Hogfather on sky this christmas

Skatedude

lo
apparently there will be a tv/film version of the hogfather on sky this christmas, looking forward to it

http://www.rhifilms.com/property.php?propertyId=Hogfather

Pugsley

Excellent, any ideas of a more accurate date? or is it christmas day?

Skatedude

not yet, but intresting is that there a few discworld films, found some on amazon soul music, wyrd sisters, discworld and hogfather, some are animated and other are films, have to start saving toi get the lot now

kittex

Only 'Soul Music' and 'Wyrd Sisters' have been released.
The 'Discworld' DVD is a box set containing both these films and the 'Hogfather' listing is simply a place holder for people to see it will be released after being shown on Sky.

Here's hoping they make more of the TV ones though - the 'HOgfather' pics look good.

Kain

I'm kinda a little disapointed that they didn't get Christiopher Lee to do the voice of Death. I hope Ian Richardson will be able to do a good job.

From the loks of the poster however, it seems like its going to be really well done.

jongore

They've started showing the trailer on Sky, looks good. If it's a tenth as good as the books it'll be a smash:cool:

Any idea when this will be shown so i can get family to record on the sky plus?

aidan_walsh

Deleted User wrote:

Any idea when this will be shown so i can get family to record on the sky plus?

Digiguide says that its on over two parts, on Sky One on Christmas Day and St. Stephens Day at 6pm, repeated on Sky Two on the 27th and 28th at 7pm, and again on Sky Two on 30th and New Years Eve at 3pm.

Bazookatone

kittex wrote:

Here's hoping they make more of the TV ones though - the 'HOgfather' pics look good.

I am sorry to say I never got into the TV adaptations of the Discworld books, and I am not optimistic about "Hogfather". I say a quick screenshot of the movie that made it look like it was done very badly (two characters wearing lame looking tooth shaped headgear, clearly foam or polystyrene). Admittadly, this is only my opinion, and I could be totally wrong, in fact I hope I am, because nothing would give me more pleasure than to see someone do for Discworld what Peter Jackson did for LOTR.

In my opinion, Discworld should be done in CGI. This is not me jumping on the CGI bandwagon, but I think, if it is done as live action, it will either look ridiculous, and people unfamiliar with it will assume its a kids movie and won't get the more serious undertones, or utterly unfunny and people will think that it's some bizarre cult thing. If it were done in CGI, some characters, who's descriptions are more like caricture, could be done brilliantly (I think the "Art of Discworld" art should be the inspiration), while the more "normal" (obviously, I mean relatively) characters would not look out of place either.

Any thoughts?

funky penguin

I agree that the basic satirical nature of the books mean that live action may take away from the seriousness.....

...but I'd love to see a Guards movie or tv film.

I think it will always depend on the cast and crew. (just got an idea for a thread.....)

Can't wait for Hogfather.

Tar.Aldarion

Sweet!
Too bad I don't have sky.
i wan't aware there was any films already.

The_Minister

My TV said that it was the 17th of December.

jongore

It's on Sky1 on the 17th and 18th December (2 parts). The making off the Hogfather is on tonight (10th). looking forward to it:D

The_Minister

Tonight at 8.

I'm not sure if watching it will ruin it for me or not.

kittex

I enjoyed it althugh Terry Pratchett's voice never fails to irk me every time. Getting very excited about it now.

DapperGent

It looks so very cheap I thought. Production values at the Cirque de Celebrite level. I was a touch irritated by the general farcical tone too, I always thought the Discworld books (at least the good ones like Hogfather) were good funny stories not farce. I hate farce.

funky penguin

I agree. Although I'm looking forward to it, last nights programme revealled how cheap it looks it certain areas.

And I know it may seem a little petty, but I'm not liking the music for it so far. I feel that it is some how cheapening it, and as DapperGent has said, making it more farcical.

Still, I'm getting excited!

Sam Vimes

i think i'll watch it just to find out who this "terry pratchett" is

Lou.m

I have to say it looked as if they were going to focus on the childrens aspect of Practchett. Pratchetts stories can be a childrens story, a witty story for adults, a darker story or a wise old man talking to the young. I always thought it would be difficult to bring all those aspects to an adaptation there is so much in there regarding history and myths and it is done in such a clever way and yet still remains down to earth but of another world. It looked as if they were focusing on the childrens story in there. I hope they keep the adult humour and wry observations in there too. I did not notice much about the production values. I am dismayed to hear that it may be vulgar though. But i will still be watching and i guess that is what they are counting on. I always thought that anyone making films was missing out on a huge prize by not making a Terry Pratchett film just think of the ready made fans. Anyway i agree so far adaptations have not been all they could have been.

KdjaCL

Books are books

Tv is tv


Didnt you people learn anything from LOTR???


Each to their own medium regardless of whats in it or not or how something looks or doesnt, what you think they should look like is made from your own imagination and the tv version is made from someone elses.


kdjac

funky penguin

Yes thats true.

We'll have to wait and see what is done with Hogfather first really to comment fully on it though.

Only two days!

Branoic

Im really looking forward to this - I though the behind the scenes show looked very good. I'm a little disheartened by the apparant negative attitude among discworld fans on various forums who haven't even seen it yet or complain that things are not exactly to their liking. Also, I think that for a TV mini-series the special effects and the effort they've gone to are amazing and truly commendable. Lets not forget that it is, after all, a made for TV programme and not the effort of a major Hollywood studio. God knows the special effects in either of the Dune mini-series weren't exactly perfect. But while the first miniseries definitely did have some issues aside from special effects wrong with, it was received well enough to warrant a second attempt which, most agree, turned out a hell of a lot better than the first one.

I dread what an unjustified negative response from fans will do for the prospects of future developments. If the show is well received and people are positive, studios and film makers etc will see the popularity of the serious and make bigger and better things. If this show is slated though, well, Discworld live-action will die a quick death right there.

kittex

DapperGent wrote:

It looks so very cheap I thought. Production values at the Cirque de Celebrite level. I was a touch irritated by the general farcical tone too, I always thought the Discworld books (at least the good ones like Hogfather) were good funny stories not farce. I hate farce.

Discworld isn't farcical?

Every single Discworld book ends in a climatic farce with most of the characters coming together and the ridiculousness of their actions or situations brought home to them.
Rincewind, the wizards, the librarian, Nanny Ogg, Corporal Nobbs… all ridiculous.

The joy of Pratchett however is that the characters and satire take it beyond and give it a lot more depth.

If the film focuses on the farce then yes, that will be a crying shame as there is so much more to it.
It might be that it’s difficult in a visual medium to add as much background as Pratchett does in the books. The witty biography and comments he gives us about each character will have to be summed up briefly with some visual clues. This can’t help but make fans feel some parts are missing or skimmed over.
Also, with so many books, there is so much extra knowledge we have that the casual viewer won’t possess. At least they have bothered to try with a 2-part, 4 hour effort, with a lot of background and information given on the ‘12 Days of Hogswatch’ videos.

I haven’t decided if I’m watching it tonight though or saving it for Christmas Day when I can really concentrate on it.

mike65

hi-def trailer 32mb.

http://www.discworld.cz/media/Hogfather/Trailer_Hogfather_HQ.wmv

Mike.

Watching it now. I thought the Auditors would have had a voice similar to Death's, not a comical one.

savemejebus

the guy they have playing teatime is doing my head in, the voice is the absolute pits

JIZZLORD

i cant agree more, the teatime character is pissing me off!

savemejebus

have to say that susan is being done well though, and death and albert are pretty much spot on (apart from death's mouth not moving). Much better than the animated productions

Ba_barbaraAnne

enjoying it immensely with my three kids. Teatime is a pain - but we are supposed to hate him so can live with that. Everything else is just perfect. David Jason's Albert is wonderful! Can't wait to see Bilious LOL.

Re-read the book over the weekend so find the script spot on. Probably one of the best book adaptations I've ever seen......

..... more to come. Ad break over.

Ba_barbaraAnne

Nobby is too Human looking and his armour is too clean and dent-free!

savemejebus

have to disagree, the look on his face is brilliant, down to a tee, very happy with this

have you been a good bo..., dw..., an..., individual

classic

nothing

My housemates made me switch over to ER, wouldn't even let me watch the last part! ARGH!

JIZZLORD

They are true to the novel, but it seems to drag. unfortunately i'll miss tomorrows episode due to work.

Karl Hungus

Have to say, I'm kinda suprised people don't like Mr. Teatime, I think he's especially good, though as my sister pointed out, sounds rather like Johnny Depp in the new Willy Wonka.

It's David Jason as Albert I don't quite like. He's just not the bitter grumpy old bastard from the books. You could never really imagine Jason as a former Arch-Chancellor.

Joss Ackland seems great though.

BKtje

The auditor's voice seems wrong to me but everything else seems fairly spot on.

Was talking to me mum (who has read the book btw) and said that people who haven't read the book may find it a little hard to follow. I think i could agree with that.

Overall i've enjoyed it

pretty*monster

Susan was totally spot on (as well as being pretty hot).

B-ut, I think they tried to cram a little bit too much into two hours, the story was jumping around a lot which was a little annoying and I think those unfamiliar with the book might have been a little lost at times.

Ba_barbaraAnne

B-K-DzR wrote:

...

Was talking to me mum (who has read the book btw) and said that people who haven't read the book may find it a little hard to follow. I think i could agree with that.

Overall i've enjoyed it

I think the little bits as 'links' do quite a good bit of explaining. My 13 yr old hasn't read the book but I and my eldest have read it more then once, and the younger lad has had no problem following the storyline.

nothing wrote:

... My housemates made me switch over to ER, wouldn't even let me watch the last part! ARGH!

Time to move house!!!!

The_Minister

Teatime was grand, it was the auditors that did my head in.
Still, a really good adaption

Ba_barbaraAnne

They weren't 'grey' enough

doctor evil

Auditors voice was wrong, teatime voice annoyed me. I thought your man from Time Team was good in it. I like the death of Rats.

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar

were we supposed to pick up on an anti smoking message in this first part? albert kept throwing his away or having the wind blow skins out of his hand... too much license taken!

A few points of notes from this;

Teatime is perfect I think. He is supposed to be the type of character you love to hate, plus his voice seems to give off this strange innocence, much like the character from the book.

I don't think Death's mouth is supposed to move whatsoever. Is the whole point behind it that his voice would beam into your mind (as it were)? I think the voice-over fits this to a tee.

The auditors voice were wrong. They should have a Death-like voice, the grainy, strange one- but not a comical one.

Nobby's face was spot on, though I imagined him to be smaller and fatter, with a possibly greenish armour. But I am willing to forgive this.. for now. Mwua ha ha ha.

Susan is the best part. She looks as you would have imagined (bar the hair, but that's probably in the book -- I need to re-read it as soon as I find it). I particularly liked the effect when she used the voice.

Only grief I have is with Albert. He should be more grumpy, plus I always imagined him to be a smaller version of Alfred from Batman.

MarVeL

Have to say I thought this was very good with a few slightly wrong notes, Albert and the auditors (now there's a name for a band) spring to mind. Some of the explanations grated, such as being told that Hogswatch=Christmas at the beginning, but I can see why they were needed.

As for Mr. Teatime's voice it bugged the hell out of me but it seemed spot on. I wouldn't imagine talking to Mr> Teatime to be a pleasant experience

GuanYin

Teatime is a sad rip off of Depp's Wonka - the actor even admitted that he'd just come from the film when he auditioned - it shows and not in a good way.

NotWormBoy

Yes, that was most excellent. Even if Pratchett couldn't act for twaddle.

8.5 / 10 overall.

Didn't think the Wizards got enough time, bar Ridcully (who was well cast and acted - you can see him as the outdoors type with no sense yet buckets of brains when he chooses to use them). They were also far too skinny (especially "Two Chairs" Dean) - and we didn't get to see the LIbrarian at all! I was looking forward to that. The Auditors weren't really menacing at all. Tony Robinson shouldn't have done that role. Teatime was a little girly for my taste - though he was one freaky motherf*cker at time - so I'll give him a thumbs up more or less. Death was spot on, as was Susan. Both of them were brought out really really well. David Jason did well as Albert, I thought, had more moments in the second half to be the cynical observer from the books. Banjo could've been a little bit more childish - though very good all the same. Medium Dave I liked in the books in the lot - though not as much in the show. Though he looked the ****. Nobby - while acting like Nobby really well - didn't really look like Nobby. Too... human.

The world itself was perfect too. Seems a lot of effort went in there, and it showed. Occasionally the action lacked a bit of pace and style - but you don't read Discworld for the action - though its gets must better in his later stuff.

The ending bit the the boogeyman was a bit ... pants - but the final scene with the Auditors/Wolves chasing Susan and the Hogfather was really well done - just like in the books. I loved the nod the Hogfather gave Death the end.

Ho. Ho. Ho.

funky penguin

I enjoyed it alot. 8/10

Susan was perfectly cast, Death looked amazing and as already mentioned, the world looked as if alot of work went into it.

A few gripes would be how drawn out it felt, Alberts general jolliness and the fact that I had to exposition the world of the Disc to my mother quite often (although that could be more her inquisitive nature than anything else).

Best delivered line....."Its the expression on their little faces...."

Heres to more next year!

Pugsley

funky penguin wrote:

Best delivered line....."Its the expression on their little faces...."

I'd go for "Its a sword, it isn't meant to be safe"

Really enjoyed it, Teatime was a bit irritating at times, and Nobby didn't look the part, albiet he acted it pretty well, but otherwise excellent, kudo's to Death and Susan who were both superb. Quite liked Albert too, he may not have been grumpy enough, but he was good to watch, think they got Ponder Stibbons spot on aswell.

Manny7

I enjoyed it too, a couple of things were a bit off though. Auditor's sounded more goofy than impersonal which was a letdown, plus did they use a dwarf instead of the Librarian? When Stibbons (who I thought was perfect) started talking about apes I thought he may get at least a mention but no.

Also I'd be interested in hearing what someone who'd never read Discworld got out of it, I know I was doing a lot of explaining during it, would it make sense if you're starting from scratch.

Any ideas whether they have more planned?

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar

friend of mine who doesn't read at all thought it was good... i was pissed off to see albert THROW AWAY his cigarette at the end of the movie.

fascists!

Zaph

I think some people are missing the point about the Auditors voices. They're civil servants, and as such they have the typical reedy, whiny voices that are often associated with career civil servants or similar jobs where pettiness is a virtue.

I have to say I enjoyed the adaptation, although I too would have liked to have seen Nobby more, well, Nobby-like. I thought David Jason was ok as Albert and Joss Ackland was superbly cast as Ridcully, but the best casting was that of Michelle Dockery as Susan. Casting an unknown allowed her to make the part her own.

It's funny how everyone has their expectations of what the characters, or indeed Discworld itself, look like. I've always imagined Lord Downey as being a bit more sinister than he was, but that didn't really spoil my enjoyment as it was only a small part. As for Ankh-Morpork, I always think of it being a lot more medieval, rather than Victorian, so it looked a lot more civilised tan I expected.

Overall, 8.5/10 and looking forward to more adaptations

Cormic

Was it just me or did anyone else think the Auditors sounded a bit like Daleks?

Really enjoyed it though. However I did have to explain a few things to my wife and friends, especially the fact that Susan was Death's granddaughter.

Mr Teatime sounded too much like Willy Wonka.