'The Golden Compass', Catholics, Atheists and Ignorance
Philip Pulman must just sit back and laugh at all of this
Nicole Kidman, who plays Marisa Coulter, a member of the Magisterium and the one responsible for kidnapping kids and separating them from their souls (daemons), forcing them to walk the Earth as mindless drones before they die (read into that as you will) is convinced the anti-religious themes are non-existent telling "Newsweek", "The story is more about authority now, rather than religion, which was important to me. I've been raised as a strong Catholic, and my grandmother would not be happy, or my dad for that matter, if we'd followed that part of the book."
While Kidman is perfect for the role as her waxy, post plastic surgery face fills the Coulter mold as if it was made for her, I am not sure if she really understands what it means to make a good movie (I also am not sure if she saw the film, because there are a few things still in there). Making a good movie does not mean cutting out the parts that inspire conversation and arguments. These are the parts that get people talking, the elements of a film that get more people to go see it. Making a good movie means leaving these elements in. People went to see Passion of the Christ because of all the chatter, not because they didn't know the story of Jesus and his resurrection and they wanted to see Jim Caviezel get whipped for two-and-a-half hours. People are intrigued by controversy and I think New Line may have missed a big boat by playing it safe.
With regards to the "killing of God" I read a blog post referencing a panel at the Oxford Literary Festival involving Philip Pullman and some of the folks from New Line. The blogger refers to a question asked of producer, Deborah Forte, whether she thought that the scene where they 'kill God' in the "Amber Spyglass" would cause problems. The blogger paraphrased Forte's reply from memory writing, "they weren't killing God, they were killing the Authority, an entity which ought to be anathema to any right-thinking democracy." I am not sure how close to the actual quote they got it, but if the sequels ultimately switch up the story that drastically they are sure to be far less interesting and far less climactic than they would have been.
"The Atlantic" once again comes through with just the right thing to say, "This could be Paris Hilton reading her Bible in prison. Or Madonna preaching about Kabbalah… Hollywood can tweak and polish and recast even the darkest message until it would seem at home in a Fourth of July parade."
I am going to go see The Golden Compass again next week just to see what more I can get out of it and I truly hope everyone supports this film because it will be extremely interesting to see how the rest of the stories are adapted.
If you are thinking of picking up the book trilogy yourself I suggest you do your best to find the UK copies, because not only are American films watered down, but so are our books as words have been omitted in an effort to slightly adjust the meaning. The books you will be looking for are "The Golden Compass" (known as "Northern Lights" in the UK), "The Subtle Knife" and "The Amber Spyglass". As for the movie, The Golden Compass hits theaters on December 7th, find out more about it right here.
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great article brad. really looking forward to seeing how this one pans out but I can't help thinking that the grand ideas were what made the books so great – kind of provided the emotional linchpin to the whole world for me. not sure that a watered down version of this was exactly what the world needed.
Since I am myself a Catholic, I can honestly say that I support the Catholic League's position. If you're not Catholic or Christian (by the way, it isn't only Catholics boycotting this film), or if you just don't care, get over it and move on. How is this boycott going to hurt you personally?
It doesn't hurt me personally, but I can still have an opinion. However, based on the Catholic League's comments I am assuming that if my opinion doesn't match their's then it must be wrong.
I am curious though, are you one of the people boycotting the film because you saw it and disapprove? Have you even read the books?
Actually, I have read The Golden Compass. Have you read the Catholic League's brochure? Now, since I am a normal movie goer, and not a critic, I cannot see the movie ahead of its release. I'm sure Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig and all the cast are charming; I'm sure it's well acted, produced, written, everything. But that does not have to mean that I agree with its inherently atheistic message and I do have the right to be offended by Phillip Pullman's insulting remarks about people who he's never even met (ie, me, a Catholic). The Catholic League can ask fellow Catholics to support their church's image, as any other church would do if their image was being tarnished. There's no harm in that, is there?
Here is the problem; you are judging something before you see it, and to ask if there is "harm" in it is silly and an unfair question. As long as you aren't hurting anyone there is no harm in it, no, but that is hardly the issue. If you are looking for reassurance that you can have your boycott then you have my blessing. I just wish it was a researched boycott rather than an ill informed one. If you have a problem with the books then boycott the books, but to bash another piece of work before you have seen it, and therefore have no basis, is ridiculous.
Answer me this, how is The Golden Compass (THE MOVIE) tarnishing your church's image?
This is such a good argument! (Really, no hard feelings, Brad, because I enjoy this site and your other articles very much.) First of all, is the movie so different from the book that the messege is different? If the movie is not different, then yes, I can judge it before I see it. If, however, the movie has a totally different meaning and messege than the book, then we have something else. But aside from being "watered down," the references to the Church are still there. It doesn't take much to figure out that the "Magesterium" is supposed to be the Catholic Church, and that is what offends people and tranishes Catholic reputation. If, for example, Scientology or any other religion was being insulted, they would probably boycott the film too. It has nothing to do with telling you what to believe in, but a request from Catholics to Catholics to take a stand for their religion.
To me, the basic problem with staging a boycott of this film is that, if it is in fact 'watered down', then most people wouldn't have had any clue that it was anti christian or catholic. I was also raised Lutheran and wouldn't have known that the Magesterium had anything to do with Catholics at all if it hadn't all come out in this controversy. Nor would I have had any idea what the underlying themes were supposedly representing. I personally like to just watch a film and, if it's good, think about it and analyze it on my own terms. I had the same problem with all the pro-Narnia pub from Christians that went around before its release.
Exactly CaliPunkRockGrl, when loveAlot83 says, "It doesn't take much to figure out that the Magesterium is supposed to be the Catholic Church," that is only directed at those that have read the book and have made that connection already. Anyone going into this movie fresh will not make that assumption. As I watched the movie the first time I had already heard about this controversy and was able to see a little bit more into the story that Philip Pullman originated, but there is nothing for the Catholic League to point their fingers at.
As fr judging a film on your own terms, this is what the Catholic League does not want you to do. They have judged the film for you and tell you it is not good. Ironically this whole thing can be compared to the way the Magesterium acts in the movie, trying to tell everyone what is good for them and banning what they believe to be bad.
This is why it confuses me how people can support the Catholic League's decision as none of them have seen the film.