"Hogfather" -- in two parts -- broadcast on a Christian TV network

[capri0mni]

There's a TV network, here, called "ion," that used to be called "PAX" -- PAX was blatantly Christian, "ion" is only slightly less so. Mostly, the line-up is made up entirely of 'family friendly' sitcoms from the Eighties: "Mama's Family," "Who's the Boss," "Designing Women," etc. But they also air Bible-study shows, after midnight, and the animated lineup "Qubo" (The folks who do "Veggie Tales" [think the old "Davie and Goliath" show, but with a talking zucchini]) on Friday afternoon.

So think a minute how amused I was to see them airing a live action dramatization of Hogfather last night. For those of you who don't know it, this is the story of Discworld "Christmas," and the "Santa" figure is a blatant homage to the Norse God Freyr, even down to the flying chariot pulled by four wild boar. Of course, the people responsible for making this decision probably see it as acceptible because the whole conflict is over an actack on Belief, itself. But I'm not sure they truly realize what they're saying about their own deity in the process (Christianists, at least in my limited experience, have hardly any understanding of other religious traditions). So it amuses me.

And then, of course, I come into LJ this afternoon, and find the news about Terry Pratchett. So there's a certain irony (ion is also full of commercials, so the second half of "Hogfather" will be airing tonight, after Pushing Daisies).

About that: take heart, folks. They have medicines, now that can slow the progression of the disease, and apparently, they work pretty well (I remember hearing about them on Nova, before seeing them in tv ads), and the earlier the Alzheimer's is caught, the better they work. With all of Mister Pratchett's royalties and fame, I'm sure he's getting the best of care. If he's mildly optimistic, I think we should be, too.

[ETA: Just saw the end of Hogfather; they skipped over all the phases of the transformation between wild boar and Hogfather-in-sleigh (including the human sacrifice, the evolution into a bishop, etc.) that was in the boook, thus skipping a lot of messy theological questions. But Death still gave his "Humans make God in their image" speach, at the end...]

Comments

[spiralsheep.livejournal.com]

Christianists, at least in my limited experience, have hardly any understanding of other religious traditions

Because they have to sustain their belief that theirs is the only dying and resurrected deity, who took human form, which would be more difficult for them if they knew about all the others who pre-dated him. ;-)

[blinovitch.livejournal.com]

Oh bother.

[barbarafett.livejournal.com]

[nerdy VeggieTales fan]Larry is a cucumber. Also, you just can't beat his Silly Songs.[/nerdy VeggieTales fan]

[trinalin.livejournal.com]

Awwww, hadn't heard about PTerry's Alzheimer's.

[pedanther]

Cebu!

[capriuni.livejournal.com]

And, of course, there are those Christianists who do acknowledge other religions (especially when the deities are pointed out to them). But then, they answer with: "Yes, but Christ is the only true Dead and Risen incarnation of God. All the others are false idols created by Satan, to lead Man astray."

The thing is, I was given a copy of Hogfather (the original novel) one year, for Yule. And at the end, Death says (Paraphrased): "Well, of course the sun will still rise, if Hogfather dies. But people will only see the stark, physical reality of it, and not have any emotional connection to it."

And that kind of moral relativism is exactly the sort of thing most Christianists over in my corner of the world rail against most loudly. And that the network execs are so blind to that is what amuses me most... Well, second momt, after the amusement in the story ineslf. :-)

[capriuni.livejournal.com]

I know.

... The phrase "Be Optimistic!" is a bit like "Don't Panic!" As soon as it's uttered, people tend to do the opposite...

Sigh.

[capriuni.livejournal.com]

I knew he was one or the other. But "zucchini" is a funnier word.

[capriuni.livejournal.com]

"Cebu?"

Wha's that?

[capriuni.livejournal.com]

Was a surprise to me, too... but...

I sometimes wonder if posts about real life should have spoiler warnings for bad news....

[uncacreamy.livejournal.com]

I noticed it, and didn't realize that it was the second half tonight. We taped it, didn't look. But Borders -has it-, so I've reserved a copy, and will be picking it up tomorrow.

[capriuni.livejournal.com]

It was fairly good, for a novel-to-film adaptation. Out of necessity, a lot of of the humorous puns and cultural asides were cut. But that's just the limitations of the medium...

[spooforbrains.livejournal.com]

I really didn't like Hogfather (the Sky adaptation thereof, I mean, loved the book). Susan Sto-Helit was woefully miscast, and Death was just rubbish. Alfred was about the only bit they got right.

[barbarafett.livejournal.com]

True. A cebu is a kind of cattle animal. One of those Silly Songs is about them.

[capriuni.livejournal.com]

Well, that's why I put in the novel-to-film qualifier... And It may have looked better to me in its context. Pax ion has shown such holiday "classics" as "Gina D's Cuddle Bug Christmas."

...I was rather bemused that Death never moved his jaw...

[daibhid-c.livejournal.com]

According to Mr Pratchett himself, they decided *not* to have Death moving his jaw, because he'd look like a ventriliquist's dummy. Or worse yet, Skeletor. (You'd be amazed at how little you *do* move your jaw when you're speaking; it's mostly your lips and tongue, and Death as neither, so clearly isn't really "speaking" anyway.)

Personally, I thought Michelle Docherty made a perfect Susan complete with barely-controlled anger over... well, *everything* for being stupid, but it was quite clear that their excitement over getting Living Legend Sir David Jason overruled the simple fact that he's not Albert. He played the part he played marvellously, but it just wasn't Albert.

[pedanther]

What are your thoughts on the prospects of Living Legend Sir David Jason as Rincewind?

(Apart from "I'm beginning to suspect that part of their funding must have a 'and it will start David Jason' rider attached to it.")

[daibhid-c.livejournal.com]

That's certainly part of my thoughts. Also, I'm not sure about him playing two major parts in the same universe (I notice the actor who played Nobby is going to be the Librarian, but that's a very brief scene of being turned into an orang-utan, so I'm not so bothered about that).

Beyond that... I dunno. I could certainly see him as the older (and wiser?) Rincewind of Interesting Times. And I could see the David Jason who played Grenville making a good showing as the young wizzard who might be mistaken for a runaway apprentice. But the current David Jason in the first book? I have misgivings.

(Vadim Jean says we'll all be amazed when we actually see it, so I'll wait till then.)