His Dark Materials

Just found out that the first part of the movie trilogy will be out in December. Of course I probably could have found this out ages ago but I'd forgotten all about the fact it was being turned into a film.

What's triggered my renewed interest is that one of last week's birthday presents was CD's of the radio adaptation that the BBC did about nine years ago. I remember listening to the first part (Northern Lights but renamed The Golden Compass for the forthcoming film)) when we drove from Highgate (North London) to the Malvern hills about nine years ago. It made such an impact on me that I made a diary note to listen to parts 2 and 3 over the following fortnight.

Anyway, we've spent a glorious (almost) eight hours listening to the CD's. It's made me laugh and cry and it is a sensational adaptation. When the National Theatre staged it a couple of years ago I managed to get hold of tickets for Part One as a matinee and Part Two as an evening performance on a memorable Saturday, but there is a downside on spending most of a day in a theatre. You get jaded and a bit fidgety and by the end of the evening show you just long to get out. It was so worth a flying visit to London to see it though.

Here's a link to some stills from the theatre production

http://arts.guardian.co.uk/gallery/0,,1116481,00.html



And what you have here are some stills from the forthcoming film of The Golden Comapss - the first part of Pullman's masterpiece.

http://www.accesshollywood.com/photos/gallery/ah550.shtml