Pullman, Philip: His Dark Materials

[ray gower]

I'll butt in, if I may?
Though not, I fear, with anything useful.

Simply, a warm welcome to you, Energy. It is always nice to welcome newbies. Please feel free to explore and make your mark on the the rest of the site?

 

[Energy]

Thanks for the welcome guys.

I plan to slowly spread out across the site. Slowly yet surely. Legolas has been pestering me to join the site for a while. Though don't expect me to be a 3000-posts-boy, I hang around in too many forums.

Is there a scfi computer games section??? Just thought that be a cool thing to chat about.

Anyway cya around.

 

[sarah2040]

Amber Spyglass has to be my favourite book, everything seems to amke sense then, or maybe that's because i now know why! i hadn't heard about the new book or film either. that'll be something to look forward to!

sarah

 

[imported_Data]

These books are absolutly wonderful! They rank up with my favorites. Oh, and the Northern Lights is called The Golden Compass in the US for some reason.

 

[kelsi]

That's referring to the alethiometer, isn't it?

 

[imported_Data]

yup

 

[kelsi]

Philip Pullman sites?

Does anyone know any good sites? I'm looking mainly for His Dark Materials sites, and don't want to wade through poor sites on google, soo ... anyone?

 

[Thor39]

His Dark Materials

I have heard news that a number of directors are showing increased interest in making the books into a film. Also there will only be made into two films not three. How does everybody react to this:evil:

 

[little smaug]

It would be great if they made the books into a film. But would they fit it all into 2 films? That's, what, 4 hours? I think it would end up missing out lots of detail.

 

[Dave]

Therhas already been a theatrical adaptation with all 3 books into one play. It might be based upon that. It was at the National Theatre in London. I haven't seen it, but I mentioned in another thread here (I've mislaid now) and there was a link in my post.

Dave

 

[Dave]

Seems like there will be a trilogy of films, so nothing like the play then.

from SciFi Wire

Dark Director Materializes

Chris Weitz, co-director of American Pie and About a Boy, is in talks with New Line Cinema to direct the film version of His Dark Materials, the first installment in Philip Pullman's celebrated children's fantasy trilogy, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The books revolve around two children who live in parallel worlds surrounded by a cast of shape-shifting creatures. Described as darker in tone than the Harry Potter books, the series tackles themes of childhood, innocence and sin, and combines magic, science and theology, the trade paper reported. Weitz will also write the screenplay based on an early draft by Tom Stoppard.

 

[Dave]

This Post Contains Spoilers

I've finally been reading these. I'm amost finished 'The Amber Spyglass' now. I enjoyed them, but agree that 'Northern Lights' aka 'The Golden Compass' is the best. I devoured that book.

Originally posted by kelsi
[SPOILER FOR 3RD BOOK]
I didn't like the way Mrs Coulter suddenly changed, and became all protective of Lyra....

I also thought that it was a bit lame about them falling in love. I mean, I got the impression that they were only like 14. It's way too young. I can understand that they might be close, or be like brother ...

Another criticism (!) is the whole killing Metatron (was that his name? Sorry, I read the book aaages ago!!) It was too easy. I mean, he was made out to be a major enemy. [END OF SPOILER]

I don't agree with you Kelsi. I think Mrs Coulter was portrayed the same way throughout the books - completely evil, manipulating, aware and able to use her sexular charms, disliking Lyra for her coarseness, but loving her for being her own child. Her nasty, vicious monkey Daemon always showed her the way she really was.

I think they were always meant to fall in love. This was partly a coming of age story. Their Daemons were about to become fixed and it was also tied into his Adam and Eve concept, with Mary Malone as the Serpent. Though how exactly she tempts Lyra and Will is not clear to me. They had to make a heartbreaking decision, but came to it on their own and Mary did not coerce them either way.

I'm not sure I liked the heavy religious plot which became stronger as the books went on. Metatron was meant to be Enoch who wrote gospels that are not included in the Bible and was 'translated' by God after he died according to Genesis. Do a google search for "Enoch" and there is plenty on the Internet. I have also just read Neal Stephenson's 'Baroque Cycle' books and 'Cryptonomicon' in which Enoch Root plays a large role and has been able to resurrect himself, and others, several times, using alchemy. The "Root" part of Enoch Root, refers to the ultimate superuser or the source directory of UNIX computer systems, and also I guess, as in the 'root of all evil'. So, I have become familiar with these speculations regarding Enoch.

I did find it clever how Pullman could explain ghosts, spectres, angels and Dark Matter all on the basis that we exist as a Trinity of Spirit, Soul and Body, and the others lack one or more parts. The Daemons being the soul, part in our universe alone they are inside us and invisible. The science still currently has a problem with explaining Dark Matter.

Pullman certainly has a problem with established churches and religions himself. His heretical ideas are interesting, but isn't it all a little heavy philosophically for children?

And I also loved the creatures with wheels, harvested from trees. I'm not sure if I have seen that idea anywhere before.

He is a good storyteller though, and if a prequel is being planned with the adventures of Lee Scoresby and Iorek Byrnison, then I would have to read that.

No news on those film adaptations though - that last post of mine was two years ago!