Phillip Pullman and the Golden Compass

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Forced to read them in schoool?!

Heh; we were force-fed stuff like "Moby Dick" and the "Scarlet Letter". Gimme "His Dark Materials" anyday!

You are insulting the resident Writing Lit Major here.

Your kids I could end up teaching one day.

My family still need to make arrangements to see it.

OK; I retract my complaint. Now Chaucer was dull!! !

Who here has read the Golden Compass by Philip Pullman? Me.

Who here is going to see the movie? Me.

I want your opinions on any and everything you may have heard thus far in relation to all the mumbo jumbo about how Pullman is supposedly evil.

**SPOILER ALERT!!**

I haven't heard that he's evil. Though I suppose Christians would be opposed to the idea that the creator God has died, and an evil angel has taken his place in heaven. And that fallen angels are actually fighting for good. He doesn't paint the church in a good light either. But hell, this is a work of fiction, not a critique on religion. Which I regard as fictitious, but that's beside the point.

/SPOILER

Even with all the bad reviews I was exceedingly disappointed by the film. I can't even count how many problems I had with it, how many bad creative choices there were. Terrible storytelling (I never thought anything could make me not like this book's storyline!). Soulless direction (disappointing since it was form the director of the rather moving "About A Boy"). Numerous "WTF?" moments (most notable: Iroek seemingly teleporting inbetween Lyra and the army, or somehow running inbetween them in a split second, since he wasn't anywhere near them before that one second--or even visible at all). A terrible soundtrack that was constantly droning but didn't even have one memorable theme. A rushing, rushing pace (from someone who LIKES a fast pace!). Terribly handled exposition (let's make everything so clear even the kiddies will think it's overdone, even though this isn't a children's series and was rated friggin' PG-13!). A general feeling of half-assery. And of course the missing ending. But by far the worst thing about the film was the terrible, terrible credits music. Dear god, it was HORRIBLE.

Even the visuals disappointed me. Too much blurry CG. The daemon shapechanging was cool, but these were mere details. Really, details were about the only thing I liked about the film.... >.< Iorek was pretty cool though.

I've read the books. Pullman has some great imaginative ideas but his writing style leaves MUCH to be desired.

I'm Catholic and was introduced to these books by a Catholic friend. She said "Yeah, they're heretical, but whatever. They're an interesting read." I don't have any problem with people positing a universe where there is no God or God dies, especially creatively or philosophically. I know a lot of Christian who are likewise open-minded and unthreatened by such ideas. I find this hoopla made by certain other Christians annoying. I also think Pullman's ego is feeding off the noise, and that's rather off-putting. He's not evil, but he is an obnoxious prick. So I'm not on either the bitchy Christians' or Pullman's side. One side is using the other, and vice versa. So neither are looking good. I think they deserve each other, honestly. I only wish they leave the kids who just want to enjoy the books and film out of their little tiff.

I'm not really interested in the movie. Veresae said it felt half-assed, and that's exactly the vibe I get from the trailer. I might seen it when it hits cable.

HAHAHA Veresae, I like your critique!

I saw the movie last night with my daughter and her best-friend.
Like I mentioned above, I read the books to my daughter when they first came out.
Her friend borrowed the first book for almost a year without reading it.
They seemed to enjoy the movie.
I enjoyed it, but not as a true representation of the book.

AND I AGREE VERESAE! THE ENDING CREDITS SONG SUCKED!

OH MAN how I couldn't wait to get out of there!
But, we like to see the credits... so it was like having MY demon cut away from me, standing there waiting to go!

I'll see the other two movies if/when they come out.

Now Eragon... that one just plain sucked as a movie anyway. Not to mention how rushed the whole storyline was.

We also saw "I Am Legend", Saturday night.... just my daughter and me. I thought it was okay.


Watching "The Golden Compass" made me want to read the books over again. I really liked them.

I still have no idea when I'm going to see it. My brother will see it on Friday though.

I'm trying to imagine someone in this country (the US) being 'forced' to read it...there'd be protests, counterprotests, and 37 8 by 10 glossies of the scene of the crime, not counting the aerial photography.. that they would even be allowed to read it in school...

have to find it sometime in the used book stores (my filthy habit...my name is Pakled, and I'm a recovering bibliophile...

Why would that be? Is it any more salacious than "the Scarlet Letter" or any other novels mentioned in this thread? Or are you just 'stirring the pot'?

I nearly q-tipped my brain after reading that crap by Nathaniel HAthorne.

I liked the movie.

Then again, I never notice plot, storytelling, or acting. I just see the sets and a swirl of visual and auditory stimulus. The Golden Compass was shiny and pretty and had lots of moving objects. There's my review. So autistic.

I saw it now. Wow, all the visuals were brilliant. It was rushed, it really was and I was sad that they left out the ending although they had finished it already (as pictures on the internet and in magazines obviously prove). I'm going to second the fact that the film was extraordinary fantastic just because of all those amazing landscapes and animals!

Let's face the facts people, all films based on books are going to cut some of the material out because they just don't have enough time. You'll find that if you don't compare it to the book, you should enjoy it more.

Then again, my brother was dissappointed that they missed out the ending.