THE GOLDEN COMPASS -- The Movie

[Nadine]

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dianaprince wrote:
I went to The Golden Compass yesterday with a few people and the movie was so fascinating that even my friend who sleeps through most movies stayed awake through the entire film.
The movie version only made a few minor changes to the storyline, most of which were for the benefit of younger audiences (for example, two characters who originally died were spared and the bloodshed was altered into an artful explosion of Dust). All of the religious themes were kept in the plotline, including the true meaning of Dust (free will)(actually, it is fairly hard to tell what Dust is from the small hints given by the producers/directors/whatever). The visual effects are amazing and overall, the story was easier to understand than the book itself.

Message Edited by dianaprince on 12-08-2007 11:31 AM

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It is interesting that this film appears to be a bit unfinished. It runs 118 minutes. It is shorter than the first of the LOTR series of films, The Fellowship of the Ring, by a full hour, it is shorter than the first of the Harry Potter films, The Philosopher's Stone, by 40 minutes, and short of the first of the Narnia films, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, by 30 minutes. Apparently they actually filmed the last three chapters of the book but put it aside "for later." Maybe this was to appease the critics and to make it more a "family Christmas" movie with no controversial ideas. Who knows. This might end up being a better movie on DVD with the full movie restored.

[Kreacherteacher]

Yes! I thought I was going crazy as well. What I have attributed it to is propaganda to keep people away from Pullman's "agenda" as it has been called. I have been so bothered by this, though I knew this would come up.

I don't know if it's irritating or comical in that it really proves what he is talking about. People get so flargin' scared of someone's "agenda" or ideas, and they get completely closed-minded about it and freak out! They don't even read the books; they just say all sorts of blarney to protect their ideals.

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BarbaraN wrote:
--SPOILERS ON LAST BOOK---

My gosh, this morning's headlines are sure making a fuss about the movie-books! About how the movie is intended to lure kids to the books and the children in the books kill "god". I'm not quite sure if we all read the same book. In the book I read the children only free the pseudo-god from his glass prison. He gratefully dissipates on his own. They show nothing but sympathy and kindness towards him. The villain in the book I read is Metatron who is killed by Mrs. Coulter and Lord Asriel.

This article seems to explain the fuss:

http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/movies/2007/12/when-ideas-are-golden.html

These books opens up possible discussions of people being controlled by religious leaders with their own political agenda. I guess that is the "threat" that is seen here.

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[ConnieAnnKirk]

I have read that they ended the movie before the ending of the book in order to start the sequel in a better place film-wise. What did any of you think of that last "speech"- like thing from Lyra in the balloon at the end of the movie? I thought it was a "Hollywood" finish that misleads the audience.

I also read that the box office for the first weekend was below expectations. Sounds like the jury is still out at New Line about whether or not they will commit to making the 2nd and 3rd films. I think I saw something about their watching to see how the film does in other countries.

~ConnieK

[luciadelabyss]

Hello all! I lost power for 2/12 days due to the central IL ice storm, so I am just now catching up on all my subscriptions. Seems like everyone here liked the movie so far. It is the cover story this week for Entertainment Weekly; there is a good interview with the scripwriter, who discusses his conversations with Mr Pullman. The scriptwriter actually went to the Artic to write! The ship's electricity wasn't as compatible with his laptop as he hoped; the circuits fried and he wrote it by hand! It is a very good article. I have only talked to one friend who is Catholic and seen the movie. She thought it was very well done. She doesn't see it as antireligion at all; she saw the issue as strict regulatory bureaucracy versus openminded freethinkers.
Has anyone seen the movie Ultraviolet? The combination governmental-religious organization in that movie was more pronounced, but it also had the same agenda to wipe out a subculture of perceived inferior status like the Magisterium. Any thoughts?

[Bonnie824]

My daughter (17) and I went to see it last Sunday and both really enjoyed it. Most of the audience seemed to be family groups of parent/s and teenage kid/s. Some goups of teens.

I actually decided to see it for 2 reasons- first because of an e-mail my nice but overly baptist SIL sent me saying not to see it, but also for the actors. I'm so glad I did.

I doubt any kids would actually put a religious theme/contravery to this movie unless they had read it was suppose to be there. I imagine the "witches" saving people and being smart and honorable was part of the problem.

It was just a good oldest children/YA movie (a little scary for very young kid) with good versus evil and neat animal things and someone their age as the heroine. The special affects were wonderful, especially the bears.

I liked the movie enough to want to read the book (and I'm not usually someone who reads kid books- I didn't even read HP although I loved the movies, and read one LOTR and really loved those movies. I put it (the trilogy version) on my "Christmas" book wish list and think my daughter got it for me based on the size of my wrapped gift under the tree (she probably chose that one so she could read it herself too).

So, hopefully this discussion board will still be around after Christmas.

Bonnie

[Vampyre]

I saw the movie last week. It was really well done and much better than I expected. There was a lot cut out but it was mostly stuff we didn't need to see like Lyra stealing and crashing the Gyptians boat and her other misadventures for example.

The animation and voices of the daemons was very good. The actors did a great job paying attention to their daemons and made it all look very natural.

The only part that looked a little bad to me was when Lyra was riding the bear. Then I've never actually seen anyone do this so it may have been perfect for all I know.

If you liked the book, then I believe you'll love the movie. The missing bits shouldn't bother most people too much. The story flows really fast and does feel a little short because of it.

Another cool thing was they showed the trailer for Prince Caspian. It looked pretty good to.

[marla16]

The four that are out are the golden monkey, Lyra's Pan, Isrek Byrnison and Iofur. They are the ones is did see.

[ConnieAnnKirk]

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Bonnie824 wrote, in part:
So, hopefully this discussion board will still be around after Christmas.

Bonnie

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Hi, Bonnie824--

Yes; the discussion board will be here--the book clubs at B&N.com stay available indefinitely.

~ConnieK

[anabbeynormali…]

I really disliked the movie overall. The animation and the imagery were fantastic, as was the acting, but I felt the story line was really butchered. I understand that things need to be cut out, but the movie should maintain the essence behind what is kept. Ex: The "ghost" in the Tundra which is really Billy with his daemon cut away. In the movie, you completely lose the sense of what that means to a person (he lives and his mom hugs him when he gets back), which is a big deal in the story. This movie actually felt very similar to the Harry Potter movies where the movie is told in a frantic whirlwind of segmented scenes and conclusions are reached through ridiculous leaps of logic. ex: General Oblation Board = GOB which must be the Gobblers which means that Asriel and Coulter are my parents! Run away!

It really disappoints me to see these movies with all the money and talent that goes into them because I really believe that they could be a lot better with those ample resources. This is especially discouraging with this movie since the His Dark Materials trilogy doesn't have the following of Harry Potter and so many more people are going to judge the series based on this movie.

Message Edited by anabbeynormality on 01-07-2008 03:50 PM

[Loiosh]

Hello anabbeynormality,

As I told my friends after the screening of the movie and the meet where we all went to watch it, I felt that essential portions of the novel were trimmed. The gift Peter Jackson gave to novel cinema was to take the essential moments out of the books and work them into the story. Words that mattered to characters (see the From Book to Script section on The Two Towers DVD for the talk on Gandolf's words [given in the movie by Wyrmtongue] directed to Éowyn) and scenes that established important themes or granted flavor were deleted as unnecessary. I feel this is the result of using an inexperienced director. I'd like to cite two examples of essential moments that were deleted from the novels that would have enhanced the movie's strengths:

1. Pan's transformation into a badger to push Lyra to meet with Iorek.

I feel this moment is the second most emotional and important moment for establishing the importance of a person's daemon. Her physical and emotional pain at being separated from him is an incredibly powerful and moving moment that could help establish the importance of the daemons and would have enhanced the terrifying nature of the intercision.

2. The gypsian's discussion with Lyra about the dolphin daemon and his or her trapped human.

This is the reason I listed the Éowyn discussion above as it is another moment that adds important flavor to the movie. It also will slow the plot and give the viewers time to breathe. I found this conversation left an impact upon me after reading the book and felt its loss to have had a subtle affect upon the movie.


Personally I found the intercision scene lacked the depth and impact that the novel provided to the moment. Over time you have come to value Pan and care for him as a character. In addition to the above I felt the movie should have taken more time at Bolvahgar to establish Lyra's intelligence and fortitude. In the movie it felt extremely rushed as she appeared there, destroyed and than ran on to the ending of the movie. It would have also helped to have the scene with her discovering the trapped daemons. It would add another punch to both how evil the people there are and the later intercision process.

I believe that the addition of those quintessential moments would greatly increase the impact and quality of the movie.

[luciadelabyss]

Hello! I have to agree about the lack of background about the intercision process. I did like the movie; it wasn't as butchered as I thought it might be. However, the scene with Billy was really heartbreaking in the book; it was a pivital moment where the horror of what they were fighting against became personal. I had forgotten about the dolphin daemon story, also a sad moment that could have been briefly included with "memory visual" with voiceover narration. This is why I read the books...some of the less cinematic moments really add to the depth of the story. I particularly missed the scene where Lyra was tested by the witches representative. Without this scene, the background for the witches interest in Lyra was weak. I also wish they would have lengthened the Bolvangar sequence;rushing thru it didn't portray the menace it actually was.

[MadamedeChevre…]

For me, it wasn't that too many scenes were cut, it was that they were too rushed. The whole movie zipped by too fast, and I didn't feel invested in it. I didn't really feel for the characters or their situations like I did while reading, or like I would expect from a movie. There was also a lack of good, thematic, epic music that the story they presented deserved! (I say, "the story that that they presented" because they chose to make it more of an adventure, which is fine.) Other than this, the film was a beautiful piece filled with great acting and special effects. I just wish that I felt more a part of it.

[butterfly30]

I went a saw the movie not knowing anything about the book. I didn't know any thing about the Golden Compass. I hadn't even heard of it untill the movie came out. I liked the movie. Then I read the book and I was very disappointed in the movie. I think it could have been much better then it was. Think they should have finished the movie with the ending of the first book, now if they make a second movie it will start still in the frist book.

[gidiana]

Hi! Well I watched the movie and absolutely loved it. Then while I was in my second period History class my teacher told me not to watch it or read it because it went against God. I thought that what she said was dumb. It was still a good movie no matter what she says. I think the whole controversy about it is totally stupid. I loved the movie and hope they make another. I would read the books but I don't have time to read books for leisure anymore because of my Accelerated Reader List at school. They don't update it so I can't just pick up any book that I think I will like. I need to check if it is on the list. Sad ha
I think my school needs to update the List so we can read books we will actually enjoy reading.

[TiggerBear]

The movie makes barely any reference to the catholic church, only one scene of the police station being in a Norse catholic cathedral. The books are very biased against the catholic church. Most people who object to the movie are biased because of the books.

[Pantalaimon]

Pullman states on his website that his first inspiration is money. After watching this movie, it's easy to see that.

[dianaprince]

   Has anyone seen the movie on Blu-Ray yet??

[Brandim]

They messed it up so badly, put things out of order, and they made it all warm and mushy at the end and we all know it isn't.  I believe it will be almost impossible for them to make a movie that lives up to the book it was made after, and forget about the next two novels becoming movies, it would be so complicated, and it probably wouldn't be anything like the books.  I was so upset with the way they messed things up so badly, and made it all better at the end.  Honestly, how are they supossed to tell the rest of the story when they ended it on the point they did?  They're flying away perfectly ok in Lee Scoresby's balloon, there's nothing about the betrayal that she's not even aware of, and if they don't put that in, there goes the rest of the series as movies, they'll completely ruin it.