This CanWest article about The Golden Compass rightly spotlights the crux of the conflict over author Phillip Pullman’s anti-Christian prejudice and anti-C.S. Lewis propaganda.
But it’s wrong to identify me as a “Catholic film critic.” (Apparently, they’re quoting an earlier, erroneous reference to me in The Observer.) Technically, that’s just untrue. I have not made any formal conversion to Catholicism, and I’m still a member at GreenLake Presbyterian Church. You could call me “Catholic-friendly,” I suppose… as several of my close friends are Catholic. And I certainly don’t agree with many of the misguided, ill-informed objections to Catholic tradition that I encounter in evangelical circles. But no, I don’t want any false rumors to get started.
Thanks to Peter Chattaway (the Orthodox) for catching this.
How about, “I’m not a Catholic, but I play one in the NP.”
This article typifies a kind of reporting I personally loath. The writer goes out of his way to put a juicy spin on the story by misrepresenting viewpoints. For example: “New Zealand filmmaker Andrew Adamson, director of the first two Narnia movies — The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe and the upcoming Prince Caspian– is determined to remain faithful to the C.S. Lewis narrative and to the author’s Christian faith.” I’ve never seen Andrew Adamson express any “determination” to be faithful to Lewis’s Christianity. Actually, we all that Aslan’s power was scaled back to increase both the kid’s role in the story as well as to make the witch a credible adversary. And then there is this in the line in the article about the religous right “hating” Pullman. Again, hyperbole and inneuendo are put ahead of fact. I’ve run into a lot of Christians who like Pullman’s fiction. Pullman himself has, I believe, commented on how he is suprised at the lack of opposition he faces, given his work. Sigh. The newspapers!
Maybe Jamie Portman is a prophet and you’ll become a Catholic film critic!! 🙂
You said: “I have not made any formal conversion to Catholicism, and I’m still a member at GreenLake Presbyterian Church.”
If I may, have you made an informal conversion to Catholicism? Your language insinuates a struggle of beliefs. Just curious.
I am a newcomer to your site and have enjoyed what I’ve read. Keep up the good work.
Jeffrey,
nice review. Wondering: who is Hugh Jackman’s wife? Pardon my ignorance.
Umm, well… as the review explains… Deborra-lee Furness is Hugh Jackman’s wife, and she plays the grandmother of a troubled, dangerous little girl in Jindabyne.
My apologies, I missed that. Inattentive reading on my part. Sorry…
Incidentally, Our blogs look eerily similar. I promise I didn’t steal your theme, honest.
Also, I realize that writers often prefer to not divulge the plot of their books pre-release, but I wonder if you would be willing to say what “Auralia’s Colors” is about.
I bet you’ve probably read Jeffrey’s blog about the upcoming novel and/or want to hear the word from the author himself. In case you haven’t, here’s a link worth checking out about Auralia:
http://auraliascolors.blogspot.com/2006/09/seed-of-idea.html
Doug