Christopher Eccleston and The Dark is Rising...

[fajrdrako]

You may have noticed that I love, absolutely love, Christopher Eccleston as Claude in Heroes. Not as much as I loved him as the Doctor, but hey, nothing could match that. And there's a new episode tonight - great! Last week distressed me by not featuring Claude and Peter at all. This week, I live in hope.

But I keep seeing news items about Eccleston's role in "The Dark is Rising". And I keep trying to feel confident about this, but really, every item I hear makes it harder to fight my dismay.

First of all - and I think this may be heresy, considering how many people recommended this book to me - I didn't much like The Dark is Rising. It was... not terrible. But it didn't match the standards of Diana Wynne Jones for British fantasy. Considering the recommendations I'd heard, it disappointed me.

Secondly, it is clear they have made a lot of changes to the characters and updates to the themes - making the main characters Americans, for example. The updates might make me like the story more. But it annoys me. Why adapt a book as a movie if you're going to change everything? Why not just make an original fantasy movie about American kids in Cornwall? (Er... it was Cornwall, wasn't it?)

Thirdly, this does not bode well for Eccleston having a long tenure on Heroes, which is too bad, since I like Claude so very much.

Comments

[raissad.livejournal.com]

Here's an interview (http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=20581) with CE. He discusses DW and Heroes, as well as DIR.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Interesting interview. I'm disappointed there's nothing concrete about his return to Heroes. I was, as you know, hoping. What he does say is promising: "I think there's got to be something really meaty for [Claude] to do for me to go back, but I'd certainly like to." I like the idea of Claude getting a meaty role.

Interesting that he thinks Tolkien, Susan Cooper, and Doctor Who are just for children.

[raissad.livejournal.com]

His attitude re: Heroes makes sense, though, when you consider how far he's traveling for the role among other things. If I were based in England, I'd want to be more than scene-filler in an LA production, too.

But, there's still more for CE to do: Claude and Bennet have to address the fallout from Company Man. Claude and Peter need to chat. Initially, Claude and Peter were going on the assumption that the bomb was all about Peter. But, now Peter knows that his mom and Linderman were huge mitigating factors. That puts Claude's People Suck/No Attachments view in a whole new context for both of them. Claude will be shocked, and he needs to be.

Plus, they need to address Claude's Darwin and Maximum Potential speech in relation to Linderman's matchmaking Niki and DL. Perhaps, he and Angela sought to bring Nathan and Meredith together, as well. The writers have acknowledged that it's probably not a coincidence that Claire's powers are the exact flipside of Linderman's.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

If I were based in England, I'd want to be more than scene-filler in an LA production, too.

Well, yes. And I had been assuming all along that he'd turn up again - and have more scenes - but I guess not. It's too bad, because he was so interesting.

That puts Claude's People Suck/No Attachments view in a whole new context for both of them. Claude will be shocked, and he needs to be.

Absolutely, and I hope to see that - his reaction, and what he does about it.

Perhaps, he and Angela sought to bring Nathan and Meredith together, as well.

Interesting thought, and very plausible.

Claude Tidbit Via E! On-Line

[raissad.livejournal.com]

I don't know if you get the E! cable channel in Canada, but you can access their site, and Kristin gets extremely reliable info. The only times she has been wrong were when script changes were made after she spoke with her sources...

Rhiannon in Crown Point, Indiana: Has everyone forgotten about Christopher Eccleston on Heroes? He is one of my favorite actors, and I was so excited to see him on Heroes, but he's been absent and no spoilers ever talk about him.

Don't worry—no one has forgotten about him, least of all the producers. Creator Tim Kring says of a possible Invisible Claude return, "We're not making it official, but the truth is we would love to have Christopher back. We are going to pursue it with the hopes we can do it."

E! (http://www.eonline.com/gossip/kristin/detail/index.jsp?uuid=7d4b9f8c-de7f-4f8a-afe0-a2ecce690d31)

Re: Claude Tidbit Via E! On-Line

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Oh - wonderful! Thanks for relaying this. I can assure you that *I* haven't forgotten the wonderful Claude, not for a moment!