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Narnia Film - Personal Impressions
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This evening my wife and I could view the film.
Everybody knows that one who views his favourite books on film has to lower his sights.
The scenes of the book - formed in personal visual images during the reading - are in the film usually converted in a entirely other way.
The contents of the book has to be considerably reduced in the film. What about those parts of the contents which had become important to us personally?
I'm very glad during and after viewing the film, that the film does justice to the contents of the book and to the motives and aims of C.S.Lewis as much as a film can do.
Please, share your impresions and opinion, too! :)
Posted at 5:25PM, 8 December 2005 PDT
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Aw, me jealous. Living just some 50 km from the German border I have to wait till the 21st of December. A friend of mine heads of for Köln tonight where they screen the original (english) version. I'll just wait some more, patiently...
Posted 33 months ago.
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Just got back from seeing it. I don't remember so much violence but when reading you keep the scenes in your mind according to your taste. The cinema was full and a great tribute to C S Lewis and his great story of the triumph over evil. It was riveting .
Posted 33 months ago.
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@rogiro - I'm sorry for you. But you have the advance of the greater expectation before. I'm sure you'll enjoy it greatly!
@Jackie - thanks for your report. I'm glad you enjoyed it as much as myself! :)
Posted 33 months ago.
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Just thought I'd tell you our priest went to see Narnia last night too. He used the story in his sermon to day to talk about how the saviour Aslan brought Christmas back to Narnia. Fr Simon our priest mirrored it to modern times where now in England we are having to describe our Christmas festivities as Winter festivities because of political correctness.. This not coming from our multi cultural society who also share in the coming of Christ albeit in a different way but comes from the authorities view and from political motives. Do hope that the message from C S Lewis gets through to the powers that be and we can feel free to call Christmas ..Christmas once more. A big well done to our very young priest for his excellent metaphor.
Posted 33 months ago.
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Thank you @Jackie for sharing this story. It's necessary to stay to the roots of our faith - as your priest illustrated it so well.
That reminds me of a anecdote, told by Lewis:
""Just a hurried line . . . to tell a story which puts the contrast between OUR feast of the Nativity and all this ghastly "Xmas" racket at its lowest. My brother heard a woman on a 'bus say, as the 'bus passed a church with a Crib outside it, "Oh, Lor'! They bring religion into everything. Look -- they're bringing it even into Christmas now!'"
Letters to an American Lady (29. December 1958)
Posted 33 months ago.
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G o r a n [deleted] says:
Greetings everyone.
I saw the film yesterday and I much enjoyed it, I have been a fan of the books and the BBC miniseries of the late eighties since I was a child. I thought a particularly good job was done of translating the written word into film form. As previously mentioned, the film was rather violent, but nevertheless very good. I was also relieved to see that the CGI Aslan was more realistic and convincing than computer generated characters of late.
Going into the cinema I did not know of the objections and criticism of the film in the popular press, and frankly I don't understand what all the fuss is about. After I saw the movie, I read a number of angry articles by journalists who were relentless in chastising the creators of the film for their use of a loosely Christian score. I really cannot understand their objections, the Christian allegory and religious symbolism is absolutely manifest and to deny it would be absolutely foolish. What's more is that Lewis never denied his inspiration for the story, so why then should anybody have a problem with a score of a somewhat spiritual style. I have trouble understanding today's hypersensitive climate, I mean are we going to have to stop celebrating Christmas so that we don't possibly offend atheists?
Originally posted 33 months ago.
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G o r a n edited this topic 33 months ago.
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Hello Goran,
In my opinion the situation described by you is connected with a new definition of tolerance. In this respect I found the book "The New Tolerance" by Josh McDowell very helpful.
Here an excerpt from a book review at Amazon:
"This book is a "must read" for anyone who wants to understand the reasons underlying our nation's cultural collapse. It also explains why our society tolerates everything EXCEPT Christianity.
Basically, McDowell explains how today's definition of "tolerance" differs radically from the traditional dictionary definition. He discusses how and why the definition of tolerance has changed, how the new tolerance manifests itself in our society, and concludes by giving concrete ideas for Christian witness in the midst of today's culture.
The traditional definition of tolerance means to "endure" or put up with something, such as a person's behavior, attitudes or beliefs, without necessarily agreeing with them. In other words, love the sinner, hate the sin. However, today's definition of tolerance is more like "love the sinner, love the sin." Today's definition of tolerance states that a person's behavior, beliefs and attitudes are inseparable from who he or she is. Therefore, any attack on behaviors, beliefs or attitudes is seen as a personal attack."
see amazon
Originally posted 33 months ago.
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destinatio edited this topic 33 months ago.
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G o r a n [deleted] says:
Vielen Dank Destinatio
I'm glad I wasn't ostracised for expressing my opinion and I'm relieved you understand my point of view. Thank you for the book recomendation I'll check it out once my exam period is over.
Posted 33 months ago.
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Thanks to Jackie, Destinatio & Goran for your views.
I was concerned that the reviews has suggested that the 'Christian agenda' was too strong, and that the film would suffer. I was especially nervous because of an exchange I had a few years back with Doug Gresham (stepson & trustee of the CSL estate) when he maintained that the book would never be 'Disneyised'. (If I recall the gist correctly) So I was concerned that he'd sold out!
So I was pleasantly surprised, and tried to watch the film without my 'Christian glasses'. I found it a good story *without* an overt Christian message (after all we are living - in the UK - in a largely de-Christianised society) and I enjoyed in that way. The story was as good as it gets[1] and the acting was much better than some critics had suggested - we did speak like that then!
[1] I have never found the sacrifice of Aslan a satisfactory part of the story, and even in the original the 'deeper magic' is not adequate IMHO, to answer the questions it raises. But since it took the Church some 350 years to explain the original story, I shouldn't be surprised.
I've found myself going back to the book to check some quotes, and being pleasantly surprised to see that they were almost right. eg the scene at Cair Paravel where Tummus says "he's not a tame lion, but he's good!" is actually by Mr Beaver in the book, but in general I think it's a fantastic presentation of the story.
Lastly, I couldn't help wondering why Philip Pulman makes all the fuss about Lewis' agenda, it didn't come over as strong Christian unless you were looking for something to object to. And that is my answer to Goran's point - with which I largely agree!
Posted 33 months ago.
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Thank you @Mike for your impressions. I'm glad that the film follows the book in presenting the christian message in a very decent and unobtrusive way, so that everyone can decide for himself - with the film as with the book - to follow the christian hints of Lewis or not.
And I agree also with your remark at the end: "it didn't come over as strong Christian unless you were looking for something to object to"!
Originally posted 33 months ago.
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destinatio edited this topic 17 months ago.
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