Discworld fans.. be happy

Started by Callie Del Noire, February 15, 2010, 03:02:20 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Callie Del Noire

Color of Magic to air on ION Television--Can't wait.

ION Television, the "Positively Entertaining" general entertainment network available to over 94 million homes, and RHI Entertainment, the leader in the production and distribution of groundbreaking movies, miniseries and series for television, today announced the U.S. television premiere of The Color of Magic, a four-hour production premiering on ION Television on Sunday, March 22 at 7:00 p.m. ET.

Based on the first two books in best-selling author Terry Pratchett's hugely popular Discworld series, The Color of Magic stars Oscar nominee Sean Astin (The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Toy Soldiers, Rudy), Emmy nominee Tim Curry (Rocky Horror Picture Show, Kinsey) and David Jason (RHI's Hogfather). Additionally, Emmy Award-winning actor Brian Cox (Bourne trilogy, Running with Scissors) serves as the narrator and Christopher Lee (The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Star Wars Episodes II and III) takes on the vocal role of Death.

Zorak

You can also watch them streamed live via Netflix :)

Callie Del Noire

Belay my last.. my over enthusiatic friend game me a new release from LAST year.

<unemployed.. so net flix fer me> 

Zorak

They're both on DVD also, so you can rent them if needed.  No great loss if you can't see them though, I have to be honest, I wasn't all that impressed with them.  There's just some things that are so "off" about Pratchett's writings, that they don't translate well to the screen and best left to your imagination :)

Lilias

Not to burst your bubble, but I was disappointed by The Colour of Magic. Tim Curry hamming it up is always fun, but there is too much in the books that was cut out or just skimmed over because it simply couldn't fit in. Hogfather was better, although I will agree there is something about Pratchett's writing that doesn't translate well to film, and that's the humour that infuses the narration even more than the dialogue. Christopher Lee's voiceovers would have been by far the leading role to do it all justice.
To go in the dark with a light is to know the light.
To know the dark, go dark. Go without sight,
and find that the dark, too, blooms and sings,
and is traveled by dark feet and dark wings.
~Wendell Berry

Double Os <> Double As (updated Feb 20) <> The Hoard <> 50 Tales 2024 <> The Lab <> ELLUIKI

HairyHeretic

David Jason, good though he is, just isn't Rincewind. I always thought Nigel Planer would have made a good Rincewind though. He has the look.

Its a pity that the Wee Free Men film seems to have fallen through. I'd enjoy seeing the Nac Mac Feegle on the screen.
Hairys Likes, Dislikes, Games n Stuff

Cattle die, kinsmen die
You too one day shall die
I know a thing that will never die
Fair fame of one who has earned it.

Callie Del Noire

Quote from: Lilias on February 15, 2010, 04:42:07 PM
Not to burst your bubble, but I was disappointed by The Colour of Magic. Tim Curry hamming it up is always fun, but there is too much in the books that was cut out or just skimmed over because it simply couldn't fit in. Hogfather was better, although I will agree there is something about Pratchett's writing that doesn't translate well to film, and that's the humour that infuses the narration even more than the dialogue. Christopher Lee's voiceovers would have been by far the leading role to do it all justice.

I've got most of the books (lost about half a dozen in my move back from spain..the early ones), have  DVDs for Hogsfather, and the animated ones.

It's jut the IDEA of seeing it on TV here in the states that tickles me (I hear the plays are better, and I think if you were going to do ANY of the books..the Guards series would work best in TV)

Remiel

As much as I get a tingle in my pants every time I hear of a Pratchett work making it to the big screen, I think that, unless it's undertaken by a powerhouse director and producer with a billion-dollar budget, I'm going to be disappointed.  Simply because it's quite hard to imagine any reproduction that is better than the images I have in my own head.

Maybe if the team behind the Harry Potter films tackled it?

Zorak

Quote from: Remiel on February 17, 2010, 07:31:06 PM
Maybe if the team behind the Harry Potter films tackled it?

Hmmm... maybe the people who did the recent Hitchhikers Guide movie.  That book has a lot of humor in the narration as well, and they did a good job integrating it.

            - Z

Callie Del Noire

Quote from: Zorak on February 18, 2010, 08:51:03 AM
Hmmm... maybe the people who did the recent Hitchhikers Guide movie.  That book has a lot of humor in the narration as well, and they did a good job integrating it.

            - Z
Gods above I hope not!

Sorry.. I much preferred the ANCIENT BBC series than the movie. 

In other news..

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/celebritynews/4400955/Sir-Terry-Pratchett-documents-Alzheimers-battle-in-BBC-film.html

Zorak

I've seen both Hitchhikers, and heard the radio scripts.  As modernizations go, I was quite surprised at how well they did actually...  You have to let go of what you expect, and just enjoy what's there.

Callie Del Noire

Quote from: Zorak on February 18, 2010, 09:53:24 AM
I've seen both Hitchhikers, and heard the radio scripts.  As modernizations go, I was quite surprised at how well they did actually...  You have to let go of what you expect, and just enjoy what's there.

It's not letting go of what I expect but what is closest to the book. And the series was a lot closer to the books in my opinion. :-D

Though I LOVE Marvin's voice in the movie.. Alan Rickman rocks.. (And there is a homage to the TV series in the movie)


Zorak

You kind of have to remember, not everything in a book translates exactly to film.  And if it were just a exact replica of the book, then things might be a bit dull, no?  The radio sketches weren't a ALL like the book, in fact they contained a lot of elements that were pulled from the sky - so to speak.

So... "BASED-ON" is a powerful word - it means they're not trying to duplicate things exactly, and we should allow them a little leeway - JMHO.  Evaluate the movie simply on it's own merit.

Callie Del Noire

Quote from: Zorak on February 19, 2010, 07:52:09 AM
You kind of have to remember, not everything in a book translates exactly to film.  And if it were just a exact replica of the book, then things might be a bit dull, no?  The radio sketches weren't a ALL like the book, in fact they contained a lot of elements that were pulled from the sky - so to speak.

So... "BASED-ON" is a powerful word - it means they're not trying to duplicate things exactly, and we should allow them a little leeway - JMHO.  Evaluate the movie simply on it's own merit.

I did. I simply did not enjoy it as much as I did the TV series.. the pig at the restaurant at the end of time and a bunch of other scenes.

I do very well at separating from source and movie. (Watchmen, Harry Potter (my only grouse about the movies is they down play Neville..), Hellboy, ect)

Callie Del Noire

Hmmm.. got the DVD finally. Very nice. I like the Librarian 'pre-not-a-monkey'.