Even after accepting the job, Pratchett was unsure it was real. The guy was humble to a fault, he deserved ALL the praise and attention he got and a whole lot more. Makes me tear up.
This was one of the notable things about Terry Pratchett - his humble nature - which went along with his genius. It's lovely to see him interviewed in this and when he talks about realising he was in the film, the time they took to "get it right" with a focus on detail from the costumes and he was so happy to know they were serious about the film it also made me teary. GNU, Sir Terry, Sir Richardson and Sir Christopher Lee.
Few films ever live up to the book. This is a wonderful exception. Michelle Dockery changed the way I imagine Susan in my mind. ALL the casting was superb. Thank you. Please do "Carpe Jugulum". ;-)
Michelle Dockery was so young and adorable :) She was the perfect Susan and I am willing to bet that this role was what led to her being cast as Lady Mary, as the characters have more than a few similarities.
Sir Terry Pratchett was a genius. I enjoy watching all three live adaptations, but the actor that really portrayed the character was Charles Dance in Going Postal. That is how I see Lord Vetinari.
Terry wrote the best commentary on human behavior that has ever existed. Every psychologist/psychiatrist needs to read these books to understand what really makes us human.
My fav character is definitely Death. His so humorous for a skeleton in a black robe, and he makes some funny lines like: lets go slay them! or have you been naughty or nice? and a blue eyed skeleton making funny lines makes him a really odd hilarious and kind sort of character. I especially like his relationship with Susan. Neither of them are affectionate, they don't hug each other or say 'how are you sweetie?' but they have their own way of being affectionate, like when Death gave Susan a Hogswatch card and how she smiled after he left. :)
Death is literal, polite and fair, and ironically very human. He's almost like a grandfather figure, and in this case he literally is a grandfather. Death should not be depicted as evil. Mysterious, scary, but not evil.
"Every heroine needs a hero." That line surprised me. Michelle Dockery had just pointed out that Susan didn't need to be saved. Later, the narrator says even heroes need someone to rely on, but isn't referring to a heroine. He's talking about Albert, his servant.
I really enjoy the hogfather, I watch it every year. I cannot understand why it isn't in the Christmas films Hall of frame. It is so sad that it hasn't reached a larger audience and got the praise it deserved. I believe its a fitting memory for Terry Pratchett a RIP
Many thanks for uploading this. I didn't even know there was a "making of" documentary, very enjoyable watch. Rest in Peace Sir Terry, thanks for all the laughs.
Ian Richardson had such class!Chris Lee had class as well but Ian really nailed it.He's a gentleman's actor.His voice is so much more massive than he is!When you hear that voice you really feel a 7 foot skeleton is talking to you! Ian may not have been very tall but he was bigger than life and it is so sad he passed on 3 years after the making of this film!Its too bad he couldn't make it for the Color of Magic!Many of us I know must still miss him but in a weird way this movie gave him a kind of immortality! His memory will live on in our hearts through this film!
Indeed, if only deep fake/AI voices were better, having Death voiced by a dead man sounds like a joke Pratchett himself would have written, doesn't it?
Mele Kalikimaka a Hau'oli Makahiki hou! from Hawai'i...Wonderfully, I stumbled upon the Hogfather during the Christmas season...and I am so grateful I did, and that it was made into this fine movie...along with the Colour of Magic...and another wonderful movie similarly Star Dust....so, to actors, True DNA3, and the ones who made such a delightful movie a Big Mahalo!
I am grateful that you posted this doc! I so love this film, not just as an STP fan, but in appreciation for delightful and brilliant casting, directing, acting and all around cohesion to the original story, as it runs in my mind. Thank you!
In my case it’s because the bloody music is so loud. I mean, why spend time writing the script, rehearsing your actors, interviewing the most important movers, and then ramping the unappropriate music which is trying so desperately to be ‘jolly Harry Potter’ to eleven? And the Auditors should also not speak like that. And Teatime is annoying rather than menacing. Other than that, a pretty good effort.
I am still awaiting a TV adaptation of the Witches. Love Hogfather, Colour of Magic and Going Postal....but I wanna see Granny Weatherwax "cuss" someone on screen. And as a sidenote, I watch this every Xmas season...
that would be a TOUGH job for a casting director. i read Discworld after the Harry Potter movies had come out so i always pictured Maggie Smith as Granny. but that's exactly why you couldn't use her, she is already a super famous witch character. plus, she's 88 now, Granny needs some vigor.
Somewhere in the Infinite Universe's in the Town of "Dunmanifestin", Sir Terry now plays chess with Fate, although if Fate is busy, Anoia will sometimes fill in....if She can because She is so busy here in the Roundworld.
Thanks for the upload, so very good to see the players and props used on the movie, and of course, the creator of Diskworld. I'm so happy to see that he enjoyed himself - he gave us a great gift! And so did you! Thanks!
During a very trying, tough and hard time in life, my close friend at the time recommended that I read Terry Pratchett, the first book being the Hogfather, then Good Omens. It was a read that was an antidote to that time, I had a need for escapism from the brutal reality of humanity that we were facing. Terry's book highlighted postive attributes in the lives of humanity that can be forgotten in such circumstances. This exposure was the beginning of me becoming a prolific reader of Pratchett. I completed the Discworld books as well as most of the associated tales and some of his other ventures. It reignited a love of reading that has changed my life. The reading helped move me from a position of closing down and disconnection from other people to a spiritual awakening and desire to connect and take up a life of assisting others. It is not the whole story, but a start for which I am thankful. I am not sure why I maybe stating this, but reading, I beleive, helps open us up in ways that seem to be lost, I whole heartedly encourage people to read. All ages, please read something that balances your life, something that seems out of concert, find hope. Its ok to be lost at times, it's not ok to stay lost. God Bless you dear reader.
I only recently realized Albert is played by the same actor that played Rincewind in the Color of Magic, and I've seen both films probably 10 times each.
Because everyone knows that Mr Teatime hates it. Clever writing - Teatime *knows* he has a ridiculous name. He knows that people laugh at him because of it, and that's part of what makes him a psychopath.
This is such a masterpiece from all angles, the effort put into bringing death to life (sorry) is so great to see. Watch this every year on the night before Hogswatch!
I don't think it's a perfect adaptation, but it's pretty nice and decent. And the guy who made it is respectful to the source material. "The Watch", now, on the other hand...
Totally agree, but a lot of the people who'd like to make Discworld films would also do it badly, and that would disappoint we Pratchett fans. I'd *LOVE* to see more of the Discworld novels in film, but I'd hate to see Sir Terry's legacy spoiled by sub-standard interpretations made by people who don't really "get" Discworld. Better to wait for someone who can do justice to it.
I find it amusing that this roll likely layed the groundwork for here character on Downton Abby. Its amazing how one completely unrelated experience can give you the necessary skills to be perfect in a completely different roll.
I came here for SUSAN & stayed for the show, unfortunately I can no longer watch her in any other shows, especially that Abby one as I feel it will corrupt her true purpose. I have been a Terry Pratchett fan since the start, I was given Mort in the late 80's or early 90's & it was my favourite till The Hogfather came out, a DEATH who loved cats, how could you fear that, unless you were supposed to. As an Australian The last continent always cracks me up, some of you may have no idea how many pop culture references & his depiction of our lovely critters are spot on the money. He is not truly dead while his name is still remembered, GNU. P.S. Just one last thought, why are they saying Teatime's name incorrectly ?.
as much as i LOVE David Jason, i always thought he wasn't quite right for the role of Rincewind in Colour Of Magic. once i saw Hogfather i realised Nigel Planer would have been PERFECT.
Seemed odd that David Jason didn't know who Albert actually is. Got a copy of everything that Terry Pratchett ever wrote (or co-wrote) so I guess I'm a fan.
If you want to see a splendid true to the book production of a Sir Terry story, watch the crowd-funded 'Troll Bridge' from. Snowgum which is a masterpiece.
Oh, they well and truly made magic happen with this movie, and best of all one lucky Tuesday midday movie turned out to be the Hogfather, and it finally after 20 years of trying to remember a little-known cartoon movie i watched as a child. That i now know was soul music it answered what the stories were called so i could go out and find them, so bless the crew and the director for helping me fall back in love with this wonderful seres
Did anybody ever tell David Jason think that's his name who plays Albert that Albert actually is a wizard a wizard who wish to escape death and chose to be his manservant in order to escape death. So Albert is no mad picking or no what have you.
Tbh, that would be the HMRC (His Majesties department of Revenues and Customs), who are now based in my home town, and have very recently moved into a new building which I cycle past on my route to my own place of work. The people going in every morning as I pass by, would make the auditors quite colourful and interesting.
Rincewind the character had been at the Unseen University for 40 years without acheiving level 1 (see Colour Of Magic) so he would have been at least 50-60. So David Jason was actually a bit young to be Rincewind.
Hogswatch is coming, The pig is getting fat, Please put a dollar in the old man's hat If you ain't got a dollar a penny will do- And if you ain't got a penny, then- fghfgh yffg mfmfmf...
I've never understood why they thought David Jason should be cast in Discworld at all. He was a terrible Rincewind, and he's nothing like Albert should be IMO.
21:54 "...so hopefully it should make them feel quite etheral..."?!? Wtf does etheral mean? Or did you mean to say ethereal, but just decided to skip an entire syllable? Because that's not exactly how words works!!! Oh wait, maybe that's allowed on Discworld. 🤔🥴😵
If the Dutch plonker playing death at least tried to read a couple of Terry's novels he would have an affinity with the character.Most actors in all the discworld films have made an effort to read the novels. :}
Great movie. Been a fan of Sir Terry for over 20 years. I hate to say though that the casting of Susan was not very belivible. While a strong female lead she is also very funny and that don't carry over onto this film outing.
I disagree, I thought she was perfect casting. Her's in the film is a very dry, sardonic wit which is kinda hard for some people to "get" since it isn't overt or silly.
Where precisely in the book is she ‘funny’? What jokes does Pratchett give her? The whole point is that Susan is absolutely the straight guy, well, girl, around whom the other characters move. She is trying to be normal, for goodness sake. No, in this case the casting is excellent.
Susan is not funny. The scenes in which she appears are funny, sometimes precisely because she is trying hard to be normal and sensible and human, and the situation is insane; or because she is normal and sensible in a VERY STRANGE WAY, as when she makes no effort to dissuade the children from believing in monsters, just makes sure that they believe EVEN MORE that she can beat the monsters with an iron poker, so everything is all right in the end.
This, dear sjws, is a strong female character in a movie done right. This right here. None of your garbage mary sue crap. See, it just won´t do to TELL the audience that they are supposedly seeing one. You need to be able to CREATE one! Much harder. Much, much harder. But it is the only way, you weaklings...
My only problem with Michelle Dockery as Susan Sto Helit, If I have one, is that she's too damn hot. Prachett female characters are typically more flint than flirt, and that applies especially to Susan. Miss Dockery is simply too attractive for the part. But hey, I'm not really complaining.
So, in what way is it impossible for an attractive woman to be flint? Why does an “attractive woman” (in your estimation anyway) lack the ability to be strong, intelligent and decisive? The characters only DRESS like they’re in the 19th century, you understand.
I love this document so much! It's so fascinating, watching how they made it. Any chance that you could find somewhere "Terry Pratchett's 'The Colour of Magic': The Making Of"? I just discovered it has been made, but I can't find that video through google.
