Terry Pratchett's The Colour of Magic

Terry Pratchett’s The Colour of Magic (aka The Colour of Magic) is a two-part 2008 television film adapting The Colour of Magic and The Light Fantastic. It was the second of three Discworld adaptations produced by The Mob and broadcast on Sky1 in the UK.

Taglines

It’s a pigment of your imagination...

Creative Team

Crew

• Screenplay by Vadim Jean
• Mucked about by Terry Pratchett
• Directed by Vadim Jean
• Produced by Rod Brown

Cast

• Brian Cox as the Narrator
• David Jason as Rincewind
• Sean Astin as Twoflower
• Tim Curry as Trymon
• Christopher Lee as the voice of Death (Marnix Van Den Broeke performs the physical part)
• Jeremy Irons as Lord Vetinari
• David Bradley as Cohen the Barbarian
• Laura Haddock as Bethan
• James Cosmo as Galder Weatherwax
• Nicholas Tennant as the Head Librarian
• Karen David as Liessa
• Liz May Brice as Herrena
• Nigel Planer as the Arch-Astronomer of Krull
• Richard Da Costa as The Luggage (and the Librarian in orang utan form)
• Miles Richardson as Zlorf Flannelfoot
• James Perry as Kring / Third Rank Wizard / Spell 2

Supporting Cast

• Stephen Marcus as Broadman
• Michael Mears as Jiglad Wert
• Roger Ashton-Griffiths as Lumuel Panter
• Will Keen as Ganmack Treehallett
• Peter Copley as Greyhald Spold
• Ian Puleston-Davies as Wizard Leader
• Ian Burfield as Ymor
• Arthur White as Rerpf
• Miles Richardson as Zlorf
• Richard da Costa as the Luggage / Orangutan
• Roger Ashton-Griffiths as Lumuel Panter
• Philip Philmar as Astrozoologist 1 / Rabble Rouser
• Terry Pratchett as Astrozoologist 2
• Paul M. Meston as Blind Hugh
• Geoffrey Hutchings as the Picture Imp
• Janet Suzman as Ninereeds
• Will Keen as Ganmack Treehallett
• Noma Dumezweni as Marchessa
• Brian Hammond as Brother of the Order of Midnight
• Eloise Joseph as Spell 1 (voice)
• Pia Mechler as Weems
• Thomas Morrison as Dim Student
• Ray Newe as Barbarian 1
• Shend as Barbarian Chieftan
• Joe Sims as Big Star Man / Star Refugee
• Bridget Turner as Book Burner Woman
• Christopher Willoughby as Gancia

Episodes

The Colour of Magic consists of two parts, each largely based on the events of one of the books. Note that the synopses below contain spoilers.

#	Broadcast Date	Episode Title	Synopsis
1	2008-03-23	“The Colour of Magic”	After being expelled from Unseen University, Rincewind the inept “wizzard" meets Twoflower, a naive tourist to Ankh-Morpork, who pays him an outrageous sum in gold to be his guide. The Patrician catches Rincewind attempting to flee the city with his new wealth, and forces him to keep his promise to Twoflower. After Twoflower explains “insurance” to Broadman, owner of the Broken Drum inn, Broadman tries to burn it down and sets fire to much of the city. Twoflower and Rincewind flee before anyone can blame them for the fire. Twoflower leads them to the Wyrmberg, hoping to see a dragon, and after some misadventures they end up in Krull, a country on the Rim of the world. They manage to escape being sacrificed by entering the Krullians’ spacecraft and fall off the edge of the world, towards a red star which has appeared in the sky. Meanwhile, high-ranking wizard Trymon murders his way up the ladder at Unseen University, but finds that ultimate power lies with mastery of the unstable magical book, the Octavo. The Arch-Chancellor, Galder Weatherwax, tries to capture Rincewind, as the Octavo’s missing eighth spell is inside his head, but the Octavo seems to have its own plans. Trymon, having failed to kill the Arch-Chancellor with traps and magic, pushes Weatherwax off the Tower of Art and claims his hat and title.
2	2008-03-24	“The Light Fantastic”	The Octavo intervenes to save Rincewind, landing he and Twoflower in the middle of the Disc before telling him he must return to Ankh-Morpork. Trymon summons Death and discovers that the eight spells must be said when the red star arrives, or else the world may end. Trymon becomes determined to capture Rincewind and reclaim the eighth spell. Rincewind and Twoflower encounter a group of druids intending to sacrifice a girl, Bethan, to appease the red star. Cohen the Barbarian turns up and together the three save a protesting Bethan just before a party of wizards arrives on Trymon’s orders. Cohen fights them off, but Twoflower protects Rincewind by jumping in front of a spell, causing his soul to visit Death’s house. They are captured by the mercenary Herrena, but escape when she ties them up for the night in the mouth of a huge, ancient troll. They make it back to Ankh-Morpork where the population, fearful of the star - and the eight objects orbiting it - have turned against wizards. They sneak into the University and have a showdown with Trymon, who says the other seven spells, turning the senior wizards, and then himself, to stone. Rincewind says the final spell and the objects orbiting the star hatch into baby star turtles, and Great A’Tuin turns and leads them away from the red star. Twoflower says goodbye to Rincewind as he boards a ship home, but leaves the Luggage with him.

Podcast episodes

Major appearances

These are episodes primarily devoted to discussing this film.

Date	Show	Episode	External link
2011-11-20	The Pratchett Podcast	TPP 02	wordpress.com
2019-12-23	The Truth Shall Make Ye Fret	“Christmas Egg Dress”	thetruthshallmakeyefret.com
2020-01-12	British Invaders	“The Colour of Magic (Part 1)” (1/2)	britishinvaders.com
2020-01-26	British Invaders	“The Colour of Magic (Part 2)” (2/2)	britishinvaders.com
2020-05-28	Wyrd Sisters	“Color of Magic Miniseries”	podbean.com
2020-06-31	Who Watches the Watch	“The Colour of Tragic”	pinecast.co
2024-11-11	The Great and Secret Knowledge	“The Colour of Magic (2008) with Dean Eaton”	libsyn.com

Other appearances

Episodes where the film is discussed, but not as the main topic.

Date	Show	Episode	External link
2015-10-02	No Deodorant in Outer Space	“The Color of Magic/The Colour of Magic (Terry Pratchett - Vadim Jean)”	libsyn.com
2022-11-01	I’ve Never Read Discworld	“Ep. 3 The Colour of Magic REDUX: TV, Comics”	anchor.fm

External links

• Terry Pratchett’s The Colour of Magic at the Internet Movie Database
• The Colour of Magic at the L-Space wiki