The Golden Compass movie (His Dark Materials 1)

[Tale]

Noticed the official site for this movie (due Dec 07) has quietly opened. Looks promising, gives a good intro for newbies, and appears to have at least some of the ominous darkness it needs.

http://www.goldencompassmovie.com/


(edit) The alethiometer is interactive. Here is one of the combinations to reveal concept art (highlight to read spoiler): cauldron, thunderbolt, horse.
Spoilers for more concept art in the posts below this press release: http://www.bridgetothestars.net/news/1165547945

And here's the IMDB entry for completeness (includes a mini-FAQ): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0385752/

[Viin]

I didn't really care for the books so I probably won't care for the movie - but hey, you never know.

[Tale]

That's a pity, because by the time I got to the end of the third book (about four years ago) I had gone through a powerful experience. Something like what the director says on the website:

I had heard about a fantastic and life-changing British fantasy series of books. I was absolutely stunned by the imagination, daring and intelligence of the books. To me it is one of the great works of imagination in the twentieth century. I grew up on Tolkein but this, to be honest, leaves him in the dust as far as ambition and philosophical depth ...

... Although the heroine is a child, there is nothing childish or silly about 'His Dark Materials'. It is often dark, even somber, though like all great novels it ranges to the ecstatic, the humorous, and the political as well."

I haven't reread it, partly because I'm almost scared to go through it again. But mostly because I still remember it all.

P.S. The books I'm reading at the moment are Neal Stephenson's historical/alternate history novels. They are a totally different thing, but there's something about them, too, that resonates long-term in my mind. Maybe I'm just getting old and slowing down.

[Xilren's Twin]

Something like what the director says on the website:

I had heard about a fantastic and life-changing British fantasy series of books. I was absolutely stunned by the imagination, daring and intelligence of the books. To me it is one of the great works of imagination in the twentieth century. I grew up on Tolkein but this, to be honest, leaves him in the dust as far as ambition and philosophical depth ...

... Although the heroine is a child, there is nothing childish or silly about 'His Dark Materials'. It is often dark, even somber, though like all great novels it ranges to the ecstatic, the humorous, and the political as well."

Which is why they will probably be very difficult to translate into a movie, which typically means it will get dumbed down by movie exec who don't get it or are horrified that the general public won't get it.  Ref: Starship Troopers the book vs the movie :)

[Tale]

which typically means it will get dumbed down by movie exec who don't get it or are horrified that the general public won't get it.

They've already done this. The books are a huge smackdown of Christianity. The church is evil in the books and God is ... (a spoiler). Someone else will be the bad guys in the movie. The central concept of "daemon" is pronounced "demon" in the books. It's "daymon" in the film.

But in the world of today, I don't see what else they could do if they want a budget for something that will need effects on the scale of LotR or Narnia.

I'm suspicious of it, but pleased the director seems to relate to the books in the right way.

[squirrel]

which typically means it will get dumbed down by movie exec who don't get it or are horrified that the general public won't get it.

They've already done this. The books are a huge smackdown of Christianity. The church is evil in the books and God is ... (a spoiler).

Hmmm I've read all 3 several times and I didn't get the smackdown on Christianity. Certainly a smackdown on churches that view their mission in the world as political rather than spiritual but that's not all encompassing. Also, while the spoiler could be seen as a judgment on the almighty as the one true god, I kind of took it more as an indication that the good in that being had been corrupted by political forces but was still relevant. Don't forget the opposition was just as willing to sacrifice principles to achieve their goal. Anyway, excellent series, hope they don't ruin it on film. They teach this at my Uni in both Lit and Theology. It's an excellent discussion starter - particularly for looking at the responsibility organized religion has in regards to the documentation or canon on which it's founded. An excellent interpretation on the role that the Book of Genesis can play in modern theology really. 

EDIT: And man, I could go on forever over a bottle of whisky on the symbolism, particularly the Subtle Knife. Atomic Energy? Biotech? Man's repudiation of spirituality? Pass me a smoke and a glass...