The Seeker: The Dark Is Rising (2007)

[digs]

One of my favourite series of books ever, The Dark is Rising sequence by Susan Cooper, has been filmatised. Here's the trailer: YouTube - The Dark Is Rising Trailer

I practically cried myself to sleep after watching it. It looks TERRIBLE. They seem to have ignored the story in favour of crappy Disney jokes aimed at pubescent teens. "Can I fly?"!?!?!?? What the hell is that? This guy's meant to be humanity's last hope? The gravity of the beautifully crafted original story seems to have been totally lost (yes...I may be slightly infatuated with the novels ), and WORST OF ALL, 11 year-old Will Stanton has been cast as a mid-teen American boy trying to pull chicks. That's just a travesty of casting, especially in a story which is so immersed in British culture and legend. They could have done so much with this movie - probably nothing with the commercial pull of LotR or Harry Potter, but they could easily have made something amazing while maintaining the integrity of the books. There's so much scope for cool stuff in there! Usually I'd go along to see a crap looking movie just for some laughs, but I'm going to have to boycott this one entirely.

Anyone else as aggrieved as I am? Or am I just strange?

 

[The Ace]

Those scum should be hung up by the balls, and whoever gave permission for this travesty should be made to live in Los Angeles.

If Cooper is still alive, she must be desperate for cash, and if she's dead I hope she haunts the bastards.

 

[Lucien21]

Having never read the books I thought the trailer looked OK when I saw i tonight while watch the Simpsons movie.

 

[The Ace]

Having never read the books I thought the trailer looked OK when I saw i tonight while watch the Simpsons movie.

Do yourself a favour and read the books, see why they are classics of children's literature, then add your voice to the condemnation of this piece of crap.

 

[jackokent]

Those scum should be hung up by the balls,

I think you should stop holding back and say what you mean Ace

Completely agree however, this is a travesty and an insult to a wonderfully gifted, inspirational writer.

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

I have mixed emotions about it. This modernizing of beloved classics and making them more "accessible" to the movie-going audience is by far and away the thing I hate most in screen adaptations (if they weren't already accessible, people wouldn't still be reading them, and no one would be interested in making a movie). On the other hand, it's just a few seconds in a trailer and may not be representative of the movie as a whole.

If it's ten minutes of annoying contemporary teen nonsense at the beginning and the rest is true to the book ... it might be worth gritting one's teeth and sitting through that part to get to the better parts. Maybe.

 

[Culhwch]

Just watched the trailer, and it looked alright - a pretty run of the mill popcorn flick. Having said that, though, I've only read Under Sea, Over Stone and never had any desire to read further. I can understand why the filmmakers would modernise it, though. You have to remember that this wouldn't be aimed at adults who read the book in their young years and cherish it, but at pre-teens and teenagers who most likely would never have read the book. The former audience is small, the second big, and the bottomline is dollars. A period film is not going to draw the kiddies, as much as it would please purist. Although I will agree on the point of casting an American over a Brit, that seems excessive. Especially considering the popularity of a certain Potter boy.

And just quickly, Ace, I know your comments were fairly tame by today's standards, but please keep in mind that this is and has always been a family-friendly site, and use language and behaviour appropriate to that ethos.

 

[The Ace]

No Culwich, I will not moderate language that was entirely justified. They have taken an excellent book and turned it into moronic drivel.

At least we now know why PTerry won't let the Americans near his work.

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

I think you have missed the point, Ace. Culhwch is the one doing the moderating -- that being his job here -- and you've just been reminded of the rules. No one's saying you shouldn't express your shock, dismay, or outrage, just please choose your words with more care. "Moronic drivel" gets your point across just fine without the rest of it.

(As for associating this sort of modernization with Americans, you have seen the new BBC "Robin Hood" haven't you? Seems to me that this sort of thing goes on everywhere.)

Culhwch, the books are still in stores, still being read by modern children and teenagers. And "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" put up big numbers as a period piece. I don't think movie-makers show much respect for kids by assuming they can't understand or identify with anything that isn't strictly contemporary.

 

[Culhwch]

Culhwch, the books are still in stores, still being read by modern children and teenagers. And "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" put up big numbers as a period piece. I don't think movie-makers show much respect for kids by assuming they can't understand or identify with anything that isn't strictly contemporary.

Very true, Teresa. Though I imagine the numbers of kids reading Cooper would be but a fraction of those reading Lewis. Certainly, I knew of Lewis since childhood, and yet I only stumbled on Cooper last year, shelving her books at the library where I worked.

As I said, I believe it comes down to the filmmakers' (and I'm talking not only directors here, but the producers and studios - who would have more of a say, putting up the funding) perogatives. Some will love a book and want to be as faithful as possible, others will carve up a book in an attempt to make as much money as possible. There are plenty of both around. But in this instance I see the latter coming to the fore.

And I am in total agreement with your last point - they don't show respect for kids if they are making that assumption.

 

[Culhwch]

No Culwich, I will not moderate language that was entirely justified. They have taken an excellent book and turned it into moronic drivel.

As Teresa said I had no issue with your view, Ace. We've never been about moderating opinions on this site, and I apologise if I was misunderstood. But if you will peruse the Rules, it is quite clear that the language you used bordered on the unacceptable, and was thought so by a number of moderators. Hence the post.

 

[The Ace]

My language bordered on the unacceptable because Walden Media's conduct is obscene. I am not usually given to such colourful language but felt that the point had to be made. I admit my opinions were coloured by the fact that I was one of the kids who spent the mid 'seventies awaiting the release of the next, 'Dark is rising,' as my parents awaited "Narnia," and today's kids queued for Harry Potter. These books were very special to kids who actually wanted to read.

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

What bothers me, Culhwch, is that the movie people so often try to have it both ways: They want the buzz that goes with something classic and well-loved, but they don't want to be hampered by those very qualities that made it classic and well-loved.

But I'm still waiting to see how much of this they ruin before I pass judgement. They'll have to go a long way to match what was done to Earthsea...

 

[murphy]

Those scum should be hung up by the balls, and whoever gave permission for this travesty should be made to live in Los Angeles.

Please, I live in Los Angeles and I don't want any more people moving here. There are already too many people from other states and countries that move here making horrible traffic congestion. So please send them elsewhere if you want to punish them.

 

[svalbard]

I have just seen the trailer and I nearly wept. It is many years since I have read the book but I have very fond memories of it. There was a darkness and menace to it that seems missing from the trailer. But I suppose they are aiming for the general public and ticket sales, so you can't really blame them.

 

[Lacedaemonian]

I find it hard not say anything anti American. Usually.

What I will say is that the movie industry is largely financed by American business . These producers/financiers have no faith in the American people and so are more inclined to Americanise a story and make it more digestible for the apparently brainless American public.

Teresa makes a valuable point. The BBC's Robin Hood was awful. Entertaining but completely lacking in any literary significance. Even the one time quirky BBC is becoming Americanised. However, only American cinema know fully how to bastardise a story. I have flashes of Kevin Costner the prince of thieves. Somebody once said that if they were ever to commit suicide they would take Costner with them for making that film. I can not remember who said that. Perhaps I made it up.

Back to our beloved Susan Cooper... Why they could not make this film lovely and quirky like Narnia and Harry Potter, I do not know. Some fantasy works with the British weirdness and some fantasy works with the American weirdness. As much as the British have a definite brand of fantasy I think America has a great track record too. The Neverending Story, Labrynth, The Goonies etc etc etc etc. All top films.

The question that remains.... is this film really "The Dark is Rising"? Probably not.

 

[Lacedaemonian]

Sorry for the double post but I just read this YouTube comment on the movie:

it's no overreaction. crying is appropriate.

 

[Urien]

This makes me sad. The Dark is Rising had tremendous quiet menace and was quintessentially British.

Perhaps they're worried about Brit fatigue with HP and Narnia.

 

[Lacedaemonian]

That is a good point Andrew. Though usually the studios will drain an idea completely. I wonder if there are issues with having too many British heroes in Hollywood movies?

 

[High Eight]

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