The Discworld flies through space supported by four elephants that stand on the back of the giant turtle A'Tuin. On the Discworld it is Hogswatch, the one night of the year when the Hogfather travels the world, leaving presents for children. Marc Warren steals the show as the villainous Teatime, sounding perfectly childlike and innocent as he casually discusses offing enemies and committing unnecessary acts of violence during assassinations. Having not read the Hogfather book, by the one-hour point I was not really sure where the story was heading, Mr Teatime is assigned to kill the Hogfather but the Hogfather appears to be dead or missing and the bulk of the mini-series involves much skulking around the Tooth Fairy's castle for reasons not always clear; it was hard to work out for a long time how the lengthy scenes with Joss Ackland's wizard having a shower and the appearance of various mythical characters tied into anything else; while the scenes with Susan capturing creatures that turn up in the basement have nothing to do the rest of the story at all. Hogfather is a story that grasps at a very wide canvas and a number of plots that all seem to be heading off in their own directions. It does eventually come together, although it is not a tight and easy mesh.
This movie is definantly a movie to watch. Even through three hours, it kept me in my seat, right to the very end. Young children might be easily bored by the movie, but this is a great movie for teens and adults.
Several scenes that I would have liked to see were left out (such as the end, when Ridcully, the Head Wizard, is blasted with Nitrous Oxide fumes while in the bath). It also would have been nice if the actors had spoken a little louder. Maybe it's just me, but I had to turn up the volume considerably during the movie. But all in all, they put the movie together very well.
A quirky mix of characters and a sometimes bizarre plot (Probably intended? - I haven't read Pratchetts books). This had a similar feel to it as City of the Lost Children which I didn't particularly enjoy.
I did like the characters Death, Albert & Susan. Death taking the role of the Hogfather and embracing it was quite good.
However, Mr. Teatime just grated on me - he was almost a copy of Johnny Depp's Wonka with that hideous vioice!!
Very hit & miss, not advisable to watch this in one sitting because it seemed to drag on & on - I wanted to like this more than I actually did.
Very few movies can keep your attention this long... It's unmistakably a superb adaptation of Terry Pratchett's novel.
Most of the characters have been portrayed decently, and the main plot and the sarcastic moments are all there waiting to amuse you once again.
It's an amazing seemingly childish story which unravels into something a lot more meaningful, filled with various mythologies, distressing and witty scenes, PLUS it's the night of Hogwatch - the equivalent of our beloved Christmas, so believe it or not, you'll have a chance to see Death himself carrying the gifts to kids on Discworld since the Hogfather's gone missing!
In the end, what more can I say, except - have you been naughty...or nice?
How disturbing can one film be? There are almost no words. Scary layered upon even more scary. I really like Marc Warren, but his Mr. Teatime just freaked me out. He did sound exactly like Johnny Depp's Willy Wonka though. Nevertheless, even though I have not read the book, and this movie is seriously strange, I will admit that it is a good kind of strange. Even if you don't like it, it will certainly give you something to talk and think about.
i LOVE this movie! It is strange and unusual AND I myself wouldn't show it to small children but teens and adults are okay. Definately british all the way around and is in 2 parts! SWEEEET!
Everything about this film is superb. The textures, the lighting, the music, and especially, the acting. Ian Richardson manages to give personality and emotional depth to a character who only has one, permanent expression. Michelle Dockery does an excellent job as Susan, the unwilling protagonist. But it's Marc Warren who steals the show as the sociopathic assassin, Mr. Teatime (pronounced Teh-ah-tah-meh). His intense creepiness rivals that of the Weeping Angels.
It's a well written story, blending dry sarcasm, clever wordplay, mythology and poignant moments of sincere humanity to form an entertaining and cohesive whole.
Oh, and Terry Pratchett makes a fun little cameo appearance near the end.
I wasn't sure I wanted to watch this. I'd have missed a really exraordinary movie. Fairy tale and myth, it entertains and challenges - "In a world of a billion different wonderful things, human beings are the only creatures that become bored." If you enjoy fantasy done well, you might like this too.
This movie was very faithful to the book, and generally in good taste, but it doesn't have the book's edgyness, and the acting could have been better. Definitely enjoyable, especially considering the Discworld novels don't seem like they are easy to adapt into movies.
This looks stunning. The cast do the best they can, which is very good, but of course very little beats your imagination when reading the book. Also, in film you lose most of the commentary which sadly means the adaptation is less funny. However this can stand alone in its own right if you give it a chance (and stop thinking about the bits they missed out, like the pencil-eating bird (my personal favourite of the created creatures)). Notable performances for me were Michelle Dockery, Ian Richardson's vocal talents, and Marc Warren's mental case of an assassin (an almost perfect portrayal of what one would expect the character to be from the book).
This is a great movie. The first time I watched it, I found myself comparing it to the book and wondering if it was good enough. I would have liked to have seen more details about the city and there were some characters I pictured in a completely different way. But all in all, it is a good adaptation of the book.
Once I got over analyzing the movie, I watched it again and discovered that regardless of how it compares to the book, it is simply a very good movie.
Excellent fantasy film with a twisted sense of humor and top notch effects.
Think of it as a cross between Nightmare Before Christmas and Harry Potter.
Not as good as it could have been, but not bad either. The book is a billion times better and other Terry Pratchett fans might be a little disappointed like I was. However, it could have been MUCH worse.
Although it's somewhat kiddified, this is an enthralling live adaption of a Discworld novel and, for the most part, I thought it was brilliant. On the eve of Hogswatch, the Assassian's Guild accept the job of killing Discworld's Santa equivalent, the Hogfather. The Hogfather, however, has vanished, so Death steps into his shoes for the night leaving his grandaughter, Susan, to solve the mystery of the Hogfather's disappearance while also thwarting the assassian, Mr Teatime.
This was just so sweet and funny. Death's scenes as the amusingly somber Hogfather were delightfully portrayed vocally by Ian Richardson, and Michelle Dockery, perfect as the stoic and sensible Susan, definitely deserves to become a huge star. The only quibble I have is with Marc Warren's portrayal of Mr Teatime. As the villian, he was completely annoying and devoid of any real menace. Still this was a real treat to watch before Christmas, and is an appealing alternative to all of those shitty Christmas movies out there.
Many years after the creation of Earth, Discworld was born, a disc-shaped planet sat atop four elephants which stand atop a giant flying turtle. Random? Yes, very but it is fantasy! When the Hogfather (think Santa) has a contract put on his life, the assassin Mr.Teatime gets together a group to put an end to his existence. How do you go about wiping out something which is a supposed myth though? However, when he disappears, Death steps into the red suit in order to keep the childrens' belief in him and keep the tradition alive. With his granddaughter Susan trying to find the whereabouts of the Hogfather, it's only a matter of time until the big day comes but will they find him in time? This is a great fantasy film (or 2-part series) with wizards, monsters and other oddities. Have to admit I laughed when the wizards of the Hidden University were attacked by the Sock Eater and made vulnerable to the Veruca Gnome (long story lol). Also, any film with Death playing Santa and asking kids if they were naughty or nice is a bonus :)
Neat work on translating Terry Pratchetts fantastic writing, and I perfectly love Deaths granddaughter. A minus thou; 3 hours is a bit long for a movie where the main event is at a white castle made of teeth.
i would say that this is an excellent adaptation of the book, sure they missed out heaps from the book itself and Mr Teatime could have been better, but most of the characters especially Death were spot on
A brilliant, wicked, and delightfully funny adaptation of the classic fantasy novel by Terry Pratchett featuring a terrific cast, excellent direction, and great scenic design and special effects. This film is an almost perfect adaptation of a Discworld novel and is everything you expect it to be--and more. One question remains: "Have you been naughty... or nice?"
Just not up to the book or the Discworld mythology. Can't really help those who haven't read the books, but for those that have your not going to be satisfied with the characters. It's still a good film just try and ignore its based on the book.
MCT:August 26, 2008
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MCT:December 27, 2007
