21 responses so far ↓

• 1 revgeorge // May 17, 2008 at 11:36 am

  Ah, just reading through Jeffrey Overstreet’s review & selection of reviews confirms all my worst fears. Sigh…

• 2 Jonathan // May 18, 2008 at 8:31 pm

  A word of worry for the Narnia series:

  Prince Caspian (the book) has always failed to thrill me. It’s been a while since I’ve read it, but it always seemed to drag a bit.

  Prince Caspian (the movie) frustrated me for deviating from the book - but then I remembered how the book failed to thrill me. Still, the books hold such a special place in my heart that I almost wanted it to be done faithfully - warts and all.

  My word-of-worry: for folks who haven’t seen “Lion, Witch and Wardrobe” lately, “Caspian” (the movie) may seem largely like a re-telling of the same story. Narnia oppressed by someone who doesn’t belong. Four siblings get together with Aslan in a huge, epic battle and overthrow the tyrant. Is it a re-telling of the same story? Not at all. But for those who only remember the bulletpoints of LWW, it may seem like it.

  Fortunately, the remaining stories vary from the LWW and PC formula enough to not be accused of retelling. I can’t wait for Voyage of the Dawntreader!

  THAT movie should require no deviation. That book kicks ass and takes names, start to finish.

• 3 Travis Prinzi // May 18, 2008 at 9:51 pm

  Jon, and not only that, but it’ll be a different director for Voyage.

  You’re absolutely right; they just sorta tried to remake LWW. It was awful. I actually really like the book Prince Caspian, though I prefer VDT, LWW, SC, MN, and LB all more. The only one I like less than PC is HHB.

• 4 revgeorge // May 18, 2008 at 10:32 pm

  Ah, one of the few things we disagree on, Travis. HHB is my favorite.

• 5 Travis Prinzi // May 18, 2008 at 10:37 pm

  One of my co-workers told me that HHB was his favorite. I’d honestly never run into someone who thought so highly of that book before; now I’ve met two!

  Actually, HHB has grown on me, and my favorites might shift around a bit this summer when I listen to all the audiobooks again. There’s some really great stuff in there about the reality of incarnation (against the Docetists, really) with Bree’s perception of Aslan as a Lion (he’s not really a Lion, that would be absurd, etc.). In fact, come to think of it, I’ve probably drawn sermon illustrations from HHB (incarnation) as much as I have from LWW (redemption) and MN (creation).

• 6 revgeorge // May 18, 2008 at 11:34 pm

  HHB is also good for looking at God’s divine providence. I wrote a paper in seminary called Aslan’s At The Back Of The Story. All the stories come together because of Aslan’s design. Great Trinitarian stuff in there, too, as Cor rides beside the large black shadow in the night. Nice reminder on Holy Trinity Sunday.

• 7 Travis Prinzi // May 18, 2008 at 11:45 pm

  Yes! I was going to mention the story thing as well, though I’ve never thought of it quite as comprehensively as all that. I only got so far as thinking about the importance of one’s own story and not meddling in what one does not need to know about another’s.

  Very good reminder on Trinity Sunday, yes.

• 8 Jonathan // May 19, 2008 at 9:01 am

  I’ve always felt alone in the world of Narnia fandom - I HHB is my least favorite, and I actually REALLY REALLY LIKE Magician’s Nephew.

• 9 Travis Prinzi // May 19, 2008 at 9:03 am

  I REALLY REALLY LIKE Magician’s Nephew, too. I think it’s just brilliant.

• 10 reyhan // May 19, 2008 at 11:17 am

  Voyage of the Dawn Treader sounds interesting. Is it just me or did the makers of Piarates of the Caribbean: At World’s End borrow liberally from its plot?

• 11 revgeorge // May 19, 2008 at 11:44 am

  Don’t know. The first Pirates is the only one I watched. Loved Geoffrey Rush in it. Liked him also in Mystery Men.

  I predict for the Dawn Treader movie that they will cut out or substantially alter the final scene between Lucy & Edmund & Aslan. Too Christological.

• 12 revgeorge // May 19, 2008 at 11:46 am

  Magician’s Nephew does have some great stuff in it. I especially liked the part where Aslan is weeping over Digory’s mother & Digory notes that it seemed as if the lion were more sorry about his mother’s fate than even he himself was.

  Also the condemnation of the Witch & Uncle Andrew’s high & noble sounding reasons for doing the things they do when all it is is just selfishness & greed on their part.

• 13 reyhan // May 19, 2008 at 1:02 pm

  revgeorge,

  It will be very interesting indeed to see what the producers do with the scene where Aslan exhorts Lucy and Edmund to look for him in their own world.

  “I am… but there I have another name. You must learn to know me by that name. This was the very reason why you were brought to Narnia, that by knowing me here for a little, you may know me better there.”

  It not only unequivocally states who Aslan symbolizes, it reveals the purpose of the Narnia saga: to help the children understand Christ better. To the extent that the Pevensies represent all children, the statement also seems to indicate the deeper purpose of the books: to acquaint all children with Jesus Christ. In essence, it “outs” the supposal (to use Lewis’ own neologism).

  I’m not sure how Hollywood will go with that. This is the same Hollywood which made (or backed) the Ten Commandments, The Bible in the Beginning, The Robe and The Passion of the Christ. On the other hand, none of those were pitched primarily at children. I’m also thinking of Jonah: A VeggieTales Movie, but that was an indie production, made by Big Idea Productions which started out in someone’s spare bed room.

  Is Hollywood willing to pitch a Christian message to kids? I sort of kind of greatly doubt it too.

• 14 revgeorge // May 19, 2008 at 1:19 pm

  I’m not sure it’s the same Hollywood that backed The Ten Commandments, The Robe et al. Those were all made a long time ago. And didn’t Gibson have to self produce The Passion?

  Anyway, I agree with your doubts about whether or not Hollywood is willing to pitch a Christian message to kids.

  Dawn Treader makes for a great action story all by itself. I can see it being denuded of any content whatsoever & driven solely by action & character conflicts, whether real or manufactured.

• 15 reyhan // May 19, 2008 at 1:50 pm

  revgeorge,

  You’re right about The Passion. I knew that Gibson had used his own money to produce it, but I thought that a Hollywood studio had agreed to distribute it. It was in fact Newmarket Films, an independent - i.e. non-Hollywood aligned company - which distributed it. They are not an insignificant company - having produced The Usual Suspects, Memento, Monster and Whale Rider - but obviously not mainstream.

  And yes, the other movies I cited were made in the 50s and 60s. They were very reverential in their approach to their subject - albeit in a cheesy and pre-post-modern sort of way. There haven’t been too many religious themed main-stream movies made in the last twenty years or so. In fact, the only one I recall is Scorsese’s The Last Temptation of Christ. That one was post-modern (in as far as I understand the meaning of that term). And the fire-storm it provoked says a lot about why Hollywood is reluctant to touch that subject again.

• 16 revgeorge // May 19, 2008 at 2:07 pm

  Oh, I don’t think Hollywood is reluctant to touch it again. They put out Dogma, after all. And their general characterization of Christians is either nice but deluded people or raving fanatics. Pastors are portrayed as either nice people but really unable to help with the problems of life or else they can help but it’s by spouting new age post modern speak. Or else they’re raving fanatics bent on condemning people & spewing forth hateful rhetoric.

  So, I don’t think controversy will hold them at bay. Hollywood likes controversy. Makes them look cool & cutting edge & it also stirs up publicity which means more business. The worst thing you can do to a Hollywood producer, director, or actor is ignore their work.

• 17 reyhan // May 19, 2008 at 2:21 pm

  Dogma was made by one of the great iconoclasts, Kevin Smith. Disney washed their hands of it, but Lion’s Gate bought and distributed it. Like Newmarket, Lion’s Gate is an indie - but the biggest of the indies. The Narnia movies are produced and distributed by Disney. Not an indie, and super-conscious of their market niche and the need not to offend it by offering anything contraversial.

  Have you seen Dogma? What did you think of it?

• 18 revgeorge // May 19, 2008 at 2:46 pm

  Well, maybe Disney isn’t controversial, yet.

  I haven’t seen Dogma; just read about it. Really haven’t had the desire to see it. But then I don’t watch too many movies, especially in the theatre. I do have a cadre of films, though, that I’ll watch over & over again.

  I have seen Life of Brian, though, if that counts.

• 19 korg20000bc // May 20, 2008 at 5:38 am

  reyhan,
  I think Hollywood is willing to pitch a Christian message if there is money in it. I think The Passion and LWW was a big eye-opener to Hollywood in terms of th moolah people would spend on “religious” movies. I love VeggieTales!

  revgeorge, I agree with your take on how Christians are represented in mainstream media.

• 20 korg20000bc // May 20, 2008 at 6:32 am

  A bit of a random question.

  Has anyone seen the puppet show adaption of The Hobbit?

• 21 Renee // May 25, 2008 at 7:19 pm

  I saw the Prince Caspian movie yesterday. I agree with most of the other reviewers here - did not enjoy it much. The added battle scenes were cool, but I felt he was trying to “one-up” LOTR without putting in character development. I actually gagged at the love scenes between Caspian and Susan (people around me laughed) - and I didn’t feel Caspian was a compelling character at all. My friend (who hadn’t read the book in years in vaguely remembered the plot) was also disappointed, saying she remembers enjoying the backstory to Caspian’s life and how he learned from his nurse and Dr. Cornelius.

  The biggest frustration was the whole destruction of the faith theme, really. My high school quote was from Caspian “Lucy kept her eyes on the Lion . . . and the rest kept their eyes on Lucy” - that part of the story has always stuck with me for years. They tried to hit on in thematically a little, but I would’ve liked more with Trumpkin as a doubter and the others gradually being able to see Lucy. I also had though (from commentary on other sites) that I would care a lot more about Asterius when he died - I don’t even remember learning his name, and I didn’t really care for him. I liked the four main actors in the movie, and Reepicheep of course, but not the plot or the long long battles (cool at first, but dragged on) and was very frustrated with the lack of “faith” theme - though they at least did try to get it in the movie a little bit.

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