BS: His Dark Materials

Subject: RE: BS: His Dark Materials
From: keberoxu
Date: 12 Nov 19 - 02:17 PM

I don't think Philip Pullman is an anti - anything,
or a cynic, or a nay-sayer.

I think he may be a little skeptical, but not cynical;
and he prefers questions to answers.

If his quest of questions is trite to some tastes,
I suppose it is because he harks back unconsciously to
George MacDonald,
who although an ordained minister
was a questioner,
and a man absolutely opposed to sectarian division.

Subject: RE: BS: His Dark Materials
From: DMcG
Date: 11 Nov 19 - 03:01 PM

Just watched the first two episodes. I quite enjoyed the first book, less impressed by the second and thought the third fairly trite.

I also noticed that whenever there was any sort of crowd scene there were few if any daemons around, and thought it strange that so many daemons settled as insects - much less of a CGI problem is the real explanation, no doubt.

Subject: RE: BS: His Dark Materials
From: Nigel Paterson
Date: 11 Nov 19 - 05:44 AM

The soundtrack, which greatly enhanced my enjoyment, was composed by Lorne Balfe, not Hans Zimmer as I stated above. It transpires that Lorne Balfe was Zimmer's assistant some while ago, so I don't feel too brought down by my gaff!

Subject: RE: BS: His Dark Materials
From: robomatic
Date: 07 Nov 19 - 05:04 PM

Thanks for the heads-up. I read the series and quite liked it as a work of 'imagination'. Read afterwards that Philip Pullman wrote it as a reaction to Lion Witch and Wardrobe stories which he did not like. I'll sample some of the informative links above which I'm grateful for.

Subject: RE: BS: His Dark Materials
From: keberoxu
Date: 05 Nov 19 - 06:46 PM

... and who would get the pick of the litter?

There is more daemon drama,
by the way,
in the latest Philip Pullman books,
do you know of them?

The first is called La Belle Sauvage,
and tells how Lyra as an infant
was protected from either of her parents
and rescued by a brave boy
with a small boat, of which the book title is the boat's name.

And then I can't recall -- have to look it up here --
the one that just was published this year:
The Book of Dust: The Secret Commonwealth.
No Will Parry, that I can make out,
but a lot of Lyra who
somehow has misplaced her daemon AGAIN
and has to go questing for it.

Really, people oughta be more careful about their little daemons ...

Subject: RE: BS: His Dark Materials
From: punkfolkrocker
Date: 05 Nov 19 - 10:26 AM

I enjoyed Golden Compass at least as much any other big budget CGI fantasy fiction movie at that time,
and was aware of how heavily butchered it had been by studio interference.
Back then there was still hope for a director's cut version DVD/Blu-ray,
which as usual was rumoured to be a far superior movie...???

I don't remember much about the story,
or the practicalities of living with a daemon...???

For instance, would everybody have to take out daemon insurance
to cover accidents and vet bills,
and have them chipped in case they got lost or run over...???

What if your daemon was got at by a neighbour's and had an unwanted litter...???

Subject: RE: BS: His Dark Materials
From: Jeri
Date: 05 Nov 19 - 09:45 AM

When I saw the Golden Compass film, and read the books, I didn't think it was anti-religious so much as anti-organized, state-run religious. You know, when the religion is about power and control more than anything else.
But I saw kitchen staff daemons, mostly staying out of the way. (I distinctly remember a goose.) It does make one wonder how, in a crowded environment, one keeps from stepping on or tripping over all the daemons.

Subject: RE: BS: His Dark Materials
From: olddude
Date: 05 Nov 19 - 09:29 AM

Thank you

Subject: RE: BS: His Dark Materials
From: Jeri
Date: 05 Nov 19 - 09:10 AM

(Also, the show on HBO is a BBC one.)

Subject: RE: BS: His Dark Materials
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 05 Nov 19 - 03:33 AM

consisting of Northern Lights (1995) (published as The Golden Compass in North America)

I've heard that before. How come it was one thing in the UK and another in the US?

Subject: RE: BS: His Dark Materials
From: Jeri
Date: 04 Nov 19 - 07:56 PM

Here ya go, Dan. It's also currently a show on HBO.

Subject: RE: BS: His Dark Materials
From: olddude
Date: 04 Nov 19 - 07:10 PM

Never heard of it really

Subject: RE: BS: His Dark Materials
From: Jeri
Date: 04 Nov 19 - 06:38 PM

No, THEIR souls. But (more or less seriously)yes, that's explained in the books.
Here in this reality, we keep ours inside, but in their reality, the souls are separate.

Subject: RE: BS: His Dark Materials
From: punkfolkrocker
Date: 04 Nov 19 - 06:33 PM

aresouls...???

Subject: RE: BS: His Dark Materials
From: Jeri
Date: 04 Nov 19 - 06:31 PM

Daemons are souls, and I'm pretty sure souls don't poop.

Subject: RE: BS: His Dark Materials
From: punkfolkrocker
Date: 04 Nov 19 - 06:25 PM

I watched the first few minutes to get a taster,
if it's worth box setting at xmas...

I definitely noticed none of the kitchen staff had daemons with them..
Is that to do with catering hygene and health and safety rules..
Are those daemons house trained..???

Subject: RE: BS: His Dark Materials
From: Jeri
Date: 04 Nov 19 - 06:24 PM

It's on here at 9 PM, so hopefully, I'll remember to watch it.

Subject: RE: BS: His Dark Materials
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 04 Nov 19 - 06:23 PM

Reality to me isn't animals chasing along with people who seem not to notice them, then being addressed by said animals. Nowt wrong with fairy stories, but they're not for me.

Subject: RE: BS: His Dark Materials
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 04 Nov 19 - 06:20 PM

It's not magic, Steve, it's alt reality. To be honest, it's better than the one that gives us Trump and Johnson :-D

One of my daughters was a bit disappointed at the lack of "daemons". There should be one for every human but there didn't seem to be. I must say I didn't notice!

Subject: RE: BS: His Dark Materials
From: Nigel Paterson
Date: 04 Nov 19 - 06:05 AM

The Hans Zimmer & Friends soundtrack added to my enjoyment.

Subject: RE: BS: His Dark Materials
From: DaveRo
Date: 04 Nov 19 - 04:13 AM

Interesting that that US article says "His Dark Materials was also occasionally categorised in shops as a children’s book...". In the UK it was certainly published as a children' book. We bought the first volume for my son, then aged 14, who was into science fiction - as I was at that age. Later, when it began to be 'critically acclaimed', and the anti-religeous subtext discussed, I read it.

I remember thinking that the idea of the daemon was clever and the plot was silly, but overall that it was definitely a children's book. That's not a criticism - I think as a teenager I would have enjoyed it, as I enjoyed Lord of the Rings and Ghormenghast (which I heard of from Ralph McTell).

I watched the programme about Pullman, yesterday. I thought Rowan Williams' comments were sensible: "It's a story!"
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09vdpzw

Subject: RE: BS: His Dark Materials
From: punkfolkrocker
Date: 03 Nov 19 - 10:27 PM

The Golden Compass: what went wrong?

Subject: RE: BS: His Dark Materials
From: Jeri
Date: 03 Nov 19 - 10:06 PM

I liked the books, and I liked the Golden Compass movie. (Well, Sam Elliot was in it!) I wanted to see this, but missed that it was on. Will look for it to be shown again.

Subject: RE: BS: His Dark Materials
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 03 Nov 19 - 07:47 PM

I don't read fiction. I sort of expect telly dramas to be standalone.

Subject: RE: BS: His Dark Materials
From: Donuel
Date: 03 Nov 19 - 05:31 PM

Dark material hides ass stains well I mean grass stains.

Subject: RE: BS: His Dark Materials
From: keberoxu
Date: 03 Nov 19 - 05:20 PM

I quite liked the books, actually.
If you haven't read the books first,
I imagine it would look bloody daft, as you say.
( the little beasties are daemons, right?)

Subject: RE: BS: His Dark Materials
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 03 Nov 19 - 05:08 PM

We gave up after 20 minutes. Bloody daft stuff about animals (ferrets and snow leopards?) chasing around with people and talking to them. Not watching any more of it. The real magic lies in reality.

Subject: RE: BS: His Dark Materials
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 03 Nov 19 - 04:51 PM

Definitely better, Kerborxu. And there was an ad for War of the Worlds before it :-)

Subject: RE: BS: His Dark Materials
From: keberoxu
Date: 03 Nov 19 - 04:47 PM

I hope it's an improvement over
the big-screen big-studio cinema version.

That was a big fancy ... erm ... well, it didn't work.

Not even Sir Ian McKellen as a polar bear could save it.

Subject: BS: His Dark Materials
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 03 Nov 19 - 04:14 PM

Well,who's watching?

Brilliant so far. IMO