Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site psivax.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!cmcl2!seismo!harvard!talcott!panda!genrad!decvax!tektronix!hplabs!sdcrdcf!psivax!friesen From: friesen@psivax.UUCP (Stanley Friesen) Newsgroups: net.movies,net.sf-lovers Subject: Re: THE BLACK CAULDRON (slight spoiler) Message-ID: <618@psivax.UUCP> Date: Mon, 5-Aug-85 18:41:10 EDT Article-I.D.: psivax.618 Posted: Mon Aug 5 18:41:10 1985 Date-Received: Mon, 12-Aug-85 00:45:15 EDT References: <995@mtgzz.UUCP> Reply-To: friesen@psivax.UUCP (Stanley Friesen) Organization: Pacesetter Systems Inc., Sylmar, CA Lines: 41 Xref: linus net.movies:5590 net.sf-lovers:8233 Well, since I have finally gone to see, and most of the other reviewers seem not to have read the books, I will now make a few comments. For me the main disppointment was the *shallowness* of the story developement compared the the books. I really enjoyed their philosophical tone. Many of the more touching and significant moments were either left out or distorted in the movie. For instance, the basic points of how the sword was discovered were taken from the books(except for being in the wrong castle), then Disney went and ruined it all by allowing Taran(the Asst Pig Keeper) to actually draw the sword(in the book only a person meeting a very exacting qualification could draw that sword without being killed). Or the incredible fanciful approach to magic, I mean making Eilonwy's bauble *fly*, there is *no* valid reason to do that, all it does is provide some cheap thrills(and only for kids at that). Of course, even worse was turning the three "old ladies" into simple hyper-powerful witches! Even the first time they are met in the books it is obvious that they are something *quite* different than they appear, but just what is unclear, this really intriguing bit of mystery is totally lacking in the rather straight treatment they recieve in the movie. For instance, in the books, while they are always *threatening* to turn people into frogs, they are never *actually* seen to do so. As someone said, the fair folk were too cute for words. I mean Doli as a klutzy, flighty sprite with wings! Good points, well there were a few. The characterizations of the main heros were actually fairly close to what they were in the books. Yes, I can see the similarity between Taran and Luke Skywalker, but Taran *predates* Skywalker, not the other way around! And Gurgi, other than being to neat and clean, was fairly well done(they actually *did* mention that he was pungent). By the way, the movie was really only based on the first two of the books( and . Unfortunately, they closed off too many of the loose ends to continue with the series!(Or perhaps fortunately). -- Sarima (Stanley Friesen) {trwrb|allegra|cbosgd|hplabs|ihnp4|aero!uscvax!akgua}!sdcrdcf!psivax!friesen or {ttdica|quad1|bellcore|scgvaxd}!psivax!friesen