Posted on 01/13/2005 11:01:00 AM PST by DaveLoneRanger
At the 15th Annual Global Entertainment, Media, and Telecommunications Conference regarding the future of The Walt Disney Co., President and COO Bob Iger talked about the Narnia franchise and showed a short clip with information about the upcoming film. There’s no video, but you can hear the clip (it’s different than the Weta clip) at about the 6:45 mark on the following link: http://www.veracast.com/webcasts/sbcitigroup/emt-2005/87207552.cfm. This link should be available until January 18th.
The voice-over announcer is featured in this clip (think Nah-nee-a) as in the Weta clip and you can hear short interviews with the big three: Director Adamson, Producer Johnson, and Weta’s Taylor. It’s also mentioned that Disney’s fiscal year begins in September so the Narnia film will hit in fiscal year 2006.
Here are a few pictures, one of them concept art, one of them is a real picture of the four children.
The artwork is fairly old. Our church used it as backdrop when the kids did a LWandW presentation last summer.
I just finished (re)reading Lewis's "Surprised By Joy." I hope they do him justice with these films....
Rah! Thanks for the post. I hope Disney doesn't mess up C.S. Lewis' classic.
That's interesting. I wonder if they'll paganize it and remove the Christian content.
I love reading Lewis....have you read The Problem With Pain? That's a good one, as well as Mere Christianity. He was a great thinker; and I enjoy the ways in which he uses words to make his points.
I used to read the Chronicles of Narnia to my kids when they were young; they are looking forward to watching this film (they're 19 and 17 now).
That would be a shame if they did, especially since, by all accounts, C.S. Lewis was devoutly religious.
Hope this is as good as LOTR movies. Glad to see more and more family and religious movies are being produced. "Lewis was turning to the Catholic Church before his death. He believed in prayers for the dead and purgatory and confessed his sins regularly to a priest. He received the Catholic sacrament of last rites on July 16, 1963" (C.S. Lewis: A Biography, pp. 198, 301) http://www.wayoflife.org/fbns/cslewisand.htm
C.S. Lewis was a friend of Tolkien's IIRC. And his oft quoted response to reading LOTR was this at about page 50 or so: "On No! Not another #!%$ing elf!"
There is more good info at www.narnia.com on this.
I believe they are going to do the film right. Keep in mind that the books have sold 85 million copies. That means there is BIG potential for the film/merchandise, etc.
However, if you tick off the core fans (just as with Tolkien) that would caue a major economic downturn for the film's potential.
Only a few days before I found out about this production, I was telling someone that Hollywood ought to do Narnia and do it right, as they did with Lord ofthe Rings. I mean the full blown deal. Then I found out about this. I note that there are several big wigs on the film from Lord of the Rings and that much of the location is in New Zealand, as with Lord of the Rings.
As anti-Christian as Hollywood is, I don't think they will drop the ball on this one. It would be commercially idiotic.
I also think that Douglas Gresham is quited on the web site (that is Joy's son...Joy being who Lewis married late in life). I think he is a believer and don't think he would tolerate the story being re-worked in a politically correct model.
I am confident that this is going to be spectacular. My kids are extremely excited, as we are constantly reading and re-reading Narnia outloud. Just think...there could be 7 of these movies...wow.
As I speak, I'm listening to this press conference type thing from Disney which I listed above: http://www.veracast.com/webcasts/sbcitigroup/emt-2005/87207552.cfm
It sounds pretty good. It's horrible to be listening to audio of what sounds like a wonderful movie.
I have a great deal of confidence in Richard Taylor (of whom, my siblings inform me, I can do a spot-on impression of...perhaps this will get me into restricted areas? I've contemplated calling a NZ number and saying "Send my friend {my name} a replica of a Centaur's sword" and see what happens) and the gang at WETA. They've definitely proven their worth in Lord of the Rings. If you doubt, take a look at the video already up: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1305362/posts
C.S. Lewis was undoubtedly a Christian. Is there any doubt on this?
The girls I can tell, but which is Edmund and which is Peter? I always liked Edmund best... or rather, identified best with him.
Hopefully they'll do a good job on this one so they'll do the sequels.
Really? I didn't like Edmund until the end.
Any bets on the Lion being characterized as being gay and a victum of homophobia, set upon by SUVs and CEOs?
J. R. R. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis: A Legendary Friendship
A new book reveals how these two famous friends conspired to bring myth and legend—and Truth—to modern readers.http://www.christianitytoday.com/history/newsletter/2003/aug29.html
Unfortunately, I have heard rumors that the film will be avoiding all the Christian messages involved and somehow changing the storyline to make it more PC...I"m not sure what that means in this case.
I will reserve judgemetn until I am able to see it for myself.
By the way, I'm a die-hard Lord of the Rings fan. I went to the movie in costume (I had to leave my sword replicas at home), and have the biggest collection of LotR action figures. I don't intend to be let down. :-)
Being Disney, they will somehow, someway work the gay agenda into it. Mark my words.......
I would be pleasantly shocked if Disney kept Lewis' Christian theme. But the movie will probably concentrate more on the magic and fantasy. That's what they did with LoTR, and I enjoyed that series tremendously anyway.
I wouldn't be surprised if they did that only to increase the potential viewing audience. A few years back there was a film made from the 'Left Behind' series and it went straight to video because of the percieved limited marketplace. My guess is that they will keep the themes but make them more metaphoric and 'universal'.
I mean looking at the whole Narnia saga. Edmund and Eustace are the most "human" characters. They are in need of serious redemption. Peter and Susan and Lucy are just too naturally good.
Sure, Edmund's a complete jerk in most of the first book, but that's the point. He's the sinner in need of a savior. He changes pretty drastically once that happens - symbolic of rebirth. Narnia is all parables and metaphor.
Yes, I understand. But I still liked Peter and Susan and Lucy better, all the way through!
bump for later
"A few years back there was a film made from the 'Left Behind' series and it went straight to video because of the percieved limited marketplace. "
Actually, it went straight to video because it was a lousy film, based on a book that was full of wooden characters and poorly-written dialog.
I know the book series was popular, but I couldn't get past the third book in the series, and I'll read almost anything.
Poorly-made Christian films do poorly, just like poorly-made secular films.
I used to read the Chronicles of Narnia when I was a kid. I'm looking forward to this too - and I'm way, way past age 19. ;)
ping
It really was a terribly done film... And the books aren't much better.
You're right. I should have phrase it differently. Same with 'The Omega Code'.
I never liked Peter and Susan. They seemed stiff and wooden. Edmund and Lucy were much more real characters.
I love the books and still re-read them. Not sure what my favorite is... perhaps "The Silver Chair" due to the ideas therein.
That series was utter crap. I know you're not Christian, but as a Christian nothing offends me more than garbage being passed off as worthwhile just because it's got the "Christian" label slapped on it.
Narnia, on the other hand, is a well written deeply allegorical fantasy series, and if they stay at all true to the books the movies should be fantastic.
You're thinking of another member of the Inklings. Lewis was very enthusiastic about Lord of the Rings when it was being written.
You know, I wonder if they even realize that it HAS Christian themes in it. There were definitely parts of the "Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" that confused the heck out of me until I read it as a Christian. Then it all made sense.
I own a set of the Chronicles and am due for another re-reading soon, since I can't remember the separate plots enough to decide on a favorite. :-)
"Same with 'The Omega Code'.
"
I started that one, but shut it off about a third of the way through.
There have been excellent Christian films, of course. I just watched the 1953 bio film of Martin Luther. A little dark in the cinematography, but quite good. Actually the current "Luther" film isn't half bad, either, and probably a little more accurate. There was another one in the 70's about Martin Luther, but I can't remember the title.
Recently, however, with the exception of Mel Gibson's "Passion," Christian films have been pretty dismal. With all the money available, I'm surprised that better films have not been produced.
Several years ago, Robert Duvall made a film called 'The Apostle' which has been praised by Christian groups.
"That series was utter crap. I know you're not Christian, but as a Christian nothing offends me more than garbage being passed off as worthwhile just because it's got the "Christian" label slapped on it.
Narnia, on the other hand, is a well written deeply allegorical fantasy series, and if they stay at all true to the books the movies should be fantastic."
Yes, the Narnia series is wonderful. C. S. Lewis was a genius, to be sure. I expect this film will be faithful to the book. They couldn't do otherwise without risking mass avoidance of the movie.
It's kinda like the Potter movies. They didn't dare mess with a single thing. The kids would have gone nuts.
I don't know if Disney keeps Christians on its staff. I suppose it's possible! And agreed, reading the books as a Christian definitely "enhanced" the experience for me (same with LoTR).
Peter is the one with the long pants, because he's the older of the two boys.
Yeah, I understand your comment about Edmund. To some extent, we're all Edmund.
It's like... "Troy". That was a dreadful movie and at least partly because they ripped out the gods and goddesses and miracles. Partly because it was just a dreadful movie, of course.
If a story is so wrapped up in religious themes, whatever religion, removing them entirely leaves a hollow shell. Narnia will probably survive because it is allegorical, and doesn't use forbidden words like "God" and "church".
"Several years ago, Robert Duvall made a film called 'The Apostle' which has been praised by Christian groups.
"
I'd forgotten that one, but I saw it at the time. Well done film about an important historical theme. There are others, of course, which are good, but the market could certainly absorb more of them.
Religion is an excellent theme for films. It has high drama, an audience familiar with the stories, and should pack audiences into the theater.
There seemed to be more of these in the 50s and 60s, and they were very popular. More recently, it seems like there just isn't the interest in producing these films. Perhaps there's a task for the major denominations. Not making the films themselves, but funding the productions and controlling directors, and other choices.
You'd never run out of subjects, certainly. I think a well-directed movie about King David, Ruth, Lot, Abraham, or any of several other Biblical characters could be dynamite in the box office.
But, they have to be well-made, with excellent actors, directors, cinematographers, and screenwriters. The failing of a lot of the small-budget Biblical films is that they are just that. They look amateurish, and I've seen lots of them.
Exactly...
I see Edmund as representing someone who is taught the faith but refuses to accept it - a traitor - while Eustace is the person who grew up ignorant of Christianity. Thus Edmund comes off a lot worse than Eustace, who's just rather silly and petty.
Lucy is the True Believer from birth, Peter the doubting thomas who doesn't take much conviction, Susan... Susan is apparently a backslider though that's not certain.
Supposedly, it was Tolkien who gradually converted his good friend away from atheism. I believe Tolkien was a very devout Roman Catholic. Lewis, at least in the writings I've seen, professed to be very comfortable in the Church of England, so in terms of doctrine a death bed conversion to the Church of Rome wasn't such a leap.
"Narnia will probably survive because it is allegorical, and doesn't use forbidden words like "God" and "church".
"
I think you're right. The Narnia books don't depend on Biblical Christianity for their appeal to kids. The concepts are there, of course, but not specifically named.
I think Disney will do this one well.
if they can blow your mind with the animation in "toy story" i will be profoundly disappointed, and the legacy of lewis insulted, if they raise the bar of quality production over the top for the Narnia series.
Disney is the wicked stepmother of a company.
You did better than me. I finished the first one and never went back. A good (very fundamentalist) friend blew up at me when I expressed the opinion that the writing reeked.
i am hoping that this is precisely the point...lww should not be a "Christian" movie, but a movie based on a great "children's" story. As a work of lit., I don't think it is fair to compare Chronicles to Left Behind....I sure love Tim LaHaye but he is hardly a literary giant.
If they do for Chronicles what they did for LOTR, it will be awesome
"Unfortunately, I have heard rumors that the film will be avoiding all the Christian messages involved and somehow changing the storyline to make it more PC...I"m not sure what that means in this case. "
Since the Christian elements of Narnia are rather explicit and pervasive, how are they going to manage that?
Checkmate!
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