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Marketing of 'Narnia' Presents Challenge
NYT ^ | oct 12, 05 | JEFF LEEDS

Posted on 10/14/2005 6:40:47 AM PDT by paudio

The spiritual character of "Narnia" is being reinforced with the debut on the charts last week of a Christian pop album of music inspired by the film. But prospects for a previously announced secular soundtrack now seem cloudy, executives involved in the process say. Disney executives say that at the very least the CD will be delayed beyond its planned Oct. 25 release.

Mitchell Leib, president of music for Disney's Buena Vista film unit, said he still expected to assemble and release a secular soundtrack before the film's Dec. 9 opening. But he cited production snags. He said he was still awaiting a recording by the rock band Evanescence that is intended as the film's closing song. He added that planning had also been complicated by last-minute decisions about how music will be used in the complex, special-effects-laden film.

The Christian-oriented album's status as the only "Narnia" musical project in the marketplace, for now at least, could upset the studio's plan to balance two audiences. "If they go ahead and release only the one soundtrack, I think they're risking being identified as turning toward a blatantly religious company, which does turn some people away," said Chris Ahrens, founding editor of Risen, a San Diego-based lifestyle magazine that explores the spiritual beliefs of entertainment figures. On the other hand, Mr. Ahrens said, if the music strikes a chord in the Christian market, "I think that's huge for Disney in terms of the movie audience." He added, "It seems like a huge gamble."

(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Extended News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: christianmedia; christophobia; cslewis; disney; music; narnia; soundtrack
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I hope more people read the books after the movie (and the soundtrack) comes out...
1 posted on 10/14/2005 6:40:48 AM PDT by paudio
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To: paudio
OOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHH Its that awful God Talk shudder> Sssssssssshhhhhhhhhhhh... no one must know C.S Lewis was a Chhhhhhrrrrrrrrriiiiiissssssssssstttttttttttiiaaaaaaaannnnnnnnnnn apooooooooooooooolooooooooogist.

(Denny Crane: "I like nature. Don't talk to me about the environment".)
2 posted on 10/14/2005 6:43:38 AM PDT by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives On In My Heart Forever)
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To: paudio

Bump.


3 posted on 10/14/2005 6:44:43 AM PDT by Mamzelle (.)
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To: goldstategop

It would be even worse if some of the adults read that CS Lewis was "Merely a Christian"...as he stated in "Mere Christianity"


4 posted on 10/14/2005 6:46:52 AM PDT by Dick Vomer (liberals suck......... but it depends on what your definition of the word "suck" is.)
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To: DaveLoneRanger; DoctorRansom

Narnia ping.


5 posted on 10/14/2005 6:52:34 AM PDT by ecurbh (Join the Hobbit Hole Troop Support - http://freeper.the-hobbit-hole.net/)
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To: paudio

I do not call a CD loaded up with a buch of pop songs that are not even in the movie to be a 'soundtrack'. A soundtrack is a CD of the music that is IN the movie, not music 'inspired by' the movie before the movie is even done.


6 posted on 10/14/2005 6:52:34 AM PDT by Grig
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To: paudio

I do not call a CD loaded up with a buch of pop songs that are not even in the movie to be a 'soundtrack'. A soundtrack is a CD of the music that is IN the movie, not music 'inspired by' the movie before the movie is even done.


7 posted on 10/14/2005 6:53:00 AM PDT by Grig
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To: Grig
Even though it's not a soundtrack, it would still have to be licensed by Lewis's estate or heirs or whatever.

I saw the preview of Narnia in a theatre last week--it certainly looks to be a visual treat, althrough the beginning was a bit jarring. In the books, the professor was no sort of grumpy tyrant would wouldn't let children play--Mrs. McReady was not a Wicked Stepmother.

8 posted on 10/14/2005 6:56:30 AM PDT by Mamzelle (.)
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To: paudio

These studio execs amaze me. Why don't they excise the passage from "Luke" from "Charlie Brown's Christmas Special"? Sheeeeesh.


9 posted on 10/14/2005 6:56:34 AM PDT by VictoryGal (Never give up, never surrender!)
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To: All; Joe 6-pack; k2blader; Richard Kimball; nicmarlo; Uncle Vlad; tbird5; Borges; ...

(((NARNIA ... AWAKE)))





You are being pinged because of your interest in Walden Media’s December 9th release of “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.” Freep-mail if you want on/off this list.

My colleague DaveLoneRanger would have certainly approved this ping were he home from vacation; anticipate his complete return on Sunday, Oct. 16. ...

Dr. Ransom
FaithFusion.net: "Narnia: AWAKE"
Independent-sighted, yet Right-minded ...

10 posted on 10/14/2005 7:10:49 AM PDT by DoctorRansom ("Alert and in first-class fighting trim")
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To: paudio
"If they go ahead and release only the one soundtrack, I think they're risking being identified as turning toward a blatantly religious company, which does turn some people away," said Chris Ahrens.

SNORT.

11 posted on 10/14/2005 7:16:13 AM PDT by mewzilla (Property must be secured or liberty cannot exist. John Adams)
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To: Grig

You can say that again ;~D


12 posted on 10/14/2005 7:18:14 AM PDT by HairOfTheDog (Join the Hobbit Hole Troop Support - http://freeper.the-hobbit-hole.net/)
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To: paudio
"If they go ahead and release only the one soundtrack, I think they're risking being identified as turning toward a blatantly religious company, which does turn some people away,"

Whatever. Sure, it will turn away Frank Rich and some other liberals. They would have avoided it anyway because it's not full of drugs and perversion. On the other hand, it will draw millions of others. Look, of course, at the Passion. Another example would be the $20+ million that cartoon Jonah the Veggie Tales movie brought in with no marketing whatsoever. Narnia is going to be a huge hit, even more so if every pastor tells their flock to see it, as happend with the Passion.

13 posted on 10/14/2005 7:20:26 AM PDT by Rodney King (No, we can't all just get along.)
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To: mewzilla

I'd be turned away because it isn't the soundtrack. It's just songs inspired by the story.

It's like packaging some Led Zeppelin songs that mention middle earth, and calling it a Lord of The Rings soundtrack.

Not sure why it's even being considered a soundtrack. The real soundtrack has been delayed and is still being completed.... meanwhile, there's another album out capitalizing on the demand for Narnia stuff. End of story.


14 posted on 10/14/2005 7:22:10 AM PDT by HairOfTheDog (Join the Hobbit Hole Troop Support - http://freeper.the-hobbit-hole.net/)
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To: paudio
He said he was still awaiting a recording by the rock band Evanescence that is intended as the film's closing song.

I don't see rock music complementing the fantastical spirit of Narnia. It'd be like playing bagpipes in the credits of a Zorro movie. That Enya track at the end of the LOTR movies didn't seem to work for me, either.

15 posted on 10/14/2005 7:36:33 AM PDT by Dumb_Ox (Be not Afraid. "Perfect love drives out fear.")
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To: Dumb_Ox; HairOfTheDog; mewzilla
I have no problem with, well, at least tracks 2, 4, 6 and 8 on the "Music From and Inspired By" CD -- got a free copy, actually -- but I note that it can't possibly have been truly "inspired by" the film, because the film isn't complete yet! Instead, the artists are "inspired by" the contract to produce one song apiece for the "Music From and Inspired By" album.

Also, there's no actual music "from" the film because composer Harry Greggson-Williams Shrek 2 is still working on it -- meaning no soundtrack release has been "delayed"; it will simply be available later.

Dr. Ransom
FaithFusion.net
Independent-sighted, yet Right-minded

16 posted on 10/14/2005 7:43:51 AM PDT by DoctorRansom ("Alert and in first-class fighting trim")
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To: paudio
I think they're risking being identified as turning toward a blatantly religious company, which does turn some people away

Right. That really hurt "Passion of the Christ" at the box office.

17 posted on 10/14/2005 7:46:12 AM PDT by Semper Paratus
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To: paudio
Chris Ahrens, founding editor of Risen, a San Diego-based lifestyle magazine that explores the spiritual beliefs of entertainment figures.

Holy cow! Literally.

That’s like creating a magazine that explores the great orchestral masterpieces composed by butterscotch pudding.

18 posted on 10/14/2005 7:55:02 AM PDT by dead (I've got my eye out for Mullah Omar.)
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To: Mamzelle

In the books, the professor was no sort of grumpy tyrant would wouldn't let children play--Mrs. McReady was not a Wicked Stepmother.

how long has it been since you read the books?


19 posted on 10/14/2005 7:59:39 AM PDT by absolootezer0 ("My God, why have you forsaken us.. no wait, its the liberals that have forsaken you... my bad")
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To: paudio

Who is doing the soundtrack?

Anyone realised yet that there will be controversy around the later episodes as the Calormenian Tash worshipers are thinly disguised muslims?

FWIW I hope the TLTWATW is not too overtly Christian. One of the beauties of the books is that the analogy is there for anyone who wants to see it but anyone can enjoy its emotional power on its own terms.


20 posted on 10/14/2005 8:04:02 AM PDT by Killing Time
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