The Golden Compass
Welcome to my first movie review. The Golden Compass.
I had not read His Dark Materials Trilogy (The Golden Compass; The Subtle Knife; The Amber Spyglass)
Watching the movie was like looking at a twelve-year-old trying to follow a culinary master’s best recipe. That framework was there, the effort was there, but it was simply too much for this production to handle. The story was great, but the execution was not-so-good.
The visual presentation was lovely, and would hold a child’s attention. The premise of the all controlling evil tyrannical government, church, or any number of things which would fit metaphor, was clear. The author clearly intended it to represent some kind of religious governing body. The introduction of parallel universes held my interest and was clearly understood. That is where clarity ends and the story gets a little fuzzy, still pretty, but fuzzy. Too many events or characters not fully developed or explained.
Gyptians (good), good witches who seemed to have been waiting for the child, and who take part in the winning end battle despite not a big part of the movie up until then - seems off to have such poorly developed characters with some vague unknown purpose have significance in the final battle. ( their purpose as well as the character of the main witch were more developed in the book I hear). A Polar Bear King, an uncle, who was really the father whose discovery of “dust” flowing from parallel universes (thus instigating all this hoopla), a wicked woman who was really the main character/child’s mother as well as boss of the Gobblers (bad soul takers), an aeronaut, alethiometers, and original sin starring (as “dust”) all rolled into kind of a pleasant but messy little film.
What this movie left with me was a need to check out the book, and a gnawing desire for a soul which follows me around outside my body, taking the from of an animal until it is fully set. I now want a “dæmon” of my own, as much as I want to see I Am Legend.
Addendum:
Do not forget to stop by Should Be Famous, Doug is the header image artist of the week. Doug gifted us with 5 images which rotate when reloaded.
We will have a good line-up there for header images. The images now will also now include artwork. Thanks to Harriet for suggesting it. Also, Jason was famed this week and I think the blog will become a fun place, with good reads on new blogs for everyone. We are still taking guess sbf crew posters.
peace
That was actually a very good review. It helps to know what’s missing.
I sometimes wish for a soul that takes the form of a human. Not that often but sometimes. Just to understand what you guys are talking about.
All the wonderful ruminations on God, authority, power, responsibility, and free will are exactly why it would take a director/writer with patience and an understanding of how conspicuously questioning the entire series is.
Basically, as I understood it, the first novel is not about good or evil, but it’s about owning up to the fact that giving any one person or any one group complete power is faulty by nature. Whether assigning this authority to God or government or even those who would fight against complete control, Phillip Pullman just wants to bring up the idea that to invest that much power in any one thing only leads to failure.
But the movie not only glosses over this idea, but it seems to defang it as well. Gone are all mention of Lyra’s Uncle Lord Asriel (her real father) actually investigating Dust as a means to kill The Authority (i.e. God) to weaken The Magesterium. Gone are all mention of how Daemon’s came about the same time as the concept of Original Sin and how the two ideas are linked since the only time typically the Daemon dies is when the person dies, finally purged of Original Sin. Gone are all the wonderful allusions that physics, theology, philosophy, and sexuality are all branches of the same overriding framework of the Universe and its working.
There’s a reason why the trilogy of novels in England is considered as great as The Lord of the Rings in scope and vision. There’s a lot to digest within the pages–most of which you won’t see your first time through because it’s only taken as a whole that you get a sense of what Pullman’s exact ideas about everything are. In one sense, yes, it’s a story about children (Lyra and Will, who is the main protagonist of the sequel, The Subtle Knife), but it’s also a primer on life and living freely while still maintaining a great society.
As a movie, I just wasn’t moved like I was when I was reading the books. There’s something to be cherished in the story and not just viewed only to be forgotten. That’s what makes me sad about the movie, that it is so readily forgotten because it just doesn’t have anything to offer people unfamiliar with the books.
Am I the only person who doesn’t like movies with lovely visual presentations that would hold a child’s attention?
I like gritty street scenes and houses rich in detail
But I did enjoy your review :)
This is a useful review. I feel the same way about aspects of the fifth Harry Potter movie.
I was hoping it would have handled the more symbolic and the childlike and molded it into a film which could have been enjoyed on both levels. It doesn’t look like that happened. Saved me ten bucks, seven if I went in the afternoon on a weekday, but it gives me more to spend on popcorn when I go see “I Am Legend”.
Careful - reading the books with leave you with the insatiable urge to stab God in the face…and stuff.
Doug: Well thank you Doug. Good one.
mojo: And I thank you again. I haven’t managed to get a hold of the trilogy yet.
Pia: Visually it would hold an adults attention but after one quarter point the material does not hold it. I love to look at good cinematography no matter the form and the art and design which goes into something like the golden compass interests me. Sadly the movie did not.
weirdso: I miss you. I haven’t seen the fifth and stopped reading the books some time ago. More due to time constraints than anything else.
john: It is jut my opinion but the results of it’s box office draw the second week are also telling.
Jason: I really don’t think it will come to that Jason, but thanks for the warming.
After all God in whichever form he is idolized or worshiped is man made. Should there be a God, and I am not sure one way or the other, it is surely not what humans have made of it.
Let me know if you’re still looking. I have an extra copy floating around that I could send you, Miss Cooper.
Pia<,
I like more gritty movies to. But if a director adds the nice visuals and the gritty street ones, then I practically come on myself with pleasure…
Cooper,
I agree with you about the God issue. I think man has totally made God in their perceived image.
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I have been waiting to see I Am Legend for so long; it’s driving me crazy.
I’m definitely going to see it tomorrow night.
MoJo: Thanks
Jake: I’m going during the week, you are brave to attempt a weekend.
I don’t live in a big city or anything; it won’t get too crazy.
I guess it’s inevitable that I see this film. I always feel the need to check out the book after seeing a film, mostly to see how much of the book was lost or ruined in the filming of it.
Jake: That might be worse. Good Luck.
Zydeco:
The book I can assure you is better, enjoy though.
You helped make that decision easy. I haven’t read the trilogy either, probably won’t and will wait for some free version to materialize.