"The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe" premiers in London on December 7th and premiers in the States on December 9th, I am waiting eagerly for this movie to come out...it's my favorite series of all time!

Who's going to go see it when it comes out?

Not I. CS Lewis was against a live-action version of the books, and I have to think he had good reason. It is also one of my most beloved childhood book-reading memories, but like other books that I loved, I don't think live-action (even with the benefit of computer animation) can give it everything it deserves, because no live action film will ever live up to my imagination. And frankly, I have seen Disney butcher too many stories to be optimistic about this one. Disney seems to think that everything could be a little "better" than it was to begin with and that they are the folks to do the changing. I'm actually really disappointed that Disney has rights to the Chronicles.

I may see it at some point, but I enjoyed the BBC version which was made in 1988 and 1990

I have the BBC version on DVD, and I love it!

I'm going to see the movie next week, just because it's "The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe". I just have this feeling that the Chronicles are going to be a huge success.

Well I'm definitely going to see it, though like Lothruin I'm pretty sure the movie can in no way live up to my imagined version of Narnia. However my two youngsters are Narnia mad ever since they first heard an unabridged reading of the book at ages 4 and 5, and they have begged to be brought over the Christmas holidays. As the film only starts showing here around 23rd December I'm sure we'll find a lull in the festivities to bring them along. My three year old, egged on by the older ones, is full of Mr Tumnus, Aslan and Narniar (as he mispronounces it).

My best friend and I cannot wait to see this!! I've only read "The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe" once a long time ago so I don't remember much. Actually, the only part I remember is the scene where the little girl Lucy(?) finds the wardrobe.

But the trailer looks so good, I'd see it even if I'd never heard of Narnia!

Very rarely can a movie match the imagery and content of a book much less exceed it, but that won't keep me from watching the movie. The kids and I are anxious to see this one. The previews looked great.

I have two more days until the "Chronicles" come to Philadelphia! I can't wait!

The Narnia books captured my imagination since I was 6 years-old. I've read them since then, and I still read them now, the only difference now is I can see the likeness of Aslan to Jesus.

I do have one little problem with the previews that I saw...in all the books, Lucy was fair-haired and they have her being a dark haired girl. In the BBC version, they had Susan and Edmund being fair-haired and Lucy and Peter being dark haired. In the movie coming out, the fair-haired one is (believe it or not) Peter! I know it's a minor thing, but at least get the hair color correct.

Well, of course I agree that movies from books won't ever be quite right, and it doesn't always stop me from seeing them. (I did watch the first two LOTR movies...) But I've been sorely disappointed lately with a lot of my favorite books-turned-movie, like the travesty that happened to Earthsea. More than my anticipation of the movie not living up to tbe book is my dread at what Disney might do to it. I've never known Disney to be true to a story, and a lot of the time, the changes are dramatic. I will probably see the movie, I'm just not looking forward to it with my breath held, because I honestly fear what Disney will have done to it.

I don't really mean to be a snob about it, though I know people probably think I am, since I was also accused of being a snob when I voiced my concerns before LOTR came out, but Disney, of all companies... It would have been better, I think, if Disney had done an animated version. But even so, Disney just doesn't have a good reputation for details. I'm just worried is all, because more than almost anything in the world I hate watching a movie of a book I love and hating it. It's great when I see one and love it. It just doesn't happen very often. OK if I'm not impressed but not disappointed. But if I really dislike a movie of a book I love I feel darn well cheated out of part of my love for the book, knowing that every time I read it from that point forward, that horrible movie will be a part of what my mind sees. And more so with books I really love, like this one. I'd hate Disney for the rest of my life if they spoiled my love of the Chronicles even the least little bit.

Walden Media hired the actors/actresses for "The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe." Even though Disney owns the rights to the "Chronicles", I believe all they're doing is providing financial backing for Walden Media.


Grant it, besides the hair color, I've already noticed a few other discrepancies such as, polar bears pulling Jadis' sledge, Jadis' hair being blonde (or white) when in the book, she is dark haired, Aslan's fur not being "golden" like it's described in the books (at least this is the gist of what I saw on previews and on the website).

The reason why no reindeer is pulling Jadis' sledge was explained because in Sweden (I believe) the government wouldn't allow reindeer to be imported, because of somekind of disease going around there, so Walden Media had to improvise.

I can understand why Aslan's fur is not golden, as the color is really tawny (like a real lion's fur).

And I can even understand why Jadis' hair is blonde or "white", after all, she is called "The White Witch".

But discrepancies aside, I honestly feel, from I saw on previews and on the website, that this movie will be just as good or more than likely better than the BBC version.

I've only read "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" but I want to finish the whole series before I watch the film.

I have the same concerns as Lothruin regarding films leaving an impact on how we perceive books afterwards, and this is especially worse if the film is horrible.

I don't think you are being snobbish, Lothruin. I understand your sentiments perfectly. However, I am encouraged that this will be a movie worth seeing. Lewis may have been against a live-action version, but then again he never experienced the computer-generated effects that are possible today. The visuals in this movie will be a far cry from a guy dressed up in a lion suit.

I just saw the movie, and it is So. Great. One more reason to love the holidays: all the GOOD movies come out! And yes. Yes, I did cry. Wanna make something of it?

I saw the movie last night, and it was fantastic! The movie was how I thought Narnia and Aslan should be.

Aslan is beautiful! I don't think I ever saw a lion (although he was computer generated) more beautiful and wonderful in my life!

SillyLily, I cried too. I cried when Aslan died on the Stone Table.

My 13 year old, a Narnia fanatic, saw it last night and loved it. She thought that they were pretty true to the characters, gave Edmund the complexity that he needed (didn't make him be 'enchanted' in order to behave badly, for instance). She said that there were many minor changes, but it was true to the spirit of the books (I'm paraphrasing here, of course). Lucy was younger than she thought she should be, though. Mr Tumnus was perfect, apparently, and the beavers were the way they should be. She had also been very worried about Father Christmas, but said they did a good job there.

I have to say that the BBC version was wonderful as someone loaned it to us during our French stay and my kids watched it over and over.
Everytime I wanted to crack them up, I'd breathe like the lion.

I'm looking forward to this one, but, I was very fond of the Beeb version.

We're spoiled this year for fantasy films even if I'm sure it's so they can cash in on our holiday money, it's fine by me if the film is worth it.

Funnily enough, I never got into the books as a child though I'd read anything that wasn't tied down.

Liam Neeson, in my opinion, is perfect as the voice of the Aslan. His voice seemed to have brought Aslan to live. He showed us and the children that while he could be gentle and kind, it was also wise not to cross him.

Have to say that, though there were a few differences compared to the BBC version, it was done very well...I think the children were so perfect...and I have to say that Susan had the best line in the film.

When the children stumble across Mr Beaver, and Peter says we should do what he says...Susan says That's just it, he shouldn't be SAYING anything..

Had me laughing...it was just so perfect!


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Agnes (JTJ)

Well, I've seen it - I wasn't going to, as those books maean a lot to me, and my experiences of books turned into movies haven't been good. I was one of the few people I know who was NOT impressed with LOTR.
I think they did a pretty good job. Some emotional nuances were not there, but all in all, not at all bad.
The filmakers took full advantage of having winter for a good part of the movie - I was very impressed with the use of light. As a Canadian, someone who is used to winter, there were a couple of false notes -mostly, people weren't cold enough! The melting snow as spring came didn't ACT like melting snow, that kind of thing. That's a minor quibble, though.

The very beginning of the movie had one of those factual errors that drive picky people like me crazy, though. German bombers are flying over London, and Peter is standing at the window, the light streaming out behind him, watching. "Where are the blackout curtains?" I'm thinking in my head. Obviously, the filmakers thought the dramatic shot was worth the incorrect detail - probably the vast majority of the audience would never notice, or even know that there was something to BE noticed.

I loved the book, and I loved the movie. I too noticed the lack of blackout curtains, but, as I am anything but a history buff, doubted whether I had the right war.

This is a wonderful, feel good movie!

My wife and I saw the movie yesterday afternoon as part of our New year's Eve day out. A few years ago my wife played the white witch in an amateur production of the stage play, so we had a personal interest in seeing the movie. She also made her own costume, which I have to say was a lot better than the one worn by Tilda Swinton which looked IMHO more like a wedding dress.
The lack of blackout curtains didn't bother me unduly as it was only a brief shot, but there was an aspect which did trouble me, and recurred throughout the movie. This was the depiction of wolves as evil creatures, which may leave impressionable children, and maybe even some adults, with a total misconception of these delightful animals. Couldn't they have had 'good' and 'bad' wolves on both sides of the conflict?
This post is beginning to sound like that of a film critic, and it's not meant to be, so I'd better wind up. It was a thoroughly enjoyable film, and would I'm sure be enjoyable to adults and to children of eight years old and over.

I watched the movie a couple of weeks ago with my younger sister. We both thought the movie was good not counting all the mistakes we found, would have said it was a great movie hadn't I seen the BBC-serie on TV. In my opinion the BBC-version was much better.
The new movie gave me assosiations to Lord of the rings - mostly at the beginning of the war.

It was released on DVD over here today, so had the opportunity of seeing it. It was good - although it has been a while since I read the books. And the extras look good too!

I have heard that they aren't doing "The Horse and His Boy". Is that right? If it's true, should they just skip it?