His Dark Materials

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HappyG(rrr) Nov 2019 2:06pm, 5 Nov 2019 33,054 posts	0 HappyG(rrr) I love making of pieces. But then I'd watch them separately, and after the main feature, not in the middle of it! Lord of the Rings extended DVDs with making off, interviews with model makers, actors etc. are fab! G
larkim Nov 2019 8:51am, 11 Nov 2019 9,437 posts	0 larkim Ep 2 was better I thought? I like the slice into the next book, hints at more overlapping aspects of each book being brought into this first series.
Vancouver Jogger Nov 2019 10:26am, 11 Nov 2019 4,123 posts	0 Vancouver Jogger Maybe that's why they called it HDM rather than Northern Lights. The books were very much told from Lyra's perspective. Given that Lyra is still in London after 2 episodes this series is presumably only covering book 1 - in terms of Lyra's story - and therefore there will be a HDM 2 ?
Wriggling Snake Nov 2019 10:28am, 11 Nov 2019 24,568 posts	0 Wriggling Snake Indeed, I though it better too, zipped along. Yes they are bringing later things into the current story line, probably to fill it out and probably, in the modern TV way, to have lots of threads (well 3) hanging about to build on. Very good. I must say not so happy with the person playing Lyra now, she seems a bit flat granted it is a hard part to play, and again Mrs Coulter is no where glam or quite evil enough. Other than that, very good indeed, the monkey is excellent. I am still of the opinion the Lord of the Rings still looks like Michael Bentine's Potty Time. Mind you Lord of the Rings is navel gazing shite in any case, so it deserves to called thus.
larkim Nov 2019 10:37am, 11 Nov 2019 9,440 posts	0 larkim I thought only really book 1 was Lyra's view of the world. The Subtle Knife puts Will at the fore? Yes, the young actor playing Lyra isn't setting the world alight, but she's got plenty of growing to do. And she doesn't (as a character) really turn heroic until later in the book anyway, so perhaps her performance will follow those lines. I think perhaps my mental picture of Mrs Coulter as being something of a "femme fatale" was probably just sexism introduced by my mind, though Wikipedia does highlight that she is described as "beautiful and young". I was struck by home much she looks like her daemon, and that may well be entirely intentional.
Vancouver Jogger Nov 2019 10:42am, 11 Nov 2019 4,125 posts	0 Vancouver Jogger I expect you're right Larkim. It was such a long time ago I read them originally and I am only 9/10 of the way through re-reading book 1 now
Nellers Nov 2019 11:29am, 11 Nov 2019 35,181 posts	0 Nellers First off I haven't read the books but I've only heard good things from people who have so perhaps my hopes were a bit high for the TV adaptation. Haven't watched Ep2 yet so maybe it picks up but I wasn't blown away with ep1. It's OK and there is a lot of table setting. The world is different enough to feel weird and a bit unsettling, and I think they did some of that very well. It feels very BBC Sunday Night Kids Drama to me though. It's a bit clunky in places and it's trying so hard to be serious that it sometimes trips on its own straight laces. (also (spoilers unless you've already read the whole thread) I never thought Lord Azreal was her uncle from the first moment he wades through the floods holding her.)
swittle Nov 2019 1:46pm, 11 Nov 2019 58,377 posts	0 swittle At an hour per episode, His Dark Materials is maybe fifteen minutes an ep. overlong. I have the impression that the production team is trying a little too hard to present a programme that will appeal to younger & older viewers alike. Dafne Keen makes a competent job of a demanding role: her cunning and innocence make good partners. Ruth Wilson, maybe unwittingly, reprises some of her character's traits in 'Luther'. The green screen & CGI input stays clear of being intrusive - well, it's fantasy, after all.
Autumnleaves Nov 2019 1:48pm, 11 Nov 2019 14,298 posts	0 Autumnleaves I liked part 2 - I seem to remember that part of the Subtle Knife runs alongside Northern Lights time-wise? So I liked the hints of things to come. I still like Ruth Wilson as Mrs Coulter - she is not as glamorous as Nicole Kidman (few of us are) but she is a much better actress in my eyes and the complexity of the character is coming over well. It is of course a children's book - albeit one for older children.
Meglet Nov 2019 3:18pm, 11 Nov 2019 20,604 posts	0 Meglet I find myself mesmerised by Ruth Wilson’s lips. It was the same when I watched Luther. I’m loving her as Mrs Coulter, she does an undercurrent of evil very well, and I think the costuming is excellent.