His Dark materials author Phillip Pullman has responded in length to accusations that the film version of his series are being watered down so as not to offend. Pullman comes to the shocking conclusion that reporters sometimes twist people’s words around! Say it ain’t so Phil! Anyway here it is straight from the author:
To take an answer from one context, invent a question that hadn’t been asked, and put the answer next to it is not what used to be called honest journalism. To flag that answer in large type beside the new story, as if it came from the story itself, compounds the dishonesty.
Now here’s the truth.
There will be no betrayal of any kind. I would not have sold the rights to New Line if I thought they were incapable of making an honest film from the story I wrote. Every conversation I have had with them, every draft of every screenplay I have seen, reinforces my belief in the integrity and the good faith of the film-makers.
