The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe
Reply to Topic
Again, as I've said in other forums that because WETA has worked on the film. I was worried how it was going to look when the animals talked but after seeing the latest trailer I was relieved. Anyways, I'm predicting that this franchise could potentially make even more money than the Lord of the Rings movies did (Not just because there's 7 books in total!) but because WETA has improved tremendously since LOTL.
With that said, I'm looking forward to seeing how they're going to do Voyage of the Dawn Treader (My favourite one just so you know
)
With that said, I'm looking forward to seeing how they're going to do Voyage of the Dawn Treader (My favourite one just so you know
)
How does WETA getting better mean the movie will make more money?
__________________
Remember, remember, the 5th of November
I'm afraid I must bid you adieu.
He woke up one night with a terrible fright
And found he was eating his shoe.
Remember, remember, the 5th of November
I'm afraid I must bid you adieu.
He woke up one night with a terrible fright
And found he was eating his shoe.
I saw this movie over the weekend and I thought it was a very good adaptation of the classic children's novel. I'm looking forward to the sequel(s) and even though it's geared primarily for the kiddie market, I make the exception when it comes to the Chronicles of Narnia, which has to be one of my favorite book series of all time.
However, having said that, while I think that the movie and book series is a great way to introduce Christian themes to pre-teens and teenagers, I think it's a mistake to equate the simplified, children's version of Christianity that it espouses with the real thing. On the other hand, it does make Christian themes more accessible to a wide audience than, for example, Mel Gibson's movie The Passion of the Christ, which tends to make Christianity look like an exercise in sadomasochism!
I guess my point is--is there no middle ground between the two extremes of children's fantasy and brutal sadomasochism? I don't think Christianity is either of the two things--it is a positive message of redemption through faith. Somehow that message does not really come through in either of these two movies in spite of their Christian symbolism. The message in The Chronicles of Narnia (while I enjoyed the movie very much) seems to be that Jesus Christ is some sort of children's fantasy and that Christianity transports little children into a magical fantasy land where all their dreams miraculously come true. That's an exaggeration, sure, but it's also a fact that Christianity is not a pipe dream for the privileged few. On the other hand, The Passion of the Christ seems to suggest that Christianity is a brutal exercise in sadomasochistic self-flagellation and guilt-tripping. I don't think that's the case either.
Basically, I think that both movies have omitted the core of the Biblical Christian message of forgiveness and redemption from all condemnation through faith in Jesus Christ. The message of hope, freedom and salvation is missing in both movies, it seems to me--one movie waters it down so much that it turns it into a fairy tale, while the other movie is so gratuitously violent that it seems to me to be excessively morbid. So I hope that some day Hollywood will finally get it right and produce a movie about Christianity that is fair and accurate!
However, having said that, while I think that the movie and book series is a great way to introduce Christian themes to pre-teens and teenagers, I think it's a mistake to equate the simplified, children's version of Christianity that it espouses with the real thing. On the other hand, it does make Christian themes more accessible to a wide audience than, for example, Mel Gibson's movie The Passion of the Christ, which tends to make Christianity look like an exercise in sadomasochism!
I guess my point is--is there no middle ground between the two extremes of children's fantasy and brutal sadomasochism? I don't think Christianity is either of the two things--it is a positive message of redemption through faith. Somehow that message does not really come through in either of these two movies in spite of their Christian symbolism. The message in The Chronicles of Narnia (while I enjoyed the movie very much) seems to be that Jesus Christ is some sort of children's fantasy and that Christianity transports little children into a magical fantasy land where all their dreams miraculously come true. That's an exaggeration, sure, but it's also a fact that Christianity is not a pipe dream for the privileged few. On the other hand, The Passion of the Christ seems to suggest that Christianity is a brutal exercise in sadomasochistic self-flagellation and guilt-tripping. I don't think that's the case either.
Basically, I think that both movies have omitted the core of the Biblical Christian message of forgiveness and redemption from all condemnation through faith in Jesus Christ. The message of hope, freedom and salvation is missing in both movies, it seems to me--one movie waters it down so much that it turns it into a fairy tale, while the other movie is so gratuitously violent that it seems to me to be excessively morbid. So I hope that some day Hollywood will finally get it right and produce a movie about Christianity that is fair and accurate!
Last edited by darkhorse; 12-14-05 at 03:30 PM.
Ok, saw Narnia today. First off, the talking animals were done very well, the best I've seen. And the same with all the creatures, either animal or half human...nicely done.
Secondly, if there's a Narnia series and it doing as well as LOTR... I don't think so. It will appeal to a younger audience. It's not going to attract the hordes of late teens, 20s and older adults that LOTR did. It's too sanitized for that. However it will attract hordes of 6 to 14 year olds. And busloads of church kids. Pretty much the Harry Potter crowd with the addition of a church campaign along the lines of Passion of the Christ. Could make big bucks.
I'll list a few negatives since plenty of people will list the positives.
There's not much humor in this movie. It attempts humor a couple of times with modest results. Someone like Spielberg could have found more humor.
There's not much female heroism. Lucy is cute and curious and Susan is smart and cautious. But the heroic acts of battle are left to the boys. After all, it was written in 1950 when boys were the heroes. The only powerful female is the evil White Witch. And the most powerful of all is of course Aslan, a male lion.
My third criticism and the most controversial one, the Christian symbolism of CS Lewis. That's not a problem for Christians but it can be a distraction for nonChristians (like me.) I'd rather see a fantasy without all the religious allegory...but I knew what it was going in. But...younger kids won't even know it's there, Christians will like it...only skeptics like me prefer their fantasies without "the message."
That said, it's a marvelous fantasy adventure for kids and younger teens. If it expands into a series, I could see a Potter-like following.
Secondly, if there's a Narnia series and it doing as well as LOTR... I don't think so. It will appeal to a younger audience. It's not going to attract the hordes of late teens, 20s and older adults that LOTR did. It's too sanitized for that. However it will attract hordes of 6 to 14 year olds. And busloads of church kids. Pretty much the Harry Potter crowd with the addition of a church campaign along the lines of Passion of the Christ. Could make big bucks.
I'll list a few negatives since plenty of people will list the positives.
There's not much humor in this movie. It attempts humor a couple of times with modest results. Someone like Spielberg could have found more humor. There's not much female heroism. Lucy is cute and curious and Susan is smart and cautious. But the heroic acts of battle are left to the boys. After all, it was written in 1950 when boys were the heroes.
The only powerful female is the evil White Witch. And the most powerful of all is of course Aslan, a male lion.My third criticism and the most controversial one, the Christian symbolism of CS Lewis. That's not a problem for Christians but it can be a distraction for nonChristians (like me.)
I'd rather see a fantasy without all the religious allegory...but I knew what it was going in. But...younger kids won't even know it's there, Christians will like it...only skeptics like me prefer their fantasies without "the message." That said, it's a marvelous fantasy adventure for kids and younger teens. If it expands into a series, I could see a Potter-like following.
__________________
My name is Maximus Decimus Meridius, commander of the Armies of the North, General of the Felix Legions, loyal servant to the true emperor, Marcus Aurelius. Father to a murdered son, husband to a murdered wife. And I will have my vengeance, in this life or the next.
My name is Maximus Decimus Meridius, commander of the Armies of the North, General of the Felix Legions, loyal servant to the true emperor, Marcus Aurelius. Father to a murdered son, husband to a murdered wife. And I will have my vengeance, in this life or the next.
Originally Posted by Twain
That said, it's a marvelous fantasy adventure for kids and younger teens. If it expands into a series, I could see a Potter-like following.
However, ironically, the conservative, church-going crowd whose children love the Chronicles of Narnia for its villification of witchcraft and sorcery are the same people who repeatedly condemn the Harry Potter novels, claiming that the series promotes witchcraft and sorcery!
My personal opinion--hey, they're both just allegorical children's stories and there's no sense in getting uptight about them or taking them too seriously. The Chronicles of Narnia is no more about Christianity (for all its Christian symbolism) than Harry Potter is about witchcraft (for all its pagan symbolism). They're both just stories for kids! That's all!
I thought it was alright, but I won't remember anything from it. It was also a little silly at times (why would they choose Polar Bears to pull a chariot?).
If anything it was Liam Neeson's Aslan who saved the film for me. Even with just his voice he still managed to give the character the grace and nobility it deserved (Qui-Gon with 4 legs, then !).
But still, how did they manage to spend $180 million on this?
I recently got hold of a copy of the 80's TV series, so I'll watch that at some point so I can make a proper comparison.
If anything it was Liam Neeson's Aslan who saved the film for me. Even with just his voice he still managed to give the character the grace and nobility it deserved (Qui-Gon with 4 legs, then
!).But still, how did they manage to spend $180 million on this?
I recently got hold of a copy of the 80's TV series, so I'll watch that at some point so I can make a proper comparison.
X
Favorite Movies
X
User Lists
Originally Posted by Ash_Lee
I recently got hold of a copy of the 80's TV series, so I'll watch that at some point so I can make a proper comparison.
Originally Posted by darkhorse
My personal opinion--hey, they're both just allegorical children's stories and there's no sense in getting uptight about them or taking them too seriously. The Chronicles of Narnia is no more about Christianity (for all its Christian symbolism) than Harry Potter is about witchcraft (for all its pagan symbolism). They're both just stories for kids! That's all!
I read these books as a child before I ever had to deal with church and figure out my religious preferences. And as a child, I had no concept that what I was reading was "religious."
CS Lewis was after reaching children and improving characters. His personal religious philosophies imbued the telling of it, but the telling of it wasn't to necessarily convert or espouse a doctrine. It was to paint a world in which values are important, and those values are explored. Those values belong to many different doctrines, including Christianity.
The nobility and grandeur of a supreme being in which you place your faith - that exists in many forms. It took its form in Aslan, who represented one thing to CS Lewis, and might have also embodied something not specifically Christian at all to any child who read it. It's all a matter of interpretation.
Just like those of us who go in to see Narnia, we recognize the symbols but we also know that's not the point of the story, and we move on. The point of the story is the story, and how it moves you and affects you.
And the fantasy bit - it's not about relegating Christianity to a fantasy world. It's depicting good values (whatever those may be - assisting the weak, respecting your elders, defending justice, not lying, not harming others out of malice) - as attainable from within every human being. It will always exist and be true in the world even if you "leave the wardrobe" - it'll always exist inside of you. you can choose to ignore it or live it every day, in your actions.
So I think it's the complete opposite of shoving it away as an either/or - it's an embracing of something that many people may find lacking in their lives, in the behavior of people around them. It's possible to believe in the good of people, act in the good of people, and be good in life, even if you're flawed and human.
And that doesn't even have to be a "christian only" sentiment. Just because a Christian wrote a story with Christianity in mind doesn't mean what it has to say is only meant for people interested in, or practicing Christianity.
__________________
life without movies is like cereal without milk. possible, but disgusting. but not nearly as bad as cereal with water. don't lie. I know you've done it.
life without movies is like cereal without milk. possible, but disgusting. but not nearly as bad as cereal with water. don't lie. I know you've done it.
X
User Lists
Nice critique--very insightful. I think you hit the nail on the head with your commentary.
You're right, of course, and the values in the book are very powerful. However, that said, I'd like to add that C. S. Lewis' personal prejudices are also reflected in the books, and they are very evident too.
Originally Posted by thmilin
His personal religious philosophies imbued the telling of it...
I saw this one tonight, finally.
Having read the book as a kid (and again just a couple of months ago), I was pleased to see that nearly all of the book was represented. There was no mistaking what I was watching. Aside from a few additional scenes, the story was the very same.
The production value is excellent, particularly in the visual effects. I don't think I've seen such a multitude of animals represented so realistically ever before. Aslan was realized particularly well, and the stellar voice-acting by Liam Neeson was more than enough to make the character as memorable as he should be.
The kids were as competent in their acting as they could have been with the material. It must have been difficult, but they filled the characters shoes well. The best performance, I'd argue, was given by the White Witch (played by Tilda Swinton). Being the villain, she showed her colors well; but being played by a live actor, she was the most captivating character to watch.
The cinematography, sets, and score were master works. I found myself a little spoiled on the grandeur of recent films, wanting to see more of the world (but knowing that the film contained the exact locales of the book).
Really, my only complaint lies with the brevity in which things happen. To be fair, the book is only roughly 200 pages long, and all the events happen just as quickly. But translated into film, it loses some of its believability. I think there were some obvious pitfalls:
Still, the book was represented as well it could have been, and the film was obviously created with a loving attention to the story. It's nice to finally get to see such a memorable story happen before my eyes rather than in my head. (And it was also nice to finally see what the hell Turkish Delight looks like!)
Having read the book as a kid (and again just a couple of months ago), I was pleased to see that nearly all of the book was represented. There was no mistaking what I was watching. Aside from a few additional scenes, the story was the very same.
The production value is excellent, particularly in the visual effects. I don't think I've seen such a multitude of animals represented so realistically ever before. Aslan was realized particularly well, and the stellar voice-acting by Liam Neeson was more than enough to make the character as memorable as he should be.
The kids were as competent in their acting as they could have been with the material. It must have been difficult, but they filled the characters shoes well. The best performance, I'd argue, was given by the White Witch (played by Tilda Swinton). Being the villain, she showed her colors well; but being played by a live actor, she was the most captivating character to watch.
The cinematography, sets, and score were master works. I found myself a little spoiled on the grandeur of recent films, wanting to see more of the world (but knowing that the film contained the exact locales of the book).
Really, my only complaint lies with the brevity in which things happen. To be fair, the book is only roughly 200 pages long, and all the events happen just as quickly. But translated into film, it loses some of its believability. I think there were some obvious pitfalls:
WARNING: "The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe" spoilers below
Most evidently, the relationship with Aslan is underdeveloped. He only really exists onscreen for approximately 20 minutes total before he's killed, which makes the "heartbreak" of losing him ring a little hollow. The kids hadn't spent much time with him, nor talked to him much. And because we don't get a sense of how important or essential he really is, his loss seems a little less of a crushing blow than it should. Not to mention, his time spent dead on the Stone Table felt a little too long.
The battle, I thought, was a little too rudimentary as well. Perhaps we've been too spoiled on increasingly more epic battles in other films, but the editing and location of the second half of the battle didn't feel right. I don't really know why. It just seemed like the direction of the battle was lost.
The battle, I thought, was a little too rudimentary as well. Perhaps we've been too spoiled on increasingly more epic battles in other films, but the editing and location of the second half of the battle didn't feel right. I don't really know why. It just seemed like the direction of the battle was lost.
Still, the book was represented as well it could have been, and the film was obviously created with a loving attention to the story. It's nice to finally get to see such a memorable story happen before my eyes rather than in my head. (And it was also nice to finally see what the hell Turkish Delight looks like!)
Last edited by Sleezy; 12-17-05 at 10:52 PM.
X
Favorite Movies
X
User Lists
Originally Posted by Sleezy
Aslan was realized particularly well, and the stellar voice-acting by Liam Neeson was more than enough to make the character as memorable as he should be.
I have just recently saw The Chronicals of Narnia and what a masterpiece it was.
First, the use of New Zealand was the perfect choice to make these beautiful settings in . The background was on the level of beauty with the likes of the Lord Of The Rings Trilogy in my opinion.
Secondly, the 4 children chrildren were outstanding in there portrayals of Peter, Susan, Edmond, & Lucy. They gave there all to this film and it showed. In particular I thought the young actor who portrayed Edmond handled his part very well. Having to do most of his work away from the other 3 child actors kinda put him in more of the spotlight. Also having to work up against Tilda Swinton and hold his own was also a great accomphlishment.
Third, The animals were the greatest I have ever see. So realistic and the interacting between them and the human actors was also very realistic. The character of Aslan was just amazing and the voice of Liam Nieson couldn't have been a better choice for the film.
Finally , My favorite two characters Mr. Tumnus & The White Witch. Mr. Tumnus was played to exactly how I saw him in the book, except he was somewhat younger in the movie. Right from the time he interacted with Lucy you could feel his caring heart struggling with what he had to do for the witch. Overall his performance was great. Tilda Swinton as the White Witch was also fantastic handling the part with the grace I see the White Witch having from the books. It is not that she is overly scary(which I don't think she should be). It is that she is in my opinion power hungry and if anything gets in her way she will try to eliminate it. And she did a wonderful job conveying that to me.
All in all The Chronicals Of Narnia was Brilliant.
First, the use of New Zealand was the perfect choice to make these beautiful settings in . The background was on the level of beauty with the likes of the Lord Of The Rings Trilogy in my opinion.
Secondly, the 4 children chrildren were outstanding in there portrayals of Peter, Susan, Edmond, & Lucy. They gave there all to this film and it showed. In particular I thought the young actor who portrayed Edmond handled his part very well. Having to do most of his work away from the other 3 child actors kinda put him in more of the spotlight. Also having to work up against Tilda Swinton and hold his own was also a great accomphlishment.
Third, The animals were the greatest I have ever see. So realistic and the interacting between them and the human actors was also very realistic. The character of Aslan was just amazing and the voice of Liam Nieson couldn't have been a better choice for the film.
Finally , My favorite two characters Mr. Tumnus & The White Witch. Mr. Tumnus was played to exactly how I saw him in the book, except he was somewhat younger in the movie. Right from the time he interacted with Lucy you could feel his caring heart struggling with what he had to do for the witch. Overall his performance was great. Tilda Swinton as the White Witch was also fantastic handling the part with the grace I see the White Witch having from the books. It is not that she is overly scary(which I don't think she should be). It is that she is in my opinion power hungry and if anything gets in her way she will try to eliminate it. And she did a wonderful job conveying that to me.
All in all The Chronicals Of Narnia was Brilliant.
