Young Writers Society

The "Seen It" Thread...


. . .


This evening, my brother and I took my dad to see The Golden Compass. All the contraversy made us curious, and besides, we enjoyed the books.

And I have to say, they did a pretty good job with it. Not quite as little-kid-ish as I was expecting, a very enoyable cinematic experience. Though one thing I can't help but comment on: I can very easily see why this rubbed the Church the wrong way. The tyrannical Magisterium's aversion to the concept of anything that might negate their teachings, their desire to control the people beneath their jurisdiction, et cetera, very strongly echoed what many perceive to be the Church's standpoint on science.

The Seat of Magisterium looked rather more like a cathedral than a government building...

And the very best part: when Iorek Byrnison, the armored bear sans armor, goes to get his armor back, he bursts wildly into the local Magisterial headquarters ... which just so happens to have all the Byzantine saints on the front panels, gilded haloes, jagged-robe folds and all. Even something that looked suspiciously like a tabernacle lantern or incense hanging from above the carved door. I wondered how many people would realize the signifigance of what was only breifly glimpsed, how many people would see past the obscurity of Byzantine holy art and sanctity and into the face of organized Catholicism. And while I would ordinarily call such blatant hinting a cheap shot, just something to stir the pot, I do have to commend the writers on their dedication to their art. Roman Catholic icons would have caused much more of a stir, doubtless, simply because they are much easier to recognize. But the writers chose the less noticeable, more seemingly benign route; I suspect because they wanted it to fit in with the locale - what, in any other world, would have been Siberia or the Ukraine. And for this, I respect them: a dedication to the accuracy of their art over the noise of rattled cages.

All the same, I poked my dad and whispered to him when I saw the Byzantine saints on the walls. Said he, "Oh my God, they didn't", just because he didn't think they'd have the nerve.

Fine film, all things considered. Well-made, well-acted, and just enough majority-spiting to get you thinking. ^_^ Thoughts?

I'm not going to see it. *shrugs* I haven't read it either, half out of being lazy, half because Cat talked about it's atheism aspects. I don't judge it for that, I don't think it shouldn't be made into a movie. Censorship irritates me more than anything. I just don't feel the need to read it.

I loved the book when I read it four years ago, and I really want to re-read it. I think all the religious commentary has really drawn focus away from the book as a piece of literature, and the movie as an adaptation of that literature. Most people object to it because the evil force in the book is referred to as the "Magisterium" which is a term for the Catholic Church.
But honestly, do any kids really read the word and go, "Why, this book is clearly promoting atheism." Philip Pullman may have had that motive while writing the series, as he is pretty anti-religious, but he also created an enjoyable book. Those of us old enough to recognize the religious commentary are usually not going to change our beliefs because of one book or movie.
I mean, I read the Chronicles of Narnia when I was a kid, and those books promote religion. Still an atheist, but liked the books.
I'll look for that stuff when I go see it, thanks for pointing it out, DD.

I saw it

It ROCKED! It was so good! I love Iorek! And Nicole Kidman is downright scary...and that spidermonkey? A very good daemon familiar for her, indeed. I never read the books, but now I know the story...and I love it! I can't wait for the next one XD.

Brilliant work, Philip Pullman.

I loved it!
I haven't read the books, but they're on my list.

Dream Deep wrote:And the very best part: when Iorek Byrnison, the armored bear sans armor, goes to get his armor back, he bursts wildly into the local Magisterial headquarters ... which just so happens to have all the Byzantine saints on the front panels, gilded haloes, jagged-robe folds and all. Even something that looked suspiciously like a tabernacle lantern or incense hanging from above the carved door. I wondered how many people would realize the signifigance of what was only breifly glimpsed, how many people would see past the obscurity of Byzantine holy art and sanctity and into the face of organized Catholicism.

Actually, I saw the whole building as a church. XD But I was already making the connection between the the Magisterial and the Catholic church so I didn't think anything of it other than "That's right, Iorek, you get your armour back from those creeps! Burst through that wall! 'Cause you're freakin' awesome!"
One of the best parts has to be when Iorek gave the king of the armoured bears what a person I saw the movie with called "the ultimate b****slap." ^-^

Nicole Kidman is so good that I just can't trust Mrs. Coulter. I can't wait for the next one so we can compare her info with that of Lord Asriel. I also want more witches!

*stabs the ending*

No! There's more to the book than that! No no no!

The bit they left out at the end better be in the Subtle Knife. Otherwise I'm going to be a one person riot in the streets. I was so mad when I realised it was ending as Lee Scoresby's balloon flew off into the distance that I started beating the seat in front of me with my Twizzlers.

And the first part of the movie, up until they introduce Lee Scoresby and Iorek, was majorly rushed. I would've liked to see more of Lyra's time at Jordan, or with Mrs. Coulter, or with the gyptians. They kind of pushed it forward until you get to the bear.

But it was a good movie, still! I really enjoyed it. It paid great homage to the book (other than the ending, I'm not going to let that go) which not a lot of movies based off of books do. I also got a huge kick out of the scene where Iorek and Lyra and Pan are riding through the snow to find Billy. Reminded me of a Coke commercial. xD

Anyway, I think I might have to drag my mum to see it this weekend. Even though she doesn't really care.

Saint Razorblade wrote:And the first part of the movie, up until they introduce Lee Scoresby and Iorek, was majorly rushed.

Yeah, I noticed that, too. When Pan suspected that Mrs. Coulter was never going to take them to the North Pole because they had been there for a while, I thought "But you just got there....?"

Yay! I loved The Golden Compass! I thought the girl who played Lyra was really good and Nicole Kidman made such a good Mrs Coulter. I loved Pan too. It made me jump when Iorek burst out with his armour on lol and was really annoyed when they missed out the end!

Also, does anyone else agree with me that they should have called the movie Northen Lights, like the book? And correct me if I'm wrong but does the book ever refer to the Alethiometer as a Golden Compass?

Nope the book never refers to the Alethiometer as the Golden Compass. That's just the stupid American editors changing it from its proper title, with yet another British book. So they decided to use that title in the film as well.

I hated it. It was nothing like the books to me. I'm not arguing with the people who liked it, it was just my opinion. They mixed characters, changed around plots, left stuff that was necessary out, AND Roger's gonna die. XD XD XD. Sorry but she's all excited and the next movie is going to end up starting with his death, if they even do it right.

Overall, I did like it. The ending left me feeling very dissatisfied, however. It's just the fact that the film wasn't exactly overly-long by this point (not even two hours), and they decided to end there. It would have taken all of twenty minutes to end it properly, and that's what annoys me. Now the other two are going to be all messed up, and it's just stupid.

Having said that, the effects were amazing, and there wasn't a bad performance in there (except, perhaps, for Roger - I sort of wanted him to get thrown over a cliff by the end). Nicole Kidman was exceptionally chameleon-like, and Dakota Blue Richards was very good. And, of course, Ian McKellen as Iorek Byrnison was superb. So, overall, not bad. Not at the same standard as LOTR, of course (how could it be without Peter Jackson in the Director's seat?), but still, very good.

Considering the entire novel's about (other than bashing the church), the true relevance of a childhood innocence in society/life, I couldn't believe that they over-censored this movie.

All this stuff about "slightly anti-catholic church" ie, byzantine iconography and a cathedralesque building is *nothing* like the books. Without spoiling it, the books are about how crap religion, specifically cathololacism is. Having said that everyone should be able to pick out the nice little snipes about atheism as well.

But no, let's take out anything remotely significant. If the books were to be any inflamatory toward organised religion it would have to have a little pop-up of lord asriel beating god to the face with a two-by-four.

I'm not sure if anyone noticed this, but in the final fight scene, no-one from the *goodies* dies......huh?

Other than that, an average transition of a brilliant novel

Rubric wrote:I'm not sure if anyone noticed this, but in the final fight scene, no-one from the *goodies* dies......huh?

Well that's not true. I saw several witches get shot, and probably some of the gyptians as well. Other than that, it's only natural that more of them don't die - they do win the fight, after all.

Cpt. Smurf wrote:Nope the book never refers to the Alethiometer as the Golden Compass. That's just the stupid American editors changing it from its proper title, with yet another British book. So they decided to use that title in the film as well.

One of the nurses at Bolvangar calls it a golden compass, if I remember correctly. (I recently reread it, so.) I think the whole series was originally The Golden Compasses (as in, drawing compasses, not directional ones) and the American publishers got confused and decided they wanted to keep the title so that you had the three objects.

I didn't notice the icons - I was too busy cheering Iorek on - but I'm pretty sure that in the book, the armor was being kept in the chaplain's house or something. I can't remember for sure. (I'm actually going to go see it again today, so I'll keep an eye out for it.)