The Golden Compass.
I am not generally a big fan of High Fantasy (otherwise known as Tolkien plus his knock-offs), especially not children's high fantasy. I was barely aware of anything called Narnia, and this is the first time I've heard of The Golden Compass. But I admit the graphics of this trailer are very impressive, especially if your computer/connection/monitor is up to the 1080p HD version. Eye candy is always a way in with me.
By the way, if you like futuristic/retro cityscapes with airships and such, I recommend the anime Metropolis. The story is just OK, but the visuals of the city are mind-blowing.
Damien enlightens me:
The Golden Compass is actually drawn from Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy.
Don't know about the film, but I loved the books, they're quite profound and touching in the end in addition to being a great read for not-so-young people ;-)
Yes, this was pointed out to me by somebody on a mailing list, Michael said:
"Personally, I have a hard time reading Tolkien, and can't stomach
Narnia at all.
His Dark Materials (the trilogy of which TGC is the first part) is another thing entirely, in my eyes. It's dressed in high fantasy clothes, but it's really, really good. Yes, there's allegory; but unlike Narnia, which is an allegory with people tacked on, HDM is first and foremost a story about people.
I cannot imagine Hollywood making a honest adaptation of these three books. The first one, sure. The second one, maybe. The third, no way in hell."
10 comments:
Mentioning Narnia and Tolkien in one breath is asking to be thumped. Hard.
The Golden Compass is actually drawn from Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy.
Don't know about the film, but I loved the books, they're quite profound and touching in the end in addition to being a great read for not-so-young people ;-)
"The third, no way in hell."
Well, naturally. Wouldn't truly be Hell if you could watch such a movie there, d'uh!
I read the His Dark Materials books. There is much brilliance in them, but before I had finished them, I had strongly mixed feelings about the books.
Certain characters deliberately cause suffering and death to innocent victims, and it seems to me that the book excuses those crimes because they were in the service of a greater, noble purpose. (If I said just what that noble purpose was, the religious fanatics would be all over us. It made me uncomfortable, and I'm profoundly irreligious.)
Nevertheless, there is so much good stuff that I want to re-read the books without my original preconceived expectations.
There is a touching scene at the end of the third book that moved me so much I could scarcely breathe. Even now I have to pause when I think of it. If I ever go to Oxford, there's a bench that I must visit.
Thanks, Mike.
I actually bought Compass as an audio book on iTunes yesterday and have started "reading" it. So far so good.
"it seems to me that the book excuses those crimes because they were in the service of a greater, noble purpose."
«A war is called just when it is necessary.» -- Machiavel
Anonymous, you talk of asking to be thumped for mentioning Narnia and Tolkien in one breath. Why? C.S Lewis and J.R.R Tolkien were friends/comrades after all. See here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C._S._Lewis
I enjoy both author's work very much and see no reason not to mention both in the same breath. So, go ahead and thump me hard, OK?
Pullman's stuff is just a rehash of the work of better writers. Talk about a lazy writer.
BONK! Ha-ha-ha!
"Bonk" humour is not funny.
Now FARTS, that's a riot!
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