The Golden Compass | Japanese Golden Compass Trailer & Tidbits | His Dark Materials

Japanese Golden Compass Trailer & Tidbits

Posted by on September 17, 2007 at 11:27 pm

An official-looking Japanese site on The Golden Compass has popped up. New Line appear to be running another audition for Lyra - this time for Japanese girls, presumably to voice the dub when the film is released in Japan next March. In a video on the site, director Chris Weitz says, “I’m very excited to have the chance to find another Lyra, from Japan. Please do not miss this opportunity, and I look forward to seeing you in London this November.” Also on the site is a Japanese trailer for the film - it mostly uses footage we’ve already seen, but there’s a couple of new shots within it. You can view it below.

In addition, there’s a few other items dotted about the site. The “keyholder” below seems to be available for fans buying tickets in advance; whilst this map featuring cute cartoon renditions of the characters/actors is a simple maze-puzzle. It’s available in pdf here, with the solution here.

Will says:

Search me. They’ve had foreign-language sections on the main website up since it started, but nothing there. Not everywhere will have a dub either.

September 18, 2007 12:12 am | link

hoobits says:

If I remember correctly Gaga bought the Japanese rights very early on. I’ve heard the books are quite popular there so, I’m assuming the movie is gonna have a big push and it might be getting some special attention for its Japanese release which is actually March 1st of 2008. The Japanese usually run the month and then the day, but put the year first much of the time.

September 18, 2007 1:28 am | link

Harry says:

When I went over to Japan a few years ago they appeared to make a big deal out of the people who dub western movies. I saw both Lara Croft: Tomb Raider and one of the Harry Potter flicks on the television and before both films started there was a short interview with the voice actors portraying the characters. It was rather neat!

September 18, 2007 12:21 pm | link

@will says:

It does have a Manga/Anime feel to it. Not bad.

As, if not more interesting, on the Official Movie Blog under the section Photos, click on the link ‘what a marriage they would have made…’ you will not be disappointed.

September 19, 2007 1:09 am | link

beausabre says:

The map looks like the sort of thing that might be used as a placemat at a restaurant to help publicize the film while keeping the kids busy doing the maze until the food comes. Any word on that?

And the keychain - what a great idea. Somebody is missing a big deal if it isn’t offered in other countries.

September 19, 2007 6:36 pm | link

Li says:

Wow, sounds awesome in Japanese. Voice acting is a big deal in Japan and there are many voice actors who are as famous as screen actors. I’m sure the dubbing will come out great.

Also, it’s interesting that the movie is being advertised as Lyra’s Adventure. In the trailer, the dialect went something like “it tells the truth, it’s a golden compass”. I wonder why they changed the title.

September 25, 2007 11:12 am | link

Luis says:

Well, I envy the Japanese because they have so many esclusive editions, you know. But they will wait three months more for the film… (although in Brazil weÂ´ll wait for 3 weeks and receive bad translated subtitles… or those horrible freakish dubs!)

And I think the Japanese Lyra will be a kind of stunt -sheÂ´ll appear pointing at maps written in Japanese and stuff like that. Pretty thoughtful, though.

September 25, 2007 6:28 pm | link

Jimbo says:

I always thought that the Dark Materials books would have been a perfect Miyazaki animated film series. I am curious of his thoughts on the books.

Films like Kiki’s Delivery Service and Princess Mononoke show a strong sensibility to many of the themes of HDM, with young female protagonists, witches and magic, alternate universes and technologies, not to mention a fondness for zeppelins. The Japanese to not have the same religious issues that we do here either, so the story would not have those aspects of the story toned down.

That said, this is still the most anticipated movie for me in years.

September 25, 2007 8:39 pm | link

Skye says:

@ Jimbo

Yes, that’s exactly what I thought! Someone should ask him if he’d be interested… There’s nothing that says there can’t be both a live-action and an animated version. I’m certainly all for it.

September 25, 2007 11:34 pm | link

Li says:

Unfortunately Hayao Miyazaki has “retired” from making feature films for Ghibli. He didn’t helm the Earthsea movie even though he and Ursula K. LeGuin are each a huge fan of the other. His son directed instead and my friends all told me they were disappointed by the movie. I’ve been afraid to watch it @_@

It’s really too bad. I wanted him to direct Ged’s War Journal and Howl’s Moving Castle, both based on some of my favorite books.

September 26, 2007 2:25 am | link

Miko says:

I’m from Japan, so let me correct some facts.

The books are, unfortunately, not very popular in Japan.
The Japanese publisher is aggressively advertising the books, but it has never appeared on a best selling list.

But GAGA the movie distributing company, and the publisher launched a campaign group to attract 10 million audience to the first film. It’s a crazy figure, much greater than any of the Lord of the Rings films, and most of Harry Potter films, which were amomng best-selling foreign films in the past few years.

They seem to decided to target young children (7-12) and their parents as main audience. And they are advertising really agressively…perhaps a bit too much. It has been already decided that the girl who will play Lyra’s part will become a “star” even before her debut. She will appear in many best-selling magazines in the next few months. Of course, this is an extraordinary treatment for a child voice actress. I’ve never heard of such an audition.

September 27, 2007 11:11 pm | link