Hogswatch ruined!

[Alf]

A person could really come to hate Terry Pratchett. There's all the dodgy add-on books, and now he lets Sky do the Hogfather?! I am, of course, dish-less and even if I wanted to remedy that I didn't know about it until now so it's too late. Earliest unconfirmed DVD release date isn't until March, for heaven's sakes, and ideologically-speaking do I really want to give Rupert any money anyway? And to top it off, if it's any good at all then any other adaptations will be on the blasted dish thing as well. Gah, I'm going to jolly well stamp my foot in frustration now.

<stamp>

There. Sorry, I just had to vent. ](*,)

Cheers, Alf

 

[mr]

Fear Not Im sure a remedy exists.
Mike

 

[Alf]

Mike, it's dawned on me I should count my blessings. On the plus side I'm also unable to watch ball-by-ball coverage of the cricket... :roll: :lol:

 

[mr]

The latter being a mixed blessing from point of view. Would dearly love to watch the Aussies crushed underfoot ball by ball stylee but it's not going to happen so...

When is this thing on Sky? Id be suprised if it didnt surface on the net shortly after - not that I'd condone that sort of behaviour as youre aware.

Mike

 

[Waka]

OK I'll ask, what's Hogfather?

 

[filsgreen]

Alf

I've sent you a PM

Phil

 

[Alf]

When is this thing on Sky? Id be suprised if it didnt surface on the net shortly after - not that I'd condone that sort of behaviour as youre aware.

8-[ I confess that never even ocurred to me - not that the damp string would cope anyway. And not that I understand what you're talking about of course... :-$

Waka, it's safe to say if you have to ask you'd groan at the answer.

Phil, no sign of one (bit odd - never usually happens)

Cheers, Alf

 

[filsgreen]

I've sent it again Alf :?

 

[Alf]

Got it - reply sent

 

[StevieB]

Hmm, watched the first half last night and have to say was not impressed. I guess its partly when you read a book you form your own image and ideas of what the characters sound like and behave like. Seeing it as a film/TV adaptation is someone else's interpretation and, for me at least, it was nothing special.

I mean come on, I cannot imagine anyone other that Brian Blessed playing Ridcully! The wizards as a whole were a particular let down for me, especially Ponder Stibbons. I also don't like the voices they gave the auditors or Death. David Jason as Albert - far too cheery!

On the plus side it seems to be reasonably true to the book in terms of story, but seen in isolation without knowing TP work or having read alot of his other works I think it is going to confuse alot of people, and appear to be very slow to get going. Hope the second half picks up a bit.

So far Alf, youve not missed an awful lot.

HO HO HO

Steve.

 

[mudman]

I'm afraid I have to agree. I love TP and have been looking forward to this for a long time now.
But, well, it seemed to lack something. I can't quite put my finger on it but it was distinctly lacklustre and disappointing. The kids all complained it was boring for goodness sake! :shock: I have to also admit to falling asleep and missing some of it. I was shocked to think that I could nod off. :?
It may be something to do with the book, I can't remember much of that one except my feeling that it was one of the weaker ones.
I shall watch tonight's in the hope that it gets better, but I am not confident.

 

[filsgreen]

I watched it this morning and I lost interest in it, falling asleep through having a hangover didn't help I suppose. Hope It comes together tonight, or I'll have to borrow the books off my Dad.

Phil

 

[Alf]

I feel much better; thank you, gentlemen. :lol:

Cheers, Alf

 

[mudman]

Actually I shall be watching it to see how TP himself does in the role of The Toymaker, or did I miss it when I nodded off? :?

 

[Steve Maskery]

Well poerhaps it's becasue I haven't read the book, but I rather enjoyed it (although I was just celebrating having one Sunday evening of the year without Tony Bloody Robinson, when who should pop up..). I've read a couple of Tps worlks, enjoyed them, but not had the urge to devour every word he has ever written. Went to see him at Hay one year - rather disappointingly uncharismatic.

I mucj prefer the stories of .. I cna't remember who!... but he wrote a series about Gods (they never die, but it doesn't stop them getting old enough to need a nursing home) - one was called Ye Gods! and another was about Ali Baba who gets transported to England as Alistair Barber. Similar weirdness tp TP but more fun, I thought.

 

[Gary H]

Yeah, somewhat dissappointed here too. Love TP and have done for years, but didn't hit the mark really.

Death - a bit too puppety, needs more ethereal quality. Good voice though
Albert - Okay for the comedy but can't get DelBoy outta my head!
Susan - Good choice. Never seen her before. Maybe that's why!
Nobby - too fat....and clean
Teatime - Rubbish! too childlike and sounds EXACTLY like Jonny Depp in Charlie And The Chocolate Factory.
Auditors - Cheap 1970's SciFi voices.
....
....
and the list goes on.

At first I was pleased that it didn't go all 'Hollywood'.
Now I'm kinda wishing it had - it may have worked as it did for 'That Woman' of Harry potter fame

I really wanted this to work, but sadly it didn't for me...

Maybe Guards! Guards! could have been a better choice. Or Mort even.
Never mind, eh.....

Gary

 

[Vormulac]

I mucj prefer the stories of .. I cna't remember who!... but he wrote a series about Gods (they never die, but it doesn't stop them getting old enough to need a nursing home) - one was called Ye Gods! and another was about Ali Baba who gets transported to England as Alistair Barber. Similar weirdness tp TP but more fun, I thought.

I think you mean Tom Holt; 'Snow White and the Seven Samurai', 'Grailblazers', 'Paint your Dragon', 'Faust Among Equals' et al. Great stuff

Beware The Socks of Incongruity!! :shock:

V.

 

[Steve Maskery]

Yes, Tom Holt, that's right. I must get some more of his, I enjoyed them.

Sorry about the rubbish typing earliier, i've got eye trouble again

 

[StevieB]

Well I watched the second half last night and my opinion has not changed, a very poor adaptation. No Librarian (just an oblique reference to apes being deliverd to before humans - if you didnt know the librarian was an ape that made no sense whatsoever) no cheerful fairy, no Biers and no logical link for Susan to actually find the tooth fairys castle, no pencil eater, the list goes on.

I have worked out why I like the books much more however - the humour. TP books have me snorting into my coffee and laughing out loud on occassion, Hogfather last night just didnt have any humour in it. It would be difficult to convey that to the small screen, possibly the only way is through a narrator for all the footnotes TP puts into his books. I also didnt get a sense of the fun that TP has with translating real world concepts into a DW setting. The only thing that did make me smile was the 'anthill inside' sticker on hex. It didnt seem to be as 'clever' as the books are for want of a better way of putting it.

I would watch another adaptation, but if Hogfather came on again I wouldnt be setting the video.

Steve: re Tony Robinson, he has read the audio versions of TPs books for donkeys years and is a huge fan, hence his appearance as Mr Crumley. Agree he is getting a bit ubiquitious on TV at the moment though!

Steve.

 

[nickson71]

I made a point of not watching it .......... It's that rare tht I've seen a TV program / Film based on a book I've read and enjoyed it ............

LOTR maybe an exception ........ but I've on read the trilogy once and that was a major sit and read session (took two and a half days to read the lot)

However if I've seen something based on a book I've not read on the TV and I enjoy it alot...... I tend to get the book as 99 times out of a 100 it a hell of a lot better