... She told me she had been read all the Harry Potter books so far and was now listening to Philip Pullman's The Northern Lights. I sat on her bed and read the book, for several chapters, after about an hour I told her I thought that was enough and she should go to sleep. However, I had greatly ... Read review
In a marvelous parallel world where witches soar the skies and Ice Bears rule the frozen ... more
North, one special girl is destined to hold the fate of the universe in her hands. When Lyra Belacqua (Dakota Blue Richards) becomes the keeper of the Golden Compa...
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The official game of the New Line Cinema feature film 'The Golden Compass', starring Oscar ... more
winner Nicole Kidman, newcomer Dakota Blue Richards, and Daniel Craig. Based on Philip Pullman's best-selling and award-winning first novel in the His Dark Materials trilogyImmerse yourself in a parallel world where giant armoured bears rule a kingdom, beautiful witches fly through frozen skies and a human beings soul manifests itself as a transforming talking animal - their demon. Assume the role of Lyra, a rebellious young girl, as she journeys through the frozen wastes of the North on an epic quest to save not only her own world, but ours as well.Assume the role of Lyra's demon Pan to help her solve puzzles, collaborate with other characters to gain vital information and collect special items in order to explore, evade and deceive their way through confrontations and adventures. Gamers can also play as Lorek, a giant armoured polar bear and Lyra's companion, who battles enemies with his powerful attacks and special moves.
The official game of the New Line Cinema feature film 'The Golden Compass', starring Oscar ... more
winner Nicole Kidman, newcomer Dakota Blue Richards, and Daniel Craig. Based on Philip Pullman's best-selling and award-winning first novel in the His Dark Materials trilogyImmerse yourself in a parallel world where giant armoured bears rule a kingdom, beautiful witches fly through frozen skies and a human beings soul manifests itself as a transforming talking animal - their demon. Assume the role of Lyra, a rebellious young girl, as she journeys through the frozen wastes of the North on an epic quest to save not only her own world, but ours as well.Assume the role of Lyra's demon Pan to help her solve puzzles, collaborate with other characters to gain vital information and collect special items in order to explore, evade and deceive their way through confrontations and adventures. Gamers can also play as Lorek, a giant armoured polar bear and Lyra's companion, who battles enemies with his powerful attacks and special moves.
In a marvellous parallel world where witches soar the skies and Ice Bears rule the frozen ... more
North, one special girl is destined to hold the fate of the universe in her hands. When Lyra Belacqua (Dakota Blue Richards) becomes the keeper of the Golden Compass, only she has the ability to read its portent messages and prevent her world - and all others - from slipping into an evil darkness.
Play as Lyra her daemon Pan and the armoured bear Lorek as you set out on a quest to ... more
rescue best friend Roger from the evil Gobblers. Travel to the icy North where giant bears rule witches fly the frozen skies and enemies await around every corner!The Golden Compass SEGA. SEGA and the SEGA logo are registered trademarks or trademarks of SEGA Corporation. MMVI New Line Productions Inc. The Golden CompassTM and all characters places names and other indicia are trademarks of New Line Productions Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Postage & Packaging:£0.00 Availability:3-5 working days
In a wondrous parallel world where witches soar the skies and Ice Bears rule the frozen ... more
North, one special girl is destined to hold the fate of the universe in her hands. When Lyra Belacqua (Dakota Blue Richards) becomes the keeper of the Golden Compass, she discovers that her world - and all those beyond - is threatened by the secret plans of Mrs. Coulter (Nicole Kidman). With the help of Lord Asriel (Daniel Craig) and a group of unlikely allies ready to stand at her side, Lyra embarks on an extraordinary quest that celebrates friendship and courage against all odds.
Play as the rebellious Lyra, her demon companion Pan, and the mighty armoured ice bear ... more
Ioreh as you embark on an epic adventure. From the safety of Oxford to the frozen kingdoms of the North, your journey will be fraught with action, adventure, wonder and excitement.- Explore the action packed world of the golden compass in the official video game of the blockbuster movie.- Take control of Lyra, Pan and Iorem: Three playable characters with three different play styles - explore, solve, and attack.- Master the mysterious golden compass - use it to uncover vital new information on Lyra's world and unlock bonus content.
Postage & Packaging:£0.00 Availability:Out of stock
Production Year: 2001 - Family - Director: Owen Hurley - Original Language: English - Classification: Universal - Starring: Kelly Sheridan, Tim Curry, Kirby Morrow
Advantages: Great story, great acting, great animation Disadvantages: Does not stick to the book
...SHOWING ON SKY PREMIERE (over the Christmas and New Year period)***
Several years ago I was babysitting for one of my sister's friends; at about 7.00pm I put the little girl to bed and was told that her mum always read to her, at least a chapter of her book each night and she wanted me to do the same. She told me she had been read all the Harry Potter books so far and was now listening to Philip Pullman's The Northern Lights. I sat ... ...I had greatly enjoyed reading the book and with the recent arrival of the Harry Potter books which were widely accepted to appeal to both children and adults I decided that I too would like to read the Northern Lights. I tracked down a copy from the local library and quickly devoured the entire book, unable to put it down. I then realised that this was not a stand alone book, but was part of the Dark Materials Trilogy, comprising also of The Subtle ... more
***THE GOLDEN COMPASS IS CURRENTLY SHOWING ON SKY PREMIERE (over the Christmas and New Year period)***
Several years ago I was babysitting for one of my sister's friends; at about 7.00pm I put the little girl to bed and was told that her mum always read to her, at least a chapter of her book each night and she wanted me to do the same. She told me she had been read all the Harry Potter books so far and was now listening to Philip Pullman's The Northern Lights. I sat on her bed and read the book, for several chapters, after about an hour I told her I thought that was enough and she should go to sleep. However, I had greatly enjoyed reading the book and with the recent arrival of the Harry Potter books which were widely accepted to appeal to both children and adults I decided that I too would like to read the Northern Lights. I tracked down a copy from the local library and quickly devoured the entire book, unable to put it down. I then realised that this was not a stand alone book, but was part of the Dark Materials Trilogy, comprising also of The Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass. I read these two soon after finishing The Northern Lights and these tales stuck with me as some of the best stories I had ever read. What appealed to me was the escape to another world not unlike our own for magical adventures.
A few years ago when I saw that The Northern Lights was to be made into a film I was very eager to see it, however when the book had journeyed to America it had been re-named The Golden Compass and this was also to be the name of the film, still I could not wait to see it. When the film was released in our local cinema my boyfriend bought tickets to see it on the first night, I was thrilled and I loved the film, although it had not stuck to the book very well.
By the time that the film was released on DVD my birthday was rolling around and since my boyfriend had just purchased the new PS3 which can be used a blu-ray player, his sister was kind enough to buy me The Golden Compass 2 disc edition on blu-ray DVD, again I was ecstatic.
According to the protective sleeve of the DVD 2-disc DVD loaded with extras Disc 1 - Feature Commentary by Writer/Director Chris Weitz and Enhanced Visual Commentary Disc 2 - The Novel, The Adaptation, Finding Lyra Belacqua, Dæmons, The Alethiometer, Production Design, Costumes, Oxford, Armoured Bears, Music, The Launch, Teaser Trailer, Trailer #2, Final Trailer and Companion Galleries to above futurities However, it was not really the extras I was interested in it was more the film.
When I first put the DVD in I was impressed to see that it runs in 1080i, what is also referred to as full HD, this really enhances the viewing experience as it increases the quality of the picture and helps to bring the images to life.
The film starts with a voiceover explaining that there are many worlds, many similar to ours; in our world our souls live within us, however in this world the live externally as animal dæmons. The connection between these worlds is also explained, as is the purpose of the Alethiometer (Golden Compass).
The film follows the adventures of Lyra Belacqua, an orphan who lives at Jordan College in Oxford and enjoys playing with the servant and gyptian children. Lyra's uncle Asriel arrives at the college to request funds to visit 'the north' and explore the existence of dust which flows through dæmons into people and connects worlds.
Lyra is taken to 'the north', where the ice bears and witches rule, by a lady named Mrs Coulter. Before she leaves on her journey she is given a gift by the master of the college, the alethiometer, which was given to him by Lyra's uncle Asriel. Initially Mrs Coulter appears to be a caring and kind lady, but Lyra quickly realises there is more to meets the eye with her and she is forced to run away. She finds herself in the care of the gyptians who help her with everything she needs to save her friends Roger and Billy who has been taken by the Gobblers.
Things are not easy for Lyra, as when she finally meets an ice bear, she must help him on his own quest as well as trying to find her friends before it is too late. She must also learn to use the alethiometer to help her on her travels, but this does not come easily. She meets witches, aviators and kings along her way, all with their own agendas and quests. Trying to survive without being gobbled is hard enough, without trying to help others along the way.
Dakota Blue Richards plays Lyra Belacqua Daniel Craig plays Lord Asriel Nicole Kidman plays Mrs Coulter Ben Walker plays Roger Charlie Rowe plays Billy Jim Carter plays Lord John Faa (king of the gyptians) Eva Green plays Serafina Pekkala (clan queen of the witches) Ian McKellen voices Iorek Byrnison (ice bear) Freddie Highmore voices Pantalaimon (Lyra's dæmon)
The acting and voices in this film are fabulous. Dakota Blue Richards, who was previously an unknown child actress, pulls off a fantastic performance in this film, she makes you believe that she has a connection with Pantalaimon, by the way she interacts with the animal. She also gives the role a lot of emotion as she searches for her lost friends and meets a lot of new ones. Luckily she has already been contracted to play Lyra in the second two films of the trilogy. Nicole Kidman also provides a very believable character, she is a glamorous lady, with an underlying evil streak. As her character's personality begins to change, her body language and interactions become slightly different, which I think shows her true capacity. Daniel Craig has a tough rule to play, though he is probably the least seen main character his presence is felt throughout the film. Each of his scenes is very varied, he is a scholar, an adventurer and a fighter. His varied role is well reflected in his acting. The animated characters in this film, are just great as their voices are full of passion as they try to help Lyra through her voyage. Ian McKellen is amazing and by the end of this film I was completely in love with his character, the ice bear Iorek Byrnison.
There is a lot of animation within this film, due to the fantasy nature of the film. This also means that actors and actresses are required to interact with animated characters, which is obviously difficult to get exactly right. However it is clear that within this film the latest animatronics techniques have been used to make each scene as convincing as it possibly can be. I don't think that if all the characters in this film had been animated the end result would have been as good, as it currently is.
The soundtrack within this film is outstanding, it makes you feel like you are encountering something truly amazingly magical. There are no well known songs or even lyrics, but the instrumental music really helps this story as it reaches climaxes and tragedies.
Unfortunately I am only able to comment on how the DVD plays through the PS3, as nobody that I know currently has a blu-ray DVD player. One fantastic feature I have noticed is that during the film if you press the square button on the controller there is the menu appears which allows you to pause the movie, select a scene, access special features or set up options. This is such a good feature because these things can be done in a small area of the screen while the movie continues to play.
Scene Selection - there are nineteen chapters within the film, any of which can be selected as a starting point Special Features - allows you to enable audio commentary by the director Chris Weitz or enhanced visual commentary which takes you behind the scenes as you watch the film, with a picture in picture feature Set Up Options - allows you to turn on subtitles, however the only available language is English and again allows you to add audio commentary from the director Chris Weitz
This film carries a PG certificate due to 'moderate fantasy violence and intense scenes' The film runs for 113 minutes
The 2 disc blu-ray DVD is available from HMV for £13.99 or from play.com for £17.99. I don't think that blu-ray DVDs are currently worth purchasing, although they make a lot of difference to the viewing experience, the added cost does not warrant the enhancements. The standard DVD is available from HMV for £5.99, which this film is well worth.
I think that this is a great family film, I have sat down with my parents and young sisters and everyone has enjoyed it. My boyfriend thinks that the film is great fun and I think he has watched the DVD more times than I have. I don't think that this film would be suitable for young children as there are scenes of anger and think that some of these may frighten them. I think that this is a great Christmas film and I would strongly suggest that if you can watch it, whether at Christmas or not, I certainly would. And if you can watch the film in HD or on a blu-ray DVD I would because it makes the characters pop out of the tv, it really brings them to life.
I think that the only other films this one can be compared to is the Harry Potter films, as they are family films, with elements of magic and adventure. I think that this film is probably one of the best family fantasy films on DVD at the moment, especially when watched on blu-ray DVD.
The one thing I would say to anyone who read The Northern Lights by Philip Pullman is if you are going to watch this film, do not compare it to the book and watch it with an open mind. The film does not particularly faithfully portray the story in the book, but it is still a great film.
For more information, why not try Internet Movie Database http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0385752/ Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Golden_Compass_(film)
entirely with the toys in the shop - this is, once again, the case of the director/writer relying entirely on special-effects to pull everything off.
The movie is a mind-boggling sham, and was created for the sole purpose of making money last Christmas... after all, the Christmas season is a great time to make money with kiddie movies, however, they didn't stand a chance in hell against the likes of 'The GoldenCompass'.
Although fascinating to the eye, 'Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium' is below average and should be earmarked for the bin. Watching it in HD or Blu-Ray isn't going to make a difference... you'll be awed by the quality of the sound and the image, but totally bored out of your mind with the movie. ...
Contains moderate fantasy violence and intense scenes
Video Category
Feature Film
Country Of Origin
United States of America
Plot
This star-packed fantasy adventure follow the exploits of a 12-year-old girl as she attempts to find a kidnapped friend in a world filled with speaking animals, witches, wizards, and more.
Release details
DVD Region
Blu-ray
Studio(s)
ENTERTAINMENT IN VIDEO; CINRAM LOGISTICS
Languages
Main Language
English
Technical information
Special Features
Feature Commentary by Writer, Director Chris Weitz, Featurettes: Daemons, The Alethiometer, Costumes, Armoured, Bears, The Novel, The Adaptation, Finding Lyra Belacqua, Production, Design, Oxford, Music, The Launch, Teaser Trailer, Trailer 2 , Final Trailer
Aspect Ratio
16:9 Anamorphic Wide Screen
Sound
Dolby Digital
Professional reviews
Review
The blend of live action, CG and visual effects is superb, making what must have been a technological nightmare look easy as pie (Hollywood Reporter, 07/02/2008)
DVD Description
THE GOLDEN COMPASS is an adaptation of the first book in the beloved but controversial fantasy series by Phillip Pullman. The story opens with Lyra Belacqua (Dakota Blue Richards) an orphan girl who lives in an alternate world that is similar to earth, but where people's souls exist outside of their bodies in animal form. The people are ruled by a shadowy and oppressive council known as the Magisterium, which is doing it's best to keep everyone from getting information about what is called 'Dust.' Lyra's Uncle Asriel (Daniel Craig) has been researching Dust, and he has seen to it that Lyra is given safe shelter at Jordan College. But when the visiting Mrs. Coulter (Nicole Kidman) arrives, she asks Lyra to accompany her on a trip to the North to meet the Panserbjorne, a race of armoured bears. Before Lyra leaves, the Headmaster gives her a golden compass, a device which only she can read, and from which she can intuit the truth. Lyra leaves with Mrs. Coulter, but when she learns that her friends have been kidnapped by 'Gobblers' she heads out to find them, and soon joins forces with the nomadic Gyptians, some witches, and an armoured bear called Iorek Byrnison (voice by Ian McKellen). Lyra finds her friends, and so discovers the evil plans the Magisterium has cooked up for the world's children. By the film's end, she has vowed to track down her Uncle Asriel, and to discover the true power of Dust.
Hollywood had a tricky time of taming this tale, as Pullman's books portray religion - the Catholic Church in particular - in a less than flattering light. The film version carefully steers clear of these themes, and instead puts its enormous budget into creating visually stunning effects. While fans of the books may find fault with this streamlined version, children are sure to revel in the many talking animals and whimsical airships.
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