Chronicles of Narnia

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Post by Ben » June 18th, 2010, 6:19 am

As someone underwhelmed by the first film, and pretty bored all throughout the second, that trailer looks good enough to possibly entice me back into the theater to see this.

The Dawn Treader book is better than Caspian anyway (things actually happen! Though I am concerned that Peter and Susan seem to be in it throughout as opposed to just the beginning). The scope of this feels pretty big and more well crafted - me thinks Disney will kick themsevles for getting out of the Narnia market, though I'm pleased that Walden have been able to maintain consistency in casting, design, logos, music, etc.

And they've kept to the rightful Christmas release point, which is what Caspian should have done. I think this'll be a big hit for Fox, and push the series to at least one or two more additions.

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Post by EricJ » June 18th, 2010, 11:45 am

Bill1978 wrote:Have the re-written the story for Peter and Susan to be featured in the trailer. I imagine they are only in it for less than 5 minutes, but the last I heard was that the actors weren't required for this story.
The trailer shows a flash of all four characters at the end, suggesting that there'll be an inspiring ending of all four "original" characters now back home Leading Their Own Brave Lives, just in case Fox wants to wrap up the trilogy, and never gets around to "Silver Chair". (Where the "new" Cousin Eustace takes over as hero in the book.)

And I know they're only showing a teaser of the "key" scenes, and maybe all the CGI hasn't been finished six months ahead, but...has anyone even SEEN any shots of a dragon yet? :?

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Re: CHRONICLES OF NARNIA news posts

Post by American_dog_2008 » June 19th, 2010, 4:59 pm

Finally!

The Xmas will be epic!

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Post by EricJ » June 19th, 2010, 5:39 pm

Ben wrote:And they've kept to the rightful Christmas release point, which is what Caspian should have done. I think this'll be a big hit for Fox, and push the series to at least one or two more additions.
Problem is, we've got a long-awaited family movie opening on Dec. 10th--when, we learned last year, NOBODY goes to movies yet--the year-long hyped Cool Sci-Fi movie opening on the 17th, and Fox putting their annoying CGI-marketed "money" kids' movie (that Jack Black Gulliver-in-name-only) for the school-vacation Christmas slot, aka Alvin Day.

...I'm just seeing a Prince Caspian AND a Princess & the Frog in the making all over again. :cry:

(Although now that we've got VoDT, the press silence has been lifted, it's okay to come out of hiding and admit that the earlier Caspian may have been a little obnoxious and downbeat compared to the first movie, and that it wasn't just crushed under the heels of Iron Man and Indy IV.)

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Post by Dacey » June 19th, 2010, 5:47 pm

Well, to be fair, the original "Narnia" came out on the same weekend, Eric. And was extremely successful.

But Fox is making the very same mistake that Disney did with the marketing for "Caspian" by just including a bunch of random shots in the trailer and telling you virtually NOTHING about the plot. They aren't giving anyone who's not a real big fan any reason to go.
"Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift--that is why it's called the present."

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Re: Re:

Post by estefan » June 20th, 2010, 8:43 am

EricJ wrote: Problem is, we've got a long-awaited family movie opening on Dec. 10th--when, we learned last year, NOBODY goes to movies yet--the year-long hyped Cool Sci-Fi movie opening on the 17th, and Fox putting their annoying CGI-marketed "money" kids' movie (that Jack Black Gulliver-in-name-only) for the school-vacation Christmas slot, aka Alvin Day.
I think Warner's live-action hybrid of Yogi Bear is the one filling that spot. :wink: Let's be honest now: Alvin's success is what pushed this thing quickly into production.

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Post by EricJ » June 20th, 2010, 1:38 pm

We would have to have seen a teaser by NOW (ie. May/June) for that to happen.
As it is, there isn't even a lobby poster up yet, and more audiences know the Smurfs movie exists than the Yogi movie.

(Although yes: A LOT of cartoon-franchise projects limbo'ed in the Boomer-80's have now been reprieved by CGI-envy, especially with Warner wanting to synergize Cartoon Network....
Fortunately, Fox understands shameless Christmas-packing and Warner, well, doesn't--Think "Fat Albert" vs. "Fred Claus".)

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Re: Chronicles of Narnia

Post by ShyViolet » February 5th, 2020, 2:11 am

Weird but fascinating vid comparing three versions: the 1979 animated one for PBS, the 1988 live-action BBC miniseries, and of course the 2005 Disney/Walden Media film (the first of the Narnia movie trilogy).

I've only seen the cartoon movie and the 2005 film, so I'll just be commenting on those. To anyone who's watched the BBC version, would love to get your opinion! :)




For me it's the 1979 animated one hands-down (although I did enjoy the 2005 version.) I realize it might look a bit dated now because of the animation style, but at age eight it was my first introduction to this story (didn't read the book until a few years later). I remember being absolutely mesmerized the entire time I saw it (and on the small screen of course, since it was made for TV). The film is terrifying, epic, and moving in a way that's indescribable.

2005 Narnia is certainly well-made and exciting, but I just never felt very engaged by it. It spends too much time trying to develop the children's personalities in the film's opening; the book is in many ways like a fairy tale/parable and knowing more about these characters just wasn't necessary in my opinion. It's not that kind of book. Lewis tells us just enough so that we can instantly bond with these characters, but honestly I doubt he would have wanted "more" to be added to their backgrounds.

I know the sometimes rough animation style in 1979 Narnia might seem silly if you're not used to it, but honestly the downright ridiculously bad CGI in the 21st century version makes it look like it was directed by Walt Disney. :roll:

1979: White Queen literally gave me nightmares. Seriously, I still don't know how I survived that scene where she kills Aslan on the Stone Table. :shock:

2005: Waywaywaywayway too young and not remotely frightening. She actually kinda has this fragile look about her, like she herself is overwhelmed by all the magic that SHE controls. With her hair pulled back in the Aslan "death" scene, she seems even more vulnerable. (As Mr. Beaver says in the book, she’s not even supposed to be HUMAN, but part-Giant or something like that.)

The idea to cast James McAvoy (yes, that was him!) as Mr. Tumnus was just so wrongheaded. Yeah, I know he wasn't Professor Xavier yet, but he was MUCH too young...also he never gave off the impression of having all the wisdom and knowledge Tumnus had about the "country" of Narnia. (And not one moment in the modern film remotely matches up to the spellbinding scene in the cartoon when Tumnus hypnotizes Lucy by playing his flute.)

The, um, CGI Beavers. That's all I'm going to say.


The Professor...

Like in the book, the cartoon very subtly teases the possibility that he knows more than he's saying ("...this is a very strange house, and even I know very little about it"). The 2005 film is much more upfront about the idea that he's had similar adventures. (Last line in the film: "Try me!" which I guess was supposed to convey that he was about to tell them all about his own experiences.) I much prefer the former approach, which leaves the Professor's true knowledge/background a mystery. (Yes, I know about The Magician's Nephew, but Lewis didn't actually write that until years later.)


Musical score: Don't get me wrong, I really like the themes in 2005 Narnia (especially "The Wardrobe") but compared to the 79 film, it's no contest.
You can’t just have your characters announce how they feel! That makes me feel angry!

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Re: Chronicles of Narnia

Post by Ben » February 5th, 2020, 5:08 am

ShyViolet wrote:
February 5th, 2020, 2:11 am
I know the sometimes rough animation style in 1979 Narnia might seem silly if you're not used to it, but honestly the downright ridiculously bad CGI in the 21st century version makes it look like it was directed by Walt Disney. :roll:
I don’t get your meaning here Vi? If Walt had directed it, it would have been a lot better!

You should try the Beeb's version, which although slightly hampered by the budget and time it was made, is done very well and is faithful to the book. I haven’t seen that in a long while, though, but it was well greeted when it debuted and they made at least another couple of books into series after that.

I agree it’s the '79 cartoon all the way though, especially for the music score, which I am humming in my head right now! I had never realised there were two versions, though: a US soundtrack with a mix of American and English voices, and a UK track with just English voices, the biggest difference being the kids and that it all sounds more "authentic" with the English accents.

It was only when I reviewed the first DVD release that I heard the alternate US track, which fudged my brain as I hadn’t seen it in a while but knew it didn’t sound quite as I remember. Luckily a UK company brought out a special edition disc with some pretty good extras, and thus one had the "proper" UK track.

For cutting everything down into a feature-length and doing it on a TV budget I think Bill Melendez (yes, he of Peanuts animated specials fame) did a great job!

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Re: Chronicles of Narnia

Post by ShyViolet » February 5th, 2020, 7:51 am

Oh, OK, I guess that didn’t come out right...? :? I was trying to say that the CGI in 2005 Narnia was so inferior-looking that it made the “rough” animation in 1979 Narnia look like Walt-quality work by comparison. Hope it makes better sense now!

(Oh wait I get it, you thought I meant if Walt had directed the 2005 film! Oops. Lol.)

Yeah, knew that about Bill Meléndez; honestly I’d always found his Peanuts films sort of on the boring side, even the holiday specials. But his Narnia movie blows me away every time...it’s spectacular. :)
You can’t just have your characters announce how they feel! That makes me feel angry!

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Re: Chronicles of Narnia

Post by Daniel » February 5th, 2020, 1:16 pm

"boring side"? Good day to you, sir! ;)

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Re: Chronicles of Narnia

Post by EricJ » February 5th, 2020, 6:23 pm

ShyViolet wrote:
February 5th, 2020, 2:11 am
I've only seen the cartoon movie and the 2005 film, so I'll just be commenting on those. To anyone who's watched the BBC version, would love to get your opinion! :)
"Opinion"? Oh, sorry, thought you said "Links":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Fft9DLIp7E
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhmIc_PUWl0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmGDQjqJmis

My takes:
Given that Melendez's doodle-y non-Peanuts animateds tend to look like the sort of "artsy" stuff we used to get from indie non-Disney animators in the mid-late 70's, I'm not crazy about the '79 version--
The character design is too Yellow Submarine, Melendez's Peanuts trick of using "real" non-actor kid voices ear-bleedingly does NOT work for the Pevensies, and the Witch's one-note shrillness makes you wish Aslan would simply throttle her rather than battle her.

The BBC version had its limitations, but had the six-episode Golden-Age-BBC classic-serial space to do the entire books word-verbatim, which puts it FAR ahead of the two Walden steamrollerings of Prince Caspian and Dawn Treader.
It's as earnest as can be expected on a Classic Doctor Who budget, but I'm still waiting for a "real" version of The Silver Chair from the next producers, as the Beeb version made a pig's breakfast out of the ending. (And, speaking of the Doctor, a "froggier", more book-friendly Northern-curmudgeon version of Puddleglum than Tom Baker. Wasn't bad, just wasn't the book's.)

And the '05 Narnia meant well for Lion, but while Caspian needed a bit of franchise-screenwriter "improving", Dawn Treader DIDN'T. That one shut down the chemical factory, and left the whole thing in limbo for the rumored new owners.
Final score: Lion - '05, Caspian - '88, Dawn Treader - '88, Chair - well, the '88 at least did it.
If Disney still owns the franchise--now by way of Fox--wouldn't mind seeing it as the streaming Thrones-wannabe reboot series of the earlier rumors.

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Re: Chronicles of Narnia

Post by Daniel » February 6th, 2020, 4:35 pm

Shy's going to have her work cut out with those links. ;)

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Re: Chronicles of Narnia

Post by EricJ » February 7th, 2020, 12:52 am

Daniel wrote:
February 6th, 2020, 4:35 pm
Shy's going to have her work cut out with those links. ;)
...Call it Karma. :twisted:

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Re: Chronicles of Narnia

Post by ShyViolet » February 7th, 2020, 2:25 am

Whatever, Eric. :? I’m not even going to waste my time.
You can’t just have your characters announce how they feel! That makes me feel angry!

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