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The Colour of Magic – Episode 1 (2008) – Television film
I have just finished watching the first episode of the Colour of Magic television production. This episode ends where the book ends. Except for the happenings at the Unseen University, the movie stays true to the book. Of course, a lot of the story could not be included due to time constraints (and probably budget).
One does not have to be a Pratchett fan, nor does one have to have read either Colour of Magic or The Light Fantastic in order to understand the “plot” of the movie.
The film has a narrator, Brian Cox, that works well for my autism sensitivity to such matters. Stage set and costume quality varied. At times I felt as though I was watching a theater production. Death’s costume is under par. REALLY! That was the best SkyOne could do???
Rincewind is supposed to be around 50 years old when we first meet him. In the film you will probably notice that he seems much older than that (depending on how old the person watching the movie is). He has been thrown out of the Unseen University for his complete inability to learn magic. Having a spell that terrifies any other spell is what makes Rincewind a one-spell-wizzard. At what he feels is his lowest point in life thus far, Rincewind meets the strange phenomena – the tourist Twoflower (and Twoflower’s Luggage). In the film Twoflower was the stereotypical US tourist. That worked for me. Rincewind was in his usual anti-adventure, pro-running away from trouble form. I find this kind of character rather adorable.
From this point on we follow three storylines through episode one.
The first is Rincewind who is forced by the Patrician to be Twoflower’s guide. Guiding Twoflower is dangerous at best and deadly (if not for the spell) for Rincewind. But Twoflower and the spell pull Rincewind’s bottom away from Death’s waiting arms several times during this episode.
Back at the Unseen University there are a couple of important matters happening. One is the disturbance Rincewind’s disappearance and the Turtle getting closer to the red star is causing Octavo. Octavo is an incredibly dangerous magic book. On the Discworld, you risk being eaten by some of the magic books. Exactly what the Octavo does no one seems to know. Not even Rincewind who has one of its spells inside his mind.
The other matter going on at the Unseen University is a battle for supremacy. The approved way to the seat of the Archchancellor is through the death of its current holder (whether through natural or assisted causes). Tryman desperately wants that power and is not afraid to kill those ahead of him. Tryman felt a bit forced. The portrayal Archchancellor was much better.
The third plotline is the one involving the Krull and their obsession with anything to do with the Turtle. One of the extremely important unsolved questions is what the gender of the Turtle is. One of their scientists is played by Pratchett.
At times the movie lagged. Sometimes it was funny. I never really felt the danger of many of the situations as Pratchett portrays them. But all in all I enjoyed the film. Average quality is the grading I give the first episode of the Colour of Magic adaptation for television.
Reviews
Cast (Wikipedia)
- David Jason as Rincewind, a failed wizard and the main protagonist.
- Sean Astin as Twoflower, the discworld’s first tourist.
- Tim Curry as Trymon, the power-hungry senior wizard at the Unseen University.
- Christopher Lee as the voice of Death.
- Jeremy Irons as Lord Vetinari, the Patrician of Ankh-Morpork.
- James Cosmo as Galder Weatherwax, the incumbent Archchancellor of the Unseen University.
- Nicolas Tennant as Head Librarian of the Unseen University, who is turned into an orangutan during the events of the film.
- Karen David as Liessa, a dragonlady from the Wyrmberg.
- Nigel Planer as the Arch-Astronomer of Krull.
- Richard Da Costa as The Luggage/The Librarian as Orangutang.
- Roger Ashton-Griffiths as Lumuel Panter.
- Miles Richardson as Zlorf, the leader of the Ankh-Morpork Assassins’ Guild.
- James Perry as Kring, the enchanted sword.
- Stephen Marcus as Broadman, the bartender at the Broken Drum.
- Toby Jones as one of the heads of the eight orders of Wizardry.
- Terry Pratchett appears in a cameo role, playing Astrozoologist #2 in the opening and closing scenes of the film.
- Richard Woolfe, the director of programming at Sky One, also appears as the Alchemist.
The Light Fantastic (Discworld II) (Rincewind II) (1986)
The Light Fantastic is filled with a wonderful cast of “characters”. Every person we meet, from Rincewind to Bethan are eccentrics (or nutters if you prefer).
Cohen the Barbarian is much more fun as a Barbarian than Conan could ever be – especially the way Arnold Schwarzenegger portrayed him in the movie. Here we see what is left of the Barbarian after surviving 70 years of life – most of those running around fighting various creatures for gold and wimmin.
Upon meeting Twoflower and Rincewind, Cohen has these words of wisdom to impart:
“He hash got guts, I’ll give him that. Do exshactly what I shay and it ish just possible he won’t end up with them wrapped around a shtone.”
Definitely wise words considering the situations Twoflower has a tendency to drag Rincewind into and out of – helped a great deal by the Luggage.
I would hate to travel with Twoflower (except for his tendency to survive the most unlikely situations), but he is adorable in his innocence. Surprisingly, now that I think about it, I have actually met tourists who behave as he does. Somehow, I doubt they have the same survival luck as Twoflower. Although, if they had the Luggage on their side, they, too, might have his chances.
Credit: SJ Games
The Luggage is the personification of a valet and James Bond all wrapped up in one box. Wordless, and all, The Luggage has to be one of the most interesting characters in the world of silence (on its part – the opposition tends to scream a lot). Its loyalty is undivided once it has settled on an owner. For the time being, that owner is Twoflower. But Rincewind also benefits from that loyalty.
Rincewind remains one of my favorite Discworld characters. His tendency to run away from trouble is actually wisdom. Unless you are a wizards. Wizards seem to consider the saying “curiosity killed the cat” as an invitation to poke anything interesting. Rincewind might poke something, but not without being ready to run. Twoflower, Rincewind and the Luggage might be unlikely friends, but friends they are.
Rincewind, Twoflower and the Luggage find themselves flying off the Discworld at the end of The Colour of Magic. We meet them in this same position at the beginning of The Light Fantastic. Death seems imminent for all three of them. However, someone/something seems to want them for a “higher” purpose.
As the red light in the sky grows larger and the Discworld warmer, chaos seems to meet The Trio wherever they go. As usual Twoflower gets them into trouble, Rincewind tries to flee from trouble and the Luggage has to save both of them – although Twoflower gets priority. Through their travels they get to meet all sorts of insanity and danger while being herded toward their “destiny”.
Terry Pratchett’s second book in the Discworld saga and the Rincewind saga teaches us a creation-story, an end-story and a whole lot about survival and adventure.
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Credit: LSpace
Adaptations:
1993: Graphic novel – illustrated by Steven Ross and Joe Bennet. Published by Corgi.
2008: Sky One Television two-part miniseries combining both The Colour of Magic and The Light Fantastic (The Colour of Magic): the version released in the US was much shorter than the one released in the UK
My review of the television miniseries
L-Space: Annotations, information and quotes
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Reviews:
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Translations:
- Bosnian: Svetlost čudesnog (Disksvet, #2)
- Bulgarian: Фантастична светлина (Истории от Света на Диска, #2)
- Chinese: 奇光
- Croatian: Čudesno svjetlo (Roman o svijetu Diska, #2)
- Czech: Lehké fantastično (Úžasná Zeměplocha, #2)
- Danish: Det fantastiske lys (Diskverden #2)
- Dutch: Dat Wonderbare Licht
- Estonian: Fantastiline valgus (Kettamaailm, #2)
- Finnish: Valon tanssi
- French: Le huitième sortilège (Les annales du Disque-Monde, #2)
- Georgian: ფანტასტიური ნათება
- German: Das Licht der Phantasie (Scheibenwelt, #2)
- Greek: Το Φως της Φαντασίας
- Hungarian: A mágia fénye (Korongvilág, #2)
- Italian: La luce fantastica
- Lithuanian: Šviesa fantastiška
- Polish: Blask fantastyczny (Świat Dysku, #2)
- Romanian: Lumina fantastică
- Russian: Безумная звезда (Плоский мир, #2)
- Slovak: Ľahká fantastika (Úžasná Plochozem, # 2)
- Slovenian: Luč fantastike
- Spanish: La luz fantástica (Mundodisco, #2)
- Swedish: Det fantastiska ljuset
- Turkish: Fantastik Işık (Diskdünya, #2)
Terry Pratchett and me 