Hogfather (2006 TV Movie) User Reviews (86)

An impossible task

[anthony-horwood · 8/10 · 19 December 2006]

Converting anything of Terry Pratchett's to film was always going to be difficult. Getting it right for everyone, impossible. However I was pleased to give this, made for TV, movie 8 of 10 for a sterling effort. The effects were a little crummy at times, Death's face was just a mask and the monster under the bed was just a bloke. Some liberties were taken with the plot, but overall the story was given the care it deserved and the the acting was solid. I liked Michelle Dochery as the singularly stolid Susan. It's hard to be that beautiful and still get Susan's character right and Marc Warren as Teatime was excellent for the job, possessing just the right amount of menace without overplaying it. Nicholas Tennant as Nobby, too, was brilliantly cast.

There were some scenes, particularly those with Death in them, where a little more care would have been good. The Hogfather's Grotto scene and the little dead girl scenes among them, but it's hard to act in an inflexible mask (Unless you're Darth Vader).

I know that there will be millions who will disagree with me because you just can't do justice to Pratchett's imagination in a movie, but I still think this movie made an excellent stab at it.

Good Christmas fun

[maxdest · 8/10 · 19 December 2006]

Good fun The story of the Hogfather revolves around a fictional world named 'Discworld' and a group of beings trying to stop Hogswatch (the Discworld equivalent of Christmas). Opposing them are a bumbling group of wizards, a babysitter who is more than she appears, and the personification of death itself.

The story leads itself in a fantastical ride with something for both adults and children (although there is some violence in parts, so maybe not suitable for the very young or fragile).

Don't be fooled into thinking this is another Harry Potter clone though. This film (and the book) is far deeper. At its core, it raises questions about the nature of belief and the human condition itself (All in a fun way though).

As a fan of Pratchett's books, when I noticed the UK subscriber channel 'Sky One' had commissioned this live action mini-drama, I was both hopeful and fearful. Hopeful that Pratchett's unique meld of fantasy and parody would come across well, but fearful that the medium change or the 'suits' would rob all of it's worth.

Thankfully, the end result came a lot closer to my hopes than my fears.

One of my major fears was that the whole humor would be changed from the subtleness within the books to a crude slapstick. I am pleased to announce that although some slapstick has been added (on the part of the wizards) the subtle jokes and references are still there. As for the story; I felt it came across well, although there were a few moments where people who have not read the book may be left struggling.

The sets, effects and costumes are all of a decent quality considering it was 'made for TV'. The notable exception is the costume of Death and the other non-humans. Unfortunately, these were obviously not budgeted enough and appeared inanimate and 'plasticy'.

The cast did a decent job, as you would expect from this group of veteran TV actors. Above the rest, a special mention should be given to Marc Warren for his truly creepy representation of Teatime.

Overall, there is something here for everyone here. Whether Child or Adult, Fan or Neophyte there is fun to be had.

Lets hope they make some more.

Perfect to the very last detail!

[punk_gee · 8/10 · 19 December 2006]

I've grown up on Discworld. Where do I start with this absolutely perfect adaptation? The spot-on casting - Susan, Death, Albert, Nobby Nobbs, Ponder Stibbons, all brought to life wonderfully. The faithfulness to the story - keeping it at nearly 4 hours to ensure the minimum amount of cutting. The perfect locations - Death's Domain, Unseen University, the Tooth Fairy's castle, all brilliant! I'm so glad Pratchett let them do this, and I can only hope and pray that they continue - let's see The Last Continent, Jingo, Maskerade, Reaper Man, Small Gods!

If I have one tiny, insignificant complaint, it's that we didn't see Ankh-Morpork in all its bustling, grimy glory - no shots of the River Ankh, marketplaces awash with grubby punters and, of course, Cut Me Own Throat Dibbler! But I will say this - Sky One, Vladim Jean and the rest involved did a wonderful job on such a small budget, and gave us a far better and more faithful adaptation than Hollywood could ever have mustered.

Full marks, it really gave me a buzz in the Christmas season. 10/10 for making a Pterry geek very happy indeed! :-)

As good as it could be....

[SoWhy · 10/10 · 20 December 2006]

Adapting Terry Pratchett's work for TV is a difficult task. Sure, he is a great writer and I had much fun reading all his novels at least 3-5 times but his writing style lacks a certain TV-compatibility. He uses much narrating and footnotes which is very hard (if not impossible) to transform into a movie. Having said this, I must admit, this adaption with real actors is probably as good as it can be. Sure, I missed a few funny character conversations (Like the "Give-the-Dean-a-bag-of-money-gnome" or the Cheerful Fairy), it also lacked certain elements of the book, including the YMPA, Igor's Bar or the Death of Rats (who is much more important in the book) but you cannot include everything from a 300 page novel into a say 100 page movie script. The producers did the best they could and they did a really great job. The characters looked almost as if Paul Kidby drew them into life and the acting was good. The only minor problem with the movie (which couldn't be prevented I guess) is that it's hard to follow for someone not knowing Pratchett's work before. If you never read his novels and watched this movie, I recommend you do so now. Trust me, the movie is great but the books are even better ;-)

Hogswatch it! An excellent bit of whimsy

[mockymonkey · 10/10 · 18 December 2006]

A very silly festive fairytale for children of all ages, with a no-nonsense (in the primmest, properest sense of the word), kick-ass heroine, set in a world that looks remarkably like ours, in a thaumaturgical, Victorian Gothic kind of way, considering it's actually a disc balanced on some elephants, which are balanced on a turtle.

'Tis the night before Hogswatch - a solar festival not dissimilar from our Christmas. But where is the Hogfather to deliver the presents? What on earth is Death doing? Just how DO you subdue the monsters in the basement with a poker? Not to mention those in the Tooth Fairy's castle. Who has been naughty and who has been nice? And can Susan save the Hogfather before it's too late? Like all the best 'children's' stories, there are a slew of adult jokes - from Ian Richardson's asides about House of Cards, to the 'Ant hill Inside' ('Intel Inside') visual jokes on the, er, 'computer' - modernity is folded subtly into this wonderfully alternate world of yore.

Good performances from the famous faces, but it is Michelle Dockery as Susan who is the highly pragmatic, utterly bewitching star of the show.

There are some nice unpatronising ruminations on the nature of belief, myth, right and wrong for those who like a moral but not entirely Christian worldview.

So - who's up for a bit of magic and believing?

Things just happen. What the heck

[TBJCSKCNRRQTreviews · 7/10 · 26 December 2010]

It's that time of the year again... Hogswatch. It bears a lot of similarities to your Christmas. However, The Hogfather(Santa) is being attacked. Death takes up his job, and we also follow a school of wizards... and these take up a lot of time and leave to relatively little pay-off. Then again, it is fun to see the odd gang of criminals(led by Mr. Teatime... pronounced Te-ah-tim-eh) undertake a creative plan to take care of the symbol of the end-of-the-year Christian celebration. You have probably figured out by now that this is set on Discworld(a disc-shaped planet carried by four elephants atop a turtle floating through outer space), Terry Pratchett's famous universe. I have not read much by him, but it was enough to know that imitating his writing style is impossible. It's far too literary. What they have done here is a good solution to this issue, and the humor(with sharp wit), quirk and commentary is largely intact. I have already touched upon the biggest problem with this... the pace is drab, and unless you *love* the comedy(with cleverness, silly stuff, verbal material and in general a "realistic" interpretation of a world with magic, complete with bureaucracy), you will not watch all three hours of this(even if the first of the two episodes do end with a cliffhanger). There are annoying characters, many jokes do not work and the FX range(the Grim Reaper's face is just a mask(the mouth doesn't even move!) and CGI is OK). The sets are nice. There is a dark tone, and bizarre and creepy instances in some of this. This has memorable bits as well, such as a computer run by ants and hamsters running in wheels. What I enjoyed the most about this was the exploration of faith and hope. This is a running theme, and the moral of this is smart and well-delivered. I personally found it worth the investment of time, but if you aren't interested in philosophy and religion, you may not. There is disturbing content and a little moderate language in this. I recommend this to fans of the author of the books. 7/10

An Excellent Adaption, Discworld Fans and Casual People will both like!

[Tseng15 · 10/10 · 19 December 2006]

This is the best Adaption of a book to movie I have seen, It is obvious Mr Pratchett and Mr Paul Kidby were closely involved in the making right down to the costumes and set design.

The first part of the movie will be a little slow and slightly confusing due to the fact there is a lot of stuff to be established, but by the second half things were happily and festively rolling happily downhill causing much laughter and merriment.

The actors have all equally taken to their roles, Everyone will have a soft spot for the main character Death as well as his school mam no nonsense Grand Daughter Susan especially.

One day, Discworld fans hoped for something like this and through out belief, It manifested. Watch it and have a Merry Hogswatch!

Fair, but somewhat disappointing

[QmunkE · 6/10 · 19 December 2006]

I'm a big fan of the Discworld, and have been hoping for a film/TV series for many years now. I've not managed to see the animated versions of Soul Music and Wyrd Sisters, so when I heard Hogfather was coming to town (ho ho ho) I was excited, but cautiously so.

Having now seen the finished article, I have to say I have some reservations. The casting seemed slightly off to me in places - Michelle Dockery and David Jason were great, as was Tony Robinson, whose brilliant narration of the audio versions somewhat gave me unreasonable expectations of the performances in this. Ian Richardson was a fair choice for Death. But the wizards, with the exception of Ponder, were all wrong. They didn't give the impression of lazy, but powerful men - they all seemed doddering old fools. And where was the librarian? (The lack of final closing scene in the bathroom was disappointing). Chickenwire is meant to be a street tough who regresses as his fears take over, which didn't really come across. Nobby is supposed to be inhumanly ugly. What happened to the Death of Rats and why did Quoth live in Death's house? As for Teatime's accent...

Having listened to the abridged audio versions of several of the books, I think it would have been better if the script had used these as more of a base - too much of the story was lost in transition (Susan's detective side-story dropped, they just waltz off to the Tooth Fairy's castle) and all the humour in Death's deliveries was lost - all the subtlety of Albert's attempts to teach Death the real meaning of Hogswatch was gone. And the growing sense of malice in the Tooth Fairy's castle was rushed too - the nightmares weren't explained fully and so seemed tacked on.

On the plus side, Michelle Dockery is almost exactly how I pictured Susan appearing and behaving. I look forward to seeing her in future productions (Discworld or not).

A fair attempt, and I hope it does well enough to fund further trips to the Discworld. But don't be fooled, it's like most book-to-film fantasy translations (and I include Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter here) - don't expect it to look and sound like it did in your head.

If only Auntie Beeb could have done it

[Presleythedog · 9/10 · 17 December 2006]

As a dedicated follower of the Discworld, I awaited The Hogfather with trepidation. It's not easy pleasing those of us who have already made the movies 100s of time over in our minds (take the hitchhikers Guide for instance, I joined the phenomenon with the TV version, Marvin is clumpy, Peter Jones IS the Guide, Zaphod's second head wobbles and Ford was surely Caucasian... I'm sure the radio initiates would disagree). Hell, let's not nitpick, the casting is marvellous (if only Steptoe had been there for Death's Butler... Mr Jason could have worn a pointy hat).

I wanted to love this though and was not disappointed. My "personal Albert" is thinner and scrawnier (more like a gentle human Greebo) as is my "personal Constable Visit" but I recognised every location. The sets still require some work from the watcher but the detail is fabulous, clearly made to demand a slow-mo second viewing scrutiny, and the props (ok, not the teeth) are exquisite.

I can imagine that prior knowledge is of great benefit as some scenes defy explanation by the uninitiated; Bloody Stupid Johnson's shower is surely included to stop people like me from complaining that it wasn't but Banjo's affiliation to Teatime is vague are the examples that spring to mind. Oh what a gorgeous name Tee-a-tim-ay is when pronounced thus! Why not 10/10? Adverts... the DVD should be marvellous and well worth a Spinal Tap 11 but to be introduced to Death, immediately followed by an underarm commercial rather killed the atmosphere the makers try so hard to create. I can't believe that Sky didn't make more of it, the way I trust the Beeb (bbc) would have... and that includes a semi-nonfunctional website with low definition wallpaper. So far the smell of self-promotion after part one on Sky's behalf almost overwhelmed the scent of the hogs and curry.

But production crew, hats off! Brilliant, you deserved a better platform for your masterpiece (and perhaps a few dollars more).

Fan of Pterry? You'll love it. First time with Mr Pratchett? You'll be hooked! Fan of Harry Potter? Terry came first! Buy the DVD! At last, a good family Christmas production like we remember from years gone by, guaranteeing a very HAPPY HOGSWATCH!

"Human beings make life so interesting. Do you know that in a universe so full of wonders, they have managed to invent boredom?"

[Bored_Dragon · 7/10 · 9 February 2019]

Death: HUMANS NEED FANTASY TO BE HUMAN, TO BE THE PLACE WHERE FALLING ANGEL MEETS THE RISING APE. Susan: Tooth fairies? Hogfathers? Little... Death: YES. AS PRACTICE. YOU HAVE TO START OUT LEARNING TO BELIEVE THE LITTLE LIES. Susan: So we can believe the big ones? Death: YES. JUSTICE. MERCY. DUTY. THAT SORT OF THING. Susan: They're not the same at all! Death: YOU THINK SO? THEN TAKE THE UNIVERSE AND GRIND IT DOWN TO THE FINEST POWDER AND SIEVE IT THROUGH THE FINEST SIEVE AND THEN SHOW ME ONE ATOM OF JUSTICE, ONE MOLECULE OF MERCY. AND YET - Death waved a hand - AND YET YOU ACT AS IF THERE IS SOME ... SOME RIGHTNESS IN THE UNIVERSE BY WHICH IT MAY BE JUDGED. Susan: Yes, but people have got to believe that, or what's the point... Death: MY POINT EXACTLY.

7/10 [10/10 for the book]

You'd better watch out......

[djnikon-1 · 9/10 · 11 December 2006]

Set on Discworld, Terry Pratchett's Hogfather novel is brought to life. Deranged Assassin Mr Teatime (with a bunch of thieves and a failed apprentice wizard) wants to "inhumme" the Hogfather (discworld's equivalent of Santa Claus) by destroying children's belief in him. By kidnapping and holding hostage the tooth fairy in order to use children's teeth to control their belief. The only being that can take his place? Death, a depressant Anthopomorphic personification, too caught up with humanity for his own good. Assisted by his foul servant Albert and his half-human (beacause some talents, like walking through walls or freezing time, are inherited "in the bone" rather than genetically), adoptive granddaughter Susan this is fantastic mash up of magic, monsters and fantasy.

Gothic story

[Kirpianuscus · 5 May 2017]

dark, intense. and... amusing. a different story but so well known. remembering values and the atmosphere of old German fairy tales. and something else. a form of innocence who seems be far by us. it is strange to analyze it. because it is just a complete story in which the Death has a surprising role, in which the Evil has a different status and friendship becomes, again, the source of force against dark challenges. so, a nice film. dark, intense. and...amusing. maybe, perfect for adults. for to escape from the classic formulas of a great holiday.

Much Is Lost In Translation...

[fwomp · 6/10 · 26 November 2008]

Part of the difficulties with translating a book to film is losing much of what the author tries to convey. Books allow the writer to squeeze in much more character information and wit, while films must do so in (usually) under two hours. Thankfully this duology expands that time line a tad to a much needed three hours and nine minutes. I say much needed because author Terry Pratchett's books deserve the full treatment in terms of time. But, unfortunately, even with this extended amount, the story suffers in translation. Although I must give credit to direct Vadim Jean (who also did the screenplay adaption and continues to adapt Mr. Pratchett's excellent Discworld series), it's tough to give a ravingly positive review to something that I enjoyed only marginally as much as the written works.

I remember sitting in a restaurant on a meal break one day and having portions of a ham sandwich fly from my nose while reading Hogfather. Death (in the film voiced very well by Ian Richardson, BECOMING JANE) is a central character, and both the book and the movie keep it that way. But what is lost is the clever witticisms of the narrator (Pratchett) that often causes the reader to nearly choke with restrained laughter while trying to keep from puking or inhaling food particles. It was, however, pretty funny to see Death cloaked in Santa (i.e., Hogfather) garb while mushing a sleigh towed by heavily-tusked boars.

Marc Warren (WANTED) as Mr. Teatime was a good choice, as he had just the right amount of ruthlessness (which was plenty) and naiveté (toward his fellow Discworld inhabitants) to make him a fearfully funny antagonist.

However, from here things get off-track. Michelle Dockery plays Susan, the main protagonist, but is mostly lost amidst the larger story. Her part was vital in the novel, but here we simply don't see that much of her in terms of character development. Beating up monsters under the bed? Funny, yes. Trying to protect her scythe-wielding relative? Okay, pretty funny. But what of the rest of her development? In truth, there isn't any in the film. She simply rushes off to help save Hogswatch Eve without much knowledge as to why she's so gung-ho to do it.

The remaining characters are also given excessively abbreviated versions, which made the entire film much less laughable. Indeed, I think I only chuckled a few times during the entire three-plus hours, showing just how much was lost in translation.

I will say, again, that I don't blame writer/director Vadim Jean for this. Without a doubt, this is a tough sell. How can you make something so densely funny as one of Mr. Pratchett's wonderful Discworld books into a guffaw-riddled flick? I think the simple answer is that you can't. And I think this adaptation proves it. But I will give Mr. Jean credit for trying. He succeeded on a very small level but I fear those that haven't read the novels might be less-than-impressed.

Sorry guys.

A Disappointment

[purplesmurf · 3/10 · 20 December 2006]

I eagerly anticipated the adaptation of the Hogfather although having read it a couple of times and still not felt I really 'got it' I wondered how well it could be adapted for television. Being a big Terry Pratchett fan I desperately wanted it to be great but ended up very disappointed.

First the characters - Susan had not one iota of personality and (as with many of the others) delivered her lines without an ounce of feeling (or decent acting) resulting in no connection with her character. David Jason was mainly being David Jason though with a hint the Michael Caines thrown in at times. The Death of Rats (one of my favourite characters) popped in and quickly popped out again - if the CGI budget couldn't stretch just leave him out altogether for goodness sake. Teatime was interesting at first but his grating whine became annoying as time went on.

As for the story, there was no real flow. Things happened. Then other things happened. Then some other stuff went on and a bit more happened. Knowing Pratchett well and having read the book I could follow it (mostly) but anyone who hasn't read the Hogfather must have been totally lost. I was hoping this would be a platform whereby people who haven't read Discworld books would be captured and inspired to find out more. My wife just thought it was confusing and left the room.

Still, every cloud and all that - I enjoyed Death (a rarely used phrase I know) and thought Nobby was portrayed well. Ridcully (alone amongst the Wizards) was also well done by Joss Ackland.

Overall however this was a patchwork quilt of an adaptation, with poorly delivered dialogue and an impenetrable story for most of the population. I hope it doesn't put people off. His books are brilliant - really.

Last night's episode

[dpigott-4 · 10/10 · 18 December 2006]

Well, I was one of the many waiting with eager anticipation for the airing of Hogfather. I was also a little nervous that it wouldn't live up to expectations. I need not have worried.

It was truly an excellent adaptation, and my son and I watched the whole thing, riveted. They have captured Ankh Morpork perfectly. I was also fascinated to see who/how they would portray Nobby and, although he's not quite the thin, multi-hued creature often described, he IS Nobby. His character was perfect.

Susan was perfect, and I disagree on the death thing. I think it was very well done.

One minor comment. You really would have to have read a bit of Pratchett to really appreciate it. My wife, who hasn't, was a little bit lost because there is a panoply of characters that, if you've read any Ankh based books, you will already be familiar with.

Narrator?

[gollum032000 · 10/10 · 18 December 2006]

Who was the narrator? Ian Richardson perhaps? There is no listing here. Over-all I enjoyed the adaptation. I thought the in-jokes from other Pratchett books clever but i missed a couple of them as i haven't read all of his books yet. The visual jokes were hilarious i.e. " anthill inside " and the egg timer on HEX . The acting and characterisation was spot on. Sir Davids portrayal of Albert was as sarcastic as the books with his usual aplomb. As for death ....... excellent down to the sharp gardening implement and the voice of granite slabs crashing together. Next one to do has got to be weird sisters ......but that is just my opinion.

Good, but could have been better

[Quintinn · 7/10 · 18 December 2006]

The adaptation of most books to film usually goes wrong somewhere. And somewhere in this movie it did as well, but I can't put my finger on it where. It's just that when you read Pratchett's work, you lose yourself in a world of fantasy and comedy. But in the movie, most of the humour gets lost I suppose. I have read 6 to 7 books of the Discworld, and loved every one of them. I haven't read Hogfather yet but you do recognise a lot of characters. But it is the humour between the lines, the puns and the side notes that make those books so funny and it is lost in the adaptation. The acting is very good and so are the special effects (although sometimes a bit roughly done) and I think the casting was very good as well. It was good to see the characters come to life but you never totally fall into that fantasy as you do with reading the book. So to summarise: good film, but I think the book will be better. 7/10

I thought it was good...

[TheLittleSongbird · 8/10 · 20 February 2011]

Hogfather for me is not as good as Going Postal, but it is better than the enjoyable but uneven Colour of Magic. I haven't read the book in a while, but I do remember it going delving into the story and characters more than this adaptation did.

Hogfather does look wonderful though. The sets are beautiful, as are the costumes and the photography and special effects are interesting. The music is also a plus, both haunting and beautiful, the writing is decent with some nice humour in the mix and the story is a great idea with some fun scenes.

The cast mostly do a very good job. Marc Warren does very nice work, David Jason is a warm presence and David Warner is very distinguished, but the standout was the late Ian Richardson's Death who is just brilliant.

Hogfather despite its strengths isn't perfect. The pace could have been a lot tighter than it was, I felt some scenes dragged. My other problem was that while Michelle Dockery looks beautiful and has some nice moments of acting her character is not explored as well as she could've been.

In conclusion, a good and enjoyable adaptation. 8/10 Bethany Cox

Disappointing

[yvonnejoone · 7/10 · 26 April 2007]

i am a massive discworld fan - it started with my father and it will carry on with the next generation i can assure you. having read all Pratchett's books, i truly hope my children will be readers, because this DVD, in my opinion, was not a scratch on terry Pratchett's world. the casting was especially terrible (in particular corp knobby was not at all correct, in the books he's described as spotty, ugly and at best; seeming nonhuman - not bucktoothed with a daft look on his face, susan is supposed to be really weird - *sigh* if helena bonham carter were only younger... ), the acting was unconvincing, they barely showed the discworld (every scene was shot in some room or another) and every scene was 'chopped'- my fiancé who doesn't read Pratchett couldn't follow it at all, i could only follow (with increasing queasiness) because i read the book! next to the wyrd sisters, the wizards are some of the funniest characters in the series and i barely cracked a smile. teatime was a creepy character at best and the director actually managed to make him annoying instead of creepy. at the end of the day, even though all the characters were too squeaky clean, i have to admit its a valid effort with good effects, perfect for the kids at Christmas time.

As good as I could have hoped!

[Daryle · 8/10 · 26 December 2006]

Which is not to say perfect but certainly a very good effort.

I just finished watching it a second time and am developing a serious crush on Michelle Dockery. She played an almost perfect Susan of my imagination. A strong, attractive woman: cold, cynical, and subtly sexy in a stern way; was what I had in mind and this pretty much delivered.

Death's voice casting was very good and Albert wasn't bad. I do think it would have been neat to use some effects to show Death from the point of view of most mortals who cannot see him "properly". Also, as I mentioned on the comment board, I think Tony Robinson could have been a good 'Albert' given his significant "sidekick to a dark figure" experience. The biggest disappointment was definitely the Wizards who were portrayed too much on the "Bumbling Fools" end of the spectrum. I see them more as lazy but also powerful and very suspicious men. IIRC Ridcully is the only Arch Chancellor to last more than one book in the highly "competitive" world of Wizards.

The story was quite close to the book given the limitation of the medium. I would have actually cut some more peripheral sections and tightened things up a bit at the risk of incurring the wrath of the very orthodox Pratchett fans. You will never please the most radical anyhow. For example why not skip the shower plot completely? Ditto for the "Oh God of Hangovers".

Anyhow enough kvetching. Great first outing!

Nicely Done but Too Long

[simhedges · 6/10 · 27 December 2006]

Beautifully made, excellent effects (both visual and practical) and design, enjoyable acting (especially from 'Susan'). The plot was good, once it got going. And there's the rub - it was just horrendously long and draggy at the start. It would have benefited immeasurably from having a good hour cut from the running time: 4 hours was too long.

That's really all I wanted to say, but as IMDb insists I write more (ot it won't let me submit my perfectly reasonable comment), I'll also add that I very much liked Death's head being an immobile skull rather than being animated. I even liked the jaw not working. And I liked the eyes. The Hogs were most enjoyable. I suspect the narrator was Joss Ackland (Ridcully would be an appropriate narrator), though it may be have been Ian Richardson. The ending was good, and I liked the speech about the little lies and big lies.

Amazing world!

[ZekeRage911 · 9/10 · 30 March 2007]

I am indeed a fan of Terry Pratchett, however, I am a critical fan. I do not worship his words or anything, but I enjoy his writing and ideas. I was skeptical when I heard someone was doing a live action Hogfather. Having read the book, I thought there would be far too much back-story and explanation required to tell the complex story effectively. I'm happy to be wrong.

The opening is a very impressive CGI display of the Discworld, accompanied by well-written and well-read narration. We are brought into the story with the VERY beautiful Michelle Dockery as the main character, Susan Sto Helit, the adopted grand-daughter of Death. Yes, Death, the robe, the scythe, everything.

It seems some strange entities that call themselves the Auditors, which are essentially the chartered accountants of reality, seek to eliminate human beings by wiping out their ability to believe, thus negating a vital part of their humanity. They hire an assassin, the very creepy Mr. Teatime (pronounced The-ah-time-eh) played brilliantly by Marc Warren to kill the Hogfather, a Santa-Claus like figure.

My description does this story no justice. You are gripped from the very opening shot, and dragged into this world of darkness, comedy, and surprising philosophy. The set design, props, costumes, photography, acting and directing are all spot-on. My main criticism, and I hate to admit it, is that Michelle Dockery was a little flat at times. I hate to admit it, because I am nearly in love with the woman. Unfortunately, at times she seems to be reciting lines rather than playing a role. If not for that one flaw, I would have given this mini-series a 10/10. Well, nobody's perfect.

Not as good as I would have expected

[AussieBeka · 6/10 · 6 January 2008]

I have been a huge Terry Pratchett fan for over a decade now, and "Hogfather" would have to be one of my favourites of the Discworld series. So when I saw it was going to be aired for Christmas, I was really looking forward to watching it.

However, this rendition was pretty disappointing. Susan was portrayed terribly! She is meant to be a supremely self-confident person who is always in control. This version showed her as almost a meek woman who is ruled by either her charges or her family. Susan should not have been so easily manipulated by Teatime. She has always been one of my favourite characters for her strength, and she was shown *so* badly here.

Teatime was a blatant rip-off of Johnny Depp's Willy Wonka. There was none of the coldness that inspired such fear in the book. His appearance and accent were terribly annoying, and detracted from the story itself. Teatime needed to be approached completely differently in order to succeed.

The wizards were also portrayed appallingly. Ridcully should have been a far stronger figure, and been the focal point of his scenes. Instead, we were shown an old man who doddered around for his time on the screen.

However, I loved Albert and thought he was a fairly accurate representation of the character from the book. He also portrayed the humour that is so distinctive in Pratchett's work. I also appreciated how Death's love of humanity was shown. He was an interesting character, if not quite as sympathetic as in the books. The sets were also well-designed and complimented the story.

Overall, a good effort but required some recasting to be as spectacular as it deserved to be.

Don't fear the reaper!

[adamjohns-42575 · 5/10 · 3 January 2021]

This isn't how I see Ankh-Morpork or it's residents and visitors. I will admit that it has been a while since I have read the books and certainly this story in particular, but to me they've always been a bit less human than they are depicted here, after all, they are from another planet/disc.

I do like this depiction, but feel that it does somewhat rely on a previous knowledge of the Discworld and its characters/stories to follow it completely. For example, you'd think with a TV special, that is over three hours long, that they could have made it easier to follow and not relied on the viewer being a loyal fan. I think that the actual explanation of what Teatime was up to could have been dumbed down a lot more to make it accessible to a younger audience too. I still don't think I know what was going on, but I remember it being simpler when I read it. Perhaps when someone else takes on the challenge to make it again, they will pick up the pace a bit and contain the necessary information to just two and a half hours or less?

The story actually bears similarities to 'Rise Of The Guardians', but obviously Terry lead the way and the contents are slightly less aimed at children. Which, as I've said, I think misses a trick, because it could so easily be made for the whole family to watch with a childish storyline full of adult innuendo.

One thing I know for sure is that Teatime doesn't work for me in this production. I don't like the funny voice that Marc Warren puts on in his creepy Little Lord Fauntleroy way.

While I really don't mind this version, it just doesn't feel right to me, I guess with Mr Pratchett on board, I'm probably in the wrong and this is how he saw it.

Ladies and gentlemen, the magic is back

[waari · 10/10 · 20 April 2007]

I love books and I love movies, but only very rarely has a book been translated to the silver screen as well as Hogfather has.

To put it simply, it's magic.

For once the essence of a book, the soul of it, remains intact, the movie lives the book, lives the story, lives the characters.

To my utter amazement the whole look of the movie is very very similar to my personal idea what discworld and it's characters look like, I'd say that it's 95% of what I have imagined while reading discworld books. And I do have quite a good imagination :-)

The casting is superb, altho I personally would have put mr. Pratchett himself in the part of the archchancellor. But the crowning jewel of casting is Michelle Dockery as Susan Sto-Helit, she is stunning to say the least, she captures the essence of what makes Susan Susan and projects it with such intensity that I was, for once, left awestruck.

This movie achieved what I have not experienced in years, the feeling of being there, the one moment of pure magic that penetrates your soul and leaves you for just a second hanging between the reality and imagination.

Bravo !