[Teaser] The Golden Compass (His Dark Materials)

[Krug]

http://movies.yahoo.com/feature/thegoldencompass.html

Looking forward to this!

 

[F5]

I've been looking forward to this one since I read the book ...

I think Nicole Kidman is going to do a great job in her role.

I also suspect that, due to the subject matter, you're going to see a s**t storm of controversy from the religious right, unless they're REALLY careful about how they market it and how much of the overall plot they give out in this first movie, or tweak the plot to make it less controversial.

I'll spoiler my concerns for those that haven't read the Phillip Pullman Dark Materials books yet (and if you haven't, you should)

Spoiler

In the final installment, it's revealed that the fabric of reality is unraveling in part because "God" is reduced to a frail, comatose relic, being kept alive artificially to support the political ambitions of his Archangels. The adult characters, it turns out, are part of a revolutionary front working to overthrow the Kingdom of Heaven, and replace it with a Republic of Heaven. The main character takes god off "life-support" and lets him die, sending his essence back into the cosmos. This is a very general simplification of what's going on, but you can see where it might ruffle some feathers. Similar plot in Dogma, only Dogma was intended as a tongue-in-cheek comedy, and still got heavily protested...

 

[horacethegrey]

Let the bloody religious "right" moan. It's just going to encourage more people to watch the movie (witness the success of Monty Python's Life of Brian, despite all the negative press it received when it first premiered).

While I don't like Phillip Pullman personally (I find his attacks on CS Lewis particularly distasteful), I'll be sure to watch this when it comes out.

 

[Seonaid]

I've been looking forward to this one since I read the book ...

I think Nicole Kidman is going to do a great job in her role.

I also suspect that, due to the subject matter, you're going to see a s**t storm of controversy from the religious right, unless they're REALLY careful about how they market it and how much of the overall plot they give out in this first movie, or tweak the plot to make it less controversial.

Ditto to all! Can't wait for it to come out!

 

[Wombat]

Well, the preview looks hopeful.

I love those books; I would hate to see them done badly.

 

[mmu1]

Actually, as far as I understand it (well, from what I remember reading, anyway) the religious angle is being almost completely stripped out of the movies. Not sure how they'll manage that if they ever get around to filming the 3rd one, but I think - with some schadenfreude, I have to admit - that it'll be the "atheist left" that'll be doing the most moaning on this one, over how a "great book" got butchered.

As for concerns with the books and the movie... (also spoilered)

Spoiler

I think the true issue with the book is not the ending - this is supposed to be a fantasy, after all - but the fact that Pullman explicitly identifies the religion in question as Christianity, and goes on to write a story in which there's not one actively religious character that's a decent human being.

Also, calling what the adults are doing "replacing a kingdom of heaven with a republic of heaven" is... uh... well, let's call it highly euphemistic.

They do away with "heaven" entirely and by doing so replace an afterlife in which one is tormented (or at best, ignored) until one fades to nothingness, with no afterlife at all. Unless you want to count getting rendered down and turned into raw material for new souls... Which all the characters seem inexplicably happy about, as Pullman clearly tries to put a spin on the story that won't make you want to blow your brains out when you realize you just read three books about people's fight for their right to cease to exist without getting tortured first, but cease to exist nonetheless... I mean, what better way to end a children's book than with "You're going to die, but that's ooooh-kay!" :\

 

[F5]

As for concerns with the books and the movie... (also spoilered)

I don't want to quote you directly, as it's spoilered text, but as to your comment about a certain turn of phrase used by the characters being highly euphamistic...I actually agree with you. I seem to recall that's the terminology THEY used, not my own. It's really not a HAPPY ending, but it's an interesting one...

Also interesting that they plan to cut the religious stuff out of the movie...and probably a good idea. The themes of the books can be left intact without the more controversial aspects being specifically spelled out.

And I'm usually kind of a purist where these things are concerned...squarely in the "Where was the Tom Bombadil scene in Fellowship?!?" camp.

 

[Seonaid]

I dunno, I'm not sure the last book could be done without drastically changing it, if they cut out the religious bits. :shrug:

 

[Nightfall]

Considering I too was offended by Pullman's attack on C.S. Lewis and others, I'm very unsure I want to see this movie. I admit to not reading much of the first book but after summaries were done, I've decided it was worth missing.

This movie will be too.

*three*

 

[Huw]

Considering I too was offended by Pullman's attack on C.S. Lewis and others, I'm very unsure I want to see this movie. I admit to not reading much of the first book but after summaries were done, I've decided it was worth missing.

I found Pullman's attack on Lewis distasteful as well. Both are first-rate authors, but until Pullman's written something as good as Out of the Silent Planet or The Screwtape Letters, he should shut up.

I'm going to wait for the initial reviews to decide whether to watch the film. I hope that few or none of the more mature themes have been toned down - the books have a lot of adult subtext beyond the religious satire.