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The Golden Compass

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The book? Amazing, controvertial or not. The movie? Yet to see, any comments from here? I trust you guys to review the movie since you all seem to know how to do it.

A Goon in a Gaggle of 'em

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I just finished rereading the book. From what I hear, I'll probably enjoy the movie (I plan on seeing it this weekend), even though the ending has been changed. Though I will admit the book ends on a big downer, I think that's better than having a cliffhanger that might never be resolved (greenlighting of "The Subtle Knife" and "The Amber Spyglass" depends upon the success of "Compass," so even though the true end to "Compass" will be in the beginning of "Knife," it may never be seen except in a potential Director's Cut of "Compass" if the first movie does poorly).

And the first book's most controversial elements IMO occur during the excised portion of the ending, and "Knife" & "Spyglass" are infinitely more controversial than the first. I hope the sequels are done justice and not watered-down, but I hope even more that they get made. I loved all three when I first read them, and I think the ultra-conservative Christians that are bashing the books/movies need to actually read them to see what they're saying beyond what everyone says about [SPOILER FOR BOOK 3 AHEAD--------------] killing God in the books. That's not exactly how it goes. People should judge for themselves. [--------END SPOILERS]

Off to finish a research paper and start rereading "The Subtle Knife."
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I read all three, lost my Subtle Knife and Amber Spyglass books, and don't own The golden Compass
So I haven't given myself a referesher course yet... I'll read the book over my break.

A Goon in a Gaggle of 'em

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Originally posted by: {DoS}Hellhound
IDGRA about the book or the movie they r both fucking athiest


Two things.

1) Have you read them, or seen the movie?

2) This is the part that really bothers me: saying what you said is like me saying saying, as an atheist, I refuse to see any movies about religion. That's absolutely ridiculous. The Passion promotes Catholicism! BOYCOTT IT!!!!!
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Originally posted by: ChainsawAsh
Originally posted by: {DoS}Hellhound
IDGRA about the book or the movie they r both fucking athiest


Two things.

1) Have you read them, or seen the movie?

2) This is the part that really bothers me: saying what you said is like me saying saying, as an atheist, I refuse to see any movies about religion. That's absolutely ridiculous. The Passion promotes Catholicism! BOYCOTT IT!!!!!


Yes I enjoy many movies about religion. Dogma, Life of Brian, Narnia, Evangelion has much of its roots in Christian myth.
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I'm glad most of my Catholic friends aren't as ridiculously ignorant as you, Hellhound (interesting name choice for a Catholic, by the way). It's people like you that give Catholics a bad rap, same as the Islamic extremist suicide bombers giving Muslims a bad rap.

I may be an atheist, but at least I have an open mind.
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As to “The Golden Compass” I haven’t seen it in cinemas, not in my local area that is.
http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w118/Brainstorm3417/saberwalker.gif
Only the originals from the 70mm six-track Dolby stereo Dolby format 42 will sound better on DVD.
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Originally posted by: PSYCHO_DAYV
MY KIDS WENT TO CHURCH TONIGHT WHERE THEY PREACHED ABOUT HOW WICKED AND EVIL THIS MOVIE IS. I TOLD MY DAUGHTER TO STOP LISTENING TO THEM. THEY ARE TRYING TO PASS JUDGEMENT ON SOMETHING THAT THEY'VE NEVER SEEN.

I just wanted to take this bakc on topic, double post or not, and say that this is the kind of common sense the world needs.

A Goon in a Gaggle of 'em

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Just got back from it. Non-spoileriffic version: It was very good, a solid 7/10 easily. Acting was great, especially Lyra; the bears were done PERFECTLY, and the fight between Iorek and the king (whose name was changed from Iofur to I-dunno-what) was EXCELLENT; and the effects, while iffy at times, were done well enough to satisfy. The bad: the under-2 hour running time meant a lot of it was streamlined to the detriment of the characters and plot, and some little deals that help to understand the world and certain plot events are skimmed over, and the ending was cut short. Other than that, it was great, and I'm not even all that miffed about the end. What it needs is another 30-45 minutes to flesh the story and characters out. Hopefully we'll get that in a DVD Director's Cut eventually.

SPOILERED CRITIQUE

WARNING

HERE BE SPOILERS

IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN WARNED, YOU HAVEN'T BEEN PAYING ATTENTION

-----
Note: These are almost all nitpicks. I really did enjoy the movie a lot - the spirit of Pullman's novel is still very much there.

Alright. My problems with the movie stemmed from the treatment of certain details. First, the child found without his daemon in the movie is Billy Costa, while in the book it was Tony Makarios, a character with no direct ties to the main characters. When they find the child in the book, the horrifying nature of what has been done to him is shown when none of the Gyptians will even go near him until Lyra forces them to stop being assholes - in the movie, before anyone is told what happens, Ma Costa hugs Billy and tells him they'll find his daemon, and everyone crowds around. It would have been better for them to treat him more like Tony was in the book, emphasizing the horror that has happened to him. This was my biggest single nitpick with the movie. Also, the taboo of not touching another's daemon is touched upon, but could have been emphasized more so we really understand what's happening to Lyra at the end.

Second, the ending didn't bother me all that much - it's a much less depressing note to end a film on than discovering Asriel's true motives, and his murder of Roger. While the way they ended "Compass" felt a bit clunky, it's much like shifting around elements in the "Lord of the Rings" movies, and didn't bother me that much.

Third, the rearrangement of some plot elements bothered me (i.e. Lyra doesn't find out about her parents until the end of the film, which is quite odd), but this is a necessary evil. This also made the witches an incredibly unnecessary element of the film, especially Serafina Pekkala. If I hadn't read the book, I'd say that the witches' purpose in the film was to give Eva Green screentime.

Finally, the religious element is still very much there, but the "Church" and "Magisterium" have been merged into just the "Magisterium," and the direct references to Adam and Eve and Creationism have been toned down to vague passing mentions. But this isn't an anti-Christian, or pro-atheist film - it's a film that critiques the strong arm of power the Church can have over politics in the interest of preserving itself, which is something that the Vatican does, it really can't be denied. It'll be interesting to see how "The Subtle Knife" and "The Amber Spyglass" are dealt with.

-----

END SPOILERS


So, again, all in all I really liked it, and it could be immensely improved with a more relaxed pace and more character/plot development beyond "Point A to point B to point C to point D." Bring on #2 and #3! Highly recommended to everyone willing to have an open mind.
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I loved the book and I hope the movie will be good.

"Now all Lucas has to do is make a cgi version of himself.  It will be better than the original and fit his original vision." - skyjedi2005

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I'm up to chapter 7 in the book. I saw the movie yesterday, not bad, probably should have let it go a little longer.
I'd like a qui-gon jinn please with an Obi-Wan to go.

Red heads ROCK. Blondes do not rock. Nuff said.

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*SPOILER*






THE ENDING OF THE MOVIE WAS ORIGINALLY THE SAME AS THE BOOK, BUT THE DIRECTOR DECIDED TO CUT OUT THE BOOK ENDING GIVING THE AUDIENCE A COMFORTABLE ENDING TO THE MOVIE. ACCORDING TO THE DIRECTOR THE "BOOK ENDING" WILL BE USED AS THE OPENING OF THE SECOND MOVIE.



"I'VE GROWN TIRED OF ASKING, SO THIS WILL BE THE LAST TIME..."
The Mangler Bros. Psycho Dayv Armchaireviews Notes on Suicide

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Yeah, which I was miffed about before I saw the movie, but after I saw it I'm kind of glad - it would have been a HUGE downer for the people who haven't read the books.

I'm a bit saddened by the poor US box office ($26 mil opening weekend when analysts were saying it needed $35-40 mil to have a chance at breaking even), but I hear international response is better than anticipated. Crossing my fingers for "The Subtle Knife" ...
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This movie was awful. The way it tortured the book's plot line, as well as logic in general, was unacceptable. The book was fantastic and did not deserve that kind of treatment. Was the screenplay even proofread?!

The special effects were very good, I loved the design work, the actors and actresses were perfect choices (particularly Nicole Kidman as Coulter) and their performances were well done. Considering all of that in conjunction with how fantastic the original story was, I am at a complete loss as to how this movie ended up this bad.

"Now all Lucas has to do is make a cgi version of himself.  It will be better than the original and fit his original vision." - skyjedi2005

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Originally posted by: PSYCHO_DAYV
*SPOILER*






THE ENDING OF THE MOVIE WAS ORIGINALLY THE SAME AS THE BOOK, BUT THE DIRECTOR DECIDED TO CUT OUT THE BOOK ENDING GIVING THE AUDIENCE A COMFORTABLE ENDING TO THE MOVIE. ACCORDING TO THE DIRECTOR THE "BOOK ENDING" WILL BE USED AS THE OPENING OF THE SECOND MOVIE.

Which is actually a decision, at least according to wikipedia, Mr. Pullman agrees with.

A Goon in a Gaggle of 'em

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Originally posted by: bkev
Which is actually a decision, at least according to wikipedia, Mr. Pullman agrees with.


Why though? So the next movie can waste time showing Lyra before she goes into the other world? The second book began far after that point.

Did Pullman also like the other, pathetic contrivances that replaced the book's plot (like Iorek becoming king before fighting at Bolvangar)? Did he like all of the Lyra's World for Dummies sequences and explanations when the original story focused on characters and mystery instead? Did he like all of the incredibly-boring, added scenes depicting the bad guy's belated intentions and faulty knowledge as a way to ruin almost all of the story's suspense?

I'd have trouble believing that any author would have supported the final film we got. That is unless that author is best with books and likes bad movies. :\

"Now all Lucas has to do is make a cgi version of himself.  It will be better than the original and fit his original vision." - skyjedi2005

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new line was trying to get something else to fit the place of where the hobbit should have been released if not for the years of fighting.

looks like 2010 and 2011 and 2 hobbit films produced by p.j. and fran and phillipa boyens. p.j. at the moment is not the director.

they would be insane not to have him onboard, now that they have ian mckellen and howard shore and andy serkis all but confirmed working on the movie.

a for these atheist movies which were reportedly toned down i will not see them for the ignorant bashing of my christian faith by phillip pullmen.

i have no problems with the works of c.s. lewis and tolkien because they were devout christians. harry potter i have some problems with, but at least rowling is a new age spiritualist not an atheist. the same way i can view the beliefs of george lucas with a grain of salt because he is a new age type as well. it can still watch and enjoy the star wars films because it was not set up as a huge f.u. and middle finger to christians like pullman.

i dislike that very much but it is not outright attacks on christianity like the piece of shit davinci code.

“Always loved Vader’s wordless self sacrifice. Another shitty, clueless, revision like Greedo and young Anakin’s ghost. What a fucking shame.” -Simon Pegg.

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Originally posted by: Tiptup
Originally posted by: bkev
Which is actually a decision, at least according to wikipedia, Mr. Pullman agrees with.


Why though? So the next movie can waste time showing Lyra before she goes into the other world? The second book began far after that point.

Did Pullman also like the other, pathetic contrivances that replaced the book's plot (like Iorek becoming king before fighting at Bolvangar)? Did he like all of the Lyra's World for Dummies sequences and explanations when the original story focused on characters and mystery instead? Did he like all of the incredibly-boring, added scenes depicting the bad guy's belated intentions and faulty knowledge as a way to ruin almost all of the story's suspense?

I'd have trouble believing that any author would have supported the final film we got. That is unless that author is best with books and likes bad movies. :\

Link-y for the Proof. So, I guess he did support the film's changes - hopefully not all of them.

A Goon in a Gaggle of 'em