The Color of Magic is an adaptation of the first two books of author Terry Pratchett's (Good Omens, with Neil Gaiman) enormously popular Discworld series. Launched in 1983 with The Colour of Magic, the series is light comic fantasy where everything from over-familiar fantasy conventions to modern day political events to the grim specter of Death Itself are sent up using droll wordplay and Pratchett's trademark dry wit. Every release has been an immediate hit with readers, and now with 36 volumes (and counting) the books comprise one of the most popular fantasy series of all time.
This production aired on British TV channel Sky One in 2008, one of very few adaptations of the series, perhaps because of the difficulty in taming Pratchett's comedy first, plot second, fare into a more structured framework. Vadim Jean, assistant director for the light-years tonally removed Event Horizon, makes a game effort here, directing from his own screen treatment of Colour and its sequel, The Light Fantastic. The story involves hapless tourist Twoflower (Sean Astin, Samwise in Lord of the Rings) being shown around Discworld's main city Ankh-Morpork by failed wizard Rincewind (David Jason, The Wind in the Willows), who was finally kicked out of wizarding school after forty years proved insufficient time to successfully learn even one spell. Very soon the two have to leave the city altogether owing to what happens when their corrupt innkeeper tries to get the best of an insurance deal mentioned by Twoflower.
The two have a number of adventures that serve as a travelogue of Discworld's wonders. Twoflower's touristy naivete no less than his loyal, aggressive luggage lend him a measure of protection, but Rincewind fares less well, leading to a number of testy conversations with Death (Christopher Lee, as Saruman another LotR vet, please don't remember his long career merely by Count Dooku in Star Wars: Attack of the Clones) who waits patiently for the miraculous last-second interventions to run out. All the while they are pursued by the forces of homicidally ambitious wizard Trymon (Tim Curry, Rocky Horror Picture Show, IT) who may have insight as to why Rincewind was such a miserable magic student, and would sure like to talk to him about it.
The Color of Magic (none of that fancy-pants extra 'u' here- this is 'Merica!) is a single-disc release that contains both two-hour episodes comprising the original broadcast. No extras are included other than a scene-selection option. English-only Dolby 5.1 Digital audio. No subtitles. Crisp Hi-Definition visuals in the 1.8:1 aspect ratio reflecting its TV broadcast roots.
Enjoyable low-budget family fare primarily for kids and big-time Pratchett buffs. ComicsOnline gives it 2 out 5 cosmic turtle eggs.
Unrated (think PG). Both episodes combine for 197 min.
