"but it's just a children's film..."

[metaphorge]

The Golden Compass is excellent.

I'm also very surprised that it made it to the screen at all, considering the subject matter His Dark Materials deals with. I chalk this up a definite score for our side. ;)

I hope it's successful, as I think our mass culture could use more from where this came from. A lot more.

Go see it. Take your kids (or someone else's kids) to see it. They'll probably thank you for it sometime in the future.

Comments

[serpent-sky.livejournal.com]

I've never understood why those books were lumped in with childrens' books. They're not. They're well-written and intelligent! Someone once said, "oh, just like Harry Potter!!!" and I contemplated taking off my shoe to throw it at her.

Aside from the aforementioned intelligent and well-written aspects of His Dark Materials... it's also an original concept, unlike Harry Potter.

[metaphorge.livejournal.com]

I've never understood why those books were lumped in with childrens' books. They're not. They're well-written and intelligent!

Perhaps the categorization is in hopes that children will get their hands on them and read them, when it really counts and it can save them from years of pain.

Yeah, I'm an optimist from time to time. Don't tell anyone. ;)

[serpent-sky.livejournal.com]

*shrug* Don't ask me. I hate children. :)

[tiggrrl.livejournal.com]

We managed to see it last night, and it was fantastic. When it was over, I heard a kid behind us (probably around 10 years old) say, "That can't be all there is!" I turned around and told him that there were three books, and what their names were, and his mother thanked me. Don't know if she'll be thanking me after he reads the third book, but at least it will hopefully get the books into one more set of hands.

the_misha found an article online from a Catholic theologian praising the films as being deeply spiritual, and positing that they aren't anti-God at all, because The Authority isn't God, Dust is. No idea where to find the article, unfortunately.

[metaphorge.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I imagine that thinking theologians are going to like the film, but then, more people are in need of some good gnosis these days.

Maybe more production teams will get it in their heads that gnostic allegories make great movies.

BTW, again, happy birthday!

[tiggrrl.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I expect to see you up here for our housewarming in a couple of weeks so that I can get my delayed-gratification birthday hugs from you and tyrsalvia!

[veleda.livejournal.com]

i am seeing it this week. thanks for the excellent review!

[metaphorge.livejournal.com]

You'll like it. This is the sort of thing we should be trying to make happen more often.

We've come for your children. ;)

[mactavish.livejournal.com]

I think I would have liked it a lot had I not read the book. I didn't hate it, but they seriously broke the plot, skimming over stuff, adding exposition where it didn't matter, changing the order of events in ways that did matter, and eliminating crucial plot points.

I hope they are saving the huge chunks they left out for the sequel and it was all about intended pacing -- but I'm not sure opening-weekend sales will allow for a sequel, sadly.