The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe: 1979 animated version on DVD? (1 Viewer)

[Patrick McCart]

The BBC adaptation is great, but is there any fans of the 1979 Bill Melendez/Children's Television Workshop version?

The last video was released by Republic and is now OOP...so that means Artisian should have the rights.

Anyone here would like a DVD of this film?

 

[Eric Peterson]

I would love to see this cartoon again. I haven't seen it in years, but vividly remember watching it many times as a child. Count me in for a purchase, if it's released.

 

[DaViD Boulet]

One place to cast a "vote" for such a release *might* be at:
www.tvshowsondvd.com
If it aired on TV as a mini "series" it might "count" as a show. In any case, be sure to check there to vote!
-dave

 

[Jodee]

THIS is the version I fell in love with as a child! (I would have been 8 years old in 1979).

I immediately ran out and bought all the books after seeing this. I'd buy the DVD in a heartbeat.

 

[Timon Russo]

I'd even buy it on Beta in a heartbeat.

 

[Jefferson]

"Mooooorrrrre turkish delight?"
I love it. My local mom and pop video store had this version and the BBC live action one, and I rented them both. Great stuff.

 

[Citizen87645]

I have great childhood memories of the animated film as well and have not actually seen the BBC live action adaptations. My bubble was burst a few years ago when somebody told me how bad the animated version actually is. Has anyone seen it as an adult and speak to its quality as a film?

 

[Patrick McCart]

I have great childhood memories of the animated film as well and have not actually seen the BBC live action adaptations. My bubble was burst a few years ago when somebody told me how bad the animated version actually is. Has anyone seen it as an adult and speak to its quality as a film?

If you're looking for Disney-quality animation, it's not that good.

The animation is simplistic and stylized. However, the voices are great, the musical score is excellent (I wish it was on CD!), and the original story is well adapted.

The art is actually great for a low-budge animated movie. The character designs are indeed stylized, but the overall design is really nice.

 

[David Lambert]

One place to cast a "vote" for such a release *might* be at:
www.tvshowsondvd.com
If it aired on TV as a mini "series" it might "count" as a show. In any case, be sure to check there to vote!

Thanks for thinking of TVShowsOnDVD, DaViD, but this one's definately a TV-movie, and so it won't qualify for inclusion there. Gord is researching as to whether or not the live-action shows qualify as three "TV-movies" or three "Miniseries" (I vote for the latter, but Gord wants to be official).
As far as wanting the animated version on DVD, my wife would seriously go ape if she could grab that one!

 

[Kelly V]

Yes, yes, yes! Please make this happen soon. I catch soooo much flack from the mommies for not having this title - in any form - on our shelves. This one would be a great way to open the door into those hold-out households that are clinging to VHS. These naysayers seem to think that titles like "Narnia" will never be available to them if they shift to DVD. Please prove them wrong - and consequently, make me very happy!

 

[David Lambert]

Reviving an old thread with some interesting news. I saw this on "another forum":
[c] [/c]
Amazon says this DVD was released on June 24, 2003 by a company called "Sesame Workshop". I've never heard of them (EDIT: my wife just informed me that this is the new name for the Children's Television Workshop, makers of Sesame Street; CTW is mentioned plainly on the cover of the old VHS version). Amazon is out of stock on the disc, but the other forum's thread mentioned that someone had successfully bought it through them.
It was also mentioned that it can be bought here for $15.99, and that it's in stock!
Anyone have this? Anyone know if this is a good release?

 

[Steven Wesley]

I remember catching this on film as a kid. Good stuff.

 

[Marc_Sulinski]

It is interesting that they are selling the DVD at a Christian book store. I was under the impression that C. S. Lewis was an atheist, and would expect these beliefs to be present to some degree or another in his writings.

 

[TheLongshot]

It is interesting that they are selling the DVD at a Christian book store. I was under the impression that C. S. Lewis was an atheist, and would expect these beliefs to be present to some degree or another in his writings.

If you'd have read his books, you can tell he was very much a Christian when he wrote them. His Narnia series has all sorts of Christian symbolism.

Now, at one time he was an athiest, but later became Born Again.

Jason

 

[Jeff Kuykendall]

I think Tolkien converted Lewis to Christianity. (It's interesting that Tolkien despised allegory, but his friend's "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe," is clearly allegorical, along the lines of--but not as rigorously allegorical as--"Pilgrim's Progress.") C.S. Lewis later became almost as famous for his essays on religion, among them "The Screwtape Letters," as his Narnia books.
I, too, used to love this telefilm as a kid.

 

[Citizen87645]

I sort of took it for granted people knew Lewis was a Christian, especially if they have seen "Shadowlands" starring Anthony Hopkins as Lewis.

In the evangelical realm Lewis is best known for the aforementioned Screwtape Letters, Mere Christianity, and of course the Chronicles. Not so well known but certainly worth reading is his Perelandra science fiction trilogy as well as his autobiography Surprised by Joy.

I read the autobiography a few years ago and Tolkien was never cited as a specific person influencing his conversion. If I recall it was not an overnight switch from atheism to Christianity but a development over many years of self-examination and thought.

 

[Jodee]

I found it available to order at Buy.com:
http://www.buy.com/retail/product.as...8&loc=322&sp=1
No listing at DDD, DVD Empire, or DVD Planet and you can't place an order at Amazon.
I definitely want to order this.

 

[David Lambert]

Hmmm...that Buy.com listing says there's a 1-2 week wait!

Amazon.CA (Canada) has it in stock, but at current conversion rates it cost $2 more than the price at ChristianBook.com's $15.99 price. I decided to go with ChristianBook; not wanting to set up an online account with them, I called their 800# and placed an order over the phone.

Total was $21.49, including UPS Ground shipping (at a cost of $5.50...for $2 less you can go snail mail instead). The lady I spoke to there was VERY nice, even though I think I sounded like a jerk to her. If the price is agreeable to you, then I recommend them - based on my experience so far.

 

[Ruslan]

THere are actually TWO versions of this wonderful film. I grew up with the version with British voices and loved it as a kid.

I wore the video tape out and so recorded it about 5 years ago when it was shown on TV - except this time it had American voices instead of the British ones! I actually couldn't watch it as it made me so mad... Which is the 'true' version (if any)?

The British voices just seemed to fit better with the story...but maybe that's just a biased Limey talking!

 

[MatthewLouwrens]

I wore the video tape out and so recorded it about 5 years ago when it was shown on TV - except this time it had American voices instead of the British ones! I actually couldn't watch it as it made me so mad... Which is the 'true' version (if any)?

They were British in the books - they had to leave London during the war, which was why they were at the house.
It would be interesting to see this. I first saw it when I was five years old, halfway through it my mother made me turn it off. I thought it was a "bad" film, and it wasn't until years later that I learned she thought I was too young to cope with Aslan's death.