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Original poster

the golden compass

55 replies

essanel · 04/12/2007 23:49

you can view the first 5 mins of the film here movies.yahoo.com/feature/thegoldencompass.html?showVideo=1

OP posts:
roisin · 05/12/2007 02:24

Having seen trailers and read the book I'm surprised it's a PG.

First person to see it, I'd appreciate your comments on suitability for children.

We normally allow ds2 (8) to see PGs, but not 12As; but I'd assumed this one would be a 12A and therefore a no-go for him.

Threadworm · 05/12/2007 06:28

Ooo I,ve just watched this trailer and it does seem brilliant fun. Lyra seems terrific, really good.

I had vowed not to see the film, because it can't possibly live up to the books, but perhaps I should see it.

I will not let my younger son see it, but only because he has not read the books yet. They are so important that I don't want his reading of them to be corrupted by the film.

Original poster
essanel · 05/12/2007 20:57

it does look fab! i don't know if i want to see the film usually the film adaptations of -books - i'm a stephen king fan- but i do love the harry potter films! i did read on another thread about how heavy going the language is in the books and so younger children may not follow. does anyone know if the film is all three books in one or are they making three films??

OP posts:
LyraSilvertinsel · 05/12/2007 21:00

The film is just the first book, which was called Northern Lights in the UK but they went with the American title (typical).

Original poster
essanel · 05/12/2007 21:20

thank you lyra.. I had heard that they were supposed to be all three in one which i dont think they could pull off! i so want to see but noone i know is interesed -im on hols from work next week so may have to try and see a matinee on my own

OP posts:
Flame · 05/12/2007 22:35

Back back back

It was amazing! Not doing any spoilers here, happy to chat on a spoiler thread if anyone wants to. Only a couple of bits irked me.

PG is fine - there is no blood whatsoever, not very scary or anything. I would be more than happy with even a sensitive 8yr old watching.

They are my favourite books, and I really feel they have been done justice So pleased and bouncy now

FairyTaleOfNewYork · 05/12/2007 22:41

dd1 wants to see this. she hasnt read the book, neither have i

Flame · 05/12/2007 22:44

Read it - it is amazing.

TenLordsaLapin · 05/12/2007 22:46

Apparently it's the first book and part of the second? SOOO excited to see it, I loved the books.

Dropdeadfred · 05/12/2007 22:46

Saw it tonight..really enjoyed it...now impatient for the rest!

Flame · 05/12/2007 22:52

Just the first book

sensiblehead · 05/12/2007 22:53

PG was fine, but 12yo did spend half the film jumping! 10yo was fine though

As always it seemed to miss a fair few bits of the book and I think a few bits were out of synch with the book (ie wrong order).

Having said all of that, the two children I took really enjoyed it and I did too!

I am fairly sure that it was just the first book but I could be wrong as it is at least a year since I read them.

Top Tip, leave a decent gap between reading the book and seeing the film as an adult! (but I think that about all films from books really!)

Flame · 05/12/2007 22:54

I thought it was out of sync too!!! I purposely left at least 18 months since the last reading so it was a bit fuzzy.

My mum spent half the film jumping too

Tamum · 05/12/2007 22:56

I read an interview with Philip Pullman this weekend where he said it was slightly less than the first book, and how he thought the director had made exactly the right decision to keep the last chapter for the next film.

Anteater · 05/12/2007 22:56

just returned with 8 & 10 year old
perfect balance I thought
Loved it

Flame · 05/12/2007 22:56

He thought that was the right thing to do?

expatinscotland · 05/12/2007 22:57

oooooo, i want to go see this!!!

TheYoungVisiter · 05/12/2007 22:58

oooo very excited to see this! I was a bit worried as I loved the books and was afraid that a bad adaptation would ruin them for me, but flame has reassured me...

Lapin, it could be you're thinking of the play...? They split the trilogy into two plays, the first part was book one and 1/2 book two.

TenLordsaLapin · 05/12/2007 22:58

Ah, ok, I heard a thing on Front Row about it and I couldn't remember if it was slightly more or less than the first book.

sensiblehead · 05/12/2007 23:00

Tamum, now I will have to read it again to check

Flame, I think I will read it again actually as I was sure it was not quite right.

Also, had to spend a good 30 minutes explaining a lot of it to the two girls who really enjoyed it and wanted to understand it properly but found that the film really didn't give them enough information to make all the leaps IYSWIM.

We are all excited for the next film and the conversation was very much "ooh, what was that about then...so did that mean...so in the next film will they.." so still positive but I think you would need to have the insider information to get the most out of it.

Flame · 05/12/2007 23:01

Right, I must go to bed even though I am bouncing

I need to make it up to DH too - we were meant to be going him, me and my mum (that sounds weirder than it is), but DS was ill so he stayed home with poorly boy so I could see it

I bought him cakes on the way home, and will cook something nice tomorrow night I think...

No rudeness as a thank you, too bloody tired still from the weekend!

bunnyhunny · 05/12/2007 23:04

I am really interested to hear anyone's opinion who has read the books and has seen the film. I was a bit irked by the trailer - iorek wasnt big enough, and lots of other niggles - but if it's faithful to the book then maybe its ok

Flame · 05/12/2007 23:05

It is faithful enough. No adaptation is ever going to be perfect, but with a long enough reading gap, it is still very good iyswim

Tamum · 05/12/2007 23:07

He did say he approved, Fmale, yes- the reasoning was quite interesting, so I'vebeen trying to find it online but haven't managed. I think he said that the last chapter was so complex that it worked better as scene setting for the 2nd film, something like that?

Tamum · 05/12/2007 23:08

Fmale? Where did that come from- Flame, sorry.