Tonight, Mrs. Klondike & I took our 10-yr-old granddaughter, Shea, out to see The Golden Compass.
Folks, if you can give credence to only one more thing that the ol' Sled Dog has to say before Year's End, let me please urge you to consider going to . .
Nahhh, that's not really what I need to say here . .
Okay -
GO SEE THIS MOVIE !
Whenever you can , as soon as you can, alone, or with someone who's company you really dig - seriously, get up and go scribble its name in pencil diagonally across the entire month of December on your kitchen calendar.
I am convinced that this is the movie that will come to be regarded as a similar milepost for the Gen Y kids as The Wizard of Oz was for us (although that would be one of the very few comparisons I'd make between them).
Honestly, I would be hard-pressed to imagine any intelligent child or adult with an active imagination, and a taste for fantasy, mystery, wonder and/or slam-bang adventure, who wouldn't be immediately and entirely fascinated, entertained and absolutely thrilled (mentally, emotionally and viscerally) by the rich & stunning tapestry of this epic, and yet charmingly, powerfully straight-forward, story.
"Mesmerizing" is an adjective that I have always used very sparingly in regard to motion pictures, and with more reluctance with the passing of each year, and the shifting aspirations of modern movies . . but The Golden Compass thoroughly & definitively deserves praise of just that caliber.
Oh, and make sure you when you go, you order a soft-drink along with your popcorn - you'll be doing a lot of gasping, sighing, grinning, snorting, and p'raps even a bit of cheering . . and I don't want anybody choking on those high-priced, salty kernels!
A Strong & Urgent Plea from the ol' Sled Dog
Now JohnnyM:
I too voted for My Fair Lady, my reasoning being the fact that I prefer the American samurai version over the Japanese one, therefore giving me a choice. Many of us never had the opportunity, nor the ability to see the fair Julie A, but we did see Audrey and she made a pretty good fair lady, thus never having any comparison, the choice was made.
Klondike and I agree on many movies, but again we always have the 'to each his own' theory.
Anne
I too voted for My Fair Lady, my reasoning being the fact that I prefer the American samurai version over the Japanese one, therefore giving me a choice. Many of us never had the opportunity, nor the ability to see the fair Julie A, but we did see Audrey and she made a pretty good fair lady, thus never having any comparison, the choice was made.
Klondike and I agree on many movies, but again we always have the 'to each his own' theory.
Anne
Anne
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klondike
John, I yield to very few fellow film-buffs in my depth of appreciation for the works of the deservedly-legendary Akira Kurosawa, and the reason that I chose My Fair Lady over Seven Samurai is closely linked to the same reason that Seven Samurai didn't (quite) make my original Top 25 list; because John Sturges took Kurosawa's vision/story/character study/plot, and improved it, with The Magnificent Seven, by about a factor of 3 (hence my ranking it at #5 on my List). I still greatly enjoy, and admire, The Seven Samurai, and have referred a dozen people or so to see it in the last 20 years. Indeed, if Chris had given us 40 slots instead of 25, both The Seven Samurai and My Fair Lady would've easily made my cut . . in truth I don't necessarily think one is really any better a film than the other - they're kind of "apples-to-oranges" anyway - it's just that, as I said, Sturges took the soul of Kurosawa's movie and improved it, in my opinion . . and I've never (yet) seen that pulled-off on My Fair Lady . . tried, but never successfully.JohnM wrote:Except that you voted <b>My Fair Lady</b> a better motion picture than <b>The Seven Samurai</b>, which completely invalidates any recommendation you could possibly make.That and the fact that the trailer sparks nothing in me, and Nicole Kidman has always struck me as a complete cipher on screen. She registers zero screen presence with me. Chances of my seeing this film are extremely slim. Glad you liked it, though. Finding films that you truly enjoy are few and far-between, these days.
'Sides, John, we all know that your deep-seated despisal of My Fair Lady is, at its core, just part & parcel of your Julie-mania . . no big secret, really, that the delightful Ms. A was passed-over for the movie role of Liza, which she'd performed so well on the Broadway stage, in much the same way that she'd beaten-out Mary Martin for the screen role of Maria in Sound of Music.
Otherwise, why would you be so far off-topic in this thread, except to further your on-going crusade to devaluate a time-honored, critically acclaimed musical that so many of us have enjoyed (including a typically anti-musical curmudgeon like me)?
John, most of us have a very affectionate regard for Julie Andrews, and her often well-acted and pleasing film roles . . but most of us have little or no desire to erect a statue to her in our respective front yards!
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Mr. Arkadin
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[quote="klondike"]
John, I yield to very few fellow film-buffs in my depth of appreciation for the works of the deservedly-legendary Akira Kurosawa, and the reason that I chose My Fair Lady over Seven Samurai is closely linked to the same reason that Seven Samurai didn't (quite) make my original Top 25 list; because John Sturges took Kurosawa's vision/story/character study/plot, and improved it, with The Magnificent Seven, by about a factor of 3 (hence my ranking it at #5 on my List). I still greatly enjoy, and admire, The Seven Samurai, and have referred a dozen people or so to see it in the last 20 years. Indeed, if Chris had given us 40 slots instead of 25, both The Seven Samurai and My Fair Lady would've easily made my cut . . in truth I don't necessarily think one is really any better a film than the other - they're kind of "apples-to-oranges" anyway - it's just that, as I said, Sturges took the soul of Kurosawa's movie and improved it, in my opinion . . quote]
I would definitely agree with this statement. I love many Kurasawa films, but Seventh Samurai is not one of them. Sturges use of humor greatly enhances the film and who doesn't love that score?
John, I yield to very few fellow film-buffs in my depth of appreciation for the works of the deservedly-legendary Akira Kurosawa, and the reason that I chose My Fair Lady over Seven Samurai is closely linked to the same reason that Seven Samurai didn't (quite) make my original Top 25 list; because John Sturges took Kurosawa's vision/story/character study/plot, and improved it, with The Magnificent Seven, by about a factor of 3 (hence my ranking it at #5 on my List). I still greatly enjoy, and admire, The Seven Samurai, and have referred a dozen people or so to see it in the last 20 years. Indeed, if Chris had given us 40 slots instead of 25, both The Seven Samurai and My Fair Lady would've easily made my cut . . in truth I don't necessarily think one is really any better a film than the other - they're kind of "apples-to-oranges" anyway - it's just that, as I said, Sturges took the soul of Kurosawa's movie and improved it, in my opinion . . quote]
I would definitely agree with this statement. I love many Kurasawa films, but Seventh Samurai is not one of them. Sturges use of humor greatly enhances the film and who doesn't love that score?
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jdb1
My disdain for My Fair Lady has nothing to do with Julie Andrews, and I've often said I'm glad she isn't in it. It has everything to do with George Cukor's horrid direction, Audrey Hepburn's awful performance, and a decision by Jack Warner, to film the piece in a fashion that was out-of-date and stodgy, a couple of decades prior to its being made. It's the very essence of lousy filmmaking, imo. The worst possible kind of film. One that is less cinematic than its stage counterpart!
John - you got me with that one.
I think there are a heckofa lot of people on this board, and elsewhere, who would agree with me that Audrey Hepburn never gave an awful performance in her life. I voted for MFL because I like it, and I like it better than a lot of the movies we were voting for. I think it's beautiful to look at, and the Lerner & Loew book and music transcend any heaviness Cukor might have imparted (although I don't find this film at all heavy going). In fact, I like Hepburn's performance much better than I like Harrison's. In his case, I don't feel much actor-to-audience connection.
Are you familiar with the backstage story of MFL that I have seen alluded to in many Broadway memoirs? The one that says that JA was not "getting" Eliza at all and the producers wanted to sack her, so Moss Hart took her in hand for a weekend and walked her through the entire role, line by line, gesture by gesture, song by song? Maybe what was seen onstage was Moss Hart's Eliza, and not someone else's. Luckily for JA, she got the point, and used it to further her career.
We know you adore this lady, but many of us do not. I avoid anything Julie Andrews is in, musical or not - I just don't care for her. Believe me, I am not trying to be incendiary or denigrate your favorites; I'm simply pointing out that there are enough admirable and talented stars out there for us to have many favorites.
PS - I agree with the assessment of The Seven Samurai. This movie got the "art film" treatment, which often means you have to tread softly and treat it with reverence, etc., but I enjoyed The Magnificent Seven much, much more. Although . . . . . Steve McQueen/Yul Brenner vs. Toshiro Mifune --- that's a close one.
John - you got me with that one.
I think there are a heckofa lot of people on this board, and elsewhere, who would agree with me that Audrey Hepburn never gave an awful performance in her life. I voted for MFL because I like it, and I like it better than a lot of the movies we were voting for. I think it's beautiful to look at, and the Lerner & Loew book and music transcend any heaviness Cukor might have imparted (although I don't find this film at all heavy going). In fact, I like Hepburn's performance much better than I like Harrison's. In his case, I don't feel much actor-to-audience connection.
Are you familiar with the backstage story of MFL that I have seen alluded to in many Broadway memoirs? The one that says that JA was not "getting" Eliza at all and the producers wanted to sack her, so Moss Hart took her in hand for a weekend and walked her through the entire role, line by line, gesture by gesture, song by song? Maybe what was seen onstage was Moss Hart's Eliza, and not someone else's. Luckily for JA, she got the point, and used it to further her career.
We know you adore this lady, but many of us do not. I avoid anything Julie Andrews is in, musical or not - I just don't care for her. Believe me, I am not trying to be incendiary or denigrate your favorites; I'm simply pointing out that there are enough admirable and talented stars out there for us to have many favorites.
PS - I agree with the assessment of The Seven Samurai. This movie got the "art film" treatment, which often means you have to tread softly and treat it with reverence, etc., but I enjoyed The Magnificent Seven much, much more. Although . . . . . Steve McQueen/Yul Brenner vs. Toshiro Mifune --- that's a close one.
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moira finnie
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I don't mean to interrupt this lively discussion, but to go back to the original point of this thread, I'm curious: To anyone who's seen The Golden Compass, should one be reluctant to take a kid under 10 to this movie? In your opinion, is it directed at the Catholic Church or does this film support and/or critique, however subliminally, spirituality, formal religion or the existence of God in general? Do you need to read Philip Pullman's books to understand the movie?
What's up with the cool looking CGI polar bear? Thanks
What's up with the cool looking CGI polar bear? Thanks
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sandykaypax
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klondike
I read The Golden Compass back in '03 (and absolutely loved it); anticipating its release this Winter, I went back and re-read it this past September, purchased a copy for for my granddaughter Shea (an avid & precocious devourer of books) in October; she burnt through it in 4 days, and between Halloween & Thanksgiving, she & I had several occasions (as housemates) to discuss the things we liked the best about the plot, the characters and the storyline . . 2 weeks ago, I began seeing references to the upcoming movie's purported "anti-religion" theme . . and my first thought was: "Damn - what have those New Line folks done to that Great, Fun novel?!" - 'cause, wrack my memory though I certainly did, I could recall no anti-religious aspect within The Golden Compass. So I read those articles, and found myself wondering what the dickens those "journalists" were ranting about, cause I, for one, never found any of the "atheist" hallmarks they were pointing to.
I mean, granted, evidently Mr. Pullman is an admitted atheist - but where did he ever conceal any of that philosophy in the novel?!
Therefore, I made a point of inviting Shea upstairs to discuss the whole matter, get some fresh input - No, Poppy, she insisted, she never found any of that sort of thinking, or references, in the book, and she'd just finished it a month prior, and remembered it all pretty darn clearly.
Well, I resolved, we'll just have to see what the movie is like.
So we did; and one of the things that got brought up on the drive back home was: where was that atheism lurking?
Concensus: neither I nor my granddaughter heard, inferred or spotted anything along the lines of any religious content, pro or con, anywhere on the screen, nor did my wife, who hasn't read the novel at all!
Maybe it's like those nuts who bounce around declaiming (not to wear out a comparison) The Wizard of Oz : "the poppies are an obvious opium reference, and the snow rescues them cause cocaine is a less dangerous high", or those who warn kids away from the works of Lewis Carroll due to the intermittent rumors of his "preoccupied admiration" for little girls; hey, stretch it a little further: Frank Lloyd Wright was a pompous, conceited, pretentious elitist who festooned his personal life with adultery, slander, ingratitude, tax evasion and an unremorseful manipulation of the proteges he made famous - and yet does any of that have any bearing on the genius & beauty & innovation of his stunning architectural achievements, all around the world?
To be completely fair, I suppose the non-monotheistic content everybody's banging the pots over might turn up in the two other volumes in the His Dark Materials trilogy, of which "Compass" is the first installment. I've not read either of those books.
But even if that is the case, why sling mud at this movie?
The only reason I can possibly dredge forth is that too many bored & irritable critics have insisted on comparing this film too closely to The Chronicles of Narnia, an adolescent fantasy that as both a book and a movie, had strongly Christian overtones & plot themes . . none of which, admittedly, you can find in The Golden Compass.
I suppose one could cobble that observation of contrast together with Mr. Pullman's graciously candid statement of personal belief, and suspect they had a bone to chew.
Somehow, it all stikes me as circumstantial, and more than a little un-American.
I mean, granted, evidently Mr. Pullman is an admitted atheist - but where did he ever conceal any of that philosophy in the novel?!
Therefore, I made a point of inviting Shea upstairs to discuss the whole matter, get some fresh input - No, Poppy, she insisted, she never found any of that sort of thinking, or references, in the book, and she'd just finished it a month prior, and remembered it all pretty darn clearly.
Well, I resolved, we'll just have to see what the movie is like.
So we did; and one of the things that got brought up on the drive back home was: where was that atheism lurking?
Concensus: neither I nor my granddaughter heard, inferred or spotted anything along the lines of any religious content, pro or con, anywhere on the screen, nor did my wife, who hasn't read the novel at all!
Maybe it's like those nuts who bounce around declaiming (not to wear out a comparison) The Wizard of Oz : "the poppies are an obvious opium reference, and the snow rescues them cause cocaine is a less dangerous high", or those who warn kids away from the works of Lewis Carroll due to the intermittent rumors of his "preoccupied admiration" for little girls; hey, stretch it a little further: Frank Lloyd Wright was a pompous, conceited, pretentious elitist who festooned his personal life with adultery, slander, ingratitude, tax evasion and an unremorseful manipulation of the proteges he made famous - and yet does any of that have any bearing on the genius & beauty & innovation of his stunning architectural achievements, all around the world?
To be completely fair, I suppose the non-monotheistic content everybody's banging the pots over might turn up in the two other volumes in the His Dark Materials trilogy, of which "Compass" is the first installment. I've not read either of those books.
But even if that is the case, why sling mud at this movie?
The only reason I can possibly dredge forth is that too many bored & irritable critics have insisted on comparing this film too closely to The Chronicles of Narnia, an adolescent fantasy that as both a book and a movie, had strongly Christian overtones & plot themes . . none of which, admittedly, you can find in The Golden Compass.
I suppose one could cobble that observation of contrast together with Mr. Pullman's graciously candid statement of personal belief, and suspect they had a bone to chew.
Somehow, it all stikes me as circumstantial, and more than a little un-American.
suppression, I'm by no means a tree hugging liberal but I believe artistic freedom shouldn't be suppressed by zealots. After all, Dante's Inferno was banned back in the day and it's now a literary classic.JohnM wrote:I believe the books yes, the film, no. It was the number 1 film at the box-office, over the weekend, so the boycott doesn't seem to matter. But, why is it a shame that the movie is being boycotted?Bogie wrote:It's a shame that this movie is being boycotted by certain groups. So i'll ask, is this REALLY an attack on God?
Klondike thanks for the well written and insightful answer to my question.