THE GOLDEN COMPASS
UK/US, 2007, 118 minutes, Colour.
Nicole Kidman, Dakota Blue Richards, Sam Elliott, Eva Green, Daniel Craig, Derek Jacobi, Christopher Lee, Jim Carter, Claire Higgins, Tom Courtenay, Jack Sheppard, Simon Mc Birney, voices of: Freddie Highmore, Ian Mc Kellen, Ian Mc Shane, Kathy Bates. Kristin Scott Thomas.
Directed by Chris Weitz.
The Golden Compass, based on Philip Pullman’s first book in His Dark Materials trilogy, is well-made, with a lot of intelligent dialogue, including the word ‘metaphysics’ a couple of times. Much of the film requires attention as well as some developed vocabulary. It looks very good: sets and design, effects for fantasy, and Nicole Kidman wearing a large array of costumes and gowns. The cast is strong with Dakota Blue Richards as the feisty (non-cute) heroine, Lyra, who, along with her daemon (more about that word later), Pan, who is the external version, the physical manifestation of her ‘soul’ with whom she can speak and argue, is ready to take on all comers – and does. The talented young actor, Freddie Highmore, is the voice of Pan.
The Golden Compass itself is a powerful mechanism that tells the truth and reveals what others wish to hide.
Apart from Nicole Kidman, who seems to be relishing the opportunity to be glamorous, charming and ruthlessly villainous, there is Daniel Craig as Lord Asriel, Sam Elliott, exactly as he is in the many Westerns he has appeared in, as Mr Scoresby and a long list of distinguished British stage and screen actors including Derek Jacobi, Christopher Lee, Claire Higgins, Tom Courteney, Jim Carter and the voices of Ian Mc Kellen (particularly strong and heroic) and Ian Mc Shane (villainous) as the rival bear kings. The film certainly has class. Interestingly (and perhaps surprisingly), writer-adapter and director is an American, Chris Weitz. After assisting his brother, Paul, with the directing of American Pie and the Chris Rock comedy, Down to Earth, they went to England to direct the film version of Nick Hornby’s About a Boy. Obviously, things English have appealed to him.
The plot offers, one might say, some variations on most of the fantasy films listed above. Afficionados will enjoy pointing out the comparisons. Yes, there is battle between good and evil – and in remote locations like the Rings Trilogy. Yes, there is a young central character, this time a girl, a kind of working class Hermione who lives in a college and has to do Harry Potter-like actions. The king bear, a literally towering figure, is reminiscent of Aslan in Narnia. There is a happy continuity in the imagination of all these films.
With a girl as central and with a number of battle sequences, the film should appeal to its boys and girls target audience – and the adults will probably enjoy it too (but may have to ask the children some clarifications of plot and characters).
There are some aspects of the film that may raise a religious eyebrow. The opening of the film speaks of parallel worlds, a feature of all of the best film fantasies. In our world, our souls are within us. In the parallel world, the soul is outside us, in the form of a symbolic animal called a ‘daemon’ (not a devil but a ‘spirit’ according to the origins of the word).
The other word is the ‘Magisterium’, the name of the all-powerful ruling body which is authoritarian and intent on eradicating free will so that all people, especially the children they abduct and experiment on, will lose their daemon and be completely conformist and happy. Science fiction has treated this plot in the several versions of The Invasion of the Body Snatchers. The Magisterium heads are embodied by Derek Jacobi and Christopher Lee who spurn tolerance and freedom and speak of heresy. Magisterium is, in fact, the word used for the authoritative teaching of the Catholic church, so that is clearly a critical element – though, as will be quoted later, Pullman says he is not anti-Catholic but anti-rigid and authoritarian religion.
The Golden Compass, is suitable for most with a warning that there are some frightening scenes and battles for the younger audience.
1.The popularity of the novel? The film? As fantasy? The vision of Philip Pullman?
2.The controversies attending the release, the objections about the anti-Christian agenda, anti-church? The death of God? The value of the controversy – or not?
3.The first of a trilogy – and the plot simply stopping at the end of the film? The target audience, for children, for adults? The heroine as the focus? Mrs Coulter as the villain?
4.The introduction, the voice-over, the explanations, the parallel worlds, souls and daemons, education? The Magisterium? Its control, issues of freedom? The reality and symbolism of dust? Free will? Struggle between good and evil? Magical but not a focus on magic?
5.Jordan College, the Oxford background, the master, the staff, life at the school, the teachers? The pupils, the servants? Lyra in this setting, her friends, the clash with the boys, the dares, the childish behaviour, the bets? The regime?
6.Lyra as feisty and not cute, her age, background, Lord Asriel and his mission, her listening in, saving him from the poison, his wanting her assistance? Her being the chosen one? Pan being her daemon, his shapes, changing? His sharing her adventures? Her being able to talk to her inner self in conversation with Pan? Freddie Highmore’s voice? The performance and the skill in the voicing?
7.Lord Asriel, in himself, his work, mission, exploration, his wanting to search and the Magisterium forbidding it, the cleric of the Magisterium trying to poison him? The plots against him? The audience with the leaders, the threat to freedom, his funds being cut off? Lyra and his wanting to control her? The later revelation that he was her father? His relationship with Mrs Coulter? His going to the north, his daemon, conversation, the exploration in the snow, the spirits, his discoveries?
8.The Master of Jordan, the gift of the compass, the explanation of how it worked, Lyra and her abilities, being able to use the machine, the discovery of the truth, its foretelling events, her acting on this, her fears? The emphasis on the compass and its use? Her friendship with Roger and the boys? The disappearance? The facile explanations, the arrival of Mrs Coulter, the attractiveness of Mrs Coulter? The reality of the experiments, the role of the Magisterium, the abducting of the children, their daemons being separated from them, the Magisterium as soul-snatchers, depriving the children of their freedom? Conformism and peace? The regime in the institution in the north, like a boarding school? The guards, the supervision, the reaction of the children, the rebels, the attempts to escape? The others conforming?
9.Mrs Coulter, Nicole Kidman, her appearance, tall, glamorous, her savage daemon? Her ruthlessness? Exercising her charm? The underlings and her ordering them around? Her contacts with the Magisterium? Her attempts to get the children? To get the golden compass? Mrs Coulter persuading Lyra to come with her, Lyra’s admiration? Her wanting to help her friends? Lyra and the discovery of the truth? Mrs Coulter and her plans? Her creed? The Magisterium? Lyra trespassing in her room, Mrs Coulter’s fit of anger, changing her mind, charming? Lyra seeing the other side? Her being persuaded to go on the flight? The flight to the north? The witches, the Gyptions? The clash with Mrs Coulter, Mrs Coulter’s discovery of the compass, the wrong box, the mechanical insects, their attack on Mrs Coulter? Mrs Coulter and the north, the Magisterium, the institution, the plant, the experiments? The opposition? Her being attacked, recovering? Flying to the north?
10.Lyra and the boys, helping them, Roger, their fate?
11.Lyra and the Gyptions, finding the leader, Roger’s material, the other wise advisers in the group? As a group, the individuals, the range of characters, their being rebels, fighters, their appearance, going into action? Saving Lyra and the boys?
12.The importance of the bears of the north? Ian Mc Kellen voicing the heroic bear? Control, freedom? Character? Getting loose? Fighting the opposing bear and the bear being voiced by Ian Mc Shane? The kingdom of the bears? The bear and his armour, ready for the fight, the chase? Going across the frozen land with Lyra?
13.Scoresby, his presence, the wild west style, in the tavern, with the Gyptions, his wisdom, the flight, his heroics in the fight?
14.Lyra, the capture, the danger, her bonding with the bear, freed from Mrs Coulter, confronting the soldiers of the Magisterium, being outnumbered? The battle? The bear and his role, the Gyptions? The triumph? The plant and the children and their being freed?
15.The witches, the character of the central witch, protecting Lyra, coming to her aid, the flying sequences? The battle?
16.Everybody on their way north, the quest, seeking the dust – and the end of the film?
17.Pullman and his storytelling, characters, imagination, religious issues, authoritarian governments, the church, the Magisterium and its references, heresy? Philosophy and theology? The references to metaphysics? To God? The human soul and daemons? Pullman and his interest in humanistic transcendence?
