As the sun sets on the Harry Potter movie franchise (for now), another part of my childhood is being brought to life on the big screen.
The Adventures of Tintin: Secret of the Unicorn is based on three of the comic books written and illustrated by Hergé (The Crab with the Golden Claws, The Secret of the Unicorn, Red Rackham's Treasure). Directed by Steven Spielberg and produced by Peter Jackson, it is being produced in motion capture 3D, using techniques like those used for James Cameron's Avatar.
What I loved about Tintin as a kid was travelling with Tintin on all these amazing adventures. Looking back now, I seems really strange that a mere reporter gets to do all this crazy stuff, but then again I don’t remember ever seeing him reporting to anyone. It was also impossible not to appreciate the precise yet imaginative artwork that filled each page. Spielberg chose to film Tintin digitally so that the CGI would honour Hergé's distinctive and beautiful style of art, saying that it made him feel "more like a painter than ever before". I've been impressed by the promotional images released so far; the style looks halfway between live-action and Pixar-style animation in a way that is very faithful to the original source, albeit in 3D. It's an interesting look, and should stand out from the crowd.
Given the recent spotlight on Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows: Part 2, I've been wondering how much of a box-office success Tintin will be. They've definitely got a number of factors working towards their advantage: a first-rate team, including Hollywood heavyweights Spielberg and Jackson as well as other household names like Andy Serkis, Simon Pegg and Daniel Craig. As a personal bonus, Stephen Moffat, of Doctor Who and Sherlock fame, helped to write the script. Also, the books and TV adaptations were consumed and much loved by generations of readers, including myself.
But even though the Tintin franchise (originally written in French) already has an established international fanbase, there will be many people who haven’t even heard of it, and it's hard not to think about the disappointment of several comic-book films like Green Lantern. I'm not completely sure what made audiences love Spiderman, Batman and Iron Man, but I hope Tintin shares the X factor.
My other worry is about the 3D which made Avatar so successful. It seems that it's starting to outlive its welcome, with many people dismissing it as nauseating or gimmicky. I've been turned off by it recently myself, mainly because it adds nothing of value to my assessment or enjoyment of a movie. Sure, it looks great at the time, but it’s pointless as a long-term investment in a film if you can’t view memories in 3D.
Of course, I'll probably watch Tintin in 3D, for the same emotional reasons as for the last Harry Potter film. But I'll also be watching to recapture that timeless sense of adventure and humour that Hergé communicated so well. As surely as Captain Haddock drinks rum, you can bet that this is one movie I’m looking forward to this year.
Given the recent spotlight on Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows: Part 2, I've been wondering how much of a box-office success Tintin will be. They've definitely got a number of factors working towards their advantage: a first-rate team, including Hollywood heavyweights Spielberg and Jackson as well as other household names like Andy Serkis, Simon Pegg and Daniel Craig. As a personal bonus, Stephen Moffat, of Doctor Who and Sherlock fame, helped to write the script. Also, the books and TV adaptations were consumed and much loved by generations of readers, including myself.
But even though the Tintin franchise (originally written in French) already has an established international fanbase, there will be many people who haven’t even heard of it, and it's hard not to think about the disappointment of several comic-book films like Green Lantern. I'm not completely sure what made audiences love Spiderman, Batman and Iron Man, but I hope Tintin shares the X factor.
My other worry is about the 3D which made Avatar so successful. It seems that it's starting to outlive its welcome, with many people dismissing it as nauseating or gimmicky. I've been turned off by it recently myself, mainly because it adds nothing of value to my assessment or enjoyment of a movie. Sure, it looks great at the time, but it’s pointless as a long-term investment in a film if you can’t view memories in 3D.
Of course, I'll probably watch Tintin in 3D, for the same emotional reasons as for the last Harry Potter film. But I'll also be watching to recapture that timeless sense of adventure and humour that Hergé communicated so well. As surely as Captain Haddock drinks rum, you can bet that this is one movie I’m looking forward to this year.
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