M: Armoured Bear Scenes

[Jez]

IGN have posted an article about the ice bears of TGC. Embedded in the article are two clips showing actual scenes from the film. There's a second interesting article about daemons, with some new quotes from Chris Weitz, though no footage.

The first clip shows Lyra meeting Iorek. The second clip shows the beginning of the bear fight.

Obviously, there are SPOILERS. If you don't want to see any actual scenes, you'd better not watch them!

[Will]

Cool beans. Loads of dialogue from the books again.

[DMorrow]

Cool clips. I was a little skeptical of whether Ian McKellan would be able to manage a "bear-like" voice for Iorek, but it seems that he did a very good job after all. And Dakota's acting seems decent as well.

[Pan_Fan]

hey thanks for posting this!! this is the longest bit of a scene i've seen so far with dakota acting... pretty good i think.

[Midnighttosix]

Does anyone else think the bear fight looks a bit... well, rubbish? Seems to be something lacking that makes it look kind of like a videogame, can't really put my finger on it. Anyway, I'm sure I'll change my mind when it's on the big screen!

And is it just me or does it sound like Ian McKellan's trying to do a Sean Connery impression?

[Dragon of Heaven]

Why is ign such a lame site for streaming video, good clips though.

I think its strange to hear people talk about spoilers, i mean we've read the books. If the the movie was being made they way it should be i wouldn't watch these videos but its not. The only "spoiling" thats going on is what they've done to the plot.

[AUST]

I dislike the bear sight-tis just not brutal enough. (Actually it is brutal, but there no blood

[DMorrow]

I dislike the bear sight-tis just not brutal enough. (Actually it is brutal, but there no blood

Well its only like the first minute. We know from the first trailer that Iofur/Ragnar's jaw goes flying by the end of it.

[advo]

Well its only like the first minute. We know from the first trailer that Iofur/Ragnar's jaw goes flying by the end of it.

Yes... Lovely.

I agree, it's only the first minute so lots can still happened.

I for one, liked both clips very much! I think both most definitely established that Iorek is not the cuddly, Coca Cola bears.

And I'm totally digging Dakota's haughty tone with Iorek in the beginning - SO Lyra! I'm more and more convinced, she's the right choice.

[Qu Klaani]

Lyra good, Gandalf awful. Hes a great actor, but the decision to cast him (purely for a big name actor, and against the wishes of the director) has to be in the top five screw-ups in this movie. I honestly think he'll ruin every scene in which Iorek speaks.

[Knick]

I'm more assured wth McKellen this time around.

And Dakota was quite good in the scene with Farder Coram and Iorek.

[advo]

I like Ian McKellen's voicing of Iorek. Maybe because I haven't seen LOTR

[DMorrow]

Lyra good, Gandalf awful. Hes a great actor, but the decision to cast him (purely for a big name actor, and against the wishes of the director) has to be in the top five screw-ups in this movie. I honestly think he'll ruin every scene in which Iorek speaks.

Really? I was worried about McKellan at first, but actually like how Iorek sounded in this scene. It almost sounded like they may have digitally enhanced his voice or something to make it sound gruffer and more powerful, but in any case I think it works.

Besides, we only ever really heard one line from Nonso Anozie, so it's sort of hard to compare.

[Blossom]

I thought the other guy was a better Iorek, Ian is too old.

But i did like these scenes. The first one gave me more confidence in Dakota's acting ability, and I liked the dialogue. The bear fight looked pretty cool i thought, with cutesy bear bums wiggling about the place. mmm big bear bums.

[hoobits]

Overall these did nothing for me, but then again they are on a computer screen... McKellan as Iorek doesn't work. He brings too much gravitas and flair to the role. There is hardly a trace of being this very alien and dangerous creature. The filtering effects on his voice just make him sound way too metallic.
Dakota on the other hand is still a hard book to read. One moment there is a real punch and attitude and then the next it sounds like she's reading off a cue card. Though Again this stuff is taken out of context...
Bear fight looks like it is going to suffer from that near constant "diving, swooping camera".
God forbid the camera stays still one moment during a fight. Or at least the filmmakers could have been tactful with their moments and have used the camera as a tool to support the movement and actions of "da bears";
this just comes off as lazy and gives a false sense of excitement.

OK I'll stop complaining now.

[daemon_light]

I'm not watching them...

They sound awesome though, can't wait to see them in theaters!

[Somewhat]

Dakota is wonderfully cheeky. McKellan really doesn't work for Iorek, sadly. It would've been nice if he could capture the role but it just sounds incorrect. On the plus side, I dig the music. It's so good.

[green ink]

You shouldn't really watch clips like this on such a postage stamp size. They need to be shown on a huge screen, still I like Dakota. I think she was quite good in that scene where she meets Iorek.
McKellen however sounded totally off, unless he was playing Iorek drunk.
There's too much flair and once-upon-a-timeyness in his voice. I did like the sound though, there was something rasping about it that made it sound like it really came from the throat of a bear. So good job soundpeople.

The fight looked like it could do with some extra work. Lyra wasn't really very well integrated with her surroundings and something about it just didn't ring true. I agree with Hoobits about the overactive camera, it's simply too much. I can't help thinking that they've made the scene unnecessarily elaborate. I always pictured it as being set in something of a courtyard, and I think a practical location would have made things look a bit better than they do now. The bears look fine, but it's just that I don't believe it the way it's done now.

But I think part of that is also the fact that we're watching clips, isolated from the whole, sitting in our homes it's very easy to not be convinced.
I think that when seen in the whole of the film it'll be more than passable.

Also, great music, lovely and frantic.

[Will]

Hm, more from Chris Weitz here on Nonso Anozie being summarily fired:

I disagreed with the decision. Nonso had a deep, younger voice, and I was very sad to lose someone whose performance I highly valued. But it's no slight against Sir Ian, who brings a more monarchic quality.

[daemon_light]

You shouldn't really watch clips like this on such a postage stamp size. They need to be shown on a huge screen, still I like Dakota. I think she was quite good in that scene where she meets Iorek.
McKellen however sounded totally off, unless he was playing Iorek drunk.
There's too much flair and once-upon-a-timeyness in his voice. I did like the sound though, there was something rasping about it that made it sound like it really came from the throat of a bear. So good job soundpeople.

I think that Iorek was supposed to be half drunk in that scene... but I can't really tell you seeing I haven't seen the movie.