Chronicles of Narnia (first The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe)

[Chris D]

Many of you know that Disney will be bringing C.S. Lewis' The Chronicles Narnia to the movie screen later this year. An early news report:

http://edition.cnn.com/2004/SHOWBIZ/...eut/index.html

They BETTER do well with Chronicles of Narnia. This is one of those classic books that was VERY well done. I can understand wanting to make it into a movie for the instant interest and revenue that it's sure to generate. But they better do it right so not as to tarnish the original work.

Here's what I'm worried about, though--made by Disney, I suspect that they'll remove all religious overtones and symbolism from the movie. That would be a TRAGEDY. The whole underscore purpose of Narnia is the symbolism of Aslan as Jesus Christ. I'd be very surprised to see Disney make any allusion to Christ dying on the cross for our sins and then brought back to life. I'm concerned that it's going to turn into another Lemony Snickets/Harry Potter thing with a "magic" wardrobe into a fantasy land. Even comments in the initial news story above make me nervous, about it being "an empowering story for fractured families".

I just found out, though, that Amy Lee of Evanescence is writing and singing the lead song for Narnia! :T This should be cool.

I'm interested in this film, but quite apprehensive.

[David Meek]

I'm interested in this film, but quite apprehensive.

Those were my exact feelings towards Starship Troopers, and look what a travesty that turned out to be! Here's hoping Narnia gets a better treatment.

[Shane Martin]

Chris,
I appreciate the advance notice. It's bee nlikely 15 years since I have read the book.

To me on the surface it had a very "LOTR'ish" feel to it.

[George Bellefontaine]

So, will it be animation or what ? Hard to tell from the story.

[Shane Martin]

The Trailer didn't indicate animation. I saw it at ROTS.

[Nick M]

From what I read and a special behind the scenes making of video, the same people who did costumes and characters for LOTR are doing Narnia.

I read all the books growing up, and can't wait for this one!

[George Bellefontaine]

Was thinking that with the Shrek director involved, it would be computer animation.

[Chris D]

Yes, as far as what I saw in the trailer during "Sith", it was all human actors. Live action in the England scenes, and then a lot of CGI sets in Narnia with human actors for the children characters.

Going back big-picture, I'd very much LIKE to see these set on film. However, I think it's very likely that Disney in their approach for the last 30 years will gut the powerful symbolism out of the film and present it for alternative secular purposes.

They better do this right... I wonder in what way this was approved from whoever owns C.S. Lewis' story rights nowadays.

[Brandon B]

While this is a Disney project, I have not gotten the feeling that it is under their "management", more like they have funded it but it is a somewhat independent effort and so not likely to be subject to the vagaries of approval by committee that has plagued some of our other efforts. I'll check.

BB

[Brandon B]

Where the funding came from.

Hmm.

BB

[Chris D]

Oh, wow, B, that's interesting. That makes me much less nervous about the film now.

Now if somebody wants to make a statement with a movie, fine, no problem. They may be right, or they may be wrong, but that's their perogative. But if you take a work of art and move it to a different medium, I think you need to be true to the original work of art--again, right or wrong.