NationStates Jolt Archive

http://www.bridgetothestars.net/index.php?p=weitzinterview

First they put Weitz in charge then they cut out the anti-religious bits, and they got rid of Sir Tom Stoppard as the writer. Bastards.

I just checked out Weitz's filmography. They put the producer OF THE AMERICAN PIE MOVIES in charge of making the His Dark Materials trilogy?

Right :rolleyes:

Whilst we're at it, why don't we write anything about Christianity from the Narnia books. Oh wait...

I just checked out Weitz's filmography. They put the producer OF THE AMERICAN PIE MOVIES in charge of making the His Dark Materials trilogy?
he did About a Boy too. And he's writing the script, so I thinks it's a forgon conclusion whats going to happen to the movies.

Right :rolleyes:

Whilst we're at it, why don't we write anything about Christianity from the Narnia books. Oh wait...
they don't offend anyone do they, after all they are pro-religious. After all heven forbid some 11 year old reading something that isn't full of Christian propogander

I still don't get how they're going to cut out the anti-religion bits, though... I can think of large sections of the plot that would be shot to hell if they get rid of all the negative references about The Authority.

At least some of the suggestions for director were sensible, like Ang Lee.

Here's the section about writing out the controversial sections, for those who don't want to read through the whole interview:

Here we are at the heart of the matter. This will certainly be the issue that will ignite the most controversy amongst fans and amongst the general public.

First let me say that I have visited with Pullman and spoken with him about this subject at great length. His feeling, and I say this with absolute certainty that I am not unfairly paraphrasing him, is that the "Authority" in question could represent any arbitrary establishment that curtails the freedom of the individual, whether it be religious, political, totalitarian, fundamentalist, communist, what have you. This gives me a certain amount of leeway in navigating the very treacherous issues that beset adapting HDM for the screen.

New Line is a company that makes films for economic returns. You would hardly expect them to be anything else. They have expressed worry about the possibility of HDM’s perceived antireligiosity making it an unviable project financially. My job is to get the film made in such a way that the spirit of the piece is carried through to the screen, and to do that I must contend not only with the difficulties of the material but with the fears of the studio. Needless to say, all my best efforts will be directed towards keeping HDM as liberating and iconoclastic an experience as I can. But there may be some modification of terms. You will probably not hear of the "Church" but you will hear of the Magisterium. Those who will understand will understand. I have no desire to change the nature or intentions of the villains of the piece, but they may appear in more subtle guises.

On the score of religion, let me say that I think HDM is, in fact, not an atheistic work but a highly spiritual and reverent piece of writing. I think it is with the forms and hierarchies and imperatives of established religions that Pullman quarrels, not with the sense that there is something in the world other than, beyond us. Those who attack it as an assault upon religion are mistaken.

I'm not entirely certain what other controversial aspects you are referring to – the love story maybe? That must be handled with tact and sympathy.

they don't offend anyone do they, after all they are pro-religious. After all heven forbid some 11 year old reading something that isn't full of Christian propogander

I don't know if they went through with it, but a few years ago Harper Collins [?] said they were 'editing' the Chronicals of Narnia so they would be more accessable to young people today [ie removing the Christian overtones]. Cannot remember if they went through with it though.

New Line is a company that makes films for economic returns. You would hardly expect them to be anything else. They have expressed worry about the possibility of HDM’s perceived antireligiosity making it an unviable project financially.

Ahh, gather round everyone and witness the death of art. :(

Equivocating asshat.

Call me unwashed, but I've never heard of these books...

Call me unwashed, but I've never heard of these books...

I really do recommend them. They're some of the best books I've ever read.

Call me unwashed, but I've never heard of these books...
Written a few years ago by Philip Pullman, who I think was working as a teacher at the time in Oxford, and were sold as being an atheistic version of Narnia.

Basically both Spiritual and temporal authority both come in for a kicking and critisicms of them were a centre of the plot. And even though the books were written for children, like Harry Potter (although far better imo), became widely read by adults too.

Who wants to bet that this will be set in some vaguely fascist/communist secular dystopia. After all, films criticising those two ideologies always sell well. Terrible thing to do to books that showed children were capable of reading about things more complicated than "Peter helps Dad fix the car, Jane helps mum do the dishes."

Call me unwashed, but I've never heard of these books...
I'd suggest you go out and buy them, they are undoubtedly the greatest, or almost the greatest books of all time.

Written a few years ago by Philip Pullman, who I think was working as a teacher at the time in Oxford, and were sold as being an atheistic version of Narnia.

Basically both Spiritual and temporal authority both come in for a kicking and critisicms of them were a centre of the plot. And even though the books were written for children, like Harry Potter, became widely read by adults too.

Who wants to bet that this will be set in some vaguely fascist/communist secular dystopia. After all, films criticising those two ideologies always sell well.
As a freind of mine said 'Why not go the whole way and ahve them as two flag wearing little Americans fighting Bin Larden."

And for god sakes, lets hope they cast a Enlgish Girl to play Lyra. And an English boy to play Will, and lets hope they film it in Oxford. NAd don't make Lyra sound like the Queen, PLEASE!

Thanky much for enlightening me from "unwashed" to "just plain ignorant"! :D

As a freind of mine said 'Why not go the whole way and ahve them as two flag wearing little Americans fighting Bin Larden."

I would laugh. But there are somethings that should not be joked about. And it is all too possible.

And for god sakes, lets hope they cast a Enlgish Girl to play Lyra. And an English boy to play Will, and lets hope they film it in Oxford. NAd don't make Lyra sound like the Queen, PLEASE!

I'm just waiting for the Gypsies to be given BBC accents.

Thanky much for enlightening me from "unwashed" to "just plain ignorant"! :D
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0440238609/qid=1107637194/sr=8-1/ref=pd_bbs_1/103-8150845-6500638?v=glance&s=books&n=507846

;)

I'm just waiting for the Gypsies to be given BBC accents.
Oh, GOD NO!

hah, all the British will speak eather one of the three British accents. Upper Class Twit, Cockney idiout, or stupid scouser. Take you pick.

And also according to some people theres a probabiltity that the films may be switched from Oxford to America.

Oh, GOD NO!

hah, all the British will speak eather one of the three British accents. Upper Class Twit, Cockney idiout, or stupid scouser. Take you pick.

Not only that, but highly exageratted stupid scoucer.

And also according to some people theres a probabiltity that the films may be switched from Oxford to America.

ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGG. :eek: :eek: :eek: :mad: :mad: :mad: :( :( :(

There are not enough smileys to show how I feel at that idea.

ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGG. :eek: :eek: :eek: :mad: :mad: :mad: :( :( :(

There are not enough smileys to show how I feel at that idea.
There will never be enough smilies to show how i feel, but according to some people it may happen, and I wouldn't be suprised if it did.

Not only that, but highly exageratted stupid scoucer.



ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGG. :eek: :eek: :eek: :mad: :mad: :mad: :( :( :(

There are not enough smileys to show how I feel at that idea.
It's being done by the guy that did american pie. Look at it this way, if they butcher it completely it can't be associated with Oxford at all.

It's being done by the guy that did american pie. Look at it this way, if they butcher it completely it can't be associated with Oxford at all.
If they butcher it completly I will become very angry.

If they butcher it completly I will become very angry.
What if they butcher it a little?

What if they butcher it a little?
I will be angry, but I will refrain from going into knew line with a chainsaw and attacking whoever I can see.

I will be angry, but I will refrain from going into knew line with a chainsaw and attacking whoever I can see.
What I don't get is that this editing is being justified on economic nessesity. However films that are arguably more anti-religion have done well. Not to mention the fact that the books have done extraordinarily well.

To rub salt in the wound, it looks like the Da Vinci Code is not being changed in the slightest. Well on second thoughts, it would be hard to dumb down that story any more.

What I don't get is that this editing is being justified on economic nessesity. However films that are arguably more anti-religion have done well. Not to mention the fact that the books have done extraordinarily well.

To rub salt in the wound, it looks like the Da Vinci Code is not being changed in the slightest. Well on second thoughts, it would be hard to dumb down that story any more.
Yep, it would be.

I guess they don't want angry Christans pickiting cinimas.

I tried to read that series... although I think I started with the last book, and thusly gave up.

I guess they don't want angry Christans pickiting cinimas.

But will they? I mean, there weren't any angry protests to the book itself.

I'm not familiar with the series, but after reading the link I called my roommate who works at the public library and told him to get them for me. At least I'll be in a position to trash the movie if it really sucks.

But will they? I mean, there weren't any angry protests to the book itself.
There where book burnings of it though, wern't there.

Can I just point out that Chris Weitz isnt actually the director anymore. He's still in the project, but in a minor role aparently. And so the film actually has no director at the moment, no cast, very little money so far and very little positive press. I wouldnt be at all suprised if this project is quietly dropped if a director and substancial amounts of money isnt found very soon.
Anyway - back to the good news - NO CHRIS WEITZ! yey........i think.

Can I just point out that Chris Weitz isnt actually the director anymore. He's still in the project, but in a minor role aparently. And so the film actually has no director at the moment, no cast, very little money so far and very little positive press. I wouldnt be at all suprised if this project is quietly dropped if a director and substancial amounts of money isnt found very soon.
Anyway - back to the good news - NO CHRIS WEITZ! yey........i think.
When was he cast out of the directing role?

There where book burnings of it though, wern't there.
A few isolated incidents. Not enough to warrant editing out major aspects of the story. However the majority of protests were far more benign, such as the priest telling the parish not to read it

When was he cast out of the directing role?

I was under the impression that he was the producer, not the director.

When was he cast out of the directing role?

Quite a while ago now. I remember it being in 'The Independent'. Apparently he said the project was to much for him or something, and that he hasnt had enough experience. I'll try and find a link to it, but I'd bet that one of the many many fan sites will have some info on it.
My worry now is that because there's no one directly leading the project, it will just plod along with no real direction, which can only be a bad thing and a eal shame because the books IMO were absolutely bloody brilliant.

Chris Weitz has resigned as director of the film adaptation of Philip Pullman's fantasy trilogy His Dark Materials.

"The technical challenges of making such an epic are more than I can undertake at this point," said Weitz, who previously directed About a Boy.

He will remain as the trilogy's screenwriter and film studio New Line Cinema is searching for a new director.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/film/4097715.stm

Shit like that almost makes me ashamed to be christian

I mean HELLO?!
it's 2005
not 1492

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/film/4097715.stm
Thanks.