MovieChat Forums > His Dark Materials (2019) Discussion > Why did the BBC adaptation have to add t...

Why did the BBC adaptation have to add today's technology?

posted 3 years ago by [deleted]
7 replies | jump to latest

The Harry Potter movies didn't, even though smartphones were not a thing back then, they felt like a product of their time, as these books should.

I mean, imagine if the HP movies were made in 2010, there would be flip phones all over the place and it would be annoying!

Will didn't have a smartphone in the book, and Mary Malone's Dust-reading computer was far more modest, and the Magisterium dirigibles were far less mechanical-looking than here!

Why do they have to mess up such perfectly fine books? I'll never be able to unsee this adaptation now!

[–] Oskar (273) 3 years ago

Maybe Will's cameraphone will be able to "see" the Specters?

While Will is obviously poor, a ~13 year old not even having a crap smartphone is just unrealistic. Mary having a 90s computer would be even more unrealistic.

[–] Otter (24464) 3 years ago

Why not? It's supposed to be set more or less "today", isn't it?

[–] [deleted] 3 years ago

Even if the adaptation has Pullman's blessing, it still dates the superior (by far) books.

[–] Otter (24464) 3 years ago

The books are ALWAYS better!

(Except for "Jaws".)

[–] chrisjdel (2714) 3 years ago

I don't see how this makes a difference one way or the other. They could do an adaptation set in 2050 (and who knows, maybe thirty years down the road they will) with technology appropriate to that time. As long as the essential aspects of the story are unaffected and the gadgetry is just background detail. I guess I'm just not that fussy about peripheral content.

I actually like the steampunk feel of the Magisterium world. Things like the airships look the way you'd expect them to. You can see how technological development might have been limited somewhat by the presence of such a powerful and controlling church - whose stamp of approval would be needed for any research funding.

[–] Jennie_Portrait (804) 3 years ago

A agree with you. The only part that has to be technically “accurate” is the Madisterium world. There’s no reason why “our” world scenes should not look like our world now. The minute something is filmed anyway, it becomes a part of the past.

[–] Esterhowse (468) 3 years ago

They have to add today's tech because it takes place today.