Friday, July 13, 2007

Yes, it really is as bad as we feared

Last night we went to see the Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix movie. One of the trailers that played before the movie was a preview for The Dark is Rising movie - and from the preview it looks like it's going to be as bad as we feared. I almost wouldn't have recognized it if they hadn't called the boy Will Stanton early in the preview. There was very little there that I recognized, although I admit it has been a few years since I read the books, and I don't have a good memory for details. There was this whole mall/security guard thing going on that made me think, "What the heck?" (And I thought that I read that in the movie Will was an American living in Britain - if so, why do the people in the mall speak with American accents?)

Even worse, the character of Will looks completely different. In the book, it always seemed to me that he had a depth to him even from the very beginning, that made it totally believable that he was an Old One. The Will in the movie trailer seems to be a gee whiz teenager who thinks it's really cool to be able to do magic stuff.

Looking at the trailer objectively, if I didn't know the book I'd think it looked like a pretty cool movie. Which, unfortunately, doesn't bode well. There will probably be enough people who haven't read the book going to see the movie that Fox Walden will feel vindicated.

View the trailer here and judge for yourself

Other The Dark is Rising movie posts:

12 comments:

Erin said...

The trailer is hideous. Oh dear, indeed.

Anonymous said...

From the trailer, it seems more like he's a British boy living in America (he speaks with a European accent while all the other boys and the people in the mall speak with an American accent). Just a thought.

(Nice blog - I come here often to read the reviews and thought I'd say a few words this time.)

Unknown said...

Thanks for your kind words about my blog, thenovicewriter. Glad that you decided to comment! Yes, in general the accents seem to be a mishmash and very confusing. Maybe it would make more sense if you saw the whole movie. (Which I probably won't)

Hideous is a good word for it, Erin. I feel like starting a petition to ask the movie studios to leave our beloved books alone! I love a good movie, and I know that some changes are necessary to translate from one medium to another. Some of the movies made from books I loved have been pretty good. But why oh why do some filmmakers feel it's their right to take a book and completely gut it of everything that made it special?

Camille said...

We went to see HP last night too and like you, we were annoyed BIG TIME by the DiR trailer. When it was over someone in a very loud voice said, "Read the books, instead!" That someone then got elbowed in the ribs by her embarrassed daughter.

I am offering the services of Sheila and my entlings as consultants, Walden. If you are smart you will be in touch.

I gotta go take some Motrin now. My side is sore for some reason.

Unknown said...

lol, Camille. Too funny. If I'd been there with you, I would have provided backup!

Erin said...

I mean, honestly: "we are the light! they are the dark!" or "I can't even talk to a girl!"

GOOD GRIEF!!! That was pretty much the gist of the whole trailer!

Unknown said...

Yeah, it seems pretty dumbed down, doesn't it?

Michele said...

Actually it's an awesome trailer - it's just a load of cobblers (censoring myself here) as far as the story is concerned. If that wasn't meant to be a film of DiR, I'd probably be interested in watching it - it's got a very Walden-fantasy-film feel to it... It looks interesting and exciting - but it's got beggar all to do with the book !

Oh and can I just say Chris Eccleston with HAIR ? How weird is that ! I've only seen him in "Doctor Who" and "Jude" before and in neither one does he have lots of hair...

Camille, I hope your side recovers - I'd have said the same thing in your shoes !!

Unknown said...

Michele, I agree with you. If it wasn't such a mishmash of the book, I'd think it looked like a pretty good movie. I almost wish they'd just changed the name and be done with it, since they've changed almost everything else. Then I *might* be able to step back and enjoy it.

Unknown said...

And just to add - my husband Nick hasn't read the book, and he did think it looked like a pretty good movie. Although he's sympathetic, he's doesn't quite understand what David and I have been ranting about for days.

It's been a couple of years since I read the book; I think I'm going to have to get it out of the library and reread it.

Erin said...

Well I don't really remember the book much, but even if I'd never heard of the book I would still think the trailer looked dumb.

Michele said...

Ah now I have re-read the book/series recently (earlier this year in fact)...

I guess I can understand Nick's puzzlement over your/David's reactions...