The Color of Magic
|
List Price: Our Price: $3.73 You Save: $4.20 (53%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Category: DVD See more DVD releases |
|---|
Buy this DVD movie at online store in your country
Canada
Canada
Movie Reviews of The Color of Magic
Movie Review: Brilliant! Brilliant!
Summary: 5 Stars
I'm just sitting here, hyperventilating after a couple of hours of Color of Magic. What a RUSH!
I'm not saying it's perfect (5 stars not withstanding); the editing somehow gives the impression that matters are dragging along at a leisurely pace, whereas, of course, all hell is breaking loose in about 50 different ways.
The shifty-eyed Rincewind is set (by the Patrician) to be nursemaid to the colorful Two Flower, who has just invented the genre of The Tourist on Discworld (the fantastic world invented by Terry Pratchett, which is shaped more or less like a rotating LP, with the water forever falling off the edge). Meanwhile, a dastardly wizard is bent on rising to the top of the Unseen University (of Wizardry) by assassinating every wizard ahead of him. A mystery of cosmic proportions presents itself: why is the Giant Atuin, the enormous Turtle on whose back Discworld is supported, headed on a collision course with an enormous new star?
Veteran Discworld afficionados will know that summarizing a Pratchett Plot is an exercise in futility. Suffice it to note that all sorts of regulars are delightfully introduced, from the Patrician (Jeremy Irons, beatiful!) Cohen the Barbarian (Awesome!) The Luggage (Stupendous!!!) the Head Librarian (Er. Ook?) and The Broken Drum. There are transparent dragons, female heroes, and even an enormous Troll, and a floating mountain. Sean Astin plays the accidental tourist, and does a beautiful job.
I think the movie has been brilliantly designed and executed, even if Rincewind is occasionally mildly disconcerting, as though he isn't just an inept wizard, but actually teaches inept wizarding at an acting school. Still, we must be grateful to David Jason (who portrays Rincewind) because he's one of the producers, and it really is a beautiful job at many levels. The special effects are just beautifully effective.
Some of the peculiarities of the movie are inherited from the book, I believe. The Color of Magic seems to have been the first of the Discworld books, and Discworld doesn't yet have the lived-in feel that the later books have. Where possible, the movie seems to improve on the book. (Terry Pratchett himself appears as one of the wizards, in case you're interested. There is apparently an appearance by Granny Weatherwax, though I can't think where; possibly in the Rite of Spring). The Inside Joke feeling some viewers might get is inevitable, since it's so difficult to present such a complex situation in each book, let alone a movie. I wish they'd got a real Orang-utan, but that's probably asking too much. (I thought I saw one in Hogfather, but maybe they just had a bigger primate budget.) It's simple, mad entertainment, but it's probably best to watch it with someone familiar with Discworld, and a strong tranquilizer.
Insanely recommended. Two bananas up!
Arch
Movie Review: An easy film to like for Pratchett fans...
Summary: 5 Stars
I know, I know... I shouldn't be such a fangirl when it comes to Pratchett, but I just can't help it! But then it's easy to gush when just about everything that's Discworld related has been either top notch or very, very close to it!
The movie spans the first two books of the Discworld series, Colour of Magic & The Light Fantastic. I'll admit that even though I did like the first two books, they did take a bit of getting used to the different writing style. They did change a few minor details as well as leave out one or two bits, but it doesn't diminish or take away from the overall storyline. I won't go into detail about the books due to the sheer detail and the fact that so many others have posted information about the books over the internet.
The movie brings back David Jason who had previously been seen as Death's assistant Alfred in Sky 1's previous adaptation of Hogfather. We also get such wonderful actors as Tim Curry & Sean Astin added into the mix. The quality honestly shows in the series & you can tell that the BBC tried their darndest to ensure that we got the best adaptation we can possibly get. That's not to say that this movie will appeal to everyone, though. If you didn't like Discworld to begin with, the odds are that many won't have their opinions changed... although I do predict that more than a few will become new fans.
Movie Review: Another English Humored DVD about Discworld
Summary: 5 Stars
What happens when a tourist wants to tour DiscWorld ? Well, those events are bound up in
this DVD called The Color Of Magic. Fun to watch the tourist be led around by Discworld's
more inapt wizard. The tourist travels with a multi-legged, alive, trunk which is an
unforgettable character.
I love this series of DisWorld books by Terry Pratchett. And this English made DVD is a hoot to watch
the character brought to life. I bought one book just to see what they were about and I love the story
line so much I went out and bought all the DiscWorld series books and DVDs I could. DiscWorld is a make believe
world of a giant sea turtle, with four elephants on it's back, with a large disc on the backs of the four
elephants that floats around space. Most stories take place on the discworld but there have been occasion
when the inhabitants of discworld try to climb down the disc to see what gender the sea turtle is.
Humor abounds with an English accent with witches, drawfs, trolls, elfs, watchmen and other delightful
categories of folks with a dragon\creature thrown in......and now one tourist.
Movie Review: Another wonderful Pratchett film adaptation
Summary: 5 Stars
As a fan of everything Discworld, I really really enjoyed this film. It has the same wonderful magical feel that Hogfather did, and the same splendid attention to detail, for which my appreciation knows no bounds. It is really a treat to see this world come to life, and to know that it is in the hands of someone who not only loves and cares about the books and characters, but who gets the author involved as well.
I was very happy to see Terry Pratchett and Nigel Planer (who voiced a great number of Discworld audiobooks) in small roles in both this and Hogfather. Sean Astin was cute and innocent as Twoflower, David Jason great as Rincewind (though a tad older than I'd always imagined Rincewind being), not to mention superb performances by Tim Curry as power-hungry wizard Trymon and Jeremy Irons as cool-as-a-cucumber Vetinari (ooh, that Vetinari..)
We also get to see the Luggage come to life as never before, and I feel they got its homicidal nature spot on!
All in all, a lovely, thoughtful and fun combination of the first two Disworld novels. I can't wait for more!
Movie Review: For me... magic
Summary: 5 Stars
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.