The Golden Compass (2007)

Director:

Chris Weitz

Writers (WGA):

Chris Weitz (screenplay)
Philip Pullman (novel)

Release Date:

7 December 2007 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Family | Fantasy

Tagline:

"It is the Alethiometer. It tells the truth. As for how to read it, you'll have to learn by yourself."

Plot:

In a parallel universe, young Lyra Belacqua journeys to the far North to save her best friend and other kidnapped children from terrible experiments by a mysterious organization.

Plot Keywords:

Oxford | College | Compass | Uncle | Orphan

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 3 wins & 26 nominations

Cast

Nicole Kidman	...	Mrs. Coulter
Daniel Craig	...	Lord Asriel
Dakota Blue Richards	...	Lyra
Ben Walker	...	Roger
Freddie Highmore	...	Pantalaimon (voice)
Ian McKellen	...	Iorek Byrnison (voice)
Eva Green	...	Serafina Pekkala
Jim Carter	...	John Faa
Tom Courtenay	...	Farder Coram
Ian McShane	...	Ragnar Sturlusson (voice)
Sam Elliott	...	Lee Scoresby
Christopher Lee	...	First High Councilor
Kristin Scott Thomas	...	Stelmaria (voice)
Edward de Souza	...	Second High Councilor
Kathy Bates	...	Hester (voice)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for sequences of fantasy violence.

Runtime:

113 min

Country:

USA | UK

Language:

English | Icelandic | Russian | French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | SDDS | DTS

Certification:

South Korea:All | Ireland:12A | Finland:K-11 | Sweden:11 | Canada:PG (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Ontario) | UK:PG | Canada:G (Quebec) | Switzerland:10 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:10 (canton of Vaud) | Singapore:PG | Malaysia:U | Taiwan:PG-12 | Philippines:PG-13 (MTRCB) | Argentina:13 | Germany:12 | Australia:PG | USA:PG-13 (certificate #43880) | Brazil:10 | New Zealand:PG | Netherlands:12

Filming Locations:

BCE Place, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Company:

New Line Cinema

Trivia:

Director Chris Weitz has himself adapted Philip Pullman’s work, citing the film and its sequels to be influenced by Barry Lyndon (1975) and Star Wars (1977). He also mentioned that the film would make no direct mention of religion or God, two of the key themes of the books - a decision attacked by fans of the trilogy. According to Weitz, New Line Cinema feared that "perceived anti-religiosity" would make the film financially unviable in the USA. However, Weitz reassured fans by saying that religion would appear in euphemistic terms.

Goofs:

Continuity: The first shot of Lyra in the Experimental Station is a reverse angle of her walking through a doorway with double doors. When the shot changes to the front the doors are closed.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Serafina Pekkala: There are many universes and many Earths parallel to each other. Worlds like yours, where people's souls live inside their bodies, and worlds like mine, where they walk beside us, as animal spirits we call daemons.
Stelmaria: Are we going to see the child?
Lord Asriel: I should think so.
Serafina Pekkala: So many worlds. But connecting them all is Dust. Dust was here before the witches of the air, the Gyptians of the water, and the bears of the ice. In my world, scholars invented an alethiometer - a golden compass - and it showed them all that was hidden. But the ruling power, fearing any truth but their own, destroyed these devices and forbade the very mention of Dust. One compass remains, however, and only one who can read it.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Starz Inside: Fashion in Film (2008) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Lyra

Surprisingly Good

For some strange reason, a theater in the middle of the cornfield in Indiana had a sneak preview of the Golden Compass, and being a fan of the books I decided to take advantage of it. I wasn't sure what I was getting into, as there seems to be a rather large glut of Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings wannabes crowding theaters now and in the near future. This version of the Golden Compass beautifully brings the books to life and was very pleasing to watch with rather nice visuals. The acting is quite good, especially from the young lead, and the animation makes one wonder what they can't do with computers these days. The only true complaint I have about this movie is that it is difficult to understand and follow if one is not familiar with the books. Some scenes at the beginning seems disconnected, but after the halfway point the story comes together. The Golden Compass series is rather dark in its nature, and I'm glad that the movie didn't pull any punches with the supernatural combat (which is awesome, specifically when the witches and bears do battle). Some liberty is taken with the story as expected, and many church references are renamed, but the quality of the story never suffers. I recommend the movie and I look forward to seeing the rest of the trilogy completed.