The Color of Magic
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Movie Reviews of The Color of Magic
Movie Review: If you love the Diskworld series you will love this.
Summary: 5 Stars
It does not follow the first two books exactly but when does a move ever? Enjoyable if you like the Diskworld series.
Scott-
Movie Review: Great flick
Summary: 5 Stars
I was a bit cautious about how this would turn out, but they did a great job translating this book to film.Movie Review: Very Fun
Summary: 5 Stars
These movies made from Terry Pratchett's books are great. I hope they make more of these.Movie Review: "So we're gonna look at the turtle's bottom?"
Summary: 4 Stars
I dig Terry Pratchett very much; I think the dude's brilliant. But, truth is, the first two Discworld novels aren't anywhere near to being my favorites. It wasn't until the fourth and fifth entries (Mort and Sourcery) that I really started getting into the series. Maybe it's because I never was too fond of Twoflower, whose obliviousness was so pronounced that as a main character he simply lacked depth and believability; and this then made me not invest so much into the story. In later books, Pratchett would continue to hone his satirical thrusts, but he would also make you deeply care about the characters. So, no, Twoflower didn't do much for me. On the other hand, his murderous multi-legged Luggage became instantly all sorts of awesome. Carved out of rare sapient pearwood, the Luggage exuded chunks of personality, never mind that its preferred expression is... wooden.
This two-part tele-film adaptation actually combines the novels THE COLOUR OF MAGIC and its direct sequel THE LIGHT FANTASTIC. I'm trying strenuously to be objective in rating this movie, but it's hard going. Terry Pratchett ranks as one of my all-time favorite writers, and, as a serious fan of Discworld, a live action adaptation still counts as monumental news to me. THE COLOR OF MAGIC is more accessible than (if not as good as) Hogfather. With THE COLOR OF MAGIC you don't have to be as in the know and the spoofing is more obvious. It's a must-see for Discworld addicts, especially since these adapted two novels form the launching points of the series. But will the rest of the viewing audience like it? Probably. Hopefully. Or it could be my Discworld myopia talking.
On the shell of the enigmatic world turtle Great A'Tuin stand four colossal elephants, and on their backs lies the Discworld, an improbable place where "hubwards" and "rimwards" happen to be legitimate navigational directions. Focus in on the bustling city of Ankh-Morpork and narrow your gaze at the magical Unseen University, home of mighty wizards and Rincewind.
There are eight levels of Wizardry. In his forty years spent in the Unseen University, Rincewind - Discworld's most hapless and cowardly wizard (but he spells it "wizzard") - has yet to achieve even one level. At last Rincewind finds himself expelled for sheer incompetence, and off he goes. He promptly lands a gig as guide to the amiable Twoflower, Discworld's very first tourist.
Back in the Unseen University, skullduggery. It seems the speediest way to advance in the wizardly profession is thru assassination of one's immediate superior and the assumption of certain articles of his wardrobe. Thus, sporting new pointy shoes and hat signals sudden career upward mobility. One of the wizards, Trymon, is played to wicked smarmy perfection by Tim Curry and, glimpsing him, it quickly dawns on the viewer that someone or possibly several someones simply won't make it thru the film breathing. Even more dire, the Octavo - the greatest spellbook of all - is getting antsy and rattling its chains (yes, it's chained up!). One of its Eight Great Spells has gone missing and the absence is causing great turmoil at the University. Trymon, though, sees it as an opportunity.
But, mostly, the film chronicles the misadventures of Rincewind and Twoflower. Twoflower insists on seeing all the sights, which causes no end of concern for Rincewind who, as mentioned, is a champion coward. If there were a course for Running Away... well, there isn't, but he would've done really well in class. There's a rambling feel, an episodic sense, to the first part of the film as Rincewind and Twoflower just seem to trudge along, one crazy predicament after another. That they keep on surviving is due some to fortunate bumbling and also to that one spell skulking in Rincewind's memory. Yes, Rincewind possesses one spell. But he doesn't really know what it does.
There's also a subplot involving a scientific expedition which sets out to learn the Great A'Tuin's gender, the knowing of which is vital for some unexpressed but probably very important reason. As one astrozoologist asks: "So we're gonna look at the turtle's bottom?"
And is that the Great A'Tuin inscrutably wending its way closer and closer towards a fiery red star? The people start to panic, as the star looms larger and larger. The Discworld needs a hero. Rincewind would please like to run away and fetch one. The story tightens up in the second part of the film, as Rincewind and Twoflower get caught up in a world-saving quest. So it's probably for the best that they run into Discworld's greatest warrior Cohen the Barbarian. Cohen has been in the hero business for eight decades, so it shouldn't be a surprise that the gent is now a geriatric. But he's still savvy. But savvy and toothless.
THE COLOR OF MAGIC has its share of parodies, satiric barbs, and all-around silliness, and mostly they're not so subtle. There's an overenthusiastic enchanted sword which bullies Rincewind into heroic acts (this is NOT appreciated by Rincewind). There's some gouge-me-in-the-eye-it's-so-awful wordplay regarding insurance policies, and the silly difference between the circumference and the circumfence (they both run around the edges of Discworld).
No problems at all with the acting. I don't know David Jason from Jason David, but he's pretty decent as Rincewind, although my sense was that the Rincewind in the novels was more robust. Sean Astin plays Twoflower, and he does a small wonder by making me like Discworld's first ever tourist. Tim Curry smiles and scowls, and both expressions are oily and pregnant with stab-you-in-the-back innuendos. One of my favorite characters in the Discworld series is Death, and he drops in for several humorous visits, usually timed whenever Rincewind is in mortal peril. And it's sweeeet that Christopher Lee provides Death's sepulchral voice. The best cameo, though, falls to Jeremy Irons. He shows up for half a mo as Lord Vetinari, the Patrician of Ankh-Morpork. The austere and despotic (but in a good way) Patrician is another of my favorites, and Irons truly does him justice. Also, author Terry Pratchett briefly moonlights as an astrozoologist, and it's absolutely fitting that he gets in the last word. Oh, and Brian Cox is quite good as the film narrator.
THE COLOR OF MAGIC doesn't have the scope of a big budget production, and yet the special effects are quite forgiveable and very much on par with what I expect from tele-films. It helps that the tone of the film is so very much nudge in the ribs. THE COLOR OF MAGIC, originally broadcasted in the U.K. in 2008, is presented in widescreen format on DVD. It runs at 197 minutes, so pack a lunch. In the Absolutely-No-Bonus-Features Department, the DVD comes with absolutely no bonus features.
The movie stays fairly true to the source material, but there are key omissions. If you've recently read THE LIGHT FANTASTIC, it'll hit you that the creepy things from the Dungeon Dimensions which, in the book, managed to burst thru into Discworld's reality, well, they don't do that in the movie. They don't even show up. We also miss out on a cameo from Ysabell, Death's adopted daughter (and future mother of the fabulous Susan Sto Helit). But, at least, we're treated to the Librarian, in both his pre-simian and then simian forms.
I'm stoked that the next Discworld project is bringing Going Postal (Discworld) to the cinema, and I can't wait to see how con artist Moist von Lipwig is rendered onscreen. But I'm really waiting on Death (a.k.a. Bill Door) or Commander Vimes & the City Watch to be featured as the central characters in future flicks. Sweet Oogly Moogly, may it be so! Until then, HOGFATHER and THE COLOR OF MAGIC ain't too bad as appetizers.
Movie Review: He's a hero, isn't he?
Summary: 4 Stars
A live-action Terry Pratchett movie is either doomed to fail in every way, or succeed in practically everything.
And "The Colour of Magic," adapted from the first two novels in Pratchett's brilliant Discworld series, is more the former than the latter. This one is no "Hogather" -- it has rather slack direction at times -- but it preserves Pratchett's wry satirical sense of humour. And of course, it's all about a mercenary, cowardly failed wizard.
Rincewind (David Jason) is ejected from the Unseen University, on the very day that Twoflower (Sean Astin) arrives with his many-legged Luggage. He's come to the Disc... to "look at it." But after Rincewind tries to con Twoflower, the Patrician (Jeremy Irons) orders Rincewind to be the guide/bodyguard of the Disc's first ever tourist.
After a massive fire sweeps through the city, the two end up fleeing Ankh-Morpork and running into all sorts of weird things -- a very assertive magic sword, a floating island full of see-through dragons, a dramatic dragonlady in a leather bikini, astrozoologists trying to determine Great A'Tuin's gender, the aged Cohen the (retired) Barbarian, druids, and even getting thrown clear off the Disc in a strange spacecraft. And you thought YOU had problems.
Unfortunately the Unseen University is having troubles of its own -- the magical book Octavo is acting weird, and power-hungry Trymon (Tim Curry) is scheming against the Archchancellor. Even worse, a strange red star has appeared in the sky, and the world is facing destruction. The only thing that can save it is the spell in Rincewind's head.
Perhaps it's because it's based on the first, roughest Discworld books, but "Colour of Magic" is not quite as funny or tightly-written as its predecessor, "Hogather." The writing is not quite as complex or as witty, and the direction sometimes feels a bit slack (such as the bar fight scene, or Trymon skulking and schemind around the University).
But despite these drawbacks, "Colour of Magic" is still a vastly entertaining story -- it has a solid plotline and it chugs away nicely after a somewhat sluggish beginning, and blossoms into full-out complexity about halfway through. Once it gets underway it starts to resemble a road-trip through fantasy-land, with our quirky tourist and wizard bungling their way across the Disc.
Along the way there's some fun action (an upside-down duel), humorous dialogue ("You weren't born with a mysterious birthmark in the shape of a crown, were you?"), and a general air of tongue-in-cheekness. Best of all, it's a fantasy spoof -- Vadim Jean preserves Pratchett's clever satire aimed at the staples of your average fantasy: fantasy babes, prophecies, magic swords, retired barbarians, powerful artifacts, and even the idea of reality warping itself to save the "hero."
Jason is wonderfully snivelly and sour as Rincewind, a failed wizard who basically finds himself repeatedly swept up into bizarre, deadly circumstances even though he didn't want to be involved. Astin is even better as the hilariously oblivious Twoflower, who regards every disaster as yet another great adventure ("We're going to run out of world!" "I have to see that!").
And there's a talented supporting cast -- Curry chews the scenery with sneering aplomb, Karen David plays a humorously over-the-top dragon-lady, and Irons has a small but wonderful role as the chilly, efficient Vetinari. And of course, the brilliant Christopher Lee takes over as an increasingly disappointed Death.
"Colour of Magic" isn't as tightly directed as it could have been, but it still manages to be clever and quite amusing.