The Golden Compass

[Ben]

I really didn't like the movie, but I thought Transformers was really the VFX front runner this year.

I'd have <I>liked</I> it to go to Pirates, but had the feeling that we'd "seen all their tricks" in the last movie.

Whatever one felt about Transformers, it did have the best CG of the year in its film. As I mentioned on the front page, TGC's effects were very sub-par.

But, I agree...it doesn't make sense.

[Dacey]

I wonder if the fact that GC was an ultimate flop for New Line had anything to do with this:

http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=42447

[Ben]

Sounds like it will continue as a label. Funny, what's described there is basically how New Line runs anyway, so I don't see any big changes, ironically.

[Whippet Angel]

The very fact that this movie won the Oscar for Visual Effects is one of the BIGGEST jokes I have ever seen.

Funny how everyone keeps saying that

At first glance, the visuals in this film may not have been as stunning as those of the other nominees, but I felt that it truly deserved the award simply for all the effort and detail that was put into the visuals.

The film's story might not have been 100% true to the novel, but the visuals definitely were (nearly everyone I know who has read the series agrees that the film did a VERY impressive job of capturing the novel visually).

Eh, that's my theory on why they won. And in my opinion they totally deserved it.

[Dacey]

If at first you don't succeed...try a TV series?

http://www.comingsoon.net/tv/news/62861 ... to-bbc-one

This is one of those cases where I have no idea how they're going to pull it off with a TV budget, given how many digital characters the plot will require. Especially when the most popular character is a giant talking polar bear with armor.

Curiously enough, New Line, despite it being obvious for years that a sequel would never actually get made, has yet to release the fifteen minute ending they cut from the first film...even though a ton of those scenes made it into the film's trailers. I'd understand holding it back if it were incomplete, but this was finished footage that was removed at the very last minute and replaced with the whole "this is what we still have to do" scene that ended the film on an incredibly dull note.

[Ben]

...and hence the lack of box-office oomph and any chance of a second disc release with the alternate ending...

As for the TV budget, this is getting co-pro'd between the BBC and New Line: it's going to have the budget it needs. I wouldn't be surprised if it turned up on HBO in the States.

[Bill1978]

This news excites me. I really enjoyed the movie and was disappointed that the series never concluded on screen