The Golden Compass

[Sanguvixen]

They say us Atheists are the whiny ones, but I don't know.

First we have a group of people whining about a teddy bear who's name as chosen by a group of students somehow offending an entire religion. (Go bear! Just kidding..)

Now we've got Catholics whining about Polar Bears, and a movie based on a bood written by an Agnostic, and containing some words that derive thier origins from the Papacy.

I don't get it...but then again there is much in life I don't get.

Has anyone got to see the movie yet? I wanted to see it, but I kind of wanted to have a second opinon. "I am Legend" is coming out soon and I wanted to see that...but I might see "The Goldest Compass" instead...

 

[Aerosheik]

Go see both.

I am Legend looks really good. I plan on going to see that when it comes out too.

The Golden Compass is good, from a movie standpoint. If you compare the movie to the book, you're going to be let down.  

[PickleBoy]

I saw the movie just last night and it was fantabulous. I love love love the books but the movie is definitely good. I love Iorek. X3  

[Androphile]

Philip Pullman is one of my most favorite authors =)  

[Ruminating Skeptic]

What are you guys talking about? There isn't a movie; that was just an acid trip me and my two friends had.

Seriously though, I thought it was horrible.

-Asriel sucked. He was supposed to scare the crap out of Lyra, and he didn't look all that scary. A beard makes you look friendlier!
-they skipped the last two chapters. um, i don't care what the movie was rated, he did that so it would have a huge impact. i don't think it's going to work doing the betrayal in the second movie; if they chose to do it at all.
-they said demon the entire time. here was us (and most of the fans O.o) thinking it was daemon. whoops.
-the only character that matched was Lee Scorsby; they got him dead on.

rr, and the end of it and at certain parts i was SHAKING i was so angry. i don't think they should have even attempted to make a movie out of such an amazing book.

/endrant  

[Tenth Speed Writer]

The difference in pronunciation between demon and daemon is very minor, actually. Most people wouldn't even bother to say it... and it should be daemon, as there IS a difference. A demon is an entity of Judeochristian lore that serves evil purposes. Daemon is a Greek word referring to a being of great power, without indicating good or evil.



And...you're kidding. They left OUT the last two chapters?
For those that haven't read it... the very essence of the series culminates in those chapters. Without that, this is just a go-nowhere fantasy story, brutally murdered for the sake of the silver screen. The plot makes no sense without it. I'd imagine the movie doesn't even manage to begin describing what dust actually is.

It's likely because (SPOILER)Roger ends up dying in the ending. They couldn't write a main character, oh gosh, DYING, into a major motion picture, could they?(End Spoiler)

I sincerely hope they don't try to make a second movie based on what they've made here, and I hope the author is ashamed for having let his story be so brutally bastardized.  

[Vakruz]

To be fair, the first book doesn't describe what Dust is either.  

[Tenth Speed Writer]

Yes, but the author gives a good bit of detail in the final chapters. It's what completely ties it into the story.


(And don't tell me what it is, either. >> I've only just started the second book.)  

[Lethkhar]

Ruminating Skeptic

What are you guys talking about? There isn't a movie; that was just an acid trip me and my two friends had.

Seriously though, I thought it was horrible.

-Asriel sucked. He was supposed to scare the crap out of Lyra, and he didn't look all that scary. A beard makes you look friendlier!
-they skipped the last two chapters. um, i don't care what the movie was rated, he did that so it would have a huge impact. i don't think it's going to work doing the betrayal in the second movie; if they chose to do it at all.
-they said demon the entire time. here was us (and most of the fans O.o) thinking it was daemon. whoops.
-the only character that matched was Lee Scorsby; they got him dead on.

rr, and the end of it and at certain parts i was SHAKING i was so angry. i don't think they should have even attempted to make a movie out of such an amazing book.

/endrant

*Shrugs*

Then again, that's what I thought of the Lord Of The Rings movies...

Movies based on books are always major disappointments. I have yet to see an exception. I don't understand why I even bother to go see them...I mean, can anyone say "Eragon"? What the ******** was that?  

[Fuzzy Kittens]

Lethkhar

Ruminating Skeptic

What are you guys talking about? There isn't a movie; that was just an acid trip me and my two friends had.

Seriously though, I thought it was horrible.

-Asriel sucked. He was supposed to scare the crap out of Lyra, and he didn't look all that scary. A beard makes you look friendlier!
-they skipped the last two chapters. um, i don't care what the movie was rated, he did that so it would have a huge impact. i don't think it's going to work doing the betrayal in the second movie; if they chose to do it at all.
-they said demon the entire time. here was us (and most of the fans O.o) thinking it was daemon. whoops.
-the only character that matched was Lee Scorsby; they got him dead on.

rr, and the end of it and at certain parts i was SHAKING i was so angry. i don't think they should have even attempted to make a movie out of such an amazing book.

/endrant

*Shrugs*

Then again, that's what I thought of the Lord Of The Rings movies...

Movies based on books are always major disappointments. I have yet to see an exception. I don't understand why I even bother to go see them...I mean, can anyone say "Eragon"? What the ******** was that?

It was a predictable Mary-Sue story written by a twenty-something-year-old with all the purple prose of a high school freshman, that's what it was.

Anyways, my boyfriend went to go see The Golden Compass with his little brother last weekend. Neither of them had read the book, they just thought the previews looked cool and decided on a whim to go watch it.
They had only nasty things to say about the movie, though. Primarily how there were a lot of instances of deux ex machina and how the main characters were flat and uninteresting.  

[ElenaMason]

Oh good, someone made a thread about this because I was just about wondering what atheists thought of the book and movie from a REAL atheist point of view. not the "omg its god bashing shun sun" crazy christian point of view.

1)One question I do have is, (having not seen the movie yet or read the book) is a good representation of atheist beliefs or is it just merely and good fictional book just only touching the surface of atheist beliefs?

On a side comment, lol as soon as I knew the book was from an atheist, my christian guilds would go ranting about it.

But you know what? I LOVE movies, and I know the difference between fantasy and reality, and it seems like they bash anything these days. Love god, hate his fan club, at least most of them. Oi.

First their ranting about Harry Potter, whom was written by a christian, and now its only obvious they'll rant about a movie done based on a book by an atheist. saying how itll ruin the minds of christian children.

oi (speaking from the mind) spare me the bullcrap. SERIOUSLY. if you're strong enough in your faith, a little movie shouldn't faze anything if you get my drift.

OH! Now I remember my other question.
2) Many have told me its based off of an atheist author but now people are telling me that its by an agnostic.....which is it? (just curious, not like it matters)  

[Sanguvixen]

Sainted Chaoes, I feel it vitally important to point out that "The Golden Compass" was not made to potray any "Beliefs" when it comes to atheism.

Secondly the book was written by an agnostic. The agnostic writer did not intend it to be anything other than a thing of entertainment. Anyone who tries looking at this series as anything other than entertainment needs thier head checked.

Which is why I feel a bit, angry? So many theists are so up in arms over how "bad and horrible" this book is, when the only thing they are paying attention to is the author's beliefs that have very little or nothing to do with the intention of the story. It is like, why are you so blind?

Therefore it is quite foolish to try to say that "The Golden Compass" potrays any atheist beliefs" because it is nothing more than entertainment. If the author really wanted to try to explain his views from an agnostic point of view, or his view of atheism from an agnostic point of view than he would have created a seperate book that is not fantasy fiction.

 

[ElenaMason]

Sanguvixen

Sainted Chaoes, I feel it vitally important to point out that "The Golden Compass" was not made to potray any "Beliefs" when it comes to atheism.

Secondly the book was written by an agnostic. The agnostic writer did not intend it to be anything other than a thing of entertainment. Anyone who tries looking at this series as anything other than entertainment needs thier head checked.

Which is why I feel a bit, angry? So many theists are so up in arms over how "bad and horrible" this book is, when the only thing they are paying attention to is the author's beliefs that have very little or nothing to do with the intention of the story. It is like, why are you so blind?

Therefore it is quite foolish to try to say that "The Golden Compass" potrays any atheist beliefs" because it is nothing more than entertainment. If the author really wanted to try to explain his views from an agnostic point of view, or his view of atheism from an agnostic point of view than he would have created a seperate book that is not fantasy fiction.

okie dokies. ty ^_^ i was just curious cuz actually i plan to see the movie as of tonight and i looks fantastic. so the author IS agnostic. cool. you made some good points too, if it were to potray true agnostic or atheist beliefs it wouldnt be fantasy period. well it looks like a fantastic story, makes me want to finish revising my fantasy novel ive had on the computer for years. okies anyway, ty for the info biggrin  

[ElenaMason]

well i just saw the movie......that was a damn good movie. lol  

[Rogue_Rachiru]

Well, i've read the book and the ist one isn't very athiest. The second and third one kind of are though. They don't god bask, but in the last book they kill god and in all of the books there's a church that ******** things up. The books are really good though, you should read them. I haven't seen the movie yet, but i want to.