Hogfather (2-Disc Edition) [2006] [DVD]

This is the first "theatrical" (i.e. live actors, not cartoons) realisation of a Terry Pratchett novel, and like, I'm sure, all Pratchett fans I approached it with some trepidation. Would it work? Would the intricacies and atmosphere of the Discworld be adequately represented for us here on Roundworld? Could they be? It was a bit like going to see the first of the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy at the cinema - could such a different place, which each of us believed in in our own way, actually be filmed successfully? The answer with the Peter Jackson film(s) was, of course, a resounding "yes" and the same goes for this less ambitious venture.
There have been cartoon versions of two Terry Pratchett novels, "Wyrd Sisters" and "Soul Music" and these worked reasonably well, but the limitations of the media (and some rather quirky editing) mean that we had to wait for the live action "Hogfather", with excellent casting and production, CGI, and animatronics to start to do justice to Pratchett's vision.
It is difficult to fault it. The only thing the viewer has to take care about is that as well as enjoying it you have to pay attention because otherwise you will miss some typically Pratchett little gems, and possibly something relevant to the plot. Discworld devotees will appreciate it most, I think, but others should too, judging from the positive reaction from my family members who have hitherto resisted the novels. And yes, it is worth buying the two-disc version.

THE STORY:
The deranged assassin Mr Teatime has figured out a way to kill the Hogfather (think Santa but with porcine overtones). Knowing that without the Hogfather the sun will not rise, Death decides to boost the power of belief by impersonating the jolly fat man. Meanwhile, Death's (adoptive) grandaughter Susan takes it upon herself to stop Teatime's plans.

WHAT'S GOOD:
Pratchett fans will be pleased by the surprisingly faithful adaption of the Discworld novel of the same name. The character of Susan (played by the beautiful Michelle Dockery) is a wonderfully realised character with the perfect dry wit and cynicism which makes for a great protagonist. In fact, all of the characters are played to perfection by the all-star cast be it Marc Warren's psychotic Teatime or the bemused wisdom of Joss Ackland's wizard Mustrum Ridcully. There's plenty of humour on offer here too, with at least one good chuckle every ten minutes (the Oh God of Hangovers is particularly amusing). However, the element which made this film worthwhile for me is Death. The design of the character is really good, with the twinkling blue lights deep in his eye sockets being more effective than any amount of CGI could be. But it is Ian Richardson's vocal talent which, if you'll pardon the pun, really bring Death to life. Richardson manages to convey everything from Death's confusion over the human race to his rage against the Auditors perfectly. (ALBERT: "Never say die, that's our motto" DEATH: "I can't say it's ever been mine")

WHAT'S BAD:
The plot of this film is really quite intricate and if you don't pay attention you may find yourself wondering things like 'Why are they in the Tooth Fairy's castle?' or 'What's all this stuff about the Verucca Gnome?'. The intricacy of the plot is made more problematic by the film's length. Having originally been two separate two-hour-long episodes, this means you'll have to pay attention for four hours to fully understand the plot. My only other complaint was that we didn't see enough of the Death of Rats, aka the Grim Squeaker.

I really enjoyed this movie having purchased it at the Christmas holiday season so was particularly appropriate. If you are a Terry Pratchett fan you will not be disappointed.Where else could you read about Death being Father Christmas!