"Club Penton" - Ask questions to Hollywood insider "Penton-Man"

[ACD]

IMDB lists Yates as the director for Part I:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0926084/

[neo_reloaded]

Originally Posted by Maxpower1987

Well del Toro is doing the Hobbit, and I would much prefer that than Harry Potter.

Looking forward to the Hobbit movie, not sure how they will do the second one, but I'm not sure whether the plans for the two movies have been made public yet.

Yeah, that's what I was saying. I much prefer del Toro doing the Hobbit films, Nolan doing Batman 3 and potentially the Subtle Knife, and Jackson doing whatever he has going on right now.

From what I've heard, the first Hobbit movie follows the book, and the 2nd is about the time in between the Hobbit and the Fellowship of the Ring.

[savage1984]

Originally Posted by Maxpower1987

Harry Potter is utter trash compared to His Dark Materials. There isn't even a comparison to be made, Harry Potter is extremely badly written, and I know JK Rowling will tell us that she did it on purpose and made it better with every book, but that is not the case.

The ideas and ideals in Harry Potter are very simplistic, they touch upon racism and not much more. Phillip Pulman takes no prisoners in His Dark Materials, and for three books he tells a great story, no holds barred.

If you are over the age of 15 and liked Lord of the Rings, I suggest His Dark Materials as a must read, it really is. If you think you don't have time, make time for this.

I wouldn't say the Harry Potter's is utter trash. From a movie's perspective purely, Golden Compass sucked. Well,the ending at least. I have not heard great things of Pulman... that he tries to be like Tolkien, but fails. This is not my opinion, only what I've heard. I may one day pick up a Pulman book and read it, but you have not convinced me in the least. Those one-sided opinions just rub me the wrong way.

[neo_reloaded]

Originally Posted by savage1984

I wouldn't say the Harry Potter's is utter trash. From a movie's perspective purely, Golden Compass sucked. Well,the ending at least. I have not heard great things of Pulman... that he tries to be like Tolkien, but fails. This is not my opinion, only what I've heard. I may one day pick up a Pulman book and read it, but you have not convinced me in the least. Those one-sided opinions just rub me the wrong way.

It's an opinion on a fantasy book - how objective do you want him to try to be?

I agree that the Harry Potter books, while entertaining, are extremely shallow. There is no character development, no deeper themes, and stories unravel in a very plain fashion.

Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy, on the other hand, is a series I found to be fantastic. I felt the characters were much more real, and I feel they developed in a realistic and moving way throughout the books. I also feel that the story had implications beyond a simple "gotta find out how it ends" level of entertainment.

If you don't want to give them a chance, no one is really going to care. But don't not try them just because someone said Harry Potter wasn't a great literary masterpiece.

[Riff Magnum]

I'm not saying it's Shakespeare, but i'm gonna give Rowling a little more credit than you guys are. I've never read 3500 pages so fast in my life and there's something to be said for a writer that lures you in and gets you hooked like that. I own all the movies and while i enjoy them, I don't think they come anywhere close to matching the mystery and excitement contained within the books. Geez, can't believe i'm sticking up for Harry Potter. I'm gonna go play MAGIC now.

[savage1984]

Originally Posted by neo_reloaded

It's an opinion on a fantasy book - how objective do you want him to try to be?

I agree that the Harry Potter books, while entertaining, are extremely shallow. There is no character development, no deeper themes, and stories unravel in a very plain fashion.

Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy, on the other hand, is a series I found to be fantastic. I felt the characters were much more real, and I feel they developed in a realistic and moving way throughout the books. I also feel that the story had implications beyond a simple "gotta find out how it ends" level of entertainment.

If you don't want to give them a chance, no one is really going to care. But don't not try them just because someone said Harry Potter wasn't a great literary masterpiece.

Look I never said that Harry Potter was a literary masterpiece. They were a fun and quick read. I enjoy the films as well.

But as I don't want to hi-jack Penton's thread. I suggest we end this discussion.

[patrick99]

Originally Posted by Maxpower1987

Oh, good they have announced it. Last time I spoke to New Line about it they didn't want it to get out. The second film concentrates on what Gandalf and the Eldar were doing to fight the Necromancer, and how Saruman was poisoned.

I'm not sure what PJ is up to these days. After LOTR he hasn't really done much, other than that bore-fest King Kong.

The Lovely Bones. . .

[WickyWoo]

Yeah, he was shooting it around here a few months back

[Alan Gordon]

Originally Posted by Maxpower1987

Yeah, it's completely stupid. While the end of the book is obviously contraversial (I don't want to say anything in case I riun ot for people who haven't read the book and are waiting for the 'Subtle Knife' to fix things) the way the movie finished was just stupid.

We approved a provisional budget for the Subtle Knife when New line were still independent, and they had a much better framework for it, i.e. go all the way in pissing of the religious people, they won't watch it anyway. Hopefully WB will stick to that and not shy away from the controversy, as it will make for a much better movie.

Originally Posted by neo_reloaded

I so hope they make The Subtle Knife, and do it correctly. They need to make a movie that sticks to the ideals of the book, and advertise it in an honest manner.

There are plenty of people who will see it if it is good - you can't let these religious over-reactors strong-arm you into not telling a perfectly legitimate story.

As with any group, the loud-mouths are the one that gets the attention.

Not going to go into any more detail than that (so as to adhere to board rules), but "SOME" (read into that as you will) of us would have preferred that the movie stuck with the book as close as possible. I (and others of a certain nature) were INDEED lookin forward to watching TGC (I still haven't seen it yet, but will before the year's out most likely) regardless.

Here's hoping for a TGC double-dip (with the cut footage put back in) as well as a second film that adheres more to the story, and let "SOME" loud-mouth over-reactors over-react all they want!!

Just wanted to state that there are "SOME" people out there who enjoy things regardless of whether it supports their views/beliefs.

EDIT: After reading Seretur post "thanking Max", I wanted to add a "thanks" to Max as well for the good info...

~Alan<~~~~~~~Who hopes that he adhered to the board rules enough not to get "edited" or in "trouble"...

[savage1984]

Originally Posted by Alan Gordon

Here's hoping for a TGC double-dip (with the cut footage put back in) as well as a second film that adheres more to the story

Now, that sounds like something worth buying! Extended Cuts are so much better or more accurate or both...

[SpaceDog]

Yates was decent for 5, but he and the screenwriter cut that book to ribbons to INTENTIONALLY make the longest Harry Potter book into the shortest Harry Potter movie.
I don't like what that would mean for Book 7, but I'm glad to hear it'll be 2 films (as Book 5 ought to have been).

Nolan in the HP universe would be great . I'm content to have him hang out with Batman though.

[Seretur]

Well, as a person of faith with a deep interest in all forms of religion, I'm a big fan of Pullman's books -- easily the most intriguing pieces of speculative fiction written in this generation. And Weitz's adaptation was nothing to sneer at, even in its severely compromised theatrical form.

So, Max, thanks for this thread -- it's been very illuminating!

[CptGreedle]

The one thing about His Dark Materials that is worse than it is in Harry Potter (and Lord of the Rings) is the controversy around it.
Sure Harry Potter and LotR have those "nuts" that think they are evil cause they use magic and the like (some people have no imagination), but... well.... His Dark Materials has far more "enemies" for obvious reasons.
By this... well... it is not the fact that it has magic or witches, in fact the first movie/book barely touches on it, but in the second and third, it is really apparent. I am curious to see what they decide to do with the next movie.
If you want to know, PM me (I have not figured out how to add background text color to hide spoilers...), or read it yourself.

[Seretur]

Max, are you really saying that Chris Weitz is definitely out of the His Dark Materials series?

That seems to be grossly unfair. The released movie is not the one he shot, and all the blame for the switcheroo (both in editing and in the voice acting and so on) ought to be laid squarely at the feet of the then-New Line regime. What he shot is beautiful, and his adaptation (what can be gleaned of it from the theatrical cut) was brisk, smart, and hit all the colors.

Nolan isn't someone I'd entrust with this. He's a big thing with the online fandom, but he doesn't seem to possess the visual acumen, let alone the necessary inner innocence to make Pullman work. Funnily enough, I think he'd easily grasp the Gnostic/deist tenets of the story, but he wouldn't have the heart to make it truly work. Weitz wouldn't approach any of the remaining material as a field to make controversial theology on -- he'd tell the continuation of the story of Lyra and Will and Asriel and Mrs. Coulter and the Authority, just keeping to the emotion and the drive stemming from them. Which is the right way to do it.

But he'd understand the underpinnings of ideas in this story, quite unlike PJ and his take on LOTR. I've just had chills when I read your description of the proposed Film 2 of The Hobbit -- I think Tolkien would have cordially hated the idea. Concocting something like this out of the bits of backstory in the Appendices and the Unfinished Tales, without the emotional underpinning of a protagonist undergoing a quest with deep trials of faith -- no, I don't see a movie there. Movies are not venues for ideas, they deal in emotions. Ideas have a place there just as long as they have an emotional justification. And you can't turn backstory into that.

BTW, I totally agree with your assessment of Rowling. It needed to be said, and who better to say it than an insider?

Mr. Power sir, you're restoring my faith in the industry.

[WickyWoo]

Max, are you really saying that Chris Weitz is definitely out of the His Dark Materials series?

As director at least. SOmeone had to take the fall for the box office, even though it wasn't his movie getting released....

[horseflesh]

Originally Posted by WickyWoo

As director at least. SOmeone had to take the fall for the box office, even though it wasn't his movie getting released....

There's something very wrong when someone has to "take the fall" for a movie that had a $371m worldwide gross.....

[blitz6speed]

Originally Posted by horseflesh

There's something very wrong when someone has to "take the fall" for a movie that had a $371m worldwide gross.....

New line sold the international rights, so they didnt make anywhere near the amount made overseas.

[horseflesh]

Originally Posted by blitz6speed

New line sold the international rights, so they didnt make anywhere near the amount made overseas.

Ah, gotcha.
US $71
non US $300m

At least someone made some money on it

[Seretur]

As unfair as it is, I understand.

Hopefully Chris stays onboard for the sequels as a writer/producer. And once his cut of the movie gets released, perhaps people will realize he's as gifted as any fantasy filmmaker out there.

[pellucidity]

Originally Posted by WickyWoo

As director at least. SOmeone had to take the fall for the box office, even though it wasn't his movie getting released....

I've been out of the loop on this since I saw the early reviews, and was turned of (as a fan of the books). How much is known about the unused footage? Is there a genuine possibility that after a lull, they'll shoot the sequels (maybe back to back) and refresh the franchise with a director's cut of the first movie?