Hi, I am reading the books for the first time - I'm half way through the final book (I'm in my thirties, so no childlike reminisces). I am borrowing them from someone who loves them from childhood (as many people seem to) and she was delighted when I told her I had seen a film of the second book was coming out. The Dark Is Rising is her favourite of the books, and the film comes out in the UK almost exactly on her birthday... Thanks for sharing these views about the film - I am hopefully able to warn my friend not to expect anything other than cramming Harry Potter into a Will Stanton shaped hole. Shame really as HP is ok, but it would have been nice to see an English adaptation of the books leaving the Arthurian content and such as is. I was also unsure about McShane as Gummery - I McShane is ace, but as you said, he's hardly an "image" of Merriman. If it was my choice I would wait to see this as a rental, but I guess I shall be seeing it on t'big screen, and I only hope it is alright if you forget it's anything to do with any book you ever read already.