I’m waiting for the 9:15am showing of “The Golden Compass” to start. The Cinerama was the obvious choice of venue: a big, extravagant setting for an over-the-top film. After reading the reviews ((Decidedly mixed, as you can see.)) , I decided to re-read the books before seeing the film; I’ve finished the first two and will knock off the third this weekend. (Of course none of the books were originally called “The Golden Compass”; that’s an American revision.)
More after the movie is over.
[Later]
So, a very mixed bag. If only the director had insisted on an extra hour; there’s too much packed into the 113 minutes allotted for this. (But then a couple of scenes are dragged out too long, especially the climactic battle.) On the other hand, the actress that they found for Lyra, Dakota Blue Richards, is perfect. Here’s Ty Burr in the Boston Globe:
Any adaptation of Pullman’s fiction hinges on its Lyra, and in the first-timer Richards, Weitz has found someone worth following. Rangy and impetuous, with a sour, tilted mouth and big eyes that narrow with suspicion, Richards suggests the foul-mouthed street urchin and the future grande dame; she’s not conventionally pretty, but she has beauties in her. Above all, she’s whip-smart and curious – a real adventuress. She makes the “Narnia” kids look vaguely feeble.
So often when you see the film of a favourite book, there’s a jarring effect: “I didn’t imagine her looking like that!” But Richards’ Lyra is an improvement on my imagination, which is delightful.
Much was made of the fact that the director had tried to downplay the identification of the Magisterium with the Catholic Church, and to present it as a vague, generic form of authoritarian institution. Many atheists expressed frustration that Pullman’s clear anti-religious message was being diluted. I don’t think they need worry: the Magisterium is clearly, unequivocally, depicted as a religious organization, and it is unambiguously evil.
If you know the books, you will probably enjoy the film, although the clumsy preamble and bizarre resequencing are likely to frustrate you. If you don’t know the books, read them first. Either way, try to see the film on a really big screen. And hopefully the “director’s cut” DVD will be twice as long.