CHRONICLES OF NARNIA (retitled thread) (1 Viewer)

[DaveF]

If you look up at DaveF's post, you'll realise he's making quite a funny joke about why Tolkien was not a huge Narnia fan

Matthew, Thanks clarifying my (poor) attempt at humor. I enjoy and respect both Lewis and Tolkien immensely.

"The Voyage of the Dawn Treader" used to be my favorite book of the series. I loved its imagination and variation. The Dufflepuds still amuse me and the tale of Edmund and the Dragon is a wonderful parable.

But I re-read the series every few years, and after reading them last year, I think I now favor "The Silver Chair" the most. It is perhaps the best story of the bunch. And I adore and identify with Puddleglum. Coming close is "The Horse and his Boy", as an excellent story and perhaps hinting at the narrative style of "Esther" (in the Old Testament); also "Prince Caspian" for its strong story and effective use of flashback to tell two halves of the same story until they are brought together.

I hope that the Narnia movies are given at least as much respect as the LOTR trilogy were. Done properly, these could be LOTR meets the best family movies Disney ever did. They have struggle and adventure for the youth and metaphor and spiritual depth for the mature.

And if they are poor, I will send Reepicheep in to reclaim their honor

 

[MatthewLouwrens]

Dude - I was ten years old. Allow 24 years to change a man.

OK, I'm sorry.

 

[Dennis Nicholls]

love both series of books - Voyage of the Dawn Treader is my favorite of the Narnia chronicles. I haven't read the book since I was ten years old, but the characters still live in my memory.

The same for me, and I was 10 years old in 1963. I always test the ocean water to see if it's sweet: "Doubt not, Reepicheep, there you will find the utter East."

(Did I remember it right after all these years?)

 

[DaveF]

I always test the ocean water to see if it's sweet

I'm always tempted to eat some dark rich dirt to see if it's like chocolate cake, as in the moonlight dance in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe

And I believe your quote is accurate.

And I wonder how a movie will capture all of this? I hope it is like LOTR, where the soul is brought to screen, and not like Harry Potter and the Sorceror's Stone where the details are in place but the heart and charm were forgotten.

 

[Jimi C]

archive.org

 

[Jan H]

These were the first 'serious' books I read as a young boy of 8 or 9. I remember adoring them then, and eventually they led to me 'graduating' to Tolkien, for which I am thankful. But, in retrospect, they haven't aged well for me. The allegory is less than subtle, and while the Narnia books are chockful of interesting creatures and talking animals, the writing is pedestrian, especially in comparison to Lewis' space trilogy and the Harry Potter books. Still, the possibility for amazing visual cinema is there for these stories, and I will definitely line up with the rest of the free world to see them, but I have a feeling that the Christian allegory may seem ham-handed and preachy to a mass audience. Of course, ham-handed and preachy (and ultra-violent) messages didn't stop millions of viewers from seeing 'The Passion of the Christ.' Nevertheless, I'm definitely looking forward to seeing what becomes of Narnia on screen.

 

[Ernest Rister]

"Of course, ham-handed and preachy (and ultra-violent) messages didn't stop millions of viewers from seeing 'The Passion of the Christ.'"

What was the point of that comment?

 

[Dennis Pagoulatos]

What was the point of that comment?

That was a fair comparison to how many view the Narnia books now as adults. I loved TPOTC, but I agree that "subtle" is not in Mel Gibson's vocabulary in any of the films he's directed so far, especially, TPOTC. This is very similar to how I view the Narnia books now, beloved from my childhood, but not my cup of tea as an adult. That being said, "amazing visual cinema" is definitely possible ( spot on comment) with an adaptation of the series...we'll just wait and see how it turns out.

-Dennis

 

[DaveF]

But, in retrospect, they haven't aged well for me.

They've aged pretty well for me. But my expectations must be tempered against my age. What was once profound literature to me as an 8 year old reads differently in my 30s. But where I no longer grapple to grasp the apologetics and metaphor, I find new appreciation for the core stories, as well as the art of communicating strong philosophical perspectives in the guise of a child's book.

In ways, Narnia is simpler than some great children''s literature, like "The City of Ember". But compared to another really good one, "The Tale of Despereaux" if fares well as fun, novel adventure with emotional depth buttressing it.

Obviously, I have a strong emotional attachment to the Chronicles of Narnia. I probably don't analyze them rationally (rather, emotionally). And I feel sorry for those who haven't read them or no longer appreciate them

 

[SarahG]

ut, in retrospect, they haven't aged well for me.

They have aged pretty well for me, in fact i just bought and re read the whole series. I think that if the time, money and effort is put into these movies that they will do really well. Nothing at all like that crap BBC version. I really want to see this movie with the full effects etc. Not some large Beaver in a Furry costume.

To the official site...they don't really seem to be updating it, which in fact is wierd cause there is lots of information about the movie. I usually go to theonelion.net, its by the same people that do TORn as is very good with news about the film.

 

[SarahG]

A whole bunch o stuff just came out, including these cool concept art images about Narnia...looks different than LOTR, of course this is when the filming is in London. I look forward to seeing the stuff in Narnia.

http://www.darkhorizons.com/news04/041130a.php

 

[DaveF]

Thanks for the update, Sarah. The image of the solitary wardrobe was enticing. Though I'd always pictured it in a cluttered room, filled with other interesting oddities an uncle would have.

Fish are Friends, not Food!

Yes, but beware the mer-people

 

[Ernest Rister]

Makes sense if the wardbrobe was made from the wood of a certain tree (I'm assuming I don't have to give spoiler warnings for The Magician's Nephew), and the Uncle knew it, hence, he put the wardrobe in a less-cluttered room as a show of respect.

 

[DaveF]

I had an uncle whose basement was filled with things that fascinated me as a child. An old wind-up record player with quarter-inch thick records, random toys, a book on numerology. I colored the book with my own experiences, and figured a magical wardrobe would be in a such a room.

 

[MatthewLouwrens]

The image of the solitary wardrobe was enticing. Though I'd always pictured it in a cluttered room, filled with other interesting oddities an uncle would have.

From the book:

And shortly after that they looked into a room that was quite empty except for one big wardrobe: the sort that has a looking glass in the door. There was nothing else in the room at all except a dead bluebottle on the window-sill.

So no mirrors on the door, but otherwise it's pretty much eactly like the book.

 

[clayton b]

I'm rather worried about this project, as I think it is dubious as to how well this will translate to the screen, especially in live action. I'm of the opinion that maybe The Chronicles of Narnia would have been better served as an animated feature. With many of the main characters being talking animals, it has the potential of coming off looking very ridiculous.

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

I thought the BBC did a good job, previously, on a much more limited budget. Making it animated would risk shortchanging it of some of its dramatic impact.

 

[SarahG]

So no mirrors on the door, but otherwise it's pretty much eactly like the book.

There is also a theather standee...i think that it does a great job of showing what it looks like...much more detailed than that of the concept art.

you can find it over at narniaweb.com

 

[DaveF]

Whoa, thread merge. Funky.

 

[Mark Gurney]

Quick question regarding the BBC versions: am I correct that the BBC only did The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, Prince Caspian and The Voyage of the Dawn Treader and The Silver Chair? No other books in the chronicles were adapted to film/television?

Mark