THESE FORUMS NOW CLOSED (read only)
Fun Stuff => ENJOY => Topic started by: Faker on 09 Aug 2005, 04:32
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I remember in a news post many Moons ago that jeph said he was reading Phillip Pullman's His Dark Materials Trilogy, and a few people here are fans, well they are making a movie of the books, and a director has been picked.
Now for those of you who haven't read the books they take a pretty tough view on the influence that organised religion can have on peoples lives and the way some people will se this influence to their own ends, and the books have been labeled contraversial because of this.
So we know Hlywood studios like to avoid contraversy when it comes to "childrens" franchises so they have, "cut all that god stuff out"
Ain't It Cool News Article (http://www.aintitcool.com/display.cgi?id=20953)
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I was a bit underwhelmed by the books - they were page-turners, for sure, but Pullman never seemed to quite get a grip on some of the crucial issues (for instance, "dust") and so a lot of stuff felt a bit hazy to me. That, and the writing was at times a bit clunky - yes, I'm aware they were written for children but all the same the way reviewers (especially in Britain) gushed over the books you'd think Pullman was the second coming of Joyce or something.
Having said that, the first book was a corker and was easily the best of the trio, in my opinion. I'd probably go and see the film, as the books did deal with interesting issues and Pullman, to his eternal credit, didn't shy away from making tough decisions about his characters and, by extension, his audience. If the film(s?) can keep that same attitude of treating the audience with a bit of intelligence then it could work out okay - although, by removing "all that god stuff" they're pretty much ripping the central metaphor of the book right out - it sounds rather like making a film of Moby-Dick and leaving out "all that whale stuff".
One very, very good thing about the books is that reading them gave me the impetus to go and read Milton's Paradise Lost, which is absolutely magnificent. And I'm sure I'm not the only person in the world who rushed out to read that after finishing His Dark Materials.
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I adore the books, and I think it's ridiculous they're writing out the athiest elements in the book, though I've heard they've done the same with the Christian elements in the new Narnia films so it seems to be that they're avoiding religion as a theme in general at the moment.
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When I heard they were making movies based off of His Dark Materials, I was angrified. A great set of books, and I don't want to see them ruined.
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Even fanart of His Dark materials annoys me.
Can you imagine how badly they will stuff up the mulefa?
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i really liked his books, but i do agree the description of dust was very hazy. but at the same time, if you think about it, that could have been part of his point. like how religious beliefs can be blurred, since it's all what the individual percieves of it.
i'm not sure what to think of the movies, but i probably will see them when they come out.. i heard bout it in the times a while back, and do think it's great that they're finally making them into films. but movie adaptations are either hit or miss, mostly. especially with the magnitude of each of this series in particular..
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I heard the books had been optioned for movies, but if they're going to rip a core element out of the story out like that I'll just ignore them. As for the Mulefa, I'd say that something badly computer generated this way comes...
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I can't understand why they are even making the movies if they are destroying the plot that I love so dearly.
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I went and saw it at the theatre, and it was hella fresh. However, ripping out all the religion is retarded. The Church will just become ACME Evil Corp or some shit, and I don't even know what they'll do about the angels and God and such. It'll probobly suck.
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So, I figured resurrecting this thread would make the most sense with the new HBO version of His Dark Materials having come out.
Of course there also was a thread about "The Golden Compass", but given the general response to that movie (which I thought was entertaining despite its numerous flaws), I opted for this one.
So, anyone seen the new show? I am currently re-watching the first season and love the show, and think it is much better than the movie. Without giving anything away, I enjoy the casting choices, especially Ruth Wilson as Mrs. Coulter.
Production values are, of course (HBO, duh) fantastic, and the pacing is well-done. It's not without its flaws of course, but overall very happy with the show. Glad it was picked up for a second season already.
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It's at the top of my backlog, but first I need to persuade my wife that it's serious enough to be worth her watching.
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HBO is picking it up as a series?
Can't say I'm sorry the film trilogy didn't happen. The books declined as the series progressed... book 1 was by far the best, 2 was okay, and 3 kind of sucked.
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In theory, I would like to watch this, but as it's on HBO (streamed on foxtel here), that's not going to happen at least in the near future.
I loved book 1, but dropped the series some way through book 2. It wasn't even a conscious decision, really. I just lost interest. Pity, because book 1 was a cracker.
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I loved book 1, but dropped the series some way through book 2. It wasn't even a conscious decision, really. I just lost interest. Pity, because book 1 was a cracker.
You quit while you were ahead.
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HBO is picking it up as a series?
Can't say I'm sorry the film trilogy didn't happen. The books declined as the series progressed... book 1 was by far the best, 2 was okay, and 3 kind of sucked.
Yes, season 1 was book 1, and the series has already been picked up for a 2nd season, which will presumable be book 2.
Sounds like I should hope for a deviation from the later books then? I haven't read any of them, but couldn't they also incorporate stuff from the new books he has written about the "Dark Materials' universe?
Given it's HBO, I guess anything is possible...they could just make 3 seasons for the 3 books, they could deviate from the books a lot, or they could make 5 seasons out of the 3 books...
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Given it's HBO, I guess anything is possible...they could just make 3 seasons for the 3 books, they could deviate from the books a lot, or they could make 5 seasons out of the 3 books...
It was commissioned by and for the BBC, with HBO handling international distribution. The BBC premiere was a day before the HBO premiere.
But as it's known to be three series, it's a good assumption that they correspond closely to the books - though I note that they dropped a few facts from other parts of the story into the first episode, before we knew them if reading (e.g. we've seen a Window, and Sir Charles slipping through it - which we don't read about at all till the second book).
They started filming the second series before the first went out, to avoid their star ageing more than she should; presumably that'll happen again for the last part. Not (presumably) by chance, BBC radio is currently serialising the first part of The Book of Dust, read by Simon Russell-Beale.
Obviously much of the earlier part of the series was filmed right here in Oxford. I've recognised New College Chapel, and parts of Corpus Christi (my old college), playing the part of Jordan College, also some street views.