I was shocked, shocked I say to find Hogfather available for download on the internet:

http://tr.searching.com/search.php?searc...ther&cid=0

To all those denied seeing it due to not having Sky or being outside the UK, I wholeheartedly appeal to you NOT to download it and seed the torrent, keeping it alive for others to enjoy, all the while watching it repeatedly until the DVD comes out.

Apologies for the double post, I just thought this should be brought to everyone's attention.

Ok that's going to be hard but I won't, I reallly really want to watch but I'l wait. Just hope that the DVD will come out very soon and in a format that I can watch>

Won't be for months yet...

sighh im gonna have to wait for dvd release which is easter apparantly. and then im probs only gonna be able to get it off amazon.

It should also be available from places such as Play.com and DVD.co.uk around that time. They generally try and out-do one another on prices.

good. i'll make sure i check them out.

I've seen it! I've seen it!

Well I held off watching it til I'd re-read the book so it was fresh in my mind. I like watching films like Harry Potter and Jurassic Park after I've read the books so that I can scream at the images on the screen and curse the directors for their complete disregard for a fine story (yes, I'm talking to YOU Steven Spielberg, making JP a PG instead of a 15 or 18!).

Although you don;t get all the puns or descriptiveness of the books, and everyone's probably imagine Ankh Morpork slightly differently than the next Discworld reader, the dialogue was about 95% true to the book, with the other 5% being removed/modified - nothing of any major consequence anyway.

The cast was good. Teatime with a slightly high-pitched American accent was a curious one by Marc Warren, but somehow the American accent and the amusing laugh and his timing made him come across as all the more deranged an assassin.

David Warner gets in a great performance as Lord Downey (although I kind of like David Warner anyway, so a slight bias there).

Joss Ackland plays Ridcully slightly differently than I'd imagined, but I couldn't really think of anyone else able to fit the bill (or the clothes!). The wizards as a whole however were far too bumbling. In the books they're more outgoing I feel - more decisive in their own way whilst pulling in completely opposite directions to one another, but in this adaptation they come across as bumbling, mumbling own men, half of whom look positively starved, and not in the least bit podgy... oh dear.

Michelle Dockery as Susan worked well. Again, my mind pictures something different with her having a slightly more forceful voice, but that would have been over the top on the small (or big) screen for three hours, and she plays sensible to a tee. There's also some lovely CGI moments when she does The Voice and when she means business and her hair and clothes rearrange themselves.

Rhodri Meilir as Bilious is inspired. Wouldn't have thought of Bilous with a Welsh accent, but I suppose Gods can be any nationality they like when taking human form. He is suitably hung over, then suitably stupid, then suitably soppy by the end as per the book. Nice.

Nicholas Tennant as Corporal Nobbs - not short enough, and far too clean looking, however suitable Nobby in other areas, with some comedy teeth in for the part. Still... looks too human.

Finally (because I'm not going through the whole cast!) Richard Katz as Constable Visit. A VERY good part, if a little small, played VERY well. You know how in your mind, most characters speak with your accent (due to your brain forgetting nine times out of ten that there's a multitude of cultures out there and that it's easier to think in an English accent if you're English... something like that...)? Well he's from Omnia and it shows. You really get the impression he believes in his religion

Anyhow, overall I loved it. These adaptations are never quite what you expect, and they do lose a lot in the translation from book to screen, but Sky One did a fine job stumping up the cash to make the Discworld exist, and the cast and crew did a fine job of bringing it to life.

Just one more thing - I could have sworn the only non-hairy dwarf was supposed to be Casanunda. Where's the fake wigs and beards for the rest of them? I'm sure there's plenty left over from Lord of the Rings...

Brian Blessed, GOD DAMN YOU!

Teatime was just plain odd, which was good. It could have gone Pete Tong right there, but he was just mental and the queer accent helped no end.

I thought Michelle Dockery was top stuff, very 'correct' and schoolmarmish, and not hard on the eye, either.

How did I forget the blessed Brian? Shoot me now

That's so long as he wouldn't play it too OTT.

TBH, I don't think he knows any other way, poor chap...