oudeis on 1/11/2007 at 15:14

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Just saw it over at the (http://www.apple.com/trailers/newline/thegoldencompass/) Apple site and it looks badass. My first impression was that it would make an awesome setting for an mmo (though I've never read the books, only the wikipedia article about them).



edit- I'm a sucker for these kind of movies so I'm hoping it's better than 'The Seeker- The Dark is rising' which was apparently crap.

Also, I get the feeling that this will be another movie where the music for the trailer is better than the actual film score, like 'Narnia'. I'd bet it's another (http://www.x-raydogmusic.com/) X-Ray Dog piece (Warning: LOUD splash music :()

fett on 1/11/2007 at 17:46

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Ya know, I've got mixed feelings about this. I read His Dark Materials triology, and while The Golden Compass was good, the series devolved into a very transparent and overhanded axe-grinding session with Christianity and the Catholic church. Pullman has stated in interviews that he hopes the series will "kill the concept of God in the minds of children." Fine. But WRITE A FUCKING STORY. I think he would have been better off just writing a non-fiction diatribe against The Church or a defense for atheism.

Now, before everyone starts shouting, "WAHT ABOUT CS LEWIS??!!" I'll state for the record that the Narnia chronicles are brilliant, *despite* their thinly veiled Christian propaganda. Why? Because the story is good, the characters develop, and the writing is consistent throughout. You may disagree. My problem with Pullman has nothing to do with his personal convictions, but rather the fact that by the middle of the second book, he has allowed them to run roughshod over his plot and characters. He completely forgets about character development for all intents and purposes, as they become one dimensional mouthpieces for his opinions about the RCC and thiesm. More simply put, it's fucking boring. Is this YA fantasy or a Richard Dawkins book (also fucking boring)?

I'm all for anything to get kids to think freely and not be brainwashed by religion, but as it stands in fantasy lit, the series is a complete rip-off. However, when he stays on track, Pullman is a good writer. Hopefully the movie is enjoyable.

If you want a better read, I'd recommend Joseph Delaney's 'The Last Apprentice' series, the 'Pure Dead Magic' books by Debi Gliori, or the 'Gregor the Overlander' series (can't remember the author).

d0om on 1/11/2007 at 20:16

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I really liked the first book (The Northern Lights) But the Subtle Knife and the Amber spyglass get progressively worse. Its a shame he didn't stop after the first book to be honest.

The worst part of the trailer is they refer to the Alethiometer as "the golden compass" in dialogue, when part of the charm of the books is the sometimes strange words they use (Ambaric rather than electric lights, for example.) I don't think audiences would have any difficulty with accepting that the name for an instrument which tells you the truth is an Alethiometer rather than "a golden compass."

Polar bears looked aces though.

fett on 1/11/2007 at 21:26

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Yeah, like the 810,108,101,776 people who bought the book were wandering around going, "Der...what the hell is a Sorcerer?" It's a miracle LotR was a hit here - "A movie with more than one linear storyline? However will they understand what's happening? Someone call Michael Bey. HURRY!"

Fingernail on 1/11/2007 at 22:30

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I'd also have thought, assuming they didn't alter the actual text of the novel itself, that it would be doubly confusing to buy a book called "The Golden Compass" only to find no mention of such a thing of that name.