The Golden Compass

[Brian in Mesa]

Bana, Bacon and Hurt in Golden Compass?
Source: Ciboule
November 20, 2006

'Ciboule' alerted us that an interview with Casino Royale star Eva Green in French magazine Studio (via Elbakin) says that Eric Bana, Kevin Bacon and John Hurt have also joined New Line's The Golden Compass.

If accurate, they would star opposite Nicole Kidman, Green, her Bond co-star Daniel Craig, Dakota Blue Richards and Sam Elliott in the Chris Weitz adaptation coming to theaters on December 7, 2007.

Based on the bestselling Philip Pullman novels, the "His Dark Materials" trilogy is comprised of "The Golden Compass," "The Subtle Knife" and "The Amber Spyglass". It revolves around a young girl who travels to the far north to save her best friend. Along the way she encounters shape-shifting creatures, witches, and a variety of otherworldly characters in parallel universes.

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This has the potential to be a huge movie trilogy. Has anyone read the books?

 

[Gaddabout]

Surprised there's no talk of this movie on this board. Perhaps better on politics/religion thread. Not sure. But I'm guaranteeing people will get banned in the process.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/His_Dark_Materials:_The_Golden_Compass

 

[Brian in Mesa]

Yeah. I almost added to this thread the other day...

Sounded good when I knew less about it. Now that I've heard what it's all about I'm not seeing it. It's going to sucker the kids in and then they'll read the books which are more intense and dark (from what has been reported and verified on Snopes).

http://www.snopes.com/politics/religion/compass.asp

Nutshell: The author himself calls this the anti-Narnia (of which he was the loudest critic - it's in another thread in P&R).

Spoiler

In the third book the kids "kill God" so everyone is free to do as they please.

 

[Linderbee]

I almost posted about this the other day, but just never got around to it. I will not be watching, nor will my children be watching. Even if I did not believe in God, it's not a good message, imo.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

I started a thread in P & R about this trilogy also - so the movie thread doesn't get sent there.

 

[Gaddabout]

I don't even know how to discuss my feelings on this without breaking the rules of forum, so I guess I'll go find the P&R thread you started, Brian.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

http://www.arizonasportsfans.com/vb/showthread.php?t=101625

 

[Brian in Mesa]

The Golden Compass

Release Date: December 7, 2007
Studio: New Line Cinema
Director: Chris Weitz
Screenwriter: Chris Weitz
Genre: Action, Adventure, Drama, Fantasy, Thriller
MPAA Rating: Not Available
Website: The Golden Compass | MySpace.com/GoldenCompassmovie

Starring: Nicole Kidman, Daniel Craig, Sam Elliott, Eva Green, Dakota Blue Richards, Ian McKellen, Ian McShane, Freddy Highmore, Kathy Bates, Tom Courtenay, Ben Walker, Adam Godley, Simon McBurney, Nonso Anozie, Jim Carter, Clare Higgins, Jack Shepherd, Magda Szubanski

Plot Summary: Based on author Philip Pullman's bestselling and award-winning novel, "The Golden Compass" tells the first story in Pullman's "His Dark Materials" trilogy. "The Golden Compass" is an exciting fantasy adventure, set in an alternative world where people's souls manifest themselves as animals, talking bears fight wars, and Gyptians and witches co-exist. At the center of the story is Lyra (played by newcomer Dakota Blue Richards), a 12-year-old girl who starts out trying to rescue a friend who's been kidnapped by a mysterious organization known as the Gobblers - and winds up on an epic quest to save not only her world, but ours as well. "The Golden Compass" stars an ensemble cast that includes Nicole Kidman, Daniel Craig, Sam Elliott, and Ian McShane. The film is written and directed by Chris Weitz ("About A Boy," "Antz") and produced by Deborah Forte and Bill Carraro ("Frequency"). It is executive produced by Andrew Miano and Paul Weitz ("In Good Company"). "The Golden Compass" is scheduled for a Dec. 7, 2007 release.

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[Brian in Mesa]

Golden Compass Doesn't Point to Moviegoers
Source: Box Office Mojo
December 10, 2007

New Line's fantasy-adventure The Golden Compass topped the box office with an estimated $26.1 million from 3,528 theaters. It's another disappointing debut for the studio this year, as expectations had the opening between $30-40 million. The movie cost at least $180 million to make plus promotions. New Line's biggest film of the year was Rush Hour 3, which collected $140.1 million, about $86 million below the total of Rush Hour 2 domestically. Written and directed by Chris Weitz, The Golden Compass stars Nicole Kidman, Daniel Craig, Sam Elliott, Eva Green and Dakota Blue Richards, and features the voices of Ian McKellen, Ian McShane, Freddie Highmore and Kathy Bates. It is based on author Philip Pullman's bestselling and award-winning novel. "Compass" did have a strong international debut, grossing an estimated $55 million from 25 countries, but New Line sold off all international territories, meaning that the studio's take will be capped.

 

[Chris_Sanders]

I saw it and it was a great movie. I was mostly disappointed by the lack of religious controversy. It is much ado about nothing.

 

[UncleChris]

I saw it and it was a great movie. I was mostly disappointed by the lack of religious controversy. It is much ado about nothing.

Imagine that!!

 

[Shane]

I saw it yesterday wiht my 13 year old. He loved it. I was less than enthralled.

 

[Chris_Sanders]

I saw it yesterday wiht my 13 year old. He loved it. I was less than enthralled.

Come on, the Whiskey Drinking Polar Bear was pretty cool.

 

[Rivercard]

My 3 year old wants to see this. Should I take her?

 

[Chris_Sanders]

My 3 year old wants to see this. Should I take her?

She will probably like it. It can be slow at times, but it is visually quite impressive. The kids will like the idea of having an animal spirit that represents your soul following you around.

 

[Shane]

Come on, the Whiskey Drinking Polar Bear was pretty cool.

Actually all of the Polar Bear scenes were my favorite thing about the movie. Those were awesome.

 

[Heucrazy]

I'm about 50 pages away from finishing this book and the undertones were so subtle that if I wasn't looking for them I would have missed them. The movie is watered down from what I've heard and shouldn't offend anyone.


Oh and the reason Catholics hate this trilogy is because the Vatican is pretty evil in what they are doing to those poor kids.

 

[Pariah]

My 3 year old wants to see this. Should I take her?

3? I don't think I'd take my 4 year old. But, that's just me.

BTW, that decision has NOTHING to do with religious or anti-religous content. It just has to do with war, violence and "political" (in the fatasy world created in the story of witches, humans, bears and deamons) storylines that would A) freak the hell out of him and B) go right over his head.

I'm almost done with the book, and while it's pretty entertaining to me, I just don't think it's for pre-schoolers.

 

[Rivercard]

3? I don't think I'd take my 4 year old. But, that's just me.

That's what I was thinking, but I didn't know anything about the story (just saw that fun promo picture of an animal in regalia).

 

[Brian in Mesa]

I saw it and it was a great movie. I was mostly disappointed by the lack of religious controversy. It is much ado about nothing.

If you've read any of the criticism it talks about how watered down the movie will be...which will draw kids in to read the books. Books two and three are the ones with the content (aimed at children) which is upsetting people.

 

[Chris_Sanders]

If you've read any of the criticism it talks about how watered down the movie will be...which will draw kids in to read the books. Books two and three are the ones with the content (aimed at children) which is upsetting people.

If faith is shaken by reading a book, it isn't faith at all.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

If faith is shaken by reading a book, it isn't faith at all.

I agree, but I don't think an ex-nun with a lover, gay angels, and killing God (or an angel pretending to be God) should be in "children's books."

In the P & R thread we've discussed this a bit more and pointed out the motives of the author - in his own words.

 

[Pariah]

In the P & R thread we've discussed this a bit more and pointed out the motives of the author - in his own words.

His "motive" was to create a book as an answer to Narnia. That's all. You make it seem like he's trying to poison your children against you.

What if I was Hindu...should I be up in arms about Aslan being in a book that my kid might be drawn to?

BTW, have you read the books yet?

 

[Jersey Girl]

Come on, the Whiskey Drinking Polar Bear was pretty cool.

I love whiskey AND polar bears!

I've heard about the controversy. I haven't really had time to look into everything surrounding this movie and, since it isn't one of my gotta-see-this movies, I'll wait til it comes out on video and I've had more time to check out the drama.

BTW, I've never seen Narnia either. Perhaps I'll watch them both one after the other.

I have lots of opinions on this issue of faith, but, since we are talking about the movie here and I am ignorant of a lot of the issue surrounding it, I will keep my opinions to myself.

 

[Shane]

I will keep my opinions to myself.

Whew!