Terry Pratchett's The Colour of Magic DVD 2008 A spellbinding Adventure / Two Disc Edition / Directed by Vadim Jean / Starring: David Jason, Sean Astin, Tim Curry, Christopher Lee

UPC 5039036039017

MADE IN EU

REGION 1 NTSC DVD SET (black & white)

Audio: English 5.1, Audio Description 5.1

Subtitles: English HOH

Total Runtime: 189 minutes

English Summary:

Terry Pratchett's The Colour of Magic is a fantasy-comedy two-part television adaptation of the bestselling novels The Colour of Magic and The Light Fantastic by Terry Pratchett. The fantasy film was produced for Sky1 by The Mob, a small British studio, starring David Jason, Sean Astin, Tim Curry and Christopher Lee as the voice of Death. Vadim Jean both adapted the screenplay from Pratchett's original novels, and served as director.

The plot of the adaptation largely follows the first two Discworld novels, The Colour of Magic and The Light Fantastic. The story follows the misadventures of Rincewind, a wizard who is expelled from Unseen University after spending 40 years failing to learn even the most basic magic. In fact, Rincewind's head holds one of the eight spells from the Octavo, the most powerful spellbook in the Discworld, and he has been unable to learn others because "they were afraid to be in the same head" as the Octavo spell. Rincewind is forced by the Patrician of Ankh-Morpork to act as a local guide for Twoflower, a property insurance salesman and the Discworld's first tourist, who is visiting Ankh-Morpork, and Twoflower's luggage, which is made from Sapient Pearwood and can run on its own legs.

After a misunderstanding over an insurance policy causes the owner of the inn where Twoflower and Rincewind are staying to commit arson, the pair flee the city. They proceed across the disc, encountering a variety of mythical creatures, most of which lead to near-death experiences for Rincewind. Fortunately for Rincewind, the Octavo spell in his head precludes him from actually dying, resulting in several comic encounters with Death. Meanwhile, a significant power struggle is occurring within the Unseen University. Narrator Brian Cox explains that "in the competitive world of wizardry, the way to the top is via dead men's pointy shoes... even if you have to empty them yourself". The power-hungry wizard Ymper Trymon (Tim Curry) plans to become Archchancellor. Trymon assassinates several faculty members but is thwarted by the incumbent Archchancellor, Galder Weatherwax, and his superior magical knowledge of the Octavo. Trymon knows there is no point in deposing the Archchancellor until he learns how to control the Octavo, which is growing increasingly restless as Rincewind (and the spell in his head) moves further away from Ankh-Morpork and into greater danger.

Cast

• David Jason as Rincewind, a failed wizard and the main protagonist.
• Sean Astin as Twoflower, the Discworld's first tourist.
• Tim Curry as Trymon, the power-hungry senior wizard at the Unseen University.
• Christopher Lee as the voice of Death.
• Jeremy Irons as Lord Vetinari, the Patrician of Ankh-Morpork.
• David Bradley as Cohen the Barbarian, the most famous barbarian in the Discworld, now 'retired'.
• Laura Haddock as Bethan, a druid sacrifice, who falls in love with Cohen.
• James Cosmo as Galder Weatherwax, the incumbent Archchancellor of the Unseen University.
• Nicholas Tennant as Head Librarian of the Unseen University, who is turned into an orangutan during the events of the film.
• Karen David as Liessa, a dragonlady from the Wyrmberg.
• Liz May Brice as Herrena, a mercenary who is employed to capture Rincewind.
• Nigel Planer as the Arch-Astronomer of Krull.
• Richard Da Costa as The Luggage.
• Roger Ashton-Griffiths as Lumuel Panter.
• Miles Richardson as Zlorf, the leader of the Ankh-Morpork Assassins' Guild.
• James Perry as Kring, the enchanted sword.
• Stephen Marcus as Broadman, the bartender at the Broken Drum.

Terry Pratchett appears in a cameo role, playing Astrozoologist #2 in the opening and closing scenes of the film. Richard Woolfe, the director of programming at Sky One, also appears as the Alchemist.