Saturday, September 29, 2007

First Posting

Well, I am new to this blogging thing, but as by dearest Breena has convinced me to try it... here I am. I am a current student studying archeology at a major US university. This is my second career as I also have about 20 years in network engineering.

It is not a new year yet, but Breena and I went and saw "Golden Compass" for Yule so I figured I would make it the subject for my first blog. I heard that it had a bad first weekend, and especially the Catholic groups crowing like they had received a new crop of choirboys that their boycott of this "Godless" movie was working. Maybe it was the more fanatical Christian groups in general... but then I would have to use the simile "like they found a new way to bilk money out of their followers" -- That works too.

Honestly, "Golden Compass" was just a movie that both sucked and blew. Whoever did the screenplay and editing (I should look the idiots up on IMDB) should be blackballed from working in the industry again. Besides showing that you should not smack your golden monkey, the "pie in the sky" attitude of the movie was nauseous. Maybe it was because I read the books first and so expected something of quality. Some points that were missed was that it was supposedly impossible to fool the Panzerbjorn, but that Lyra managed to fool Sturllison because he was trying to act like a human and not like a bear. Second, the books were darker ending on the opening of the rift by Asriel using the ripping of the demon from Roger for power and Lyra going through the rift into another world. Not this sickening "we will continue to fight the good fight," dreamy-eyed crap that ended the movie. I remember hearing voices raised in saying "What the hell!!!" as the lights came up.

Now that I am over my personal gripes, honestly, the writing and re-construction of the story was badly done. Many of the main points of the book were missed or glossed over in long winded synopses of points by the characters. The editing felt choppy and if this is the form that the other books will be done in for film, all I have to say is... Please just don't make the movies."

It will be kinder for us viewers.