Comments on: An plea for Real Things http://realfake.org/blog/2005/07/01/an-plea-for-real-things/ the tao that can be blogged is not the eternal tao Thu, 08 Jan 2009 13:32:09 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Ezra Ball http://realfake.org/blog/2005/07/01/an-plea-for-real-things/#comment-154 Ezra Ball Fri, 15 Jul 2005 05:23:57 +0000 http://realfake.org/blog/2005/07/02/an-plea-for-real-things/#comment-154 Sarah, I never wrote my full review of <i>His Dark Materials</i>, but the abridged version is that I <i>loved</i> the first, and was profoundly disappointed with the next two. I have very little stomach for fantasy books as a genre, but every so often, some fantasy book will get me more excited and stick with me more deeply than the vast majority of the more "serious" stuff I read. So I've thought a lot about what separates what I like from what I don't. And I think the difference is that in good fantasy, the world seems <i>discovered</i> rather than invented, and it illuminates the real world in a way that would be difficult or impossible without the imaginary element. In the second two books of His Dark Materials, I definitely agree that the religion gets heavy handed. In general, I think the world(s) of the second two books stop seeming 'discovered', stop having the grounding in a real imaginary world; it all just degenerates into an axe-grinding polemic. The idea that consciousness categorically changes with puberty also bugged me a lot. I've heard it compared to Harry Potter, too, and I don't get that either. I still think the 3rd HP movie was the best of the lot. I see your point that it felt rushed; the edits were really quick and there was a lot of overlapping dialogue. The one thing that bugged me most was the weird sepia-toned coloring. I didn't mind Hermione's boobs, but I do think whats-her-name is a bit cute to be Hermione. Why I think I really liked it... I was going to say that it captured the spirit of the book, but I don't think that's quite it. It actually did take some liberties with the book, not just in plot but in the characters and in the whole spirit of the thing. But that's part of it; I think it was a good movie, not just the literal, canonical movie version of a Harry Potter book. I also tend to have the same reaction when someone really wants me to like something, so I'm sympathetic to a fellow counter-contrarian. At least when I'm not the one being the contrarian. My life as a contrarian sounds like a good post for another day. Sarah, I never wrote my full review of His Dark Materials, but the abridged version is that I loved the first, and was profoundly disappointed with the next two. I have very little stomach for fantasy books as a genre, but every so often, some fantasy book will get me more excited and stick with me more deeply than the vast majority of the more “serious” stuff I read. So I’ve thought a lot about what separates what I like from what I don’t. And I think the difference is that in good fantasy, the world seems discovered rather than invented, and it illuminates the real world in a way that would be difficult or impossible without the imaginary element.

In the second two books of His Dark Materials, I definitely agree that the religion gets heavy handed. In general, I think the world(s) of the second two books stop seeming ‘discovered’, stop having the grounding in a real imaginary world; it all just degenerates into an axe-grinding polemic. The idea that consciousness categorically changes with puberty also bugged me a lot.

I’ve heard it compared to Harry Potter, too, and I don’t get that either.

I still think the 3rd HP movie was the best of the lot. I see your point that it felt rushed; the edits were really quick and there was a lot of overlapping dialogue. The one thing that bugged me most was the weird sepia-toned coloring. I didn’t mind Hermione’s boobs, but I do think whats-her-name is a bit cute to be Hermione. Why I think I really liked it… I was going to say that it captured the spirit of the book, but I don’t think that’s quite it. It actually did take some liberties with the book, not just in plot but in the characters and in the whole spirit of the thing. But that’s part of it; I think it was a good movie, not just the literal, canonical movie version of a Harry Potter book.

I also tend to have the same reaction when someone really wants me to like something, so I’m sympathetic to a fellow counter-contrarian. At least when I’m not the one being the contrarian. My life as a contrarian sounds like a good post for another day.

]]> By: Sarah Braun http://realfake.org/blog/2005/07/01/an-plea-for-real-things/#comment-153 Sarah Braun Thu, 14 Jul 2005 22:02:40 +0000 http://realfake.org/blog/2005/07/02/an-plea-for-real-things/#comment-153 I didn't know they were making a movie of The Golden Compass. I don't think I'll see it - don't need to, already read the book. What one hopes is that the movie will send those kids of today in search of the book, and they will enjoy how much more they can get out of it. It's excellent for distribution of the book, and for the whole series. I am in favor of this, though I wasn't as enthralled with His Dark Materials as I was told that I ought to be. (I did like them very much, and I was engrossed, and I do appreciate my friends giving them to me, but I can't help but be contrary when I am given books and told how amazing they are, and how much better than Harry Potter. I loved the bears and the beautiful descriptions, but I thought the religion was a bit heavy-handed. And they weren't anything _like_ Harry Potter, so it was a unfair comparison based in my friends' own contrariness - "these books came out at the same time as Harry Potter and Harry Potter gets all the media hoopla, and these books are real and meaningful and imaginative and deep and Harry Potter is nothing more than a marketing empire." You know, I liked the first two Harry Potter movies quite a bit, but I thought the third one was too compressed and rushed. Plus I got sick of looking at Hermione's boobs. I didn’t know they were making a movie of The Golden Compass. I don’t think I’ll see it - don’t need to, already read the book.

What one hopes is that the movie will send those kids of today in search of the book, and they will enjoy how much more they can get out of it. It’s excellent for distribution of the book, and for the whole series. I am in favor of this, though I wasn’t as enthralled with His Dark Materials as I was told that I ought to be.

(I did like them very much, and I was engrossed, and I do appreciate my friends giving them to me, but I can’t help but be contrary when I am given books and told how amazing they are, and how much better than Harry Potter. I loved the bears and the beautiful descriptions, but I thought the religion was a bit heavy-handed. And they weren’t anything _like_ Harry Potter, so it was a unfair comparison based in my friends’ own contrariness - “these books came out at the same time as Harry Potter and Harry Potter gets all the media hoopla, and these books are real and meaningful and imaginative and deep and Harry Potter is nothing more than a marketing empire.”

You know, I liked the first two Harry Potter movies quite a bit, but I thought the third one was too compressed and rushed. Plus I got sick of looking at Hermione’s boobs.

]]> By: Terri http://realfake.org/blog/2005/07/01/an-plea-for-real-things/#comment-148 Terri Wed, 06 Jul 2005 21:41:26 +0000 http://realfake.org/blog/2005/07/02/an-plea-for-real-things/#comment-148 Well, that's how I felt about the Harry Potter films. I resisted seeing them as long as possible. I still think the first two films stink. The third film is better, but the first two sort of ruined me, so it's hard to have perspective. The books and my imagination did a vastly superior rendition. One note about early films... while I totally agree with you on basically all of your points, and while you know that I adore old movies, I feel I should acknowledge that filmmakers sometimes hurt animals in those early movies. Some of those horses didn't fare so well. Well, that’s how I felt about the Harry Potter films. I resisted seeing them as long as possible. I still think the first two films stink. The third film is better, but the first two sort of ruined me, so it’s hard to have perspective. The books and my imagination did a vastly superior rendition.

One note about early films… while I totally agree with you on basically all of your points, and while you know that I adore old movies, I feel I should acknowledge that filmmakers sometimes hurt animals in those early movies. Some of those horses didn’t fare so well.

]]> By: Ezra Ball http://realfake.org/blog/2005/07/01/an-plea-for-real-things/#comment-143 Ezra Ball Sat, 02 Jul 2005 22:57:34 +0000 http://realfake.org/blog/2005/07/02/an-plea-for-real-things/#comment-143 Please note that it's only my assumption that they're using CGI, but honestly, I think it's a pretty safe one. I can't imagine, for example, any movie project this decade bringing the armored bears to life with people in enormous armored bear outfits. I also can't imagine some of the Golden Compass on film; it would honestly be way too violent. Even Tom Stoppard's name on the project gives me little solace, since he's rumored to have script doctored some of the dialogue in Revenge of the Sith. I have to say, this was not evident in the finished product. Please note that it’s only my assumption that they’re using CGI, but honestly, I think it’s a pretty safe one. I can’t imagine, for example, any movie project this decade bringing the armored bears to life with people in enormous armored bear outfits.

I also can’t imagine some of the Golden Compass on film; it would honestly be way too violent.

Even Tom Stoppard’s name on the project gives me little solace, since he’s rumored to have script doctored some of the dialogue in Revenge of the Sith. I have to say, this was not evident in the finished product.

]]> By: summervillain http://realfake.org/blog/2005/07/01/an-plea-for-real-things/#comment-142 summervillain Sat, 02 Jul 2005 21:08:45 +0000 http://realfake.org/blog/2005/07/02/an-plea-for-real-things/#comment-142 hrumph. much as i love the Golden Compass, and much as i'm happy that it will (presumably) gain some popularity with the Potter-lovin' crew if it's filmed, I'm not happy to hear it's a film project at all, much less a CGIfied film project. I can't imagine all three books could be filmed (at least as "kids' movies") without losing their thematic heart, and would hate to see the material watered down. although, hey, at least it won't be a sequel or an inferior remake. who was the author who had the line about how his books hadn't been ruined; they were right on the shelves where they'd always been? i can never remember. hrumph. much as i love the Golden Compass, and much as i’m happy that it will (presumably) gain some popularity with the Potter-lovin’ crew if it’s filmed, I’m not happy to hear it’s a film project at all, much less a CGIfied film project. I can’t imagine all three books could be filmed (at least as “kids’ movies”) without losing their thematic heart, and would hate to see the material watered down.

although, hey, at least it won’t be a sequel or an inferior remake. who was the author who had the line about how his books hadn’t been ruined; they were right on the shelves where they’d always been? i can never remember.

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