Hogfather (Limited Edition) (DVD)

...set out to rescue the Hogfather and ensure that the Sun will return.

I do hope that I have not given too much away. Those who have already read the book or watched the original Sky One production will know the story.

A screen play is not the same as a stage play or the book upon which it may have been based. So this production does not follow the book word for word. Not every character from the book is present and some ...
...Dominic Borrelli ... Grotto Hogfather
John Boswall ... The Chair of Indefinite Studies
Ed Coleman ... Ponder Stibbons
Craig Conway ... Chickenwire
David Decio ... Unseen University student wizard
Rachel Edward ... Bobble-hat Child's Mother
John Franklyn-Robbins ... The Dean
Roger Frost ... Bursar
Peter Guinness ... Medium Dave
Gregor Henderson-Begg ... Pixie Helper
Geoffrey ... more

When all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse. {With apologies To Clement Clarke Moore (1779 - 1863)}

Well strictly that is not the case. There was a lot going on. The Ankh-Morpork Guild of Assassins had accepted a contract on- let’s just call him "The Fat Man". This contract was given to Jonathan Teatime, (its pronounced Teh-a-Tee-may, sir.){Not four o-clock in the afternoon} who saw the world in a different way from other people.

As a result there's a distinct lack of the big fat man who delivers the toys...He's gone. The fabric or reality itself is dependant on the power of human belief, so somebody has to do the job. That somebody is DEATH, with the help of a false beard, cushion, wearing the traditional red coat, riding a sled drawn by four rather large tusker pigs and ably assisted by his manservant, Albert. (one of the little helpers, official, got the pointy green hat and everything)

DEATH's granddaughter Susan Sto Heilit is trying to live a normal life as a governess, though she does have some of the family attributes (being able to see bogymen, stepping outside of time and riding Binky, DEATH's white horse) Susan has had an education and is very angry about DEATH acting as the Hogfather. In fact Death goes so far as to tell her not to get involved.

So naturally, Susan is going to get involved in the mystery. With the dubious assistance of: - The Wizards of The Unseen University and The "Oh God" of hangovers, Susan and DEATH set out to rescue the Hogfather and ensure that the Sun will return.

I do hope that I have not given too much away. Those who have already read the book or watched the original Sky One production will know the story.

A screen play is not the same as a stage play or the book upon which it may have been based. So this production does not follow the book word for word. Not every character from the book is present and some are not as prominent. Anybody who is not familiar with any Discworld will not have any preconceptions to go on. Fans may and could be disappointed but here Mr Pratchett has been involved in the production process so the production remains true to the spirit of the story if not the entire letter. He is included on the credits as "Mucked about by Terry Pratchett"

This production is the first time that any of the works of Terry Pratchett has been brought to the screen in this format of live action. Some animation is necessary given the nature of the magical reality of The Discworld and its inhabitants.

This production used a number of prominent actors and many that I know nothing about. Then some of the prominent ones I know nothing about either. I can approve of this. For many fans of Discworld, we will have ideas of what all the characters look like. Those ideas may have been influenced by the artwork of Paul Kidby and the Clarecraft products. So perhaps it is inevitable that not every character will match our individual expectations. If an all star status group of actors had been used then we may have thought of them in roles other than what they were playing. But by using relatively Unknowns and superb actors these limits have been transcended.

We can accept the performances as the persons that they portray. To pick out several,
David Jason... Albert. He produces just the right amount of sweet and sourness that I had imagined in this character. He may have been skinnier in my imagination.

Ian Richardson (Voice) and Marnix Van Den Broeke between them produce a fine DEATH. I would have liked to see the lower jaw move though as DEATH does like a good curry. The blue lights in the eye sockets however were fantastic.

Nicholas Tennant ... Nobby Nobbs. This actor I do not know, but he gives a very good Nobby performance.

Tony Robinson ... Vernon Crumley the emporium keeper. This is as good a performance as you could wish for. An oily distressed shopkeeper seeing his profits going away.

Joss Ackland ... Mustrum Ridcully. The Archchancellor of the Unseen University. He is enjoying himself immensely in this role.

Michelle Dockery ... Susan. Again this is an actress I know nothing about. But to me she plays the role of Susan to perfection.

Marc Warren ... Teatime. I do know that he has played Danny in the TV programme Hustle, though I have not watched it. Here he turns in a fine creepy performance with just the right amount of menace and other worldliness. A person to be watched, and as an assassin, from a long distance.

Terry Pratchett ... The Toy Maker, There is something strangely familiar about this one. I know I have seen him somewhere before.

Some of the other wizards I feel could have been fatter or more nerdy in the case of Ponder Stibbons but that is only me.

The criminal gang are well portrayed. Here there is a difference from the Book. But I do not suppose you can fill in every little detail or the budget will go through the roof (it must be quantum)

The backgrounds and costumes of Susan's rooms and Mr Crumley's shop have the feel of late Victorian or early Edwardian about them. That is another good point about this film and the book series. Ankh-Morpork is not some static creation frozen in imagination. It has evolved over the series of books. I did spot several visual jokes in the backgrounds. I wont say what they are, see if you can find them.

I did feel that the background music helped rather than overwhelmed the actions. Sometimes the music can be a bit too much in dramatic scenes. Here it was a compliment.

This set I got is the limited edition 2 disc set. It would appear that part of this is the special wrapping that has a number on it. I have no idea how many sets there are in this limited edition. From the numbers less than 100,000 I assume. So lower numbers may be collectable items at some future date for fans.

The production was on one disc. The animated menu has the choices of, Play all, first episode, second episode, screen selection and subtitle set up.
The second disc has:-
Exclusive deleted scenes. I would have liked to have seen these completed and included into the finished film.
12 days of Hogswatch {12 featuretes} This could give a tasted to somebody who did not know anything about the Discworld. I had the feeling that they may have been used as promotional material prior to the first showing of the film.
Gallery Still images from the production.
The making of Hogfather. This was a three part story about the making including some interviewing and extracts of the filming. I found it very interesting.
There were also some trailers for forthcoming Fox films.

Included in the material is a note from Mr P saying how pleased he is with the whole production and saying that there may be more films to come!

I am including the cast list, taken from IMDb as you may recognise more actors than I do.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Michelle Dockery ... Susan
Joss Ackland ... Mustrum Ridcully
Dominic Borrelli ... Grotto Hogfather
John Boswall ... The Chair of Indefinite Studies
Ed Coleman ... Ponder Stibbons
Craig Conway ... Chickenwire
David Decio ... Unseen University student wizard
Rachel Edward ... Bobble-hat Child's Mother
John Franklyn-Robbins ... The Dean
Roger Frost ... Bursar
Peter Guinness ... Medium Dave
Gregor Henderson-Begg ... Pixie Helper
Geoffrey Hutchings ... Mr. Brown
David Jason ... Albert
Richard Katz ... Constable Visit
Diane Leach ... Washer Woman
Stephen Marcus ... Banjo
Sinead Matthews ... Violet The Tooth Fairy
Maggie McCarthy ... Ma Lilywhite
Rhodri Meilir ... Bilious
Neil Pearson ... The Raven (voice)
Nigel Planer ... Mr. Sideney
Tim Plester ... The Tooth Guard
Robert Portal ... Mr. Gaiter
Terry Pratchett ... The Toy Maker
Ian Richardson ... Death/Narrator (voice)
Tony Robinson ... Vernon Crumley
Shend ... The Hogfather
Nicholas Tennant ... Corporal Nobbs
Marnix Van Den Broeke ... Death
David Warner ... Lord Downey
Marc Warren ... Teatime
Don Wetherhead ... The Bogeyman
Arthur White ... Ernie The Cart Driver
Kevin Wickenden
Deborah Winckles ... Mrs. Gaiter

Details
Format: Box set, Limited Edition, PAL, Special Edition
Language English
Region: Region 2
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
Number of discs: 2
Classification: PG
Studio: 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
DVD Release Date: 23 April 2007
Main Language: English
Available Audio Tracks: Dolby Digital
ASIN: B000MRP3YE
Priced £15.98 from normal of £24.99

There have been advertisements on TV now that this has been released so check around for price.

Finally I just had to include some comments from this that I found interesting and/or amusing.
Death: You might very well think that I'd already thought of that, but I couldn't possibly comment. {This seems somewhat familiar}

Death: Human beings make life so interesting. Do you know, that in a universe so full of wonders, they have managed to invent boredom.

Death: Let's go sleigh them! (looking at Albert)
Death: I don't know if you noticed Albert, but that was a pune, or play on words.
Albert: Ho ho ho sir.

Death: Humans need fantasy to *be* human. To be the place where the falling angel meets the rising ape.
Susan: With tooth fairies? Hogfathers?
Death: Yes. As practice, you have to start out learning to believe the little lies.
Susan: So we can believe the big ones?
Death: Yes. Justice, mercy, duty. That sort of thing.
Susan: They're not the same at all.
Death: You think so? Then take the universe and grind it down to the finest powder, and sieve it through the finest sieve, and then show me one atom of justice, one molecule of mercy. And yet, you try to act as if there is some ideal order in the world. As if there is some, some rightness in the universe, by which it may be judged.
Susan: But people have got to believe that, or what's the point?
Death: You need to believe in things that aren't true. How else can they become?

These comments and others are on the IMDb site and are included in the book also. I have not followed the convention of putting DEATH's words in capitals as he is quoted for the sayings.

This film is entertainment and it can make you think as well dealing as it does with the nature of belief and what makes us human. Perhaps you can tell that I am somewhat of a fan. Those of us who do not have a Sky package on the televisions will have had to wait the release of the DVD and it has been frustrating but worth it. I would not have you think that I rush out and get anything relating to the Discworld at once. I wait at least 30 seconds before reaching for my wallet.

Everybody should get a copy and enjoy themselves. As I have missed last year, may I wish you all a Happy Hogswatch for next time. Be good, 'somebody' may be checking up. 

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