Comments on: Return to Narnia http://online.worldmag.com/2008/05/15/return-to-narnia/ A forum for discussion of news that arises at the intersection of Christianity and culture. Sat, 21 Nov 2009 13:38:36 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: lmaynard http://online.worldmag.com/2008/05/15/return-to-narnia/comment-page-1/#comment-302607 lmaynard Sat, 17 May 2008 12:39:27 +0000 http://www.worldontheweb.com/2008/05/15/return-to-narnia/#comment-302607 C.S. Lewis is revered as a genuis of sorts for his ability to write with such a vivid imagination, then using those imaginations to draw people closer to the story of the real Lion - not Aslan, but Jesus. (The Lion of the tribe of Judah) I understand why people would be let down a bit when seeing the movie after having read the books (LW&W and Prince Caspian). However, if you just take the movie for what it is and appreciate the screenplay and all of the details that have gone into making the film for THIS GENERATION to enjoy, you will find a very likable story that children and adults can both be entertained by. I was able to discuss this movie (after having seen it last night) with my 16 year old, my 42 year old husband, my 9 year old, and on Sunday I plan to share it with some 50+ kids! (Side note: what great family discussions we had about the parallels of the characters in the movie with those in real life.) We are coming back as a church group to view it tomorrow and then we will have a special event called "Narnia NIght" the following Wednesday where we will expect 75-100 5th & 6th graders to come and find out "what's really behind the wardrobe." This movie is being used all over the country to bring kids to Christ and I think that is an awesome tool, don't you??? Thank God for Walden Media and Disney right now. :-) C.S. Lewis is revered as a genuis of sorts for his ability to write with such a vivid imagination, then using those imaginations to draw people closer to the story of the real Lion – not Aslan, but Jesus. (The Lion of the tribe of Judah) I understand why people would be let down a bit when seeing the movie after having read the books (LW&W and Prince Caspian). However, if you just take the movie for what it is and appreciate the screenplay and all of the details that have gone into making the film for THIS GENERATION to enjoy, you will find a very likable story that children and adults can both be entertained by. I was able to discuss this movie (after having seen it last night) with my 16 year old, my 42 year old husband, my 9 year old, and on Sunday I plan to share it with some 50+ kids! (Side note: what great family discussions we had about the parallels of the characters in the movie with those in real life.) We are coming back as a church group to view it tomorrow and then we will have a special event called “Narnia NIght” the following Wednesday where we will expect 75-100 5th & 6th graders to come and find out “what’s really behind the wardrobe.” This movie is being used all over the country to bring kids to Christ and I think that is an awesome tool, don’t you??? Thank God for Walden Media and Disney right now. :-)

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]]> By: Cheryl D. http://online.worldmag.com/2008/05/15/return-to-narnia/comment-page-1/#comment-302344 Cheryl D. Fri, 16 May 2008 16:54:46 +0000 http://www.worldontheweb.com/2008/05/15/return-to-narnia/#comment-302344 I went to the midnight showing too. Paula pretty much says my thoughts. At the end, the daughter of the friend I went with said it was probably a better movie than LWW, and I think I agree--but it wasn't the book at all. Same characters, but that was pretty much it. If you just accepted that and enjoyed the movie, it was good--but too intense for it to ever be a favorite for me. (None of the battle scenes were gory, but there were simply too many of them.) I'm glad I saw it, won't buy it. I went to the midnight showing too. Paula pretty much says my thoughts. At the end, the daughter of the friend I went with said it was probably a better movie than LWW, and I think I agree–but it wasn’t the book at all. Same characters, but that was pretty much it. If you just accepted that and enjoyed the movie, it was good–but too intense for it to ever be a favorite for me. (None of the battle scenes were gory, but there were simply too many of them.) I’m glad I saw it, won’t buy it.

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]]> By: KevinB http://online.worldmag.com/2008/05/15/return-to-narnia/comment-page-1/#comment-302339 KevinB Fri, 16 May 2008 16:42:40 +0000 http://www.worldontheweb.com/2008/05/15/return-to-narnia/#comment-302339 Thanks for the early review, Paula. I apologize for drawing us further off track down the LOTR line. I didn't mean so much to critique the LOTR movies as to suggest that the LWW movie was the one more faithful to the book. Having been so well-prepped by the World articles, I'm going in not expecting the Prince Caspian story I've loved, but hoping for a good story nonetheless. T minus 3 hours. Thanks for the early review, Paula.

I apologize for drawing us further off track down the LOTR line. I didn’t mean so much to critique the LOTR movies as to suggest that the LWW movie was the one more faithful to the book.

Having been so well-prepped by the World articles, I’m going in not expecting the Prince Caspian story I’ve loved, but hoping for a good story nonetheless. T minus 3 hours.

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]]> By: paula http://online.worldmag.com/2008/05/15/return-to-narnia/comment-page-1/#comment-302296 paula Fri, 16 May 2008 15:12:19 +0000 http://www.worldontheweb.com/2008/05/15/return-to-narnia/#comment-302296 I went to the midnight showing. Anybody else? Fairly early on in the movie I realized I would have to let go of my knowledge of the book in order to enjoy the film. It would have been more accurate to say the screenplay was inspired by the book, rather than adapted from it. Peter's storyline is overwhelming. There is conflict between Peter and Caspian. There is a love interest. It is a different story. There are logical problems with the sequence of events and the blowing of the horn in the screenplay. My biggest disappointment is that it did not make me long to be in Narnia as the first film did, and as the books most certainly did. I went to the midnight showing. Anybody else?

Fairly early on in the movie I realized I would have to let go of my knowledge of the book in order to enjoy the film. It would have been more accurate to say the screenplay was inspired by the book, rather than adapted from it. Peter’s storyline is overwhelming. There is conflict between Peter and Caspian. There is a love interest. It is a different story. There are logical problems with the sequence of events and the blowing of the horn in the screenplay. My biggest disappointment is that it did not make me long to be in Narnia as the first film did, and as the books most certainly did.

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]]> By: kimberly http://online.worldmag.com/2008/05/15/return-to-narnia/comment-page-1/#comment-302286 kimberly Fri, 16 May 2008 15:00:08 +0000 http://www.worldontheweb.com/2008/05/15/return-to-narnia/#comment-302286 MIM-- Thanks for the link ... I always find it interesting to read other LOTR-lovers (not fan, as that seems to indicate the same sort of mindless fanatacism typical of pop culture) opinions and it gives me an idea where you are coming from. It would be interesting to list how Walden Media destroyed Narnia's vision in the same way. MIM–
Thanks for the link … I always find it interesting to read other LOTR-lovers (not fan, as that seems to indicate the same sort of mindless fanatacism typical of pop culture) opinions and it gives me an idea where you are coming from.

It would be interesting to list how Walden Media destroyed Narnia’s vision in the same way.

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]]> By: Make it Man http://online.worldmag.com/2008/05/15/return-to-narnia/comment-page-1/#comment-302230 Make it Man Fri, 16 May 2008 12:20:47 +0000 http://www.worldontheweb.com/2008/05/15/return-to-narnia/#comment-302230 Oh... and I apologize for twisting your words. I realize that I twisted them to mean something you didn't say. I'm not out for perfect exactness, and if I was, I'd have complained that Tom Bombadill didn't make an appearance. What I'm after is a better representation of the Author's original vision. Oh… and I apologize for twisting your words. I realize that I twisted them to mean something you didn’t say. I’m not out for perfect exactness, and if I was, I’d have complained that Tom Bombadill didn’t make an appearance. What I’m after is a better representation of the Author’s original vision.

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]]> By: Make it Man http://online.worldmag.com/2008/05/15/return-to-narnia/comment-page-1/#comment-302228 Make it Man Fri, 16 May 2008 12:18:01 +0000 http://www.worldontheweb.com/2008/05/15/return-to-narnia/#comment-302228 Siri, Just for the record (again) I did enjoy the LOTR movies. That does not mean that I don't have a bone to pick with Jackson. He did more than just "contradict the purist’s or fan’s exact specifications". I would like to refer you to a better critique of the LOTR movies than I am able to give, here: <a href="http://doulomen.tripod.com/topics/DTWtopicsLOTRmovies.htm" rel="nofollow">You're Not Telling It Right!</a> "Peter Jackson's Betrayal of J. R. R. Tolkien's Vision in The Two Towers and The Return of the King." Not only that, I take issue with your viewpoint that these are things we should not care about. You said this: "...but ultimately I would say there are far more important things to be emphatic about than entertainment." I think this is about more than entertainment. Culture at large is influenced a great deal by movies, books, and other media. We cannot ignore the importance that these things play. And if a director takes liberties with the story that are at odds with the original author's intent, then fans are right to take the director to task. Siri,

Just for the record (again) I did enjoy the LOTR movies. That does not mean that I don’t have a bone to pick with Jackson. He did more than just “contradict the purist’s or fan’s exact specifications”.

I would like to refer you to a better critique of the LOTR movies than I am able to give, here:

You’re Not Telling It Right! “Peter Jackson’s Betrayal of J. R. R. Tolkien’s Vision in The Two Towers and The Return of the King.”

Not only that, I take issue with your viewpoint that these are things we should not care about. You said this: “…but ultimately I would say there are far more important things to be emphatic about than entertainment.”

I think this is about more than entertainment. Culture at large is influenced a great deal by movies, books, and other media. We cannot ignore the importance that these things play. And if a director takes liberties with the story that are at odds with the original author’s intent, then fans are right to take the director to task.

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]]> By: akmom http://online.worldmag.com/2008/05/15/return-to-narnia/comment-page-1/#comment-302219 akmom Fri, 16 May 2008 06:25:07 +0000 http://www.worldontheweb.com/2008/05/15/return-to-narnia/#comment-302219 Our two twelve year olds have a fencing competition tomorrow, so won't get to the matinee their sister is going to. However, I informed them that they would first have to read the book before they would be allowed to see the movie anyway. She started with the Lion, Witch and Wardrobe yesterday and as of right now has just a few chapters left of Prince Caspian. She started reading Prince to me in the car on the way home from piano lessons. He was hooked. After dropping them off at home, I left right away to retrieve eldest from Lit. Club. When I got home an hour and a half later, the two were still at it - taking turns reading aloud to each other sprawled across her bed. They may be disappointed in the movie, but the book will be a sweet memory. Our two twelve year olds have a fencing competition tomorrow, so won’t get to the matinee their sister is going to. However, I informed them that they would first have to read the book before they would be allowed to see the movie anyway.

She started with the Lion, Witch and Wardrobe yesterday and as of right now has just a few chapters left of Prince Caspian. She started reading Prince to me in the car on the way home from piano lessons. He was hooked. After dropping them off at home, I left right away to retrieve eldest from Lit. Club. When I got home an hour and a half later, the two were still at it – taking turns reading aloud to each other sprawled across her bed. They may be disappointed in the movie, but the book will be a sweet memory.

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]]> By: Siri http://online.worldmag.com/2008/05/15/return-to-narnia/comment-page-1/#comment-302208 Siri Fri, 16 May 2008 03:54:46 +0000 http://www.worldontheweb.com/2008/05/15/return-to-narnia/#comment-302208 I believe my wording indicates that no one should anywhere near expect exactness. But interpret my words as you like. That aside I don't see a lot of arguing here on "the spirit of the book" or "world view of the author" not being adhered to, rather complaints that things have been changed that contradict the purist's or fan's exact specifications. In your very own comments your complaints were directed at things you would have changed or added -- that is hardly the same as ignoring the entire spirit of the book. Kara, thank you. I believe my wording indicates that no one should anywhere near expect exactness. But interpret my words as you like. That aside I don’t see a lot of arguing here on “the spirit of the book” or “world view of the author” not being adhered to, rather complaints that things have been changed that contradict the purist’s or fan’s exact specifications. In your very own comments your complaints were directed at things you would have changed or added — that is hardly the same as ignoring the entire spirit of the book.

Kara, thank you.

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]]> By: Make it Man http://online.worldmag.com/2008/05/15/return-to-narnia/comment-page-1/#comment-302179 Make it Man Thu, 15 May 2008 23:53:51 +0000 http://www.worldontheweb.com/2008/05/15/return-to-narnia/#comment-302179 <i>"No one says that a movie has to be exactly like the book, and I don’t feel as though purists or even fans should <b>anywhere near</b> expect it."</i> Obviously I disagree. One should at least adhere to the general ideas and not change the world view of the original author. And if it's not recognizable to the book fan, then why pretend to follow the book by naming it after the book? Just rename it and write your own dang movie. I should be able to expect it to be at least close to the book. “No one says that a movie has to be exactly like the book, and I don’t feel as though purists or even fans should anywhere near expect it.”

Obviously I disagree. One should at least adhere to the general ideas and not change the world view of the original author. And if it’s not recognizable to the book fan, then why pretend to follow the book by naming it after the book? Just rename it and write your own dang movie.

I should be able to expect it to be at least close to the book.

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