Joined: Jan 2007 Gender: Female Posts: 1,462 Location: York Karma: 496
The Golden Compass « Thread Started on Dec 14, 2007, 7:48pm »
I finally got round to seeing "The Golden Compass" today, and even though I didn't have particularly high expectations I must admit to being disappointed.
The plot of Philip Pullman's "Northern Lights" has been simplified to the point of incoherence - I can't believe that anyone who hasn't read the book will be able to follow the story - and there are several indications that a lot of footage ended up on the cutting-room floor. Even the special effects aren't all that special, and it's particularly annoying that the daemons (exterior "souls" in animal form) are so obviously computer-generated. Little of the book's political and religious backstory has made it to the screen, as a result of which a novel written for young adults comes across as a children's film.
On the credit side, Nicole Kidman is perfectly cast as the villainous ice-maiden Mrs Coulter (is there such a thing as a married ice-maiden? Oh, never mind...) And it's fun trying to recognise a host of British stars under pounds of makeup or as the voices of animals!
Re: The Golden Compass « Reply #3 on Dec 15, 2007, 12:17am »
I've only read the first one, it wasn't bad. But I do find it a bit tiresome where the main protagonist "is the chosen one" who's powers come to the fore as the series goes on.
I thought it was done well with the "- Shanharra " series Not so well with one of the David Gemmell series (sorry can't remember the titles, been about 15 years) And it was absolutely horrible the way it was done with "Willow" and the way they suckered me by changing the title and all the names of the characters, so I didn't know I'd bought the sequel to "willow" until about page 20, by which time it was faaaarrr tooo late!
El Greco BTW, do you remember the chap over your right shoulder? the one who appears to be talking in to an imaginary mobile phone? Are you holding an invisible pint? were you at some sort of invisible product convention (wearing the latest in double breasted suits with a snappy trilby)
Joined: Jan 2007 Gender: Female Posts: 1,462 Location: York Karma: 496
Re: The Golden Compass « Reply #4 on Dec 15, 2007, 11:15am »
Quote:
I will use that as a review on the site, so you just earned yourself 50 karma Julia
Bugger, I thought you were going to say 50 quid! After all, you can afford it now you're raking in the cash from advertising (according to a woo noob).
And yes, steje73, I can recommend the Pullman books - but if your wife enjoys fantasy novels and hasn't yet read Susanna Clarke's "Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell", I found it even more enjoyable than the Pullman trilogy (and almost as long).
Stelio Kontos Administrator Bad Ass member is offline
Joined: Dec 2005 Gender: Male Posts: 13,633 Karma: 52
Re: The Golden Compass « Reply #5 on Dec 15, 2007, 11:34am »
Quote:
Quote:
I will use that as a review on the site, so you just earned yourself 50 karma Julia
Bugger, I thought you were going to say 50 quid! After all, you can afford it now you're raking in the cash from advertising (according to a woo noob).
I have been trying to earn money out of this site for 2 years! And still cant find a good way.
I reckon i might need to start selling psychic readings......Oh s*it
Joined: Jan 2007 Gender: Female Posts: 1,462 Location: York Karma: 496
Re: The Golden Compass « Reply #6 on Dec 15, 2007, 2:36pm »
If the worst comes to the worst you can always sell that gorgeous body of yours. Sceptically inclined chubby-chasers all over the world are probably salivating over it even as we speak...Or you could flog that genuine 24ct gold crucifix.
Re: The Golden Compass « Reply #8 on Dec 17, 2007, 1:41pm »
[/quote]
And yes, steje73, I can recommend the Pullman books - but if your wife enjoys fantasy novels and hasn't yet read Susanna Clarke's "Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell", I found it even more enjoyable than the Pullman trilogy (and almost as long).
[/quote]
She has dyslexia so she finds reading difficult, but she's found that fantasy books can keep her hooked where other books would lose her interest. If the books you recommended aren't too tricky I might get her them. Cheers.
Joined: Jan 2007 Gender: Female Posts: 1,462 Location: York Karma: 496
Re: The Golden Compass « Reply #9 on Dec 18, 2007, 10:31pm »
The Susanna Clarke book is MUCH easier to follow than the Pullman trilogy. She also has an excellent book of fantasy short stories out in paperback, 'The Ladies of Grace Adieu', which I would recommend to anyone interested in the genre.
Joined: Oct 2006 Gender: Male Posts: 1,332 Location: Birkenhead Karma: 500
Re: The Golden Compass « Reply #10 on Dec 19, 2007, 11:05pm »
Quote:
Quote:
Bugger, I thought you were going to say 50 quid! After all, you can afford it now you're raking in the cash from advertising (according to a woo noob).
I have been trying to earn money out of this site for 2 years! And still cant find a good way.
I reckon i might need to start selling psychic readings......Oh s*it
Re: The Golden Compass « Reply #11 on Dec 29, 2007, 9:28am »
I thought they stuck to the story fairly well, but as always the film could not convey the full message of the books. Particularily in the Bear fight, Iorek had demonstrated to Lyra that as he was a bear, he saw things as they were and not as he wished them to be (unlike a human, and he nicked my theory) so in combat he could not be bluffed. The userper Bear King in his wish to be more human allowed this to cloud his judgement, so Iorek was able to fool him by pretending his paw was injured, before using it to deliver the killer blow. Within these limitations I though it was watchable, but again I was surprised at the point the film was ended at, as there is a lot to cover which is going to be dificult to cram in to the start of the next film. I'd give it 7/10, worth watching once but I'm not keenly awaiting the DVD
Re: The Golden Compass « Reply #12 on Dec 29, 2007, 9:35am »
BTW Steje73, has your wife read any of the early terry Pratchett Discworlds? Very well worth it. I'd also recommend almost anything by Harry Turtledove, but especially the "legion of videssos" cycle or the one off "agent of Byzantium"
If you look for "black Library" publishing, which is part of Games Workshop, they have Sci Fi and fantasy divisions (Solaris is one of the sci-fi) which have a good standard
Jack Vance is always worth a read, and Paul O Williams "Northwall" is very good.
Re: The Golden Compass « Reply #13 on Dec 29, 2007, 9:39pm »
according to a mate who saw the film the kids keep going into and out of c*ckney accents at random parts of the film. I want to see this, but don't want to waste cash if I am going to be disappointed.
www.ripodcast.co.uk - Righteous Indignation is the podcast that aims to critically examine extraordinary claims and the people who surround them. In a closed society where everyone is guilty, the only crime is getting caught. -- Hunter S Thompson.
Re: The Golden Compass « Reply #14 on Dec 30, 2007, 10:21am »
Again it's what you want out of it. If you've read the book and want to see your imagination put on the screen, probably don't bother, as I think you will be disappointed.
If you just want to go for a night out and see a film then it's OK
![[Search This Thread]](http://images.proboards.com/new/buttons/search2.png "[Search This Thread]")
![[Share Topic]](http://images.proboards.com/new/buttons/share.png "[Share Topic]")
![[Print]](http://images.proboards.com/new/buttons/print.png "[Print]")
Author
![[avatar]](http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd293/AliceShortcake/revolver-1.jpg "[avatar]")
Logged
![[avatar]](http://i1280.photobucket.com/albums/a497/JonDonnis3/Stelio_zps35504f75.jpg "[avatar]")
![[homepage]](http://images.proboards.com/new/buttons/www_sm.png "[homepage]")
Don't plan to either... ![[avatar]](http://img111.imageshack.us/img111/3678/eartie5.gif "[avatar]")
![[image]](http://img111.imageshack.us/img111/6148/blowzk6.gif "[image]")
![[avatar]](http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g38/oceanangel05/Quotes/th6c254acf.jpg "[avatar]")