Name: The Hogfather (based upon the Terry Pratchett book)
Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terry_Pratchett's_Hogfather
Rating: 8/10
I'm a Terry Pratchett fan (like most fantasy lovers I think), and so I was curious as to how they could adapt the vast and funny concepts knocked around in Discworld in general and the novel onto the Tv/film screen. I'm glad to say that the Hogfather doesn't dissapoint.
For one, it's excellently stocked by british actors. We have the legendary david jason (Del-boy from only fools and horses, Granville from open all hours and Jack frost from a touch of frost) as Albert, Marc Warren doing an excellent job of Mr.Teatime depsite the dodgy attempt an an American-ish accent (Danny blue from hustle and in doctor who), tony robinson (baldrick from blackadder) and more (often face syou recognise but can't name from where). Death's voice is excellent also.
Death is perfect, as is the realisation of the bumbling wizards and their computer. Susan is a brilliant part being strongwilled and prickly, and the CGI, while obviously of TV quality rather than movie quality, does a great job of realising discworld. Terry Pratchett's humor and cleverness remains solidly throughout the film.
The plot? It's more complex than you'd expect -as most of Pratchett's books are - but in short the discworld equivalent of father christmas has been kidnapped/gone missing. Death steps in nightmare-before-xmas style to take over, while the mysterious 'auditors' hire an assasin (Mr.teatime) to kill the hogfather. Susan, a kickass nanny and Death's estranged granddaughter is soemwhere in the middle trying to sort things out.
Very clever and entertaining and well worth a wtach for any fantasy or comedy fan.
8/10
Videos
[poss spoilers]
i trawled youtube for some previews and scenes...
'Welcome to hogfather' - about it, inc interview with terry pratchett
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Nmx2pde8-c
Mr teatime, because he's awesome and crazy:
(this is in the toothfairy's castle)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhsufhRbcd8
death being kickass: [spoiler since its near the end]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLKpOoWJlxk
sceenes of HEX -the awesome magic computer:. also get to see the wizards.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qN3tLnlixkY
