_ several years now that the release of book adaptations of fantasy is a constant. In most cases they are blockbusters that come just before Christmas and fill the gap left by "The Lord of the Rings" and soon will "Harry Potter." This year features "The Golden Compass," adapted from "Northern Lights" by Phillip Pullman, an excellent book that has led to an entertaining film but somewhat irregular.
_ For those who do not have read the trilogy "His Dark Materials" the movie interesting, although it may seem somewhat complex, but for those of us marveled at the work of Pullman, the experience can be most confused.
_ The purists will be hand-to-head on more than one occasion, when they discover the change of many names. I am not referring to the title in the English edition is "Northern Lights" (literal translation of the original " Northern lights") and in the film have changed to "The Golden Compass, more suggestive and also coincides with the title original film: "The golden compass ." This first change draws attention, but is by no means something new, and was renamed as the U.S. edition (something similar happened with "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" than its American version was called "Harry Potter and the sorcerer's stone ", something like" the sorcerer's stone ").
_ What I mean is the English translation, which have deliberately renamed the "gyptians" as "Gipcios", the "daemonions" as dimons "and" panpipes "and" vultures. " Know if the translation has respected the original version (the book and film) or, conversely, is translated literally not take account of the book published in Spain. Anyway, for those who have read it may seem somewhat shocking.
_ Despite being a great movie, I think the writers have taken an easy road, turning the story into something more linear, eliminating multiple subplots that conferred an aura of mystery and forces the original story and, above all, infantilizing deliberately set to achieve a more commercial product. If something striking Pullman's work is to be something more adult and darker than usual, a story where everything is not black or white, but contains shades. The film is committed to bring the story within minutes, eliminating most revelándote mysteries and things you should take to discover. Somehow, reducing a complex plot to a minimum and then can show off in a simpler overall plot and especially in its visual appearance. Often this is somewhat artificial, as if some only come passages leading to an inevitable war scene or for the purpose of "wonder" the viewer.
_ film is precipitated, in which everything happens at a rapid pace. The rush to get to the action scenes causes some of the ideas are difficult to assimilate and most picturesque scenes happen "for no reason," without giving much explanation.
_ must always be clear that a book is a book and a movie is a movie. In a literary one can take your time to read and enjoy it, so the film always tend to go more to the point. That's why adaptations to the big screen can never be literal, we must learn to see them for what they are: the same story told differently and other resources. In "The Golden Compass" seems to have been simplified to make it a somewhat disjointed film, leaving a sense of missing pieces of the story to the viewer who has not previously read the book.
_ In the original work affects particularly on two concepts: the relationship of humans with their daemonions (the representation of their soul in animal form) and the mysticism of particles of "dust", which do not stop being a metaphor for free will, sin and freedom. In the film, both concepts are present, but diluted in the grandeur of the images and are summarized in just four sentences. When one reads the pages of Pullman believes something terrible to remove a child from her daemon, is really creepy, the film is given equal importance, but perhaps not too hard. Likewise, the Magisterium continues to raise dust and what it represents, but becomes shallower, perhaps to avoid religious comparisons.
_ In my opinion, I think the film loses the north to not promote the story of the kidnappers of children, which is actually what drives the protagonist in the first book of the trilogy.
_ Besides this, the film is visually overwhelming, with high quality special effects and a retro-futuristic landscapes amazing. In my opinion, the division has been a good choice, starting with newcomer Dakota Blue Richards, Lyra is a near-perfect acertadada and following the decision to include Nicole Kidman in the role of Mrs. Coulter stretched and Daniel Craig Lord Asriel. Also, the atmosphere and other technical issues remain outstanding. The music of the great Alexandre Desplat accompanying the story may not be one of his best work, but more than effective.
_ Without a doubt "The Golden Compass" is a correct adaptation of a fantasy book, far superior to films like "Eragon", which many of us left with the thorn stuck, but lower than the aforementioned "The Lord of the Rings" or "Harry Potter." "The Golden Compass" film deserves its two upcoming sequels, for which it is clear have reserved more than one ace up his sleeve, though, as always, everything depends on the audience's response. Fingers crossed!
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-Article published in: EspadayBrujería .
