Philip Pullman

A collection of 24 posts

On Movies & Media

Reasons to Argue, Not to Censor

What? Philip Pullman? Again? The Christian Century joins the party with a cover story on Pullman, after most of the partygoers are gone. But I think there's still some punch in the punchbowl... for those still up for throwing some punches... These books are a gripping account of

On Movies & Media

A "His Dark Materials" Caution... back in 2002

My brother-in-law Derrek just brought something to my attention I'd forgotten. Five years ago, I posted an alert that The Golden Compass was about to be made into a movie. Then I invited people to suggest how Christians should respond, considering the content of the books. Now that

Looking Elsewhere

Specials: Keillor on the Nativity; Newman on Sex in "The Golden Compass"; Shea on Pullman's "Idiots"; "Sweeney Todd"

Garrison Keillor on the nativity. Beautiful.  (A nod of thanks to Mark Shea for the link.) * The Golden Compass: Sexualizing Children in the World of His Dark Materials Thank you, Mark T. Newman. (Haven't seen you in years! How are you, man?) * Philip Pullman's Useful Idiots

On Movies & Media

The Kindlings Muse: A conversation about... yeah, you guessed it...

Okay, my apologies to those who are sick of hearing about The Golden Compass. For those who aren't, here's a download of the latest conversation at The Kindlings Muse. We had a rousing chat about the author, the books, and the new movie. TKM at the

Film Reviews

The Golden Compass (2007)

Finished with their phenomenal Lord of the Rings trilogy, New Line Cinema needed another series, something with box-office promise. Harry Potter and the Narnia chronicles were already spoken for. So they seized the next-best thing: Philip Pullman's award-winning trilogy, His Dark Materials. The first movie, The Golden Compass,

On Movies & Media

Three Essential Perspectives on Philip Pullman's Trilogy

[UPDATE: Bonus... a fourth essential reading. Here's John C. Wright's hilarious summation of the trilogy, via Mark Shea.] I am so glad Peter Chattaway rediscovered this: Alan Jacobs' thorough, eloquent review of The Amber Spyglass, the last book in the trilogy that The Golden Compass

On Movies & Media

Jimmy Akin on Philip Pullman

Apparently, Philip Pullman is shocked that Christians would dare to claim that he is... well... exactly what he himself has said that he is. Jimmy Akin reports.

On Movies & Media

It's back: My Original Post on "The Golden Compass" is Up (and Abridged) at CTMovies

Today at Christianity Today Movies, you'll find an abridged version of my original response to questions about The Golden Compass controversy. If you have comments or questions, please email them to me at joverstreet [at] gmail [dot] com. But be advised: I will post those responses either in

On Movies & Media

Controversy Aside: Is The Golden Compass a Good Movie?

My review of The Golden Compass will be posted here on opening day. You might want to wait before you order tickets, unless you plan to see it no matter what critics say. Apparently the Times Online doesn't have to respect the studio's rules about publishing

On Movies & Media

Chattaway's Email Conversation with "Golden Compass" Author Philip Pullman

Peter T. Chattaway has a new article about The Golden Compass up at CanadianChristianity.com. But even more interesting... here is the transcript of his email interview with author Philip Pullman. If there is anybody out there agreeing with Donna Frietas... that The Golden Compass is a work of deep

On Movies & Media

The Boston Globe on The Golden Compass

I posted my thoughts about The Golden Compass, the trilogy to which it belongs -- His Dark Materials, and the controversies surrounding them, last week. Now, more perpectives are emerging, some more interesting than others. This one is very interesting, and sure to throw fuel on the fires of discussion.

On Movies & Media

Hot Topic!

I suppose this is worth noting. I've been rather astonished as my post about The Golden Compass, which I wrote just a few days ago, has already become the most frequently opened and linked-to post in the eleven-year history of Looking Closer! More than posts about Star Wars,

On Books & Writing

A Fascinating Interview With Philip Pullman From 2000

I linked to this interview when Philip Pullman's book The Amber Spyglass, the concluding chapter in His Dark Materials,was published. In view of the current discussions about The Golden Compass, it might be worth revisiting. It was published at Third Way.

Film Reviews

The Golden Compass (2007): Looking Closer at Christians, Controversy, and Phillip Pullman

  And so it begins. The first review of New Line Cinema's The Golden Compass, which is based on the first book in Phillip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy, has been published in The Daily Telegraph. Telegraph reviewer John Hiscock says: Weitz, whose biggest success to date

The Auralia Thread

My Thoughts on "The Golden Compass"

I've been doing a lot of radio interviews about Auralia's Colors, and questions about Philip Pullman's The Golden Compass keep coming up. I've been planning a sort of once-and-for-all blog post about the controversy, but for now you'll find a

On Books & Writing

Jeff Berryman on Philip Pullman's "His Dark Materials"

Jeff Berryman's latest post is on Philip Pullman's The Subtle Knife. He throws down the gauntlet. He invites us to a challenging conversation. I admire his ambition, patience, insight, and grace as he explores these stories. If you've read the books, I encourage you

On Books & Writing

Tolkien would not be pleased.

At the beginning of the trailer for The Golden Compass, New Line boasts about its wildly successful Lord of the Rings franchise. (Interesting, since their president has nothing good to say about Peter Jackson, and won't let him make The Hobbit.) As the trailer opens, we see the

On Movies & Media

Watkins on Pullman's intolerance, Narnia's flaws

Tony Watkins has just published a short but sharp perspective on the tension between Phillip Pullman's perspective and work, and C.S. Lewis's perspective and work. Philip Pullman’s hostility towards The Chronicles of Narnia is a very strong reaction to a mere story, even if

On Movies & Media

Phillip Pullman Makes It Easy

No need to speculate about what Pullman's stories are about when he keeps coming right out and saying things like this. Pullman, though, expected more. I've been surprised by how little criticism I've got. Harry Potter's been taking all the flak . . . the

On Movies & Media

The Chronicle of Higher Education knocks down Phillip Pullman's slanderous protests against C.S. Lewis and Narnia

Story here. If Pullman is right, not only should mainstream moviegoers stay away from Lion, so should evangelical Christians. "The highest virtue, we have on the authority of the New Testament itself," the avowedly atheistic Pullman said in a recent interview about the movie, "is love, and

Looking Elsewhere

Specials: GetReligion on a Republican Conspiracy in Narnia

It's Narnia day at Looking Closer. The first of many to come, I'm sure. Don't miss GetReligion's great blog entry on how a non-story is becoming a big story... Warning! Children reading classic books! And by the way... a follow-up note to

Looking Elsewhere

Specials: Phillip Pullman Attacks Narnia, Again. March of the Value-less Penguins

Today's specials: Once again, ladies and gentlemen, the author of The Golden Compass attacks C.S. Lewis's The Chronicles of Narnia as "racist" and "misogynistic." If you think Pullman's accusations are interesting, wait until you read the comments following the

On Movies & Media

Deicide Dumped from Phillip Pullman adaptation

So, Chris Weitz is withdrawing all references to God and the church from his adaptation of Phillip Pullman's The Golden Compass. Considering Pullman's obvious prejudice against Christianity and his agenda to knock down C.S. Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia, which offends him so, this

On Books & Writing

Pullman: American Christians are "mirror image" of Islamic extremists

I consistently get emails from readers of Phillip Pullman's The Golden Compass, angry that I would dare criticize such a fine author. They argue that I'm exaggerating the anti-Christianity theme of the books. They seem to think Pullman is a man of staggering intellectual powers. Well,