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Lucifer 09-18-2007 03:13 AM

The Golden Compass
 
For anyone who hasn't read Phillip Pullman's trilogy "His Dark Materials", the first book of the series has been made into a movie, due out at the beginning of December.


5 minute Trailer


official site

Go to the site and go through the 'pick your daemon' exercise!

It looks amazing and as far as I can tell, very true to the original book.

http://www.goldencompassmovie.com/wa.../poster_01.jpg

Charlatan 09-18-2007 03:44 AM

I am totally hyped for this film and so is my son. We have a debate about whether or not they are going to soften the anti-religion aspects of the film Spoiler: I mean they kill God and re boot creation without organized religion . How is that going to play in conservative America?

To put it simply, as The Chronicles of Narnia is to the Bible so His Dark Materials is to atheism.

Let the protests begin.

ratbastid 09-18-2007 04:26 AM

Yeah, I'm REALLY excited about this series. It looks amazingly faithful. And the casting choices were BRILLIANT. Sam Neil as Lee Scoresby, for pete's sake. Inspired!

Lucifer 09-18-2007 04:48 AM

Not Sam Neil, Sam Elliot! and very inspired.

and the witches in the trailer are freaking awesome!!

mrklixx 09-18-2007 08:25 AM

If they wind up making all 3 then this will be one of the few times that I actually hope that they do take creative license and do some story editing on the third book/movie. Because while I thought the first 2 were excellent, I thought the 3rd was a big disappointing mess.

Leto 09-18-2007 08:32 AM

I liked them all. Can't wait for the visuals.

ratbastid 09-18-2007 09:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lucifer
Not Sam Neil, Sam Elliot! and very inspired.

Right, right... Lost my head. Like I said: Sam Elliot!

fresnelly 09-18-2007 10:08 AM

I agree about the casting. Nicole Kidman is perfect for the icy Mrs. Coulter and Daniel Craig is an inspired choice.

I worry that romantic and coming of age themes in the books (especially the third) may become overly melodramatic in the films, but I'm definitely looking forward to this.

Cynthetiq 09-18-2007 11:03 AM

Skogafoss used to be the assistant to one of the principals for this film a few years ago. She was trying to hold out until it got produced but it was too slow a process so she moved on. We did however get to meet Philip Pullman at a speaking engagement and she spoke to him on many occassions during the script and screenplay process.

We both recall discussing the ideas that we being tossed about on how they were to deal with the God aspects, and were amazed at just how much they were removing from the initial drafts.

All in all, I see this trailer playing all the time now. I'm a bit tired of it since they announced the different licensing groups and products but I am excited to see the movie.

I recently finished the last book after only having listened to the Philip Pullman read audiobooks.

Byrnison 10-28-2007 09:53 AM

Only six more weeks! :)

There is an updated trailer on the website (http://goldencompassmovie.com/). There is also speculation that the final part of the book (where Lyra has to make the choice to go with Asriel or Mrs. Coulter) is going to be held from this movie and instead be moved to the second movie, which may or may not be made depending on the performance of this one. Oh well...

Lucifer 10-28-2007 04:03 PM

I haven't heard good things about this movie from the press. The Australian press was calling it a flop, and I saw a new trailer where a lot of the language had been changed to make it easier to understand (?), aleithiometer became golden compass, for example. I'm hoping that this isn't a case of dumbing it down to make it easier for people to understand.

Chiyachan 11-05-2007 04:20 PM

Keep it like the book please?
I saw Eragon, that was depressing.
As sad as the ending of the series goes... I want it done properly.
TLOTR followed the books. Let another great trilogy too!

Frosstbyte 11-05-2007 04:56 PM

I am honestly terrified of what this movie may be like. I need to re-read the books before it comes out, but there is so much in the books that I feel like they're going to cut wholesale. The trailers are visually impressive, but don't look like what my mind's eye saw when I read the books, nor do they evoke the same feelings.

It's going to be a tough sell, I think, but we'll see what happens.

My daemon is a crow named Anwyn. Go her.

Lucifer 11-05-2007 05:27 PM

I don't know, the witches don't look like what I imagined, they look better. In that trailer when Lyra falls out of the balloon and the witch swoops around with one outstretched hand holding her broom, i get goosebumps.

Charlatan 11-06-2007 05:15 AM

The visuals are fantastic... I am looking forward to it just to see they can come up with.

I am still not convinced that the Magisterium isn't just going to be a neo fascist regime rather than the Catholic church.

Cynthetiq 11-06-2007 08:16 AM

Interesting interview... I look forward to seeing more of him as the release date nears....
Quote:

Pullman not promoting atheism in ‘Golden Compass’ Author on the anti-Catholic comments and how he imagined the epic world
TODAY
updated 1:22 p.m. ET, Fri., Nov. 2, 2007
The club’s fall book was “The Golden Compass,” the first in Philip Pullman’s “His Dark Materials” trilogy. In the first volume, Pullman invites readers into a world as convincing and thoroughly realized as Narnia, Earthsea or Redwall. Here lives an 11-year-old orphaned ward named Lyra Belacqua, whose carefree life among the scholars at Oxford's Jordan College is shattered by the arrival of two powerful visitors. First, her fearsome uncle, Lord Asriel, appears with evidence of mystery and danger in the far North, including photographs of a mysterious celestial phenomenon called Dust and the dim outline of a city suspended in the Aurora Borealis that he suspects is part of an alternate universe. He leaves Lyra in the care of Mrs. Coulter, an enigmatic scholar and explorer who offers to give Lyra the attention her uncle has long refused her.

If you read “The Golden Compass” as part of Al's Book Club, you may have some questions about the book and the author. Some eager readers sent in questions for Philip. In his answers, he discusses those anti-Catholic comments, how he imagined such an epic world, and how he came up with the daemon characters. Read his responses:

How do you respond to the claim that your books are anti-Catholic and promote atheism? Lyndsay Petersen, Parkersburg, Iowa

Hello, Lyndsay: In the world of the story — Lyra’s world — there is a church that has acquired great political power, rather in the way that some religions in our world have done at various times, and still do (think of the Taliban in Afghanistan). My point is that religion is at its best — it does most good — when it is farthest away from political power, and that when it gets hold of the power to (for example) send armies to war or to condemn people to death, or to rule every aspect of our lives, it rapidly goes bad. Sometimes people think that if something is done in the name of faith or religion, it must be good. Unfortunately, that isn’t true; some things done in the name of religion are very bad. That was what I was trying to describe in my story.

I think the qualities that the books celebrate are those such as kindness, love, courage and courtesy too. And intellectual curiosity. All these good things. And the qualities that the books attack are cold-heartedness, tyranny, close-mindedness, cruelty, the things that we all agree are bad things.

Is there an underlying message for atheism in your book or did you simply want to write a fantasy story, like Tolkien? Kim Mapstead, Friday Harbor, Wash.

Hello, Kim: What I was mainly doing, I hope, was telling a story, but not a story like Tolkien’s. (To be honest I don’t much care for “The Lord of the Rings.”) As for the atheism, it doesn’t matter to me whether people believe in God or not, so I’m not promoting anything of that sort. What I do care about is whether people are cruel or whether they’re kind, whether they act for democracy or for tyranny, whether they believe in open-minded enquiry or in shutting the freedom of thought and expression. Good things have been done in the name of religion, and so have bad things; and both good things and bad things have been done with no religion at all. What I care about is the good, wherever it comes from.

How do you imagine such an epic world in “The Golden Compass”? Did you look for it or did it come to you? Muhaimin

Hello, Muhaimin: This is an interesting question, because it’s something I’ve often wondered about myself. When I’m telling a story I know, with part of my mind, that I’m making it up; but with another part of my mind, it feels as if I’m discovering something that is already there, in some mysterious way, and I’m learning about it rather than inventing it. So I can’t give you a definite answer! The one thing I do know is that if I don’t work steadily and try to write every day, no story will get written at all. So I try to do that.

I have always wondered about a bear's armor. It is said that armor is the soul of the bear, yet doesn't Iorek forge a replacement set? Perhaps I misunderstood something from the text, but if the armor is taken from a bear, does creating a new set give the bear his soul back? Paul Jacobs, Corvallis, Ore.

Hello Paul: Thanks for the question. When Iorek said that to Lyra — describing his armour as his soul — he was using a metaphor to express how important the armour was to him. Each bear makes his own armour, piece by piece, and gradually acquires the full set as he grows to maturity; so naturally it’s very important and special. The forging scene involving Iorek doesn’t involve his armour, but Will’s Subtle Knife.

Dear Mr. Pullman, My class is reading “The Golden Compass” and we were wondering how did you come with the concept of daemons? What inspired you? Hayden (age 8) Annadale, Va.

Hello, Hayden: Thank you for the question, and please give my greetings to your class and to your teacher. The idea of daemons came to me very suddenly and from nowhere that I can be sure of. I wrote the first chapter of “The Golden Compass” several times before I got it right, and at first it wasn’t going well at all. I didn’t know why until I realized that Lyra had to have a companion to speak to and share things with, and suddenly this daemon idea just came into my mind. It was an exciting moment, and it made the whole story come into focus for me. I’m still discovering new things to do with the idea, and I’m writing about them in a book that will be called “The Book of Dust.” But I’m a long way from finishing that yet.

MrTia 11-06-2007 08:27 AM

that looks really good. i read the books a year or so ago, loved em.

Val_1 11-06-2007 12:31 PM

I love it when the Catholic League protests films. Apparently they think people will jump ship in droves if ever presented with conflicting ideology. I was looking for a list of other films the Catholic League has protested throughout the years, but haven't been able to find one as of yet.

shoegirl 11-06-2007 12:50 PM

You know, I had never heard of this movie (or of these books) until just this week. With such high praise from you all, I think I'll be checking both out.

And, I just took the daemon test: I'm a fox. Go by the name of Archeleron. I'm apparently modest, responsible, solitary, inquisitive, and dependable. :D

Byrnison 11-06-2007 04:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lucifer
I don't know, the witches don't look like what I imagined, they look better. In that trailer when Lyra falls out of the balloon and the witch swoops around with one outstretched hand holding her broom, i get goosebumps.

For me it was the part in the original (beta?) trailer where Iorek smashes into the town square and says "I have a contract with the girl".

Even if this movie is the stinkiest pile of manure ever made, I'm going to see it with the wife...but I'm really really really hoping that it rises to perfection :)


{edit}
Quote:

Originally Posted by shoegirl
You know, I had never heard of this movie (or of these books) until just this week. With such high praise from you all, I think I'll be checking both out.

And, I just took the daemon test: I'm a fox. Go by the name of Archeleron. I'm apparently modest, responsible, solitary, inquisitive, and dependable. :D

Shoegirl...read the books first *just in case* the movie stinks - if you aren't ready to shed a tear by the end of the last book then you aren't human ;)

Lucifer 11-06-2007 05:06 PM

1 Attachment(s)
My daemon is Theonilla, a female jackal: Attachment 16524

fresnelly 11-06-2007 05:59 PM

Dude, she's totally humping that symbol. :D

Helpher811 11-07-2007 10:09 AM

I loved this trilogy and thought the books were particularly well written, and challenges some of the younger adult set to understand it, however thrusting it in front of any harry potter fans has been a challenge. I'm hoping the movie helps, and I'll be in line for the first screening with everyone else....
And wouldn't it be easier to focus on the growing-up aspects of the characters instead of the whole religious/non-religious angle?

Cynthetiq 11-30-2007 08:24 PM

well.... Skogafoss and I got passes to go to a premiere screener on Sunday Dec 2. :) Skogafoss and I are very excited, and it looks like the company isn't planning on having an employee screening.

There will be some cast and crew and I think a Q&A. It's being held at the Ziegfield Theater one of my favorites and also one of the best theaters in the city.

Byrnison 12-01-2007 02:05 PM

Oh you lucky bastid :bowdown: The wife and I will wind up donating to the studios to see it.

I am really curious to see if they will keep the ending (semi Spoiler: : one of the characters is sacrificed), and whether they will keep it in this movie or move it to the next movie like it's been speculated in the newsgroups...

telekinetic 12-01-2007 02:25 PM

My wife and I are reading the first book out loud before bed everynight, 2 chapters a night...started three days ago. We're trying to finish it while it's still in theaters so we can see it after we finish!

Cynthetiq 12-01-2007 02:39 PM

I didn't read it originally, I listened to the unabridged audiobook as read by Philip Pullman. But that's a cool thing to do.... maybe Skogafoss and I could do that once in a while. Sounds fun...

Okay this is just funny...
Quote:

Scholastic Pressed on 'The Golden Compass' -- No More Ventures with Pullman Sought
LINK

Contact: Kiera M. McCaffrey, Director of Communications, Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights, 212-371-3191, catalyst@catholicleague.org

NEW YORK, Nov. 13 /Christian Newswire/ -- Catholic League president Bill Donohue wrote the following letter to Scholastic Corporation CEO Richard Robinson; copies of the letter were also sent to all the bishops and school superintendents in the Catholic community. Here is the body of Donohue's letter to Robinson:



As someone who spent 20 years in education, I am aware of Scholastic's stellar reputation. This is all the more reason why I am profoundly disturbed by Scholastic's role in co-producing "The Golden Compass." It is not the movie, per se, that is the problem, it is the book—and the other volumes that comprise His Dark Materials—that is the issue.



The author of these books, Philip Pullman, does not disguise his hatred of Christianity, especially the Roman Catholic Church. Why, then, would Scholastic be associated with such bigotry? As pointed out in our booklet on "The Golden Compass," producing such a movie would seem to violate Scholastic's own Credo, one part of which says, "To help build a society free of prejudice and hate, and dedicated to the highest quality of life in community and nation." Moreover, Scholastic professes a belief in "High moral and spiritual values," something which surely sounds odd given the Pullman connection.



Christians need to be convinced that Scholastic will never again work with militant atheists who have an animus against their religion. Catholics, in particular, want to be certain that purchasing Scholastic materials does not indirectly fund campaigns against them. To this end, we look for Scholastic to pledge that in the event a movie version of Pullman's other two books, The Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass, is launched, it will have nothing to do with them. This would reassure Christians that the "Golden Compass" venture was an anomaly.

Willravel 12-01-2007 02:46 PM

I'm thinking about taking it in tonight. Hmmm.. James Bond + Atheism + Bears? No brainer.

Byrnison 12-01-2007 06:08 PM

Concerning the supposed "anti-religion" aspect of the books...I must confess I am having a hard time seeing what all the hubub (sp?) is about...I just re-read the first book and fail to see how "Lyra is on a mission to kill God" as has been stated in some of the criticisms I've seen of the movie...eh, mebbe I'm just enjoying the story-telling aspects and not seeing it, or (my current rationale) is that there are some aspects that you can squint your eyes at and turn your head sideways and fabricate an anti-religion bias.

Whatever, it was an awesome trilogy. I will read the next two books again and see if there is something I missed, but right now I think that some people are being a little too sensitive :)

Oh, and pet peeve is that they've made the aletheometer the "compass" instead of the "golden compasses" from Paradise Lost (tools used to create circles and chart courses) that was originally being referenced...boo Hollywood for dumbing that down! [/peeve]

edit:

Quote:

Philip Pullman: "The trilogy known as HIS DARK MATERIALS didn't have that name in my mind from the start. In fact it didn't have a name at all; it was just 'the big book'. When I'd finished the first volume and was talking about it with David Fickling, my British publisher, we tried various names and couldn't find one that worked. I knew that the trilogy needed a name, and that each of the books needed its own separate name too (I don't like numbers in titles: THE GODFATHER PART TWO, and so on. Just a fad. But it's my fad). So: what should they be called?

My first discovery was the phrase THE GOLDEN COMPASSES (plural, note). This comes in Milton's Paradise Lost, a poem which inspired me a great deal. The line refers to the Son of God taking 'the golden compasses, prepared / In God's eternal store, to circumscribe / The universe, and all created things."

Willravel 12-01-2007 06:51 PM

http://www.goldencompassmovie.com/em...ftly%20spoken.

Byrnison 12-02-2007 02:18 PM

http://www.goldencompassmovie.com/em...nd+responsible.

Willravel 12-02-2007 02:27 PM

This DÆMON test is really interesting. Nice avatar, Byrnison.

Jove 12-02-2007 03:58 PM

How exactly do you pronounce Iorek, does it sound like "Eric", or "I-orc" or "I reck"?

mrklixx 12-02-2007 05:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MonomAnny
How exactly do you pronounce Iorek, does it sound like "Eric", or "I-orc" or "I reck"?

Philip Pullman pronounces it Yor-ik.

Byrnison 12-02-2007 06:47 PM

"Yor-ik" was the way I gathered it was pronounced as well.

Fun fact: In Diablo II one of the trash items that you found on fallen foes was "Iorek Byrnison's Ear" - Cynthetiq and his wife pointed that out to me back in the day when we used to have time to play such things :)

Quote:

Originally Posted by willravel
This DÆMON test is really interesting. Nice avatar, Byrnison.

Yah, I thought that test was a nice touch too. Another funny thing (to me) Will, is that my wife, upon originally taking the test, had a tiger or leopard similar to your own, but then she sent it out for feedback and it has been transformed into a bat...needless to say she was disappointed as she finds bats "icky" lol

Cynthetiq 12-02-2007 06:50 PM

Just got back from the premiere attended by Chris Weitz Director, Sam Elliot, Dakota Blue-Richards, Eva Green.

I'll wait to comment, suffice to say it was a good screen adaptation.

I forgot about the ear...

and I'm gearing up to listen to the Philip Pullman reading the unabridged audio book again.

Willravel 12-02-2007 06:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Byrnison
Yah, I thought that test was a nice touch too. Another funny thing (to me) Will, is that my wife, upon originally taking the test, had a tiger or leopard similar to your own, but then she sent it out for feedback and it has been transformed into a bat...needless to say she was disappointed as she finds bats "icky" lol

Bat and switch, eh?

Byrnison 12-03-2007 08:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cynthetiq
Just got back from the premiere attended by Chris Weitz Director, Sam Elliot, Dakota Blue-Richards, Eva Green.

I'll wait to comment, suffice to say it was a good screen adaptation.

I envy the perks you entertainment-industry types get! Glad to hear it is a good adaptation though, cannot wait to see it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by willravel
Bat and switch, eh?

Oh that is so groan-inducing...but dammit I couldn't help myself from laughing :hyper:

ring 12-07-2007 08:05 AM

I just caught a glimpse of a headline in our areas newspaper,
as I was going out the store.

Some schools around here are banning the book for its Anti-Christian
message. Maybe they should call it Counter-Christian or something.

This is so ridiculous, I'm Flubbergasted. I'm Livid. I'm disheartened.

Willravel 12-07-2007 08:14 AM

People banned Harry Potter, too. It's meaningless non-news. If people are stupid, there's not much we can do about it. As much as it pains me to say it, you can't fix stupid.


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