. Speaking of how the record came about, Rowland said "'Motivation' came about when I was in the studio with [producers] Jim Jonsin and Rico Love, and we kind of were just vibing. I told Rico I wanted something really sexy ... and he came up with 'Motivation' along with Jim. It turned into this amazing record... I played [ 'Motivation' for Lil Wayne ] and he got on it, and it was just as simple as that." The racy lyrics center around Rowland asking her man to use his hands all over her body, and are accompanied by a "synth-saturated beat" produced by Jonsin. In terms of instruments, "Motivation" uses sparse keyboard notes, programmed beats and pulsing synths in the chorus. Wayne adds a rap verse complementing Rowland's seductive suggestions, using the kitchen and a car as metaphors for sex.
A press release also revealed she had worked with Salaam Remi, something which Love confirmed when he said he had worked on a song with Remi called "Love Is the Greatest" that he hoped would make the album. Of these recordings, only "Motivation" made the album appearing as song number three, while its Rebel Rock Remix appears on the deluxe edition as track thirteen. Shondrae 'Bangladesh' Crawford who is best known for producing "Diva" and "Video Phone" by Rowland's ex-bandmate and close friend Beyoncé, revealed to "Rap-Up" that he had also been in the studio with Rowland. Of the collaborations, Bangladesh said, "the music that we've done is just hard, it's edgy, but it's still sexy, and it's not raunchy ... What I like to do when I go in with artists, I like to recreate and reinvent 'em, even if they didn't need that." Another song recorded for the album was the Brian Kennedy-produced dance song "On and On" which was written by Kennedy, Merritt, Rowland and Robert Allen. "On and On" was used in episode fifteen of the MTV reality TV series "The Hills". Both Bangladesh and Kennedy productions are omitted from the album.
Other studio sessions took place with Akon, while new writing sessions were planned with season eight "American Idol" runner-up Adam Lambert. No songs from either