HisDarkMaterials.org is proud to present the first complete transcript of the press screening of selected Golden Compass scenes.
The screening took place at 7PM CET in Cannes, and as nobody was allowed to bring any recording equipment the transcript that follows is based upon hastily scratched notes in a pitch black cinema.
According to us this transcript is nearly perfect, but if you have any remarks or corrections please let us know.
Updated 21/05/07 after second viewing.
TRANSCRIPT BEGINS
Chris Weitz walks before the screen.
Chris Weitz: Hello. I’m Chris Weitz.
Applause
I hope you´ll be doing that in December!
Laughter
Chris Weitz: The footage that we’re about to show you is fresh out of the oven. All the visual effects are good enough to show but not complete yet. It’s just the tip of the iceberg, only ten minutes of footage, which is why you’re lucky that I’ll be giving a two hour lecture afterwards.
Laughter
Chris Weitz: With a project like this you’re not really the director. There are so many people working on the project – just the CGI department has 500 people working there right now. At the peak we had 300 people involved with visual production. I would like to thank New Line for having put this faith in me, and allowing me to share these ten minutes with you. Enjoy!
FOOTAGE STARTS
New Line logo fades in, dramatic music gradually building
Cut to a zeppelin hovering over the city of London.
There is a world we cannot see. A world parallel to our own. With witches…
Cut to Eva Green flying through the air
… where ice bears are the bravest warriors …
Cut to picture of Ragnar sitting on his throne
… and dæmons, physical manifestations of people’s souls …
Cut to picture of Pantalaimon changing into a large feline to scare of a real cat in Jordan College’s hallway, whilst walking next to Lyra
Pantalaimon: It was as if she had never seen a dæmon before
Lyra: Come on Pan!
… a world dominated by the Magisterium, which intends to control everything…
Cut to picture of Fra Pavel entering room in Magisterium tower to meet with the Magisterial Emmissary
… where the curiosity of a child endangers that.
Cut to shot of Lyra hiding in retiring room closet
Stelmaria enters, followed by Lord Asriel
Cut to shot of Lord Asriel addressing the scholars
Dialogue identical to in the book, until…
Lord Asriel: I propose to follow Dust upstream. To another world… Where there is no Magisterium
Fra Pavel: That is heresy!
Lord Asriel: That is the truth!
Cut to Lyra sitting in Jordan College dining hall, facing the Master of Jordan College
Master: The tutor of metaphysics has pointed out to me that you have not been following your classes. Sometimes it’s best to do what other people tell you.
Mrs. Coulter enters the hall, camera follows
Mrs. Coulter: I would disagree.
All scholars rise for Mrs. Coulter as she sits down
Mrs. Coulter: I’ll be heading North soon again Lyra, and I´ll need an assistant.
Pantalaimon changes from a brown ermine into a snow ermine
Lyra: Me? The North!
Master: I’m not sure that is according to Lord Asriel’s wishes for Lyra’s education
Mrs. Coulter: Let me deal with Asriel
Cut to Lyra and Asriel walking in the quad. Notably, Stelmaria has Pantalaimon in her jaws, she tosses Pantalaimon on the grass
Lord Asriel: Listen to the Master Lyra, I won’t have you scurrying around like a street urchin!
Lyra: But you never do as you are told!
Lord Asriel: Try and behave!
Cut to Lyra and Roger walking on the roof of Jordan college
Lyra: Lord Asriel wants to take me to the North, but first I am spying on the Gobblers for him.
Roger: The Gobblers only take poor kids, if they were to take you everybody would go looking for you! You’re a lady.
Lyra: Nobody can make me a lady!
To demonstrate her point she spits a seed of the fruit she's eating on a scholar passing below
Lyra: If you were taken I would come and rescue you.
Cut to Roger walking down an alley. His dog dæmon barks when Mrs. Coulter’s dæmon appears. Roger’s dæmon changes into a butterfly, and flutters into the hands of Mrs. Coulter’s dæmon. Mrs. Coulter’s dæmon jumps of behind the wall as Roger screams out. Screen fades out
Roger: Let us go!
Cut to Lyra receiving the alethiometer from the Master of Jordan College
Master: This is an alethiometer. It tells the truth. You are meant to have it. Keep the alethiometer to yourself! Mrs. Coulter must not know. It is of the upmost importance to yourself… To all of us…
Cut to Lyra and Mrs. Coulter walking to the zeppelin docked at Jordan College
Cut to the zeppeling flying over London
Master: …Perhaps to all creation.
Cut to shot of Lyra in Mrs. Coulter's apartment being dressed up.
Cut to shot of Lyra and Mrs. Coulter sitting next to each other, getting their fingernails done.
Cut to Mrs. Coulter in front of the Magisterium building, meeting with Fra Pavel
Mrs. Coulter: Lyra has the alethiometer.
Fra Pavel: Can she read it?
Mrs. Coulter: Of course not!
Fra Pavel: Are you sure? Are you familiar with the Witches' Prophecy?
Mrs. Coulter: You think Lyra is the child that the prophecy speaks of? That’s impossible.
Cut to shot of Lyra reading the alethiometer in her room at Mrs. Coulter’s bedroom
Lyra: It’s telling us that Mrs. Coulter is behind the Gobblers… and that if we give the alethiometer to her… it will die.
Mrs. Coulter enters, Lyra quickly puts the alethiometer away
Cut to Lyra and Mrs. Coulter sitting across from each other in the living room of the apartment
Mrs. Coulter: I know the Master gave you something before you left.
Lyra is adamantly silent
Mrs. Coulter: I want you to give it to me.
Lyra remains adamantly silent
Mrs. Coulter: If you do not give it to me I will be displeased.
Mrs. Coulter’s dæmon jumps on Pantalaimon as he tries to escape, whilst at the same time Mrs. Coulter grabs Lyra’s wrist
Lyra: It hurts! Let him go!
Mrs. Coulter relaxes the grip on Lyra’s wrist
Cut to shot of Lyra running away from Coulter’s apartment, she slams the window behind her
Mrs. Coulter: Lyra!
Cut to shot of Lyra running through the streets at night
Cut to shot of Gyptians on a boat
The word is out about the Lyra child.
Cut to shot of Lyra talking to the Gyptians
Lyra: I need to go to the North
Cut to Serafina talking to Lyra
Serafina: The Magisterium couldn’t expand their power before, but now things are changing. The Witches haven’t decided what side they are on yet, so I don’t know if the next time I will face you we'll be friends or enemies.
Cut to Asriel talking to Lyra in his Svalbard prison
Lord Asriel: How did you get here?
Lyra: I tricked Mrs. Coulter.
Lord Asriel: I’d like to learn that trick.
Cut to shot of Lyra talking to the Farder Coram
Farder Coram: If I were you I would hire an armoured bear.
Cut to Iorek breaking through the wall of the store. He stands up on his back legs and roars! The crowds step back in fear, as the police take up positions in a semi circle. Lyra runs forward
Lyra: Iorek, please don't fight! These people will be killed and it'll only make rescuing the kids harder!
Just as the Trollesund police captain shouts the order for his men to take aim, Lee Scoresby levels his pistol at the head of the police captain
Lee: Let’s not be too hasty.
Police captain halts
Lee: No need for a dust up. Howdy Iorek! You joining us on this turkey shoot?
Iorek: I have a contract with the child.
Montage starts, dramatic music kicks in
Cut to shot of the North and the clouds
The Magisterium wants to control every world…
Cut to shot of Lyra standing in front of Bolvanger with all the children behind her facing a line of Tartar guards. She spits in the snow before the Tartar captain
Nothing will stop them.
Cut to shot of Lyra and Serafina fighting at Bolvanger as the Witches fly overhead raining down arrows
Cut to shot of Lyra racing to free Roger from Lord Asriel’s aurora breaker, just as it fires and the screen goes white. The music climaxes
It’s not over yet! Music cuts back in and rises as Iorek wacks Ragnar’s jaw straight off
Cut to Golden Compass logo, with the O in compass morphing from an alethiometer into the letter
FIN
11 comments - Add yours
#1
This is astoundingly promising! I hope it's as intense to view… the anticipation is mounting :)
# May 20, 2007 21:23 by rosedrop
#2 oooh
It seems a little different from the book in the way the beginning plays out but, good in it's own right. I'm soooo excited for it!
# May 20, 2007 23:06 by Lyra Fan
#3 awesome!
Great job Ryan, wow what a lot of work to do. I'm very proud of you. And as for the content it sounds VERY promising. I'm so excited to see the trailer, and obviously the movie itself!
Excellent work.... yay for the excitement!
# May 20, 2007 23:26 by cutiepie
#4
That look like a lot of effort, awesome!
# May 21, 2007 00:24 by edd8990
#5
the dialogue seems as little… contrived? its doesn't sound natural, wouldn't you say?
# May 21, 2007 01:43 by Lee_Scoresby
#6
Wow! Sounds great! I agree with almost all of their plot changes for the purpose, and I'm impressed that they're actually strengthening and expanding the role of the Magesterium so much in TGC. The Mrs. Coulter alethiometer thing seemed a bit much, but whatever.
L_S: I'm sure the dialogue only seems that way because it's out of context and cut together to give a sense of the plot. When it's given time to breathe, it will be fine.
# May 21, 2007 02:39 by JParry
#7
totally understandable, i was assuming that much
and i agree witht the Mrs. Coulter asking for the alethiometer, maybe it'll be different as the final product
# May 21, 2007 02:44 by Lee_Scoresby
#8
"It's not over yet! Music cuts back in and rises as Iorek wacks Ragnar's jaw straight off"
YES. [i]yes yes yesyesyes[/i]
Do you know how LOUDLY I yelled when I saw [b]THIS![/b] [i]THIS[/i], this this this was my measure this was precisely what I wanted this was it, the moment, my moment from TGC/NL this was my judgement right here I thought "Two words, 'flying jaw' and if they do it they can win me beautifully."
That is my [i]moment[/i] I mean that is [i]it[/i] that's my bit in the book each reading I just fall over the sentences beaming with pride and thrilled.
I didn't know I was so uncertain, it sounds fantastic, just amazing. I enjoy the back-and-forth between Asriel and Lyra with the dæmon involvement.
It certainly sounds like the fens was cut out, as well as Dr. Lanselius. Poor Benjamin de Ruyter I know I would've aimed my alethiometer at his spying at that age also.
# May 21, 2007 12:03 by Phit
#9
WOW! You guys are fabulous!
# May 21, 2007 21:06 by Abby
#10
AMAZING...and i have to admit...it is becoming increasingly harder to wait until December…
Keep up the good work!
# May 21, 2007 21:48 by Sparkplug2818
#11
Wow! not like I've imagined it, but still great!!!
can't wait til December!
# May 22, 2007 16:38 by Ardanawen