Cultural Dessert

'The Golden Compass'

3 January 2008

I am a big fan of Philip Pullman's 'His Dark Materials' novels and was thrilled by the wonderful National Theatre adaptation a few years ago so I was both eagerly anticipating the film version and worrying that it might not live up to my expectations. I enjoyed 'The Golden Compass': excellent casting (Nicole Kidman perfect as Mrs Coulter and there aren't many films where you get Ian McKellen, Christopher Lee, Derek Jacobi and Tom Courtenay for your money), amazing special effects (particularly the daemons) and, after a slightly slow start, a thrilling sense of adventure. But I was disappointed when the film ended before the climax of the first book. 'Northern Lights' has an absolutely stunning finish - devastatingly tragic and amazingly exciting - which leaves you desperate for the second novel. In the National Theatre production the first of the two plays finished at this point leaving audience jaws dropping. In contrast the film disappointingly petered out. Having said that, until then it was well done and I am looking forward to the sequel.

Labels: Film

posted by Robin Simpson @ 9:42 am