HIS DARK MATERIALS

i'm a lion named sophia

L'Engle! That's a *sharp* comparison -- as soon as I read that it all clicked on that front.

Randall Garrett's Lord D'Arcy stories

totally forgot about those, i loved them.

i'm surprised most of the initial rush of hype isn't even mentioning the anti-theist angle. i guess they're saving that up for the big arts-section think pieces this fall.

in the meantime, i'll be preparing my rebuttal.

Unsurprisingly, given the fact it's US-financed, the 'anti-theist' angle has been toned down in the film in favour of a more generic 'anti-authoritarian' slant. Even Pullman's backtracking a bit, saying that the 'Magisterium' might denote an umbrella organisation of all kinds of wickedness, not just the Catholic Church, as so brazenly alluded to in the books.

i'm surprised most of the initial rush of hype isn't even mentioning the anti-theist angle

"So I dunno, Bob, you think we should play that up given how most of America claims to believe in God?"

"Nah, Mark, better to let it lie for now."

Repeat as needed.

I would have thought that the anti-Catholic aspect would have gone down a storm in the States, as the born-again section of Christian right often seems to give the impression that they think that all Catholics are Statnists...

Perhaps, but those who have read the final book know that God does in fact feature in a massive way, and, Statnists or no Statnists, believers in any monotheistic religion would take umbridge with the events. Quick, read the other two!!!

umbrage at the events. I think Umbridge is a place in the Midlands.

I think there's another really obvious umbrage-attractor in the final book beyond the God stuff, but since there's a lot of ppl who haven't read them I will hold my tongue.

Isn't Umbridge where The Archers live?

I think there's another really obvious umbrage-attractor in the final book beyond the God stuff, but since there's a lot of ppl who haven't read them I will hold my tongue.

Philip Pullman and the Gay Agendar!

No no not even the gay agenda!

I think there's another really obvious umbrage-attractor in the final book beyond the God stuff, but since there's a lot of ppl who haven't read them I will hold my tongue.

Ah yes, I think I know what you're talking about, right near the very end, correct? Wouldn't play too well in the midwest, so I imagine they'll tone it down considerably.

I'm beginning to think I shouldn't check on in this thread again until I've read them all, so to prevent tongue destruction. (A quarter of the way through The Subtle Knife at present.)

"So I dunno, Bob, you think we should play that up given how most of America claims to believe in God?"

i don't mean the movie people playing it up ("this christmas, god's on the wrong side!"), i mean it mostly not being mentioned in das media. it's a nice juicy angle. i expect it'll come up to some extent later, the same way the narnia god-angle did. and then john gibson or some other fox-news guy can try to start a boycott.

"this christmas, god's on the wrong side!"

Oh man, someone fake trailer this.

"IN A WORLD...

WITH A WITCH...

AND A BEAR...

THERE'S ALSO A GIRL.

THIS CHRISTMAS, GOD'S ON THE WRONG SIDE!"

(With Bruce Willis as Lord Asriel.)

Real movie trailer, almost as pompous as you'd imagine. And what's with Oxford looking like Tatooine? And why do children in these movies always have to be really posh? I always pictured her as a bit of a latchkey urchin (even though he uncle is obviously a lord).

And what's with Oxford looking like Tatooine?

I was thinking Coruscant (and surely most of the city shots are of London). Said trailer was linked up above a bit -- I like it, actually! But maybe I would. Yeah, some things seem a bit jarring but the set pieces are all there from what I can tell.

Twenty pages away from finishing The Subtle Knife.

And done, so Amber Spyglass to go. Yeah, this whole shebang is pretty amazing. I'm honestly kinda surprised it became so huge (obv. not Rowling levels but still), but glad it did.

I think I'm going to read The Golden Compass again, only this time with Alex (he's almost 9!). I made him watch the trailer with me this afternoon and he lit up like a little Christmas tree.

And then you cut away his daemon. Meanie.

As for my own -- Kyana the snow leopard, in that I am allegedly softly-spoken, clever, a leader, proud and solitary. Hmm.

Meantime, I don't think anyone's mentioned yet on here how we have Daniel Craig and Eva Green following up Casino Royale together almost a year later, kinda (though obv. more appropriate if she was in the Kidman role).

the trailer looks almost too otm design-wise, but that's not really a complaint. and i have no real problems with the cast (withholding judgment on lyra -- she'll have to convince me in the movie). the tone and pacing will be the key. if i was a betting man i wouldn't bet too heavily on chris weitz, but who knows?

Done. Damn. Not the ending I would have guessed, but the right one it was.

Oh and I did like this from way upthread:

That said, Lee Scoresby = Sam Elliott

-- g--ff c-nn-n (gcannon), Thursday, August 7, 2003 9:18 AM (3 years ago) Bookmark Link

The power of prediction! (Then again I think Sam Elliott is required to play crusty old Texans by law now.)

More after mental digestion and pondering but you know what the mulefa/wheelie creature world reminded me most of? The first book in Doris Lessing's Canopus in Argos series, Shikasta. I wouldn't be surprised if there was an intentional reference going on.

i read an interview that was done years ago where pullman said he imagined scoresby as sam jackson!

And then you cut away his daemon. Meanie.

My god, Ned, what kind of mother do you think I am?!

Actually, nevermind - don't answer that.

I started reading the first book to Alex tonight. So excited! I suppose this "reading aloud" ritual is going to stop sometime soon, but for now it's still so fun for both of us.

Also I am excited to re-read!

Make sure you do all the voices.

Anyway, noted that what is apparently the big fansite for the whole shebang has some word on the full Cannes footage. A couple of added characters but it'll probably have the advantage of fleshing out the Magesterium's role a bit in the first film. That said, I do like how the books continually amp up and out -- what seemed pretty wide-ranging in the first book ends up darned parochial at the end.

Whoa, this thing is coming up pretty quick, I realized.

Official site features the new trailer. Mostly extensions of what we've seen before but there is a specific change -- Ian McKellen is doing the voice of Iorek (as can readily be heard).

http://www.nypost.com/seven/10242007/gossip/pagesix/nicoles_next_another_turkey_.htm

:-(

dont really trust page six's film criticism.

especially rumours that are as vague and unsourced as possible.

I am almost done with the first book and, to be honest, I don't think it's that great. I don't like Pullman's tendency to switch tenses in the midst of a sentence, and suddenly include in Lyra's inner monologue a universally-addressed "you" as in "Lyra blah blah blah, but you wouldn't ever want to do that..." blah blah blah. It's alright, don't get me wrong. But it is only occasionally INVOLVING (like when she & the kiddies are attempting to escape the kiddie prison.) Also, I think the treatment of the alethiometer could have been more expansive. Pullman seems to have given up on in depth explanations towards the end and instead just gives quick answers. Kind of irritating.

it doesn't get better

yeah, i don't have much interest in reading more.

not to mention the shit with the bear king is TOTALLY unbelievable.
unless i am overestimating the intelligence of a bear.

Punks, both of you.

have you read A Game of Thrones yet, Ned?

x-post -- Although since Remy is probably still in tears over The Dark is Rising's abomination in screen form I forgive him.

I'm rethinking my decision to wait out the conclusion of long series before reading them, given Jordan's inadvertant screwing up of his plans.

what does that have to do with this? have you read it yet?

read game of thrones before the eye of the world. Jordan's series rapidly devolves after the fourth or fifth book. xppp

Didn't I mention this elsewhere, s1ocki? For a long while now I've preferred to wait until series are complete before reading them (there are tons more self-contained things I can and do enjoy reading -- and writing! -- in the meantime).

so, is anne rice still writing those vampire novels? how can you BEAR to wait on those?

;-)

Hahah, THAT'S a train I'm glad I never got fully on (read the first three shortly after the third came out and then got bored -- LIKE ANY SANE PERSON WOULD BE).

imma back ian up 100% on game of thrones, they are a brilliant read.

anyone else try the prince of nothing series?

i actually just started reading this the other day. really enjoyable so far.

....btw, is there a thread on Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell? THAT book fucking rocks.