Tuesday, January 17, 2006

If You Liked Narnia, This May Interest You

It may not. Or, you may already know. Regardless for those interested, here's a few links from NarniaWeb.com:

On Prince Caspian

It's a go. I think most of us knew that already

On it's popularity here and abroad

Surprising popularity in other countries. If my math is correct, it's grossed $245M domestically and $277M in foreign sales. According to the article: Narnia is already Buena Vista’s fourth-biggest live-action title, behind The Sixth Sense and Armageddon. The film is expected to outgross those two titles this week.

On DVD availability

April 4, 2006

More on sales abroad (article back in December)

Mentions Netherlands, France, Latvia, Sweden, and Australia

Douglas Gresham's continued involvement with Prince Caspian

Some people (read: Narnia purists) have complained Gresham didn't do enough to make LWW C.S. Lewis' vision more than Adam Adamson's. I think it's important Gresham's involved.

Other tidbits for links on the site you can go to

You know what? I think this movie might be a success, after all. Huh. Just goes to show, you never know.

9 comments:

DougALug said...

What if you didn't like Narnia... it blew chunks.

I'd give it a C.

-Doug

Rich said...

Doug!

If it blows chunks, that sounds more like D- to F territory. If it's just a blah movie, maybe a rental to pass some time, now that I'd give a C.

But I love the imagery!!!

You've probably seen my review. More good than bad, and there was some stuff I really liked. I certainly didn't think it "blew chunks," but I've certainly seen several people I respect, including yourself, say that it did. Then, there's Ken, who absolutely loved it. Obviously, it strikes people in different ways -- of course, doesn't everything?

DougALug said...

Rich,

Okay a C was a little kind, but I love the Lewis books, and there were some things that they did well. It would be well worth a rental.

My biggest complaints are simple:

1) Character development. Peter Jackson learned from the first Lord of the Rings movie: great events are nothing without tangible characters to sink your teeth into. Jakson's later offerings worked a whole lot harder at dialog and building a reason to believe why these characters were wondering seemingly aimlessly throught the forest. Narnia, did little in the way of character development.

2) It looked like the money flow came to an end toward the end of production. Some effects were very unfinished.

3) To make a good evil camp, you must once again go the the Peter Jackson school of evil camp making:

Page 1: Great evil camps have
smokey/foggy atmosphere.
They also contain amber
glowing fires that the
thugs sharpen their
instruments of
destruction.

Page 2: Evil henchmen play
nasty tricks on each
other and laugh like
they are full of
Guiness.

Page 3: There is always
contention for power
in evil camps. Underling
warriors look for their
commanders to fail.

4) Just because some frosty, bearded fellow throws you a scimitar, doesn't make you able to use it. They needed to establish that Peter learned to use the sword.

5) Do you really think that a 4 year old is just going to run off with some funny-looking Pan want-to-be. Is this the kind of message we want to send our kids: if the dude looks funny and acts scared of you, then it okay to go to his house and sip some tea.

Another thing... is there a chance that I would take my girls to this movie? Not a chance. When we went and saw the movie the theater was full of kids. Talk about horribly innapropriate.

The Passion of the Christ was a 'Christian' movie too, but you won't see Emily in there for another 10 years.

-Doug

Rich said...

Evil henchmen play nasty tricks on each other and laugh like
they are full of Guiness


Hey waitaminnit! I've been full of Guiness before. Hmm. I wonder what kind of nasty tricks I did?

Character development

This was one problem I did have with the flick (I'm pretty sure I voiced this in my review), but I chalk it up to trying to follow the book fairly close. Still, for me, erring on the side of rich character development is more important than all the scenery you can muster. However, since I had read the books, I had a sense of the characters already. I did think they changed the characters a bit, especially Peter. On the whole though, the adaptation hit close enough for me that I could buy it.

When we went and saw the movie the theater was full of kids. Talk about horribly innapropriate.

Well, I'm one of the inappropriate parents. But then, it started WAAAAAAAAAAY before Narnia. Granted, Passion with its gore, though I really liked it, is one my kids will be waiting a good while on. However, they've seen enough on Saturday morning cartoons and in superhero movies where I thought Narnia wasn't going to "hurt" them any more than I've already let them be hurt. And really, I thought it was pretty kid-friendly, all-in-all.

Don't get me wrong though, I always respect another parent's decision for their kids. I'm wrong an awful lot, as you well know, so chances are, this could be another error on my part. But my kids and I had really good discussions afterward on the parallels between Aslan and Christ, well, really that Aslan is Narnia's Christ. And just what his sacrifice meant. I'll take that. Certainly, God can work through my failings. He HAS to, or I'm one sunk puppy.

DougALug said...

Rich, rich, rich,

Maybe it is different with boys, but frget parenting: how about damage control. Emily would be screaming through the night if we took her to this one. We would never get to the parallels, the imagry of watching Aslan slain on the altar would be enough for Emily to weep bitterly and have very nasty dreams.

I don't know, but to me this movie crossed a few too many lines to be considered 'kid friendly'. I think I'll stick to The Incredibles, Spirit and Madagascar. Incidently, my daughter is now into carebear movies... I had to watch an entire one with her last night... is there worse torture in the universe? I submit to you that there is not!

BTW I am sure that Guiness will do 'it' to ya. Look at Ireland... I rest me case (of Guiness that is).

-Doug

Rich said...

Well, I can honestly say that Carson has no such problems with the screaming through the night. And Davis, well, right before Aslan was slain, he yanked on my arm, our empty four-gallon coke sitting between us, and whispered, "Dad... hey Dad... I gotta go to the bathroom."

Knowing it was coming didn't help. I was still flustered. "But this is a big part, Davo. Can you wait five minutes?"

"Dad... hey Dad... no. I gotta go now."

So we had to get up and make our way to the restroom. Aslan was alive by the time we got back. I did get to see some of those parts walking up and down the aisles, but Davis didn't really see it.

To the parallels, Carson definitely "gets" it. And really after talking to Davis, for a four-year old, he understands really better than I ever thought he would. Both of them better than I did at their age. Carson's even beginning to get the why. For most seven year olds, (in my opinion) it's pretty hard to see the depths of depravity sin takes us to. Life is pretty black and white, and they just know it's bad. It takes a while to understand just how bad... bad enough that Aslan had to die to save Edmund (and, let's face it, we are all Edmund). I'm not saying Car gets all that, but he knows that the weight of his "wrongful acts" at this point is heavier than just the difference between good and bad. And not only the wrongful acts but the "bigger something" inside me that craves to do wrong, to rebel.

And talking about Narnia and Aslan helps all of us in that regard. Me to understand where they are, and they to understand the sacrifice Christ made.

Incidently, my daughter is now into carebear movies... I had to watch an entire one with her last night... is there worse torture in the universe? I submit to you that there is not!

I agree wholeheartedly! Man, watching Gus and The Strongest Man in the World beats watching Princess Barbie and the Carebears hands down. But you know what, my little girl's getting older every day. I'll be right there with you in no time.

DougALug said...

Rich,

Whether you believe this or not, I think God protected Davison from a very bad part in the movie. I think it was a little too graphic.

Anyway, I am really gald it opened some doors to talk about the Lord with your kids.

Totally off the subject... did I tell you that the Stealers were the team to beat this year?! They have looked awesome.

God Bless
-Doug

Rich said...

Thanks, Doug.

And, yeah, you were right about the Steelers. But I really don't like either of the teams in the Super Bowl. (Course if it's not the Dolphins, I ain't gonna like it.) Oh well.

DougALug said...

Rich,

Yep... Pox on both of them.

-Doug