The Seeker

[girlyswot]

I just watched the trailer for the new film loosely based on Susan Cooper's wonderful, wonderful 'The Dark Is Rising.'  I feel physically sick. 

Will is American.  He's trying to ask a girl out.  He hangs out at the mall.  His brothers are mean to him.  Does any of this remind you of Will Stanton?  No, me either.  What else?  Ian McShane is pitiful as Merriman.  I mean, honestly, Lovejoy was his niche.  The Lady didn't do much for me either.

The soundtrack and the visuals made this look like any other genre fantasy.  But 'The Dark Is Rising' isn't like that.  There aren't big action sequences (there's the Hunt, of course, but that's the only one I can think of) or many weird and wonderful visuals.  Lots of times, the weirdness is in the normality.  Especially Will, who is the most normal, ordinary, well-adjusted 11 year-old boy whose family love him.  Oh, and they all happen to be English and, conveniently, live in the English village where the book and, bizarrely, the film are set.  I can't begin to imagine how they work that one out.

I shudder to think what Hollywood will do to 'Over Sea Under Stone'.

The only redeeming feature is that they seem to have retitled the film, 'The Seeker', so hopefully no one will be put off reading the books by this rubbish!

Comments

[tdu000.livejournal.com]

I wasn't going to comment because i haven't read the book or seen the film (though it's on my emergency school holiday entertainment list - moved several places down after reading your post!). I would also have said I had never heard of Susan Cooper but that isn't true. I'm actually reading a book by her at the moment although, I'm ashamed to say, I didn't know she had written it. I'm reading Little Tyke's set book for next term about a boy who is transported back in time to act in A Midsummer's Night Dream ast the "new" Globe theatre (The King of Shadows). I've only just started it but it's pretty good. I was talking to Dad on the phone and noticed the book on the coffee table. I nearly squeaked! If Little Tyke enjoys it (she hasn't read it yet), I'll put her onto thse books. She likes fantasy so I think it might appeal.

[girlyswot.livejournal.com]

I read that one a couple of years ago. I did enjoy it, though I found it odd since I have another favourite book that also deals with one of the boy actors in Shakespeare's company - though without the time travel - so I kept wanting to say, 'But Will wasn't like that!'. Which of course is nonsense, Cooper's version of Will is just as valid as Antonia Forest's.

I'd say your daughter's just about the right age to enjoy the Dark is Rising. There are five in the series. Over Sea and Under Stone is first, though the second, The Dark Is Rising can be read independently of it. After that you need to go in order.