ROTTEN TOMATOES: You've Got Questions? The Golden Compass Director Chris Weitz Has Answers

You've Got Questions? The Golden Compass Director Chris Weitz Has Answers

Weitz embarks on weekly Q&A at MTV Movies.

by Jeff Giles | November 15, 2007

With less than a month remaining before The Golden Compass debuts in theaters -- and an entire trilogy's worth of controversy already brewing around the film -- director Chris Weitz has kicked off a weekly Q&A with filmgoers.

Weitz is participating in a weekly series at MTV Movies, answering questions about Compass every Wednesday, and the first installment is up now. It won't do anything to change the minds of people who have already decided to boycott the movie, but Weitz's candor is admirable, and his answers to these questions really drive home the difficulty (if not impossibility) of delivering an adaptation that will satisfy fans of Philip Pullman's books while nullifying complaints from people who view them as attacks on religion. In the director's own words:

What I would say to fans of the book who are worried about the fidelity of the film is - just see the film. Then we'll have a good point of reference from which to talk. Or, of course, don't see the film if you think that the book itself is harmed by departures from the text. Philip Pullman likes to quote James M. Cain on this issue. Once, when somebody asked him if he was worried what a movie adaptation would do to his book, he said, "What do you mean? The book is right over there, on the shelf."

Now, one thing that some of the extremists who have attacked the film are right about is that I would be happy if it made more people read the books - not because I am pursuing any sort of atheist agenda (this is a ridiculous idea), but because they are great works of literature, beautiful, permanent, and unassailable. They're not going anywhere. And as for those who are concerned that I have not used the word "Church" but only the word "Magisterium" for the bad guys, and that sort of thing, I would advise them to do a little research into the meaning of the word "Magisterium" for starters. Some people will only be satisfied if the film I've made is an outright attack on religion, which to me shows that they have misapprehended the meaning of Pullman's books as much as the "other side."

To read more of Weitz's thoughts on the film -- and his plans for the sequel -- click on the link below!

Source: MTV Movies

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(1-20 of 42 posts) | Reply

Gimy writes:
on Nov 15 2007 05:03 AM

lets face it..."so, why do YOUUU hate god?" is going to be the question he gets the most. poor b3stard. this flick better be good...cuz walking through "god is great!" protests are kind of annoying if i'm in the wrong mood, anybody remember Da Vinci Code...jeeeeesus christ...

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Bardego writes:
on Nov 15 2007 05:09 AM

Weitz ought to protest the film the same way Kevin Smith protested Dogma.

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musiclc writes:
on Nov 15 2007 06:13 AM

Yeah, it's just ridiculous that parents would be concerned about a movie adapted from books whose sole purpose is to promote an athiestic agenda. Those crazy people!

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blank blank writes:
on Nov 15 2007 07:25 AM

people need to chill out, its a kids movie for crying out loud. the adults who watch this movie are already entrenched in their religious beliefs and the all the religious subtext is going to be way over the heads of the kids who watch this movie.

i really do feel bad for the director though. first, new line sinks 150 million in a movie that even without all the controversy isnt a sure thing to make money, because its a hard sell. whats the movie about? well, its a story about a girl who's soul is an animal that changes shape who is given a truth telling compass and she meets up with a polar bear to go find her lost friend in the north pole, all while a war is going on between mysterious unknown factions.

but on top of that, its going to piss off everyone, the fans of the books who thought they would see a direct translation on screen, and the religious people who take a kids fantasy movie way too seriously. its pretty much a no win situation.

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fbp writes:
on Nov 15 2007 08:28 AM

Were there any athiest protests in front of the Chronicles Of Narnia movie? I'm not sure if there were, but if not, there must have been a huge surge in the coffers of the Catholic Church. Y'know, 'cause Hollywood movies are dangerous and people don't have minds of their own.

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phoenixphire24 writes:
on Nov 15 2007 09:33 AM

Uh, it's a movie! Are people so unsure of their faith that they're suddenly going to become atheists because of some subtext in a movie? Especially when a lot of the subtext has already been removed? Give it a chance and learn to love it as a piece of good literature (and I hope a good movie), even if you might not agree with all the messages. I'm not Christian, but that doesn't mean I can't appreciate Narnia!

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OperaGhost21 writes:
on Nov 15 2007 10:07 AM

Well said phoenix.

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musiclc writes:
on Nov 15 2007 10:50 AM

"It's just a movie..." makes no sense. Ever heard of commercials? You can appreciate the ingenuity/craft/etc.. of Nazi propaganda, without saying "give it a chance, cause who's going to change their beliefs!"

And most famous 'literature' has a strong agenda to persuade it's readers, which is fine. But part of being a responsible Christian parent means limiting exposure to wackos - regardless of how nicely packaged in a book, or hugely expensive movie.

There's a glut of total junk movie aimed at kids, but when Christians disagree with one they (Christians) must be stopped! How insane.

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bookworm1994 writes:
on Nov 15 2007 10:55 AM

I don't fricken get this. I am a Christian, let's clear the air now, but I really don't understand the controversy around this. What the heck, guys? This is about discovering alternate universes. Now, how many people believe we have a ton of different dimensions? *radio silence* Okayyyyyy, so if you don't believe in that, watching this movie will make you? IT'S A TALKING POLAR BEAR WHO'S A PANSERBJORN AND A LITTLE GIRL WITH AN ALETHIOMETER! This isn't REAL, far right freakos. Nothing about it is. This is a FANTASY movie, get over it! Just like Da Vinci code was an action movie, not an advertisement for atheism. If I watched a movie droning on about evolution, would I change? NO! You don't think I've already looked into my own faith? If you don't trust your belief enough to be surrounded by another belief and keep your own . . . well, that's your own problem. Don't force that on the rest of us.

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Alcy writes:
on Nov 15 2007 11:13 AM

All the controversy is completely ridiculous, can we just forget about it please and concentrate on the hotness of Eva Green? That's why I'll be lining up to see the movie on opening day...and I suppose I really enjoyed the books as well!

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samlane writes:
on Nov 15 2007 11:26 AM

In reply to this comment (#1278349)
Good Point musiclc. But here's another idea. Instead of boycotting the film, you could try taking you kids to see it and then go home and discuss some of the issues with them. It might could make for a very entertaining AND learning experience. It might give you the opportunity to give your kids a better understanding of why you believe like you believe and why some of the messages in the golden compass are wrong. In my experience, this is a better aproach to take. Something about the idea of boycotting everything controversial or showing differing views makes me cringe.

Sam

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musiclc writes:
on Nov 15 2007 11:49 AM

RE: bookworm1994 -

Maybe you should look at how Jesus used parables (stories) to teach and persuade. It's a powerful way to reason and persuade. Again, I mention commercials - if you think you're immune, then you must be non-human. And if you think kids are immune, you aren't looking around.

Here's a quick rundown of some themes (from another author) in the 3 books:
"God is a liar and a mortal. The heroine is the product of adultery and murder; priests act as professional hit men, torturers and authorize occult experimentation on young children; an ex-nun engages in occult practices and promiscuous behavior, and speaks of it openly with a 12-year-old couple; and the angels who rebel against God are good, while those who fight on God's side are evil."

Just the kind of story I want my kids getting into!

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musiclc writes:
on Nov 15 2007 11:57 AM

RE Samlane,

I appreciate what you said, but I think you have to pick and choose those things wisely. In other words, talking about it is sometimes more appropriate than immersing yourself into it. Why should we live our lives as a knee jerk reaction to everything that comes out of Hollywood - just because they make it doesn't mean we have to consume it and say "thank you sir, may I have another!"

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cdiggit19 writes:
on Nov 15 2007 12:12 PM

Honestly musiclc, people of different religions and beliefs have to deal with Christian propaganda every year on television, movies, games, etc. Really what makes this so different that you can be intolerant to other religions/beliefs? Especially from a fantasy movie that developed from a different religious background.

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Bane Of Anubis writes:
on Nov 15 2007 01:25 PM

Unfortunately, faith is often instilled in children and not self-invoked b/c parents try to protect their kids from "bad" messages. Many demagogues (religious or otherwise) exhort this sort of provincialism to control people (particularly children) in the short term with little concern for the long term ramifications (e.g., The Catholic Church). Diversification of thought is not something to be shunned (though, the book is not subtle enough to encourage any great thought).

This book is heavy handed in its anti-Christian stance -- I doubt the movie will be such and if it is, it's no less so than many religious teachings. Sure, the book is propoganda, just like Scientology, just like Naziism and just like any other form of Christianity... The level of propoganda may be more of an issue, but in the case of the book, much less the movie, it is minor compared to other propoganda machines (media, religion).

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Floor Man writes:
on Nov 15 2007 01:58 PM

Yeeshk...I don't see what the big deal is about the (supposed anti-) "religious" themes/qualities/statements that are claimed to be prevalent in this movie. It's almost as though the movie's attackers are afraid of losing credibility or "followers", for lack of a better word. So...what IF several people became atheists because of seeing this movie? Okay....

I think the only justifiable reason I see to attack the film is if the film truly posed a "threat" to [whomever]. Really though, if "the attackers" are this concerned about the possible influence of this movie, shouldn't they have started the protesting a decade ago when the source material, which possesses the same, if not a greater potency in the (alleged) anti-religious themes, came out?

Realistically speaking, I see no threat at all to whoever is attacking the "statement(s)" of The Golden Compass adaption. One can *believe* in matter A and still entertain the POSSIBILITY of matter B without compromising any degree of their devotion to matter A. Simple, right? Apparently not. More-open minds seem rarer and rarer these days.... *sigh*

The book has existed for, what, twelve years now, and the film's "theme-critics" couldn't whine/bicker/argue about the book *then* as much as they are now?

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ledsyrus writes:
on Nov 15 2007 02:27 PM

I'm a scientist and an atheist (or what musiclc would apparently call 'a wacko', to my considerable amusement) although you should know that I was a Christian until my mid 20s.
I've read the Dark Materials trilogy and yes I think it's fair to suggest that they adopt an anti-religious posture (just as Narnia promotes a religious outlook).
Pullman is clearly troubled by religion, and to be honest so am I. I sense that he is worried by the way that many religious people seek to censure anything that challenges their beliefs, and the way that religious authorities can so easily take advantage of this passion to cement political power for themselves.
The outcry over this film (from the likes of musiclc) seems to illustrate these concerns even more effectively than Pullman's books did.

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badsinger17 writes:
on Nov 15 2007 02:39 PM

In reply to this comment (#1278542)
This is just ridiculous. I'm a Christian guy who went to Christian school his whole life until law school, and this is exactly the kind of thing that annoys me about others in my faith. Musiclc, if you don't want to see the movie, don't. No one is going to make you. But why do you have to get on and broadcast your feelings to everyone else? Christianity is a personal faith, a personal relationship with Christ. No part of your Christianity requires you to get on and tell other people what to do with their lives. No one should begrudge you the opportunity to do what you want with your own children, because that's your right. But getting on her and comparing a Hollywood movie to Nazi propaganda is ridiculous and sensationalistic. God created art, and there is objective beauty all over the world, not just in Christian things. And this movie could have great artistic merit even if it's message offends you. This attempt by Christians to make everything in America likewise Christian is stupid. We organize juvenile boycotts on things we don't like, but have no sensitivity to others' opinions. We want everything to be Christian. Too bad. All member of my faith who disagree with something should personally just not take part. That's fine. But in all due respect, please shut up about Nazi this and parables that, because it disgraces both the tragedies of Nazism and the wisdom of Christ's parables to compare them to a movie, no matter how small an analogy there may be. And last, the most seedy movie ever made would be a realistic film made on the Bible, so spare us all the talk about how stories of demons and sex and violence will ruin our kids. I'm sure you let your kids read about this kind of stuff all the time in their Bibles, and I'm sure you let them see Narnia and LOTR, which is just as violent and "magical". Skip the movie! But keep it to yourself. No one, not even some Christians like me, care about all your organized boycotting...all it does is make YOU look foolish, because the rest of us will see the movie anyhow, and all the people who boycott weren't going to see it anyway...

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arcadefire325 writes:
on Nov 15 2007 02:50 PM

according to musiclc, only christians are allowed to make movies. oh my!!! a different point of view on the universe!!! wow, that is so evil. christianity isn't the only religion on the planet. by the way, most people on the planet are not christians. islam and hinduism are the largest religions. i guess those populations can't make movies either.

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rgallitan writes:
on Nov 15 2007 03:13 PM

Sorry musiclc, I was trying to respond to you in a more civil manner than some of the above, but the page refreshed and I lost half an hour of work. *sigh* It's my own fault, but I promise you it was good stuff!

Anyway, the gist of it was that kids don't really care about the religious/moral/geo-political ramifications of anything, and they're probably not going to notice anyway, and even if they do they're so exquisitely fickle that it isn't really something to be worried about - at least not until puberty. Only I said it way more eloquently than that. Oh, and I also said something about how The Golden Compass is "just a movie" because it doesn't present itself as anything but the creator's point-of-view - unlike, say, Triumph of the Will, which presents itself as factual documentary. Ditto most TV commercials.

Anywho, you'd better scram before this turns into a 9-page battle over the existence of God.

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