Terry Pratchett Read online

  Cast:

  Moist von Lipwig Richard Coyle, Reacher Gilt David Suchet, Adora Belle Dearheart Claire Foy, Groat Andrew Sachs, Lord Vetinari Charles Dance, Ridcully Timothy West, Drumknott Steve Pemberton, Dave Pins Paul Barber, George Pony John Henshaw, Priest of Offler Don Warrington, Miss Cripslock Tamsin Greig, Crispin Horsefry Madhav Sharma, Mr Spools Jimmy Yuill, Stanley Howler Ian Bonar, Mr Pump (voice) Nicholas Farrell, Mr Pump Marnix Van Den Broeke, Mr Gryle Adrian Schiller, Trooper Daniel Cerqueira, Sergeant Angua Ingrid Bolso Berdel, Mad Al Ben Crompton, Sane Alex Asif Khan, Princess Paula Lane, Roger Alex Price, Old Lady Gabrielle Hamilton, Postman Terry Pratchett, John Dearheart Tamas Mohai, Sapphire Anna Gyorgyi, Undertaker Bela Szekely, Shop Girl Anna Erdos, Parker Matt Devere, Receptionist Angela Eke, Hobson Mike Kelly, Cashier Istvan Goz, Maitre d’ Szabolcs Thuroczy, Aggy Richard Usher, Farmer Gabor Atlasz, Bank Clerk Tamas Saghy.

  Crew:

  Executive producer Rod Brown, Producer Sue De Beauvoir, Line producer Paul Frift, Executive producer Vadim Jean, Executive producer Ian Sharples, Original music John Lunn, Cinematography Gavin Finney, Film editing Alex Mackie, Casting Emma Style, Veronika Vajasi, Production design Ricky Eyres, Art director Monika Esztan, Ray McNeill, Costume design Charlotte Holdich, Make-up artist Reka Gorgenyi, Make-up and hair designer Lesley Lamont-Fisher, Production manager Katalin Schulteisz, Assistant production manager Batizi Timea, Unit manager Gabor Ujhazy, First assistant director (second unit) Krisztina Barkoczy, Assistant director runner Julia Hargitay, Second assistant director Tamas Lukacs, Second assistant director James Manning, Second assistant director Szonja Szekerak, Third assistant director Andras Szucs, First assistant director Lee Trevor, Storyboard artist David Allcock, Leadman Istvan Balogh, Set dec buyer Nimrod Hajdu, Production buyer Magdi Kondorosi, Swing gang Mark Kun, Illustrator Kurt Van Der Basch, Production sound mixer Tamas Csaba, Foley editors Simon Epstein, Marc Hope, Sound editor Dan Johnson, Sound assistant Laszlo Kovacs, Foley artist Claire Mahoney, Sound effects editor Jeremy Price, Boom operator Peter Schulteisz, Key creature effects artist Ricardon Contreras, Special effects supervisor Gabor Kiszelly, Pyro supervisor Gyula Krasnyanszky, Pyrotechnician Laszlo Pinter, Creature designer: supervisor Ivan Poharnok, Pyrotechnician Attila Varsanyi, On-set visual effects supervision Reuben Barkataki, Visual effects supervisor: Digital Apes Zoltan Benyo, CG effects artist: Digital Apes Ruszkai Kalman, CG supervisor Laszlo Mates, Matte painter: Digital Apes Tamas Mate, Matte painter: Digital Apes Agnes Nagy, Compositor: Digital Apes Papp Nikolett, CG artist: Digital Apes Peter Obornik, Compositor: Digital Apes Attila Polgar, CG artist: Digital Apes Horvath Peter, Roto artist Rosi Ruiz, Visual effects producer: Digital Apes Zoltan Szarvasi, Digital compositor Zoltan Bojtos, Compositor: Digital Apes Zoltan Szegedi, Compositor: Digital Apes Ria Tamok, Production visual effects supervisor Simon Thomas, Technical director: Digital Apes Gabor Toth, Compositor: Digital Apes Gergely Velki, Compositor: Digital Apes Vajda Balint, Compositor: Digital Apes Peter Farkas, Visual effects coordinator Adam Fiers, Visual effects editor Adam Fiers, CG artist: Digital Apes Daniel Forgacs, Composite supervisor: Digital Apes Pal Klemm, Flame artist Lajos Kondor, Stunt double Bela Kasi, Stunts Roland Kollarszky, Stunt double: Richard Coyle Czirjak Krisztian, Stunts Levente Lezsak, Stunt performer Tivadar Mike, Stunt coordinator Bela Unger, Grip rigging best boy Gabor Balda, Rigging electrician Csaba Bankhardt, Focus puller Gusztav Kirsch, Key grip Janos Kiss, Dimmer board operator Zoltan Lakatos, Grip Peter Pozsonyi, Assistant camera Kristof Pardanyi, Camera operator Marci Ragalyi, Steadicam operator Marci Ragalyi, Dolly grip Istvan Torok, Focus puller Gyorgy Vesztergombi, HD assistant camera Istvan Arvai, Rigging gaffer Attila Bilik, Rigging electrician Zoltan Bok, Gaffer: Hungary Zsolt Buti, Gaffer Brandon Evans, Assistant camera David Gerencser, Focus puller Tamas Janossa, Grip Robert Jasz, Second assistant camera: ‘A’ camera Gabor Kasza, Costumes Zsofia Federits, Costume supervisor Gabor Homonnay, Costume PA Gyozo Macsuga, First assistant editor Anya Dillon, Assistant colourist Tamara Juristovszky, Second assistant editor Noemi Mehrli, Colourist Adam Vándor, Music scoring engineer Paul Golding, Transportation captain Mihaly Gal, Location manager Rudolf Andras, DI line producer Bori Bartucz, Script editor Merle Nygate, Health and safety adviser Janos Papp, Script supervisor Dora Simko, DI workflow supervisor Zoltan Virag, Medical coordinator Gabor Xantus, Production coordinator: UK Victoria Hair, Assistant to production accountant Aniko Hegedus, Production coordinator Amy Horkay, Assistant location manager Krisztian Kertai, Location scout Barnabas Kiraly, Pre-production accountant Agnes Kun, Script supervisor second unit Lili Makk, Assistant production coordinator Emese Matuz.

  Production company: The Mob Film Company; Sky 1

  Length: 185 minutes

  Moist von Lipwig is a con man who has swindled millions of dollars out of the banks of the Discworld. He is captured and sentenced to death, but his execution is only staged when in fact he has been spared to give him a chance of redemption. This comes in the form of being offered the job of the Postmaster of the Ankh-Morpork post office, not a job to be relished.

  For many years the job of Postmaster has remained vacant and the post not delivered, but von Lipwig has no option but to rise to the challenge – and the dangers associated with it – and reintroduce the postal service. To his credit he does rise to the challenge. He also falls in love but discovers that he played a monstrous role in his loved one’s family history, which he could not have foreseen at the time. He decides to break off their relationship because of it, but the plot continues to twist and turn to a satisfying conclusion.

  The movie is about the right length and is as solidly entertaining as it is visually stunning. The wit of Pratchett is preserved, along with the more sinister moments in the narrative. Claire Foy is brilliant as Adora Belle Dearheart, one moment pompous and aloof (but also sexy and alluring) and the next wretched and broken. Richard Coyle is also extremely good. Some of the supporting roles are also played particularly well, for example by Andrew Sachs and Paul Barber. In all, it’s an excellent interpretation of Pratchett’s novel, with another great cameo from the man himself.

  ANNEX B

  Pratchett at the Theatre

  ‘Terry writes very good dialogue. Not all authors do. But Terry, like Dickens, writes stuff which you can lift straight into your play.’

  Stephen Briggs (Introduction, Mort – The Play)

  It was not my intention to list every Discworld theatrical adaptation, because although they are based on Pratchett’s work, technically they are not by him. This short annex broadly highlights the adaptations and the driving forces behind them.

  Stephen Briggs is linked to Pratchett through his love of the theatre. Born in 1951, he is a civil servant who dabbles in amateur dramatics. His dabbling with Pratchett’s work started back in 1991 when he adapted the author’s Shakespearian spoof Wyrd Sisters for the Studio Theatre Club of Abingdon, Oxfordshire, with permission from the author. His passion for all things theatrical inspired him to take on the role of Duke Felmet in the production.

  Wyrd Sisters was both enjoyable and successful, so the following year Briggs adapted Mort and played the part of Death. This started a trend, as Briggs then starred as Lord Vetinari in Guards! Guards! in 1993.

  Briggs has forged an enviable reputation with fans of the Discworld series and has gone on to turn many other books in the series into successful theatrical adaptations. He is so successful that he is even given manuscripts of Pratchett books in advance so the theatrical production can coincide with the book’s release. The Studio Theatre Club is now a staple part of the celebration of Discworld and attracts much attention.

  What is quite amazing is that the Studio Theatre Club was the first company ever to dramatise Discworld. Their theatre holds fewer than 100 people and has a tiny stage, but from these modest beginnings greater things were achieved.

  Aside from the plays, Briggs has contributed to other works of Pratchett’s (see Annex C). In his own words, he has ‘been drawn further into the Discworld
universe’. He was the driving force behind The Streets of Ankh-Morpork: The first Discworld Map (painted by Stephen Player in 1993), The Discworld Map: A Tourist Guide to Lancre and Death’s Domain. His database also became part of The Discworld Companion.

  Although other theatre groups have gone on to interpret Pratchett’s novels in different ways, Stephen Briggs’ adaptations are considered to be the benchmark and he is somebody Pratchett trusts implicitly.

  ‘Death even got an invitation to London’s flashiest Indian restaurant to have a curry with a group of journalists as part of the publicity for a Discworld computer game. A whole room full of journalists but, unfortunately for Death, no take-away.’

  Stephen Briggs, reminiscing about being Death

  (Introduction, Mort – The Play)

  ANNEX C

  Terry Pratchett: Complete UK Bibliography and

  Collector’s Guide

  What follows is a book collector’s guide to the work of Terry Pratchett. It is by no means exhaustive. It concentrates on the main works available in the UK and their variants, so fans and collectors can tell at a glance if what they possess, or wish to possess, is collectable or not.

  The problem with collecting popular books in the fantasy genre is that fans welcome limited editions, different wrappers, slipcases, signed and numbered copies. Terry Pratchett falls shamelessly into that category, so much so that I have not differentiated between uniform sets of his books, i.e. I haven’t split this listing into first editions, proof copies, numbered and signed copies, etc. Instead I felt it was important to list as many different UK versions of each individual book as possible, especially for the early editions. That way it is very easy to see how many versions of The Colour of Magic or The Light Fantastic are available. I believe this approach makes the guide much more user-friendly and helps the reader avoid buying a version of a book that is very similar to the first edition and, consequently, save him or her some money.* I feel this is a very important point nowadays, with many amateur ‘book dealers’ out there wishing to make money for themselves or some well-meaning cause. Suffice to say, only the first UK priced stickered copy of The Colour of Magic (for example) is worth thousands of pounds. Personally, I would not pay three figures (let alone four figures) for any other copy, but that’s my own personal opinion. Conversely, I do not list every reissue of a book, as they are clearly of no value. The only book club issues listed are those for the early titles or ‘The Unseen Library’ editions. As a rule, BCA, GP and Science Fiction Book Club issues have very little collectability. Within the book-collecting world, first hardback editions are the most collectable, followed by limited edition copies and then proof copies.

  There is some very slight repetition with regard to omnibus editions, to clarify whether a certain book identified in the bibliography has been included in a specific collection.

  The following guide is not priced because prices will vary during the shelf life of this book. I list everything in release order, but with the first edition listed before any proof copy. I do this because priority is given to the true first UK edition, which, although it may not be the most limited version, will be the most desirable, especially if it is ‘flat signed’ (not dedicated to anyone) by the author. That brings me on to my last point. Copies of Pratchett’s books are worth more flat signed. Unless someone shares the same name as the person to whom the book was dedicated, personally signed copies are less valuable. The exception to this is an antique book where a dedication from, say, Bram Stoker may add interest (and maybe provenance) to a copy of Dracula. Nowadays, what with official signing sessions all over the country and writers being very generous in signing their older books (not just the latest release), people are prepared to wait and be choosy about the copy of a book they want to buy on the second-hand market.

  As a rule, the book must not be price-clipped, should show its original price, have a bright and clean dustwrapper with no sunning or creases or tears, and preferably be flat signed by the author. Collectors don’t ask for much really, do they? Also, nowadays, Pratchett has an official stamp endorsing his signature as genuine, and these copies carry greater authority. The first officially stamped autographed copies of a book I ever saw were of Christopher Lee’s Lord of Misrule, the third incarnation of his autobiography; officially stamped copies are worth more than flat signed copies of the previous version of his autobiography, even though the dustwrapper was much more striking.

  Note: The first stories of Pratchett’s that had a public airing were those he wrote for his school magazine, Technical Cygnet. His first officially published short story, ‘The Hades Business’, was printed in 1961, and other stories are likely to exist. Two titles certainly do: ‘Solution’ and ‘Picture’.

  SHORT STORIES FOR THE BUCKS FREE PRESS

  The following list gives precise dates and the number of episodes for each of Pratchett’s stories in the Bucks Free Press. None of these stories were written under Pratchett’s real name; he used the pseudonym of Uncle Jim. None of the stories were named at the time but they have been given titles since. They are not named here, to reflect their original state. Original copies of the Bucks Free Press featuring Pratchett’s Uncle Jim stories are extremely collectable today.

  8 October – 23 December 1965 (12 episodes)

  31 December 1965 – 7 January 1966 (two episodes)

  14 January – 28 January 1966 (three episodes)

  4 February 1966 (one episode)

  11 February 1966 (one episode)

  18 February 1966 (one episode)

  25 February 1966 (one episode)

  4 March 1966 (one episode)

  11 March – 18 March 1966 (two episodes)

  25 March – 8 April 1966 (three episodes)

  15 April – 29 April 1966 (three episodes)

  6 May – 20 May 1966 (three episodes)

  27 May – 15 July 1966 (eight episodes)

  22 July – 5 August 1966 (three episodes)

  12 August – 26 August 1966 (three episodes)

  2 September – 23 September 1966 (four episodes)

  30 September – 28 October 1966 (five episodes)

  4 November – 9 December 1966 (six episodes)

  16 December – 30 December 1966 (three episodes)

  6 January – 13 January 1967 (two episodes)

  20 January – 3 March 1967 (three episodes)

  10 March – 23 March 1967 (three episodes)

  31 March – 9 June 1967 (11 episodes)

  16 June 1967 (one episode)

  23 June – 7 July 1967 (three episodes)

  14 July – 21 July 1967 (two episodes)

  28 July 1967 (one episode)

  4 August – 25 August 1967 (four episodes)

  1 September – 15 September 1967 (three episodes)

  22 September – 29 September 1967 (two episodes)

  6 October – 27 October 1967 (four episodes)

  3 November – 10 November 1967 (two episodes)

  17 November – 8 December 1967 (four episodes)

  15 December – 22 December 1967 (two episodes)

  29 December 1967 – 12 January 1968 (three episodes)

  19 January – 9 February 1968 (four episodes)

  16 February – 8 March 1968 (four episodes)

  15 March – 29 March 1968 (three episodes)

  5 April – 19 April 1968 (three episodes)

  26 April – 17 May 1968 (three episodes)

  24 May – 12 June 1968 (eight episodes)

  From this point Pratchett started to illustrate his stories

  19 July – 16 August 1968 (five episodes)

  23 August – 6 September 1968 (three episodes)

  13 September – 20 September 1968 (two episodes)

  27 September – 8 November 1968 (seven episodes)

  15 November – 29 November 1968 (three episodes)

  6 December – 20 December 1968 (three episodes)

  28 December 1968 (one episode)

  3 January – 17 January 196
9 (three episodes)

  24 January – 7 February 1969 (three episodes)

  14 February – 28 February 1969 (three episodes)

  7 March – 28 March 1969 (four episodes)

  3 April 1969 (one episode)

  11 April – 18 April 1969 (two episodes)

  25 April – 16 May 1969 (four episodes)

  23 May – 6 June 1969 (three episodes)

  13 June – 11 July 1969 (five episodes)

  18 July – 1 August 1969 (three episodes)

  8 August – 29 August 1969 (four episodes)

  5 September – 24 October 1969 (eight episodes)

  31 October – 5 December 1969 (six episodes)

  12 December – 24 December 1969 (three episodes)

  2 January – 23 January 1970 (four episodes)

  30 January – 20 February 1970 (four episodes)

  27 February – 13 March 1970 (three episodes)

  20 March – 24 April 1970 (six episodes)

  1 May – 29 May 1970 (five episodes)

  12 June – 17 July 1970 (six episodes)

  24 July – 14 August 1970 (three episodes)

  21 August – 18 September 1970 (five episodes)

  EARLY WORKS – SHORT STORIES

  ‘The Hades Business’, Science Fantasy magazine, Volume 20, No 60 (August 1963), paperback as issued.

  ‘The Hades Business’, The Unfriendly Future, edited by Tom Boardman (Four Square, 1965), paperback as issued.

  ‘Night Dweller’, New Worlds (Compact SF, November 1965, cover story ‘The Wrecks of Time’ by James Colvin), paperback.

  From 12 June 1973 to 4 March 1975, Pratchett drew cartoons for ‘Warlock Hall’, The Psychic Researcher and Spiritualist Gazette, published by Colin Smythe. Roughly 17 different issues exist.