The Golden Compass (film)

The Golden Compass (film)
source
Name	The Golden Compass
Caption	Theatrical release poster
Director	Chris Weitz
Producer	Deborah Forte, Bill Carraro
Writer	Chris Weitz
Based on	Northern Lights by Philip Pullman
Starring	Nicole Kidman, Dakota Blue Richards, Daniel Craig, Sam Elliott, Eva Green, Ian McKellen
Music	Alexandre Desplat
Cinematography	Henry Braham
Editing	Anne V. Coates, Peter Honess
Studio	New Line Cinema, Scholastic Productions, Depth of Field
Distributor	New Line Cinema
Released	2007, 11, 27, United Kingdom, 2007, 12, 7, United States
Runtime	113 minutes
Country	United Kingdom, United States
Language	English
Budget	$180 million
Gross	$372.2 million

The Golden Compass (film) is a 2007 fantasy adventure film directed by Chris Weitz, based on the 1995 novel Northern Lights by Philip Pullman. The film stars Nicole Kidman, Dakota Blue Richards, Daniel Craig, Sam Elliott, Eva Green, and Ian McKellen, and follows a young girl's journey across parallel worlds to rescue kidnapped children and confront a sinister authority. Produced by New Line Cinema with a substantial budget, the film was noted for its visual effects and elaborate production design, but also generated significant controversy for its thematic content.

Plot

In an alternate world dominated by the theocratic Magisterium, a young orphan named Lyra Belacqua lives at Jordan College, Oxford. Her uncle, the explorer Lord Asriel, visits the college to present evidence of Dust and parallel worlds, which the Magisterium seeks to suppress. When children, including her friend Roger, are kidnapped by the mysterious "Gobblers," Lyra is given a rare truth-telling device called an alethiometer by the Master of Jordan College. She embarks on a journey to the North, aided by the aeronaut Lee Scoresby and an armored bear named Iorek Byrnison, to rescue the children from the experimental station at Bolvangar. There, she discovers the Magisterium, led by the glamorous Marisa Coulter, is severing children from their dæmons in a horrific process called Intercision. Lyra thwarts the operation and escapes, setting a course to find Lord Asriel in the Arctic.

Cast

* Nicole Kidman as Marisa Coulter * Dakota Blue Richards as Lyra Belacqua * Daniel Craig as Lord Asriel * Sam Elliott as Lee Scoresby * Eva Green as Serafina Pekkala * Ian McKellen as the voice of Iorek Byrnison * Freddie Highmore as the voice of Pantalaimon * Ian McShane as the voice of Ragnar Sturlusson * Kathy Bates as the voice of Hester * Kristin Scott Thomas as the voice of Stelmaria * Tom Courtenay as Farder Coram * Derek Jacobi as the Magisterial Emissary * Christopher Lee as First High Councilor * Simon McBurney as Fra Pavel

Production

Development began at New Line Cinema following the studio's success with The Lord of the Rings trilogy, with Chris Weitz hired to write and direct. The production involved extensive work at Shepperton Studios in England, with location filming in Norway and Switzerland. The visual effects, which brought the dæmons and the armored bear Iorek to life, were a major undertaking led by the Academy Award-winning team at Rhythm & Hues Studios and Framestore. Alexandre Desplat composed the score, and Dante Ferretti served as production designer. Significant changes were made from the source material, particularly to the novel's ending, reportedly to streamline the narrative for a broader audience.

Release

The film had its world premiere in London on November 27, 2007, and was released theatrically in the United Kingdom that week. It opened in the United States on December 7, 2007. A novelization of the screenplay was published by Scholastic. The marketing campaign was extensive, including tie-in promotions with Burger King and the release of a video game adaptation. Despite its global box office performance, plans for sequels adapting the subsequent novels in His Dark Materials were cancelled by New Line.

Reception

The film received mixed reviews from critics. Praise was directed at the visual effects, production values, and performances, particularly those of Nicole Kidman and newcomer Dakota Blue Richards. However, criticism focused on the condensed plot, perceived lack of emotional depth, and the softened handling of the novel's philosophical themes. It was nominated for and won two Academy Awards for Best Visual Effects, but underperformed relative to expectations in the crucial North American market. The film fared significantly better internationally, particularly in Europe.

Controversy

The film was the subject of considerable controversy, primarily from some Christian groups, notably the Catholic Church and the Protestant Catholic League, who accused it of promoting atheism and being anti-religious due to the source material's critical portrayal of authoritarian theology. This led to calls for a boycott in the United States. The filmmakers and studio publicly downplayed the novel's more overt critiques, which in turn drew criticism from fans of Philip Pullman's work for diluting the story's message. The controversy is often cited as a factor in the film's muted domestic reception and the shelving of the planned sequel.