Golden Compass Early Reviews (small spoilers)

[Emperor]

Hello, I just saw The Golden Compass this Sunday, and as I haven't seen any reviews yet, well, here it goes: I got invited to a cast and crew screening of the Golden Compass this Sunday, as I (worked in some capacity on the movie). I also have to point out that I've read the books and I quite like them, but I've always wondered how easily they could be translated to the big screen. The end result of this conversion was better than I expected, but not great by any means.

 

The film starts up with a quick overview, using voice-over narration, of the fantasy setting or "universe" that the story is set in. It reminded me a bit of the beginning of some terrible movies, like Jet Lee's One and Reign of Fire, where the viewer is asked in a quick narration to accept the basic premise and suspend disbelief, in other word, to not think and just "swallow the pill". In this case, the pill you get to swallow is that the story takes place in an alternative universe, very much like our own, with the biggest difference being that people's souls have a material representation in the form of talking animals (daemons), which accompany each person throughout their lives. I had not much trouble getting into it as I knew the story, but I can see people who don't having a bit of a difficulty accepting it, specially in the hasty way in which it is presented. I prefer when a fantasy movie shows me, rather than explicitly tells me, the rules of their alternate reality. Ultimately, this is a fantasy film and the main target for it is kids, so most of the audience will probably go along with it, but I guess some adults might be a bit annoyed by the way the story gets going.

 

The Golden Compass has many interesting sequences, ranging from the journey to London, to an armoured Polar bear fight, to an intense battle in an ice landscape, most of which have an exciting pace and are executed nicely from a visual point of view. The art direction is top notch, specially in the first part of the film, and the design of vehicles, devices and wardrobe wonderfully conveys the concept of an alternate reality. The visual effects are also for the most part good, and the polar bear fight is specially well executed, as the bears have a very convincing weight and momentum to them. However, many of the other animals have a very CG, animated feel to them, and their quality and believability is very irregular.

 

The acting is also good for the most part, although some of the interactions with the cg animals have that "talking to air" feel to them. Daniel Craig is specially charming, though his part in the film was limited to very few scenes. Nicole Kidman works great for me as the Ms. Coulter character, as she portrays it exactly as I imagined it from the book, sexy and mischievous, but with a touch of tenderness. Dakota Blue Richards plays the role of the cute, smart girl well enough, but is really nothing special, and some of her lines sound unnecessarily overdone.

 

The main problem I have with the film is that the flow of the story between scenes, and the editing generally, feels rather choppy. I know for a fact that the cut was changed multiple times, and the timeline of events from the book was altered partially for financial, marketing, and artistic reasons. In my opinion, although slightly different from the book, it doesn't betray the spirit of the story, although hardcore fans might disagree. My main problem with it is that the different sequences don't seem to connect with each other as smoothly as they should.

 

Other than that, the whole tone of the story is definitely more cheerful than the books, as some characters that die in original story manage to survive here, which is a pity, as I really like fantasy films that aren't afraid to show tragedy to a younger audience. The studio and director also decided to leave some key events for the second film, which is not surprising seeing that they (NewLine) did the same with the Lord of the Rings.

 

To wrap up, I would recommend Golden Compass to any fantasy film fan out there, but I have to admit that I don't think it fully fulfilled its potential as an adaptation of a great book, specially as it doesn't dare to be as dark and controversial as the literary version. However, it still is one of the finer fantasy films that's come out since the Lord of the Rings, although not my favourite this year (Beowulf was awesome!). Anyway, I'm interested in hearing the impression of people who don't know the books. My two cents...

 

Howdy Harry, first-time responder & short-time reader here who was treated to an early screening to New Line Cinema's adaptation of Philip Pullman's "Northern Lights" : "The Golden Compass". I'm going to try and keep this brief because I do not have much time. I'm not a reviewer by any sense, just a lover of film so you can take my thoughts as you like them. The visuals are amazing with the dæmons and the polar bears being the highlights. The film is exceptionally crafted with some terrific set design and costuming. Although, some of the makeup was a bit much.

 

There is some great voice work on behalf of Ian McKellan, Ian McShane and Freddie Highmore. For some reason Christopher Lee gets a giant credit when he is in one scene and says one line and Daniel Craig gets an "and" and has more lines. I enjoyed Sam Elliot as Lee Scoresby, the aeronaut, (he could stand there and talk about anything and he would be good, here he is a real spark) and almost everyone else except for Dakota Blue Richards as Lyra. A complete miscast. She does not seem as confident as Lyra was in the book and when she cried (rather, became emotional) she could not pull it off. I was able to look past that because everything around her was beyond what I expected.

 

Now let me get to the part that made me mad - the ending. For those of you who have read the book, as I have, you will expect to see the ending on film because it is a perfect setup for "The Subtle Knife". Let me tell you that it does not exist in this film. It was clearly shot, as shown in the trailer, but it did not appear on screen. This made me say out loud in the theatre "Where's the ending?". I always stay until the end of the credits and I hoped that the final bits would make it in, alas they did not. They essentially removed the last chapter and had they left it in they would have given audiences something to talk about/guess how the story would continue. Thus generating more buzz for the next film.

 

I would recommend seeing it and I might end up seeing it again. I would say that this is not a children's fantasy, more of a young adult fantasy because there are some scenes that could frighten smaller children. The plot is a bit complicated for those who have not read the book. Case in point, the person I saw it with said they would need to see it another time to get everything. If you use this call me Skillet. (obviously this wasn't very brief, but what can you do)

 

Johnny K

[SinisterDeath]

My main question about this movie is how well it ties into the actual books... Does it lead to books 2, and 3? Or do they completely butcher the story?

Hell In the trailers, I noticed they already butchered the daemons...

"in the books, at the age of puberty, the animals took on a pernament shape, and children had animals that were ever changing... The trailer looked as if Ms. Coulter's daemon was changing shapes... but I may have not 'seen' the scene correctly but it definately looked it..."

 

Also, if you didn't read the books, the 'daemon' aspect, also had to play within the christian 'adam and eve' tale, with the spin that one of the 'curses' was that the daemons stopped changing as people got older... which might just be a way of saying, as people get to a certain age, they stop 'changing' there personalities... Where as at a younger age, there personalities can change... Which is of note, considering the 'animals' reflect the persons personality....

[Cadsuane]

I liked this book ok when I read it, but not enough that I ever remembered to find/buy the next two. I think I'll do that soon. I'm probably going to see the movie, but I won't hold terribly high hopes for it.

[Loreina]

I've read the trilogy. The first book is the best IMO. Pullman seemed to get lost toward the end of the story. Just my opinion. 

This was posted on my at&t news page(Published: 11/30/07, 3:05 PM EDT

By ERIC GORSKI):

quote

Based on the first volume in the award-winning trilogy "His Dark Materials" by religious skeptic Philip Pullman, the movie already has been condemned by conservative Roman Catholics and evangelicals. They say it will hook children into Pullman's books and a dark, individualistic world where all religion is evil.

But at least one liberal scholar has called the trilogy a "theological masterpiece," and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops rates the film "intelligent and well-crafted entertainment."

Meanwhile, some secularists complain the movie from New Line Cinemas waters down Pullman's religious critique. They feel sold out by the author, who has described himself as both an atheist and agnostic.

............

Sister Rose Paccate, director of the Pauline Center of Media Studies in Culver City, Calif., said the books portray benevolence toward children and a God figure - just one that's much different than the one Christians know.

She sees irony in calls to shun the film, considering that one of Pullman's central themes is that people should not follow orders and forfeit critical thought.

"If you just say 'no' to your kids without engaging in a conversation, they're going to see the movie anyway and all you're teaching them is power, not really teaching your values," Paccate said. "If we have faith, what are we afraid of?"end quote

 

This may explain some of the changes they made.  :)

 

 

 

 

 

[Ozhammer]

From what I hear, the Lord will strike thee down if thoust watcheth this movie!!! Prepare ye to be bashed by thy bible!!!  ;)

[SinisterDeath]

From what I hear, the Lord will strike thee down if thoust watcheth this movie!!! Prepare ye to be bashed by thy bible!!!  ;)

 

Oz! You strayed from your section! Shame on you!

[Loreina]

LOL!  And my Bible is big and has a hard cover!

*snickers*  If I got bashed by my Bible everytime I watched a movie/read a book/listened to a song that somebody said would corrupt my soul I'd have died several times by now.  ;)

[Ozhammer]

*has Loreinas Bible envy*

Seriously, do people have nothing better to do than whinge about a bloody kids flick? Fair dinkum!!!

 

Sorry, Ill head back to where you have to live by crude cunning and sword arm strength, the realm of debates and discussions!!!

[Emperor]

I read the first book and I believe I saw my own Daemon sitting on my shoulder.  How could I have been so blind?  I now worship it and feed it carrots.

[SinisterDeath]

I read the first book and I believe I saw my own Daemon sitting on my shoulder.  How could I have been so blind?  I now worship it and feed it carrots.

 

How does the ol' lady feel about cleain up the mess?

[SinisterDeath]

Well, I saw this movie tonight...

I was expecting some let downs. (Kinda obvious, for book to movie)

From what I remember of the books, and what they showed that followed said books, was pretty accureate. Others, not so much. (Don't quote me, its been awhile)

However, I do feel they butchered the Ending of the movie... If I'm not mistaken, the First book, went beyond where they ended this movie, Kinda like they lost the last 2 chapters of the book..

I mean, I'm prety sure I remember in the first book, that they went to the place, and beyond where they mentioned it during the final shots of the movie. OF course, the 'beyond' is only for maybe, 5 seconds. Leaving off to book 2, where we get some more fun, more blood, and some wicked sharp instruments. :P

 

I guess what I'm trying to say is, it felt like they just cut the ending to short in this movie... Like it coulda went and finished where the 1st book went in maybe 10 more minutes. But its like they had a time limit and it 'auto cut' it...

 

Unless they had some kinda 'secret ending at the end of the credits', I don't htink we'll see the end of book 1, till the second movie...

I was almost hoping maybe we'd see a glimpse of a 2nd movie...

[Tenshin_Xo]

I read the series about a year ago, and I enjoyed the first book.  The second was tortuously slow, and the third was an exercise in Deus Ex Machina, which is mildly ironic considering the theme of the last two books. 

 

I think that the anti-catholic/establishment religion agenda(for lack of a better word) colored and took away from the possible quality of the story, espcially towards the end of the second book, and throughout the third book.  I highly enjoyed the concepts of melding science(ie; wormholes, multiverse, etc) and alchemy/metaphysics(ie; the subtle knife, dust, and daemons).  I just feel like the story and characters took away from the world that he built.

 

I have a feeling I will go see the first movie and then skimp out on the last two, assuming they make them.  Anyone else hear this called the 'anti-narnia'?

[SinisterDeath]

I read the series about a year ago, and I enjoyed the first book.  The second was tortuously slow, and the third was an exercise in Deus Ex Machina, which is mildly ironic considering the theme of the last two books. 

 

I think that the anti-catholic/establishment religion agenda(for lack of a better word) colored and took away from the possible quality of the story, espcially towards the end of the second book, and throughout the third book.  I highly enjoyed the concepts of melding science(ie; wormholes, multiverse, etc) and alchemy/metaphysics(ie; the subtle knife, dust, and daemons).  I just feel like the story and characters took away from the world that he built.

 

I have a feeling I will go see the first movie and then skimp out on the last two, assuming they make them.  Anyone else hear this called the 'anti-narnia'?

 

Bah, its not THAT anti-catholic! :P

And I have a feeling a certain someplace would be best for this line of discusion,

/hint

/hint

/nudge

/nudge

/cough

/cough

[Tenshin_Xo]

***SPOILERS***

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ummm, seriously?  The whole section of the story that deals with the authority, and how it made the church to enslave mankind?  I'd say that calling the church the primary tool with which to oppress/repress and enslave humanity, is anti-church.

[Emperor]

I just saw this last night.... and I did not like it as much as I thought I would.  I felt the story jumped around and felt like it was racing through parts.

 

"Hi I'm the bear."

"I know where your armor is"

"I will work for you"

 

Really... I think that was the depth of the bear giving his loyalty to Lyra. 

 

They cut it off when 10 or 15 minutes would have finished the first book and explained what the Dust was.  Of course this would have gotten to religious for the general population I guess but if I hadn't read the book I would have been really disappointed.

 

So I am not saying this was a bad movie... it just wasn't great.  Put it along the lines of The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe. 

[SinisterDeath]

***SPOILERS***

 

 

Ummm, seriously?  The whole section of the story that deals with the authority, and how it made the church to enslave mankind?  I'd say that calling the church the primary tool with which to oppress/repress and enslave humanity, is anti-church.

 

So, any movie that has an evil force, akin to orwellian or other such books with BIG BROTHER, that ties in said Big brother with some type of religion is automatically bashing churches?

 

I think some people just dig to deep when watching movies and shit.. Sure, the author was anti-relgious, athiest. Sure he made a few jabs at the churches. The movies may have done the same. But tell me this. If your church tried to do the same thing the 'authority' in the movie did, Would you not be pissed at them? They don't do it, so obviously it doesn't apply to yours. :P

(That isn't to say they don't tell people what to do or what to beleive, but they aren't exactly holding a pistol to your head now are they?) :P

 

See, why I said we should have this discussion on D&D cause it woudl be ooh so much more fun. ;)

 

They cut it off when 10 or 15 minutes would have finished the first book and explained what the Dust was.  Of course this would have gotten to religious for the general population I guess but if I hadn't read the book I would have been really disappointed.

 

Did it not feel like the guy in the editing room was like

"HEY! ITs 100 Minutes in! Should I cut it? "

"Yea!"

"But its only got 10 more minute left!"

"So what! THey said cut it at 100 Minutes!"

"Whats wrong with 110 minutes!"

"Thats to long! DUH""

"Fine fine..."

*CUTS*

 

I'm suprised however, that they didn't show the 'authorities' creation myth of adam and eve, like they did in the book, it 'is' a great tie in. :P

but hey, at least the Bear fight kicked ass!

[Tenshin_Xo]

So, any movie that has an evil force, akin to orwellian or other such books with BIG BROTHER, that ties in said Big brother with some type of religion is automatically bashing churches?

 

No but when said force is described as an angel, and calls itself God, I'd say its definately toeing the line.  Just a bit.  Further more when the orginization is a literal extrapolation of the Catholic Church and is even called "The Church", I'd say thats also toeing the line.  Just a little.  Also when the heroine is called "the second Eve" and the act of her "falling" is really the salvation of humanity, I'd say thats toeing the line. Just a touch.

 

I can keep going if you like, but I think the point is made.

 

Regardless of whether or not my particular church did or is under something like the authority isn't all that relevant, as I don't have evidence for or against that contention.  The point is that "jabs" the author took against both the Catholic Church and Christianity read like a bad atheist rant and in the last two books (the first didn't much broach the theology) got so thick that it detracted from the story.  He's entitled to his belief, and even to put it in a book form.  I just felt that it was transparently injected more for his personal satisfaction than the development of the book, and as such took away from it's quality. 

 

 

[SinisterDeath]

So, any movie that has an evil force, akin to orwellian or other such books with BIG BROTHER, that ties in said Big brother with some type of religion is automatically bashing churches?

 

No but when said force is described as an angel, and calls itself God, I'd say its definately toeing the line.  Just a bit.  Further more when the orginization is a literal extrapolation of the Catholic Church and is even called "The Church", I'd say thats also toeing the line.  Just a little.  Also when the heroine is called "the second Eve" and the act of her "falling" is really the salvation of humanity, I'd say thats toeing the line. Just a touch.

 

I can keep going if you like, but I think the point is made.

 

Regardless of whether or not my particular church did or is under something like the authority isn't all that relevant, as I don't have evidence for or against that contention.  The point is that "jabs" the author took against both the Catholic Church and Christianity read like a bad atheist rant and in the last two books (the first didn't much broach the theology) got so thick that it detracted from the story.  He's entitled to his belief, and even to put it in a book form.  I just felt that it was transparently injected more for his personal satisfaction than the development of the book, and as such took away from it's quality. 

 

 

 

You know, when I read the book, I didn't even notice, or even care at some of the parralels or the 'jabs'.

Why can't people just sit back, and watch a movie or a book at face value, instead of decoding, and tearing something apart for any and all hidden meanings?

Hell when I first read it, I thought the guy was some kinda religious nut like whats his face who wrote narnia. :P

 

I'm reminded about those people who decode every word of every sentence of every stanza of poems. Its quite dumb to me, to think people have to constantly look at what the author was saying between the lines, instead of just what is actually written... Thats the equivolent of 'modern art'.

"random paint splashed on canvas, titled. Anger"

Mmmhmmmm. Yea.... Ever thought maybe the 'artist' didn't really have an Agenda when painting the thing? And when someone looked at it said 'oooh you musta been maaad' and thats how it got the tittle? :P

[Tenshin_Xo]

I'm sorry but a three part series of novels is a little more organized and thought out than throwing paint at a canvas from across the room.

 

In either case there's an outline/starter on D&D. ;)  Just wait till that one gets going, I bet a dollar to a donut it ends in a bonfire.

[SinisterDeath]

I'm sorry but a three part series of novels is a little more organized and thought out than throwing paint at a canvas from across the room.

 

In either case there's an outline/starter on D&D. ;)  Just wait till that one gets going, I bet a dollar to a donut it ends in a bonfire.

 

Bah, Just because the guy mentions parrallel worlds and religion zealots bent on Universal Domination, obviously means the guy is trying to teach young children to become young aithiests! :P

Btw, of what I remember of the 3rd novel, the only thing 'religiousy' about it, was near the end? Where the parents 'fight' at the end...

But those 'alien' species with the giant coconuts were awesome. :P

And who doesn't love a Knife that can cut a hole in the very fabric of time and space!

 

"You know its funny, back in the day, I read books like,

Hunt for Red October,

Hatchet,

Brians Winter,

Stuff like that. (I was a huge Gary Paulson Fan)

Followed by

 

The Transall Saga

Golden Compass

Dune

WoT.

I mean, If it has time travel, parrallel worlds, black holes, worm holes... Its an automatic aweosmeness..

Sliders?

Quantom Leap?

Best TV shows, ever!

[Tenshin_Xo]

Do you mean the angels, and the authority who called himself the new 'God'?  Or how about the deal with the Doctor being the 'tempter' or the new Adam and Eve, aka the protagonists.  Or the concept that the act of 'falling' was actually a good thing for them?

 

Don't get me wrong the idea of the subtle knife, and even the compass itself are really slick, and fun to imagine, its just that the bias/agenda he exacts takes away from the quality of the novels.

[SinisterDeath]

You basically proved my point, read to far into something, it takes out all the fun!

[Cadsuane]

Well, it's one thing to read too far into something that doesn't intend for you to read that far into it, but I would guess that this author was INTENTIONALLY writing to get the reader to read as far into the story as Tenshin has. If an author means to make a commentary on real life issues, it isn't wrong for the reader to see it. Note, I have not read the second or third book, and barely remember the first.

[SinisterDeath]

Well, it's one thing to read too far into something that doesn't intend for you to read that far into it, but I would guess that this author was INTENTIONALLY writing to get the reader to read as far into the story as Tenshin has. If an author means to make a commentary on real life issues, it isn't wrong for the reader to see it. Note, I have not read the second or third book, and barely remember the first.

 

When I read it, I was 'young' not 'to young' but not 'to old to be reading it' either.

When I read it, I didn't even know the guy was an Aithiest, hell with all the christian imagry, I thought he was some kinda catholic. Just cause you jab at a religion doesn't mean the book is 'evil' and should be 'burned'. Quite simply, a 'child' reading the book won't get many of the 'jabs' he's trying to make, They'll simply see an imaginary world, where there 'religious' leaders just happen to be like Big Brotherisq, not even coming close to parralling  'earths'. and I damned hope if your religion became the 'authority' (as seen in the movie, where the 'authority' may be god, or the actual 'organization') you'd make some kinda stand against them... I mean really, 'cuting' children?! :P You may as well be making all the children unics! ;)

Telling people what to do, and forcing, are two very different things. And isn't Tenshin the same guy who's been saying in D&D that god is all about free will?? :P

[Ozhammer]

Its funny, the only book I can remember being banned is one called "Jock of the Bushveld". My dad always raved about it, having read it as a kid. Its about a bloke who lived in the bush in South Africa at the turn of the century, and the adventures he and his sidekick, a terrior named Jock, had. Now, of course at that time, South Africa was quite racist, and hence used alot of racist language. As such, alot of places banned it because of this (though I finally did track down a copy).

My point is that even though the author did use accepted terms for the era it was written in, he was never really hateful in his use of such terms. I really think that there are a lot of books where one can interpret it in a negative manner, alot of times to the detriment of the quality of work that is put forward. I havent read the compass books, nor seen the movies (nor do I feel any inclination to do so), but to rant about a book that may be construed as anti-catholic isnt an issue for me. If it spouted hatred and violence rather then I would take issue, but as far as i can ascertain, it doesnt.