The Golden Compass

A collection of 25 posts

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

This Weekend: What to See?

I've just seen Lars and the Real Girl, a film that I've been trying to get across town to see for weeks. Fortunately, Anne got to come along. And we both fell head over heels in love with it. I haven't cried for joy

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,

The Auralia Thread

Best Day Ever?

Thanks, everybody, for making today, Tuesday, December 4, the busiest day ever at this blog! My stat counter just updated, and today's visitor total is the highest ever (and still counting!) What's the draw? Mostly this Golden Compass-related post. Interest in the controvery is at a

On Movies & Media

Chattaway: New Line Marketing "Golden Compass" to Catholics? Plus: Catholic News Service Pretty Much Gives It a "Thumbs Up."

The controversy over The Golden Compass is becoming so much more interesting than the movie itself. And it turns out that a review of the movie written by Harry Forbes and John Mulderig for the Catholic News Service has been published early. Which begs the question: Why are film reviewers

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 Chronicles of Athiesm" — CT Readers Tell Philip Pullman "Leave our kids alone!"

Nicole Kidman, who plays Mrs. Coulter, told Entertainment Weekly the film "has been watered down a little," adding, "I was raised Catholic [and] I wouldn't be able to do this film if I thought it were at all anti-Catholic." And then... "So the

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

Looking Elsewhere

Specials: Cairns and Overstreet Poetry! "Knocked Up." "All About Adam." "The Golden Compass." "Spidey 3." Helen Mirren. Aronofsky.

Here are a few links I've been saving up this week... Scott Cairns and Anne Overstreet both have poems in the new issue of Relief! Order your copy today! Ross Douthat on Knocked Up and its (surprising?) lack of talk about abortion. (Updated: Even more.) (Oh, and I

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

Flattered to Be Quoted, But...

This CanWest article about The Golden Compass rightly spotlights the crux of the conflict over author Phillip Pullman's anti-Christian prejudice and anti-C.S. Lewis propaganda. But it's wrong to identify me as a "Catholic film critic." (Apparently, they're quoting an earlier, erroneous

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

What Do Paul Bettany and Nicole Kidman Have Against Christianity?

According to Cinematical, Nicole Kidman and Paul Bettany have joined the cast of Philip Pullman's The Golden Compass as the "villainous" Mrs. Coulter and Lord Asriel. If this report is just a rumor, I'm doubtful. If it's true, I'm baffled.

Looking Elsewhere

Specials: Swinton's "State of Cinema" speech. Director dumps Pullman project.

SWINTON COMES OUT SWINGING The White Witch speaks! Wow, what a letter. Take the time to read the whole thing. It'll make your head spin. And speaking of dangerous fantasy-land personalities... PHILIP PULLMAN NEEDS DIRECTION Once again, a director has departed the film production of His Dark Materials.

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