M: The ending

[Mockingbird]

Storyboard of the original ending
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvcZr_CHOj0

Ye Gods! That was incredible - now that is what I call an ending!
*crosses fingers* Directors cut, directors cut, directors cut...

Oh man, that was just depressing. I wanted to cry in the last 30 seconds or so, partly because it's so beautiful, and partly because it's so sad to see what we could have had, even if it were just a tithe of this.

[MrDeflok]

Oh dear God, that was perfect.

[namster]

Ye Gods! That was incredible - now that is what I call an ending!

Oh dear God, that was perfect.

Oh man, that was just depressing. I wanted to cry in the last 30 seconds or so, partly because it's so beautiful, and partly because it's so sad to see what we could have had, even if it were just a tithe of this.

This sequence captures Lyra's feelings for Roger very well, it's so sad. The quiet, tragic overtones of his death overshadow everything else and lingers until the last moment.

There was a lot of feeling put into this sequence, a mere storyboard though it may be. The voice acting is earnest and never overplayed, the important scenes are given time to breathe, the music is masterfully chosen. And it leaves just enough to your imagination that you can fill in any gaps just by thinking about it. Beautiful.

I'm so grateful for Anand Tucker's team for putting it together (thanks to Phit for bringing that to my attention), and ChinaCat5 for posting it on YouTube.

[Somewhat]

That was just so perfect. Damn, I nearly cried. I hate executives and bureaucrats so much sometimes.

[Leonard Kjærulff]

if you watch the trailer at the film's official website, you'll notice some parts at the end of the trailer, which is NOT shown in the movie, for example we get a glimpse of Asriel opening the aurora portal, the whole part with Lyra and Roger meeting up with lord Asriel is (as we know) left out, but thats not what the OFFICIAL trailer says, it's lying to you...that gets me pretty upset, i really think the movie need a proper climax (i don't consider the escape from Bolvangar, which seemed pretty easy, or the battle in front of Bolvangar for a proper climax). why are they leaving the one of the most thilling parts out? and why is it in the trailer??? WHY?????? im almost crying...you should go check out the trailer (http://www.goldencompassmovie.com) and tell me if i isn't fishy...(by the way the movie was too short, ti should have same length like LOTR, it's not like i totaly hate this movie, there's just some stuff there isn't right)

any comments/explainations??? please say your opinion on this thing.

Leonard (also crossing fingers for a directors cut)

[namster]

Great comment about the ending:

---------------------------

"Ever seen Seven? Imagine if Seven ended like this:

"Kevin Spacey: (walks into police department) I'm the man you're looking for.

"Brad Pitt: Great! Put this guy in jail! Hey, we totally caught him and he only killed five people! Good police work, everybody! Let's all take a half day!

"THE END

"The Golden Compass, the book, concludes with a tragic event. Without giving too much away, it is a powerful moment that underscores so much of what makes the novel work. Punches don't get pulled. People die who don't deserve it. Characters are neither wholly good nor wholly evil.

"And importantly, in a narrative sense, the ending does tell us more about the backstory stuff that the book and film spend so much time on. It's where Lyra's uncle Asriel finally makes his return, after having set events in motion then disappeared.

"So it is utterly ridiculous that the final act of the book is chopped cleanly away from the film. Instead of having a powerful, if not entirely happy, ending, the film now has a Hollywood-saccharine, but completely neutered, final moment. Not only do we miss out on the gut-punch of the climactic scene, Daniel Craig slips into the "woefully underutilized" category and nobody has any idea why he is even in the film to begin with.

"Here's the crazy part: From all appearances, this was a very last-minute decision. The final scenes were apparently filmed. After seeing the movie, we were paging through the kids' storybook based on the movie, which was illustrated with film stills -- and had all of the cut scenes. Again, concerns that the film was being whitewashed for Christmas family audiences because of the removal of the atheist undertones isn't nearly the biggest problem. They changed a powerful ending to a totally flaccid one because they want people to leave the theater all smiles. These are great books that don't deserve such treatment.

- By Chris Kohler, Wired News
http://blog.wired.com/underwire/2007/12 ... -gold.html

[kaos4]

I thought the ending in the movie was terrible. The other ending would have been much much better.

[delta10]

"... After seeing the movie, we were paging through the kids' storybook based on the movie, which was illustrated with film stills -- and had all of the cut scenes..."

- By Chris Kohler, Wired News
http://blog.wired.com/underwire/2007/12 ... -gold.html

I think it's kind of sad - people went to a lot of trouble to produce the companion books and then the ending was removed leaving the movie and merchandise mismatched.

On the other hand, those books may be valuable some day, much sought after by movie memorabilia collectors. Just imagine them being discussed by experts on Antiques Roadshow.

[Michael555]

WHAT BOOK IS IT!?!?!!?!?!?!?!?!?!?! LINKS PLEASE!

[shady]

New line Cinema did made real ending,it`s in the game,it`s an extra(so the game could be sould better)

[Philharmonic]

i played the game. they defo had the real ending made.

i dont think the production team were thinking staright when they decided to cut the ending. they don't seem to realise that hdm is all about sad endings. besides which, if they do-and they probably won't now-make the sequels, there will be a massive age jump on the Lyra front. one minute 13, the next 15. or more like 23 the way things are going

[shady]

You`re definitely right,she is already,like,two years older than Lyra,and they havent even started shooting SK(wich they probably wont)

[Yrael]

even started shooting SK(wich they probably wont)

*cough* definately wont

[Philharmonic]

Storyboard of the original ending
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvcZr_CHOj0

Ye Gods! That was incredible - now that is what I call an ending!
*crosses fingers* Directors cut, directors cut, directors cut...

Oh man, that was just depressing. I wanted to cry in the last 30 seconds or so, partly because it's so beautiful, and partly because it's so sad to see what we could have had, even if it were just a tithe of this.

so did i. so did i.

it was brilliant that ending. the effect of the machine ripping open a portal was brilliant. i think, if the production team had left that scene in there, the next films would have been made already. *sniff* so sad when you see it...

next step is one up from Energy's restored ending (brilliant, by the way, reccomended by me) - the original thing that those halfwits cut out. they have to put it on youtube. please?

[Michael555]

movies@newline.com


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