People have warned me that “The Golden Compass,” which came out on DVD last week, is a lousy film, but I think I’m going to watch it anyway. The movie, based on the first book in a popular children’s fantasy trilogy, was a disappointment at the box office, which some have attributed to the controversy about “Golden Compass” author Philip Pullman. Pullman is an atheist, and some Christians believe that “The Golden Compass” contains anti-Christian elements and a covert agenda: getting kids to reject their faith and embrace secularism.
Maybe I’m different from most people, but there’s nothing like a little controversy to get me to take an interest in something. I never would have watched every episode of the first season of the reality show “Temptation Island” if all those ministers in Birmingham, Ala., where I was living at the time, hadn’t protested the local Fox affiliate for airing such a trashy and immoral show. (The premise: Several couples travel to Belize and live with a group of attractive singles to test the strength of their relationships. Of course, adulterous hijinks ensue.) Controversy is also the reason I read “The Da Vinci Code,” which I hated. Not because it offended me, but because it was stupid and poorly written. In any case, controversy piques my interest; I like to see what all the fuss is about. In this spirit, I sat down a couple of months ago and read “The Golden Compass.”
I’ve always been a fan of children’s fantasy. I’ve read all the Harry Potter books, and a friend suggested that “The Golden Compass” was even better. I enjoyed “The Golden Compass,” but I can’t say I agree. As much as I liked Lyra, the young heroine in “The Golden Compass,” and Iorek Byrnison, the exiled armored polar bear prince who protects her, I felt like this was a colder, more clinical story: I didn’t care as much about Lyra, Iorek Byrnison or any of the other characters nearly as much as Harry, Ron and Hermione. I did think “The Golden Compass” was better written than the Harry Potter books, and also a little darker and more complex. By the end, I really wanted to see the mysterious world of “The Golden Compass” brought to life, which is why I’ll rent the movie, no matter how bad it’s supposed to be. You never know. Maybe I’ll like it.
Speaking of children’s fantasy, I recently read a fine book called “Inkheart.” I’d never heard of this book; it was thrust into my hands by someone who thought I’d like it. “Inkheart,” the story of a bookbinder who has the ability to bring characters from books to life by reading aloud, is a thrilling story, but I imagine it would appeal to book lovers most of all. It was a quick read, thoroughly enjoyable, and it made me think I ought to read more children’s fantasy — certainly there’s more to the genre than Harry Potter and the Narnia books. Children’s fantasy is a real diversion, in a way few books are, and occasionally you need a good diversion. For instance: After “Inkheart” I read something that made me fear for the future of the world, a collection of essays called “30 — The Collapse of the Great American Newspaper.” Yikes! I’m glad I read “Inkheart” before delving into such a frightening vision of the future.
This week “I’m Not There,” director Todd Haynes’ Dylan movie, arrives on DVD. I really enjoyed this movie, but I don’t recommend it to most people, mainly because it’s really, really weird. The thing I liked about it is the very thing most people won’t like: It’s not a traditional biopic. After “Ray” and “Walk the Line” I’ve had my fill of true-life musician stories, and I was interested to see a take on the genre that threw its conventions out the window. “I’m Not There” doesn’t really attempt to tell a story at all. Instead, six different actors portray aspects of Dylan’s personality. The one segment that didn’t really work for me was Richard Gere as Billy the Kid; it contains fantastic images — circus animals and such — but I wasn’t sure it belonged in this particular movie. But Cate Blanchett, as the acerbic, unpleasant young Bob Dylan, is outstanding, and the film also features the late Heath Ledger in one of his final roles.
One of my favorite movies of 2007, “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly,” was released on DVD last week. This movie, the story of Elle magazine editor Jean-Dominique Bauby, who learns to communicate by blinking one eye after suffering a massive stroke, sounds boring, but is never anything less than riveting. We see the world through Jean-Dominique’s eyes. We hear his thoughts, see his flights of fantasy and catch glimpses of Jean-Dominique’s life before his stroke. “Diving Bell” is also a movie with a lot of humor and empathy; you find yourself laughing more than you expect.
As for “The Golden Compass” I’ve got the second book of the trilogy, “The Subtle Knife,” sitting on my desk at home. I’ll probably read it when I need some kind of diversion. Maybe after “War and Peace” this summer.
What’s your favorite children’s book? Mine is “The Chocolate War” by Robert Cormier.
