Starring: David Jason, Sean Astin, Tim Curry, Jeremy Irons, Brian Cox Directed By: Vadim Jean Average Rating: Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 Audience Rating: Unrated Binding: DVD Format: Color, DVD, Widescreen, NTSC Number of Items: 1 Region Code: 1 Release Date: July 14, 2009 Running Time: 197 minutes Studio: Rhi Entertainment Theatrical Release Date: 2008
Very disappointing for a long-time fan ^ I love Terry Pratchett. I even love most of the actors in this film but I agree with the folks who didn't think this works: it doesn't. The portrayal of Rincewind is quite good and Cohen is effortless. Everyone else is less than successful. I think it's because in order to properly play a Pratchett character, you have to be a character actor. Sean Astin, a great talent, is great for playing realistic characters. His Twoflower is dreadful. The stilted I'm-reading-lines delivery is like summerstock quality acting. From Astin, this was both a shock and a real disappointment. I didn't even care that he's not Asian like Twoflower is supposed to be: he just isn't good. Most of the cast are like this. Tim Curry plays Tim Curry, as always, so it didn't feel at all like Pratchett. Just felt like Tim Curry. A few of the side characters do very well but the material is not well-scripted. Somehow the translation got from page to script without any of the timing that makes the humor work. Lines are slowly said, huge pauses grow between the question and response...the editing and timing just sucked the film dry. Visually they did very well on a TV budget but certain elements jar: elaborate velvet robes on the wizards work but putting Rincewind in a button-down oxford shirt under it made it seem again like amateur theater. It takes you completely out of the moment. another example is a huge overuse of one 20' wall set of the Unseen University: you see it so much, you realize they built just this tiny peice and it again takes you out of the moment. Also it's boring. Likewise a lot of fans must have been used for crowd scenes: it shows obviously. Because it's made for TV, the FX are sort of mediocre. The dragon fight hanging upside down apparently was terribly hard to film and that's too bad: it's cropped so close and cut up so much it's impossible to follow what's supposed to be happening. The action sequences are so clunky and slow that I suspect the director is at fault for much of this; there's just zero tension. Any movie involving Rincewind is mostly action as he spends his life running. Somehow, there's no speed to any of this production. It's just slow, choppy, akward. And like Hogfather, if you aren't already aware of Discworld, nothing is explained to you, which leaves half the elements feeling like in-jokes. Why did Vetinari have to have his little dog? Anyone not a fan wouldn't know the difference and any fan would know we've never seen him with the dog. It's a good example of a detail included for the fan-base that is superflous and inaccurate. It's almost insulting--if you don't know about it, you don't need it and if you do, it's wrong. Jeremy Irons' Vetinari is actually pretty good though the lisp was annoying but again, script pacing and timing of pretty much everything needed to be rethought and re-edited. It would've been 40 minutes shorter but maybe it would've been good. And good grief, get actors who can handle characters that walk the line between real and allegoric.
For me... magic ^ Until I happened across this being aired on TV, I didn't realize this existed. I had enjoyed Hogfather and finding this movie was a great surprise. I think it is more magical for me given that I've read most of Pratchett's books and have met and had discussions with him in person. Watching the movie was like a mini vacation to a fun faraway place.
I think that Sean Astin is brilliant as Twoflower. The role is a difficult one to do successfully and he absolutely nails it! Outside of Lord of the Rings, this is my favorite role he has done. And then the luggage... perfect! Menacing and mysterious.. really good job of portraying the luggage as I imagined it. For me, the Rincewind character wasn't what I had imagined. Through the movie I grew to like the character and forget my preconceptions.
Overall... I think the typical Pratchett fan will love the movie. I certainly did. If not a fan, I think this movie is still great, just may not be as magical as the experience was for me.
Very Fun ^ These movies made from Terry Pratchett's books are great. I hope they make more of these.
Movies That Suck ^ I bought this movie used for $3.00. Unfortunately, it is not worth 3 cents. This is absolutely one of the worst movies I have ever seen and believe me I tried and tried. As a long-time Terry Pratchett fan I am horrified! Jeremy Irons, Tim Curry and Sean Astin. All actors I love. All doing complete crap in this movie. It was embarassing to watch. Don't bother with this total loser, you will regret it.
Color of Magic DVD ^ The Color of Magic is entertaining but not too funny. There are some interesting characters and ideas, but the movie lacks depth and does not always make sense. The book with the same characters related to the movie, The Light Fantastic, is better. But the book is very much written in the same style as the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy books by the late Douglas Adams, which are better than the Light Fantastic.
Anything Goes Trivia
Megaton Man
Trevor
