MovieChat Forums > His Dark Materials (2019) Discussion > That Song Was Heartbreaking.

That Song Was Heartbreaking.


It truly was, the song sung by John Faa during Billy Costa's funeral. So touching, I really felt as if I'd lost somebody. Full lyrics anyone?

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I really disliked that whole scene which was entirely made up by the writers because it never happened in the books.

In the books it wasn't Billy Costa that Lyra found but some other boy no-one knew. When she took him back to the Gyptians they were all afraid of him because he had no daemon. Then Iorek Byrnison berated them for showing less courage than Lyra had. It was a vital scene in establishing why Iorek became so loyal to Lyra.

But the writers left it out so that, yet again, they could show Ma Costa blubbing over her poor mixed African/Anglo child Billy. Yes folks another hit 'em over the head with the "we are all one" woke message ! Who gives a stuff about the story when there is left wing propaganda to be shoved down people's throats ?



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I didn’t take it as any “woke” statement. It was simply using a character we knew so that we would care more. I thought the song was heartbreaking and a nice touch. It helped me understand the Gyptians more.

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In the books Billy survived and was at Bolvangar with Lyra. But he was never an essential character, sacrificing him to get that emotional scene gave Lrya's discovery more punch than it had in the book. Her silvertongue routine later on will be enough to impress Iorek and win his loyalty.

I think your interpretation reveals a lot more about you and your own personal views than it does about the scene itself, or the writers' intent. You're using convoluted reasoning where the simplest explanation is the most logical.

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