Discworld

Hogfather has a two part TV movie adaptation. It's pretty good, I think. But it's a Christmas movie, so I don't know if you want to watch it middle of summer.

It's available on YouTube, but split to four parts for some reason: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLcGPPeBbIv0KY_r7QS_a5c_A0uX19pMhB

Troll Bridge, from Snowgum Films. Adapted from one of Pterry's short stories with Cohen as its main character. It's on Youtube. You can also see the making of documentary, the whole process is nothing short of miraculous.

It started as an independent production before catching the eye of Rob Wilkins (Pterry's assistant), I believe. And then the financing side was taken over by the estate so that the producers could work full time on the film.

My favorite is the Hogfather adaption. I don't know that it's the best, but it is a very fun Christmas tradition.

I haven't seen them all, but I told everyone in my circle to please watch The Amazing Maurice. It's a good adaptation, not a great one, but if enough people would go and watch it legally, there's a higher chance more adaptations will come and it could be a win for all.

Please give The Amazing Maurice a chance. He only needs one. Or two.

I know it's not as good as the books but I still have a sort spot for Going Postal. Some of the actor/character choices are delightful. And I'm not really watching to see one of my favourite series retold perfectly, more, the way friends and I recount old stories to each other, just hits the warm and fuzzy spot.

Honestly I struggle with them all to some extent. These books are not like regular books that are simply stories and characters that can be picked up and put into another format. Between the footnotes and the wry self-aware comments, these books are stories being told to you by the author, almost like he's right there in the room with you nudging you in the ribs and winking when he makes what he considers to be a good joke.

Someone in here posted the old animated Wyrd Sisters adaptation recently, and I have really fond memories of that one when I was younger, but even then it felt somehow empty even though I didn't realise why. And this is made even worse with the live action attempts as they also by necessity have to lose some of the more nonsensical elements.

I'm really not a snob for this sort of thing and usually enjoy seeing adaptations of my favourite books but yeah, there's just something about the Discworld that doesn't translate for me.

That said I've not seen all of them so you never know, maybe there's something out there that captures the author's voice and someone else will be along to recommend it to both of us soon!

I've translated the subtitles for Troll Bridge for a screening at a local scifi/fantasy con, and I've watched it so many time while working on it so it's pretty much engraved in my mind. So I guess that's my favorite.

From the Sky adaptations, Going Postal and Hogfather are quite good and fun to watch. I guess they didn't have a huge budget so it can look a little cheap in some parts, but the script and acting make up for it (also Going Postal has Claire Foy who is amazing). Colour of Magic is... fine, but not as good. Maybe because it's based on an earlier book. But something feels off with that one.

I never liked the Cosgrove Hall animated movies. They're ugly and surprisingly boring even though they take a lot of the dialog directly from the books.

(not Discworld, but) Johnny and the Bomb mini series is also nice. Not as deep as the book but a fun kids movie. Shame they didn't do the other two.