Is anyone else looking forward to the release of The Golden Compass on 12.7.07?

I read Phillip Pullman's Dark Materials Trilogy last year and just hope that the film does justice to the books!!

The only thing that concerns me is that sometimes a film of a book disappoints me, simply because the way I imagine the characters etc to look is normally quite different to the way they are portrayed in the film.

Yeah! I doubt I'll get to see it right away unfortunately :(

I'm owrried about how they'll handle the religion, but the look of the films seems spot on - have you got the special issue of Empire? Well worth it! The daemons look good too - not too much like 'real' animals, but not too fake either.

I was in Oxford when they were filming it and sneaked into the back of Exeter College when I found out, after interrogating a roadie, what they were filming. I saw Kidman being driven around and I saw a girl in her car who turned out to be the lass playing Lyra.

Apparently, Pullman always wanted Kidman to play Mrs Coulter, even though she's blonde, and he finally managed to snag her for the part. He'd also wanted Samuel L Jackson to play Lee Scoresby! Does that mean Lee is supposed to be black?

I like how they've dumbed down the title, because 'alethiometer' is a long word.

I'm worried about how they'll handle the religion

Yes - me too. There was an article in the paper about it a while ago, I'll try and find it later on - unless you saw it already? Was probably the Guardian, knowing me, but the thrust of it was definitely that they've watered it down, and made it more about dictatorships and oppressive regimes generally, rather than religion as such. I think.

He'd also wanted Samuel L Jackson to play Lee Scoresby! Does that mean Lee is supposed to be black?

That is interesting! When I re-read, will hunt for clues, although I don't remember anything obvious from the first (hundred) times I've read it ;)

Am i the only person who thought the books were average? I remember the final one being incredibly difficult to finish.

Re religion: [...] the thrust of it was definitely that they've watered it down
I hope that isn't true. As a story that is its anchor really. If you take away the religious element it will spoil it all.

Am i the only person who thought the books were average?

Quite possibly! ;)

I know of other people who didn't enjoy the third one - but just thinking about it makes me want to weep. I thought the handling of the Will and Lyra relationship in and of itself was superb, and that's without even considering the overwhelming number of ideas squeezed into the trilogy...

Has anyone seen the film yet? is it good?

Don't know what it is but I never like this sort of film at all, but having seen the trailers for this I quite fancy it :) Probably go one evening to see it! Not much else good out at the moment I don't think!

we went to see this yesterday and i thought it was fantastic.
i was a bit worried about going to see it cos some people were saying it is very dissapointing but i thought it was well worth seeing, some parts were very sad too...:(
i thought the actress who plays lyra was very talented too.

I just saw it today. I thought it was awful. The girl couldn't act for toffee, and her accent kept switching from perfect English to a half-a*sed cockney. The plot seemed to jump around, and the amount of violence in - well I'm surprised they made it a PG! A bear gets his whole lower jaw ripped out!! How on earth is that alright for an 8 year old to see?!

There was far to much CGI just for the sake of it, and I got utterly bored about 1/3 of the way in. Very disappointed.

I saw it on Friday, found it a bit boring to be honest.. Then again at 31 I suppose I'm too old to appreciate what is essentially a kids' film really.

I'm told Daniel Craig is hardly in it, is this true?

I'm told Daniel Craig is hardly in it, is this true?

yes! .

saw it last night and THE craig - is on about three times. A highlight of the film is when he shaves off his beard and looks positively stunning but apart from that its just leaving us with the anticipation of whats to come with daniel in the next films.

yes! .

thanks, well I won't be paying to see it then:o

I'm told Daniel Craig is hardly in it, is this true?


Quite correct,he only has a small role.

Quite correct,he only has a small role.


did he make this film before he made the Bond film, is that why?

did he make this film before he made the Bond film, is that why?


It's probably because the character is hardly in the first book, but needs to be introduced in it for many aspects of the plot.

Hopefully he'll be in the others more, I'm not sure if they just made this one for starters though, instead of the whole trilogy as one, as in LotR.

Hopefully he'll be in the others more, I'm not sure if they just made this one for starters though, instead of the whole trilogy as one, as in LotR.


This film was made just as itself, with the option to continue should it be profitable. All the cast have signed for 3, should the next 2 be made, and on last reports the plan would be to film Subtle Knife and Amber Spyglass back-to-back if the green light is given.

Initial reports from the US is that the film hasn't performed as well as expected (they anticipated opening weekend of $30 to $40 million, and it looks like it will settle at $26 million), but it has opened well in other territories with $55million so far.

The studio will not make a decision on the sequels until the new year, once they have seen how the film holds up over Christmas.

I went to see this yesterday and loved it.
I went with the OH who had no idea what to expect, and he thought it was great too.

Nicole Kidman was excellent I thought, she had that beautiful/evil thing going on! The daemons were really good (I thought Hester was so cute - those ears, and that accent!).

As for it being violent (ref nuttygirl's post), yes a bear gets his jaw slapped off, but it was blood-free and far enough away, for the younger kids to fail to notice. And I would say they see much worse in any Playstation game?!

Looking forward to see what they make of the next two installments.

Read the book,
was not impressed,
but this is a laugh,
so take the test.

http://www.sheffieldforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=285606