Moving Pictures (Discworld, #10; Industrial Revolution, #1)

Title: Moving Pictures (Discworld, #10; Industrial Revolution, #1)

Author: Terry Pratchett

Published in: 1990

Date read: 17th July 2007

Score: 4/5

Genre: Fantasy, Comedy

Plot: (Warning, may contain spoilers):
"Moving Pictures" by Terry Pratchett is the 10th novel in his Discworld series, published in 1990. It's a hilarious and surprisingly insightful satire on the film industry, Hollywood clichés, and the often-dangerous power of belief and narrative.

The story begins with a subtle yet profound shift on the Discworld. An ancient, forgotten energy, related to the very fabric of storytelling and the power of shared belief, begins to leak from a place called Holy Wood. This happens after the death of the last "keeper" who performed rituals to keep it contained.

This leakage of raw narrative power manifests in Ankh-Morpork in a most unexpected way: the Alchemists' Guild accidentally invents "moving pictures" (or "clicks"). Using incredibly fast-painting imps inside their cameras and salamanders for lighting, they create a primitive but functional film industry. And, inexplicably, everyone seems to know that the best place to make these "clicks" is in the desolate, sandy hills of Holy Wood itself.

Soon, a strange and inexplicable "calling" draws people from all walks of Discworld life to Holy Wood, filled with a sudden, inexplicable desire to be "in pictures," to be famous, or to simply be part of this new, magical industry. Among those drawn are:

Victor Tugelbend: A perpetually-failing student wizard from Unseen University who discovers he has an uncanny, effortless talent for acting. He's good-looking, charismatic on screen, and remarkably adaptable to any role.

Theda "Ginger" Withel: A small-town girl who arrives in Holy Wood with dreams of stardom and a natural beauty that makes her a perfect leading lady.

Cut-Me-Own-Throat Dibbler: Ankh-Morpork's most infamous purveyor of questionable sausages-in-a-bun, who sees a massive new opportunity and quickly transforms into a ruthless, cigar-chomping studio mogul, complete with a tiny desk and a constant stream of "ideas."

Gaspode the Wonder Dog: A mangy, cynical, and surprisingly intelligent mongrel who, due to the strange emanations from Holy Wood, inexplicably gains the ability to talk and think like a human. He finds this a terrible burden.

Detritus: A large troll who becomes a popular special effects "monster" and later a booming star.

As the film industry rapidly expands, the lines between reality and fiction begin to blur. The raw power of storytelling and mass belief, amplified by the Holy Wood location, starts to manifest the actual monsters, clichés, and narratives from the "clicks" into the real Discworld. Things from the Dungeon Dimensions, attracted by the sheer "belief" pouring into the films, begin to stir.

The wizards of Unseen University are largely oblivious to this cosmic threat, having just appointed a new, pragmatic and no-nonsense Archchancellor Mustrum Ridcully, who introduces much-needed common sense (and crossbows) into the hallowed halls of academia.

The climax of the novel is a grand, chaotic homage to classic cinema, particularly "King Kong." The monster from the "clicks" breaks fully into reality, leading to a frantic chase through Ankh-Morpork and a final confrontation atop the tallest building. Victor and Ginger, along with the help of Gaspode, the Librarian (who, in a memorable scene, embodies the gorilla), and a surprising intervention from a golden statue, must find a way to stop the bleed-through of fiction into reality and save the Discworld from being subsumed by its own stories.

"Moving Pictures" is a brilliant exploration of the seductive nature of entertainment, the power of collective imagination, and the thin veneer that often separates reality from the stories we tell ourselves. It's packed with anachronistic jokes, subtle movie references, and Pratchett's signature wit, making it a highly enjoyable and insightful read.

Comments:
A brilliant introduction to the idea of the industrial revolution of the Discworld. This is hilarious and so clever. Adore the contributions of the wizards. If I were a character in the Discworld series, I would have to be a wizard.

Books that we've read by Terry Pratchett (39):
The Colour of Magic (Discworld, #1; Rincewind, #1) (1983), The Light Fantastic (Discworld, #2; Rincewind, #2) (1986), Equal Rites (Discworld, #3; Witches, #1) (1987), Mort (Discworld, #4; Death, #1) (1987), Sourcery (Discworld, #5; Rincewind, #3) (1988), Wyrd Sisters (Discworld, #6; Witches, #2) (1988), Guards! Guards! (Discworld, #8; City Watch, #1) (1989), Pyramids (Discworld, #7) (1989), Eric (Discworld, #9; Rincewind, #4) (1990), Moving Pictures (Discworld, #10; Industrial Revolution, #1) (1990), Witches Abroad (Discworld, #12; Witches, #3) (1991), Reaper Man (Discworld, #11; Death, #2) (1991), Small Gods (Discworld, #13) (1992), Lords and Ladies (Discworld, #14; Witches, #4) (1992), Men at Arms (Discworld, #15; City Watch, #2) (1993), Soul Music (Discworld, #16; Death, #3) (1994), Interesting Times (Discworld, #17; Rincewind, #5) (1994), Maskerade (Discworld, #18; Witches, #5) (1995), Feet of Clay (Discworld, #19; City Watch, #3) (1996), Hogfather (Discworld, #20; Death, #4) (1996), Jingo (Discworld, #21; City Watch, #4) (1997), Carpe Jugulum (Discworld, #23; Witches, #6) (1998), The Last Continent (Discworld, #22; Rincewind, #6) (1998), The Fifth Elephant (Discworld, #24; City Watch, #5) (1999), The Truth (Discworld, #25) (2000), The Last Hero (Discworld, #27; Rincewind, #7) (2001), Thief of Time (Discworld, #26; Death, #5) (2001), Night Watch (Discworld, #29; City Watch, #6) (2002), The Wee Free Men (Discworld, #30; Tiffany Aching, #1) (2003), Monstrous Regiment (Discworld, #31; Industrial Revolution, #3) (2003), A Hat Full of Sky (Discworld, #32; Tiffany Aching, #2) (2004), Going Postal (Discworld, #33; Moist von Lipwig, #1) (2004), Thud! (Discworld, #34; City Watch, #7) (2005), Wintersmith (Discworld, #35; Tiffany Aching, #3) (2006), Making Money (Discworld, #36; Moist Von Lipwig, #2) (2007), Unseen Academicals (Discworld, #37; Rincewind, #8) (2009), I Shall Wear Midnight (Discworld, #38; Tiffany Aching, #4) (2010), Snuff (Discworld, #39; City Watch, #8) (2011), Raising Steam (Discworld, #40; Moist von Lipwig, #3) (2013)