The Chronicles of Narnia – The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe
I’ve finally managed to watch ‘The Chronicles of Narnia – The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe” just as I wanted it, in the movie theater, as opposed to catching it up on DVD months later. Something told me this movie needed a big screen along with the powerful emotion of being among the audience. The TV screen is convenient, but it is not made for epic magical movies like this one ( I have to admit – I’ve read C.L.Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia in my early twenties and, unlike many other people who read it in a later age and did not care much for it, I loved it!).
I’ve finally managed to watch ‘The Chronicles of Narnia – The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe” just as I wanted it, in the movie theater, as opposed to catching it up on DVD months later. Something told me this movie needed a big screen along with the powerful emotion of being among the audience. The TV screen is convenient, but it is not made for epic magical movies like this one ( I have to admit – I’ve read C.L.Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia in my early twenties and, unlike many other people who read it in a later age and did not care much for it, I loved it!).
The story, I think is quite well known, but just for the synopsis – during WWII four Pevensie children are sent by their mother away from the London bombings to the quiet country house of a distant relative, Professor Kirke. The children are warned not to interrupt the professor’s studies, so they are amusing themselves as they can and during one game of hide and seek little Lucy Pevensie, the youngest of the children, hides in a big wardrobe in one deserted room and on the other side of the wardrobe she finds a different world.
The forest in this world is covered in snow and some very strange creatures apparently inhabit it, for Lucy meets Mr.Tumnus, the fawn, who invites her for a cup of tea. But the tea is laced with a sleeping potion, which causes Lucy to fall asleep. When she wakes up Mr. Tumnus is gone. Lucy goes back and tells the story to the others, but they don’t believe her. However, the opportunity to see the wardrobe and the world beyond presents itself very quickly and now all four end up in the snowy forest.
The forest in this world is covered in snow and some very strange creatures apparently inhabit it, for Lucy meets Mr.Tumnus, the fawn, who invites her for a cup of tea. But the tea is laced with a sleeping potion, which causes Lucy to fall asleep. When she wakes up Mr. Tumnus is gone. Lucy goes back and tells the story to the others, but they don’t believe her. However, the opportunity to see the wardrobe and the world beyond presents itself very quickly and now all four end up in the snowy forest.
A long and diffucult road opens before the Pevensie children as Susan, Peter, Edmond and Lucy learn about a prophecy speaking of 2 sons and 2 daughters of Adam, who are destined to become kings and queens of this land. But in order to do that they need to rid this world of the evil witch (the absolutly fabulous Tilda Swinton), who is the reason this world has been ravaged by winter. To bring summer to the world again means the army of the most unlikely creatures commanded by Peter and Edmund needs to fight and defeat the army of the White Witch.
A long and diffucult road opens before the Pevensie children as Susan, Peter, Edmond and Lucy learn about a prophecy speaking of 2 sons and 2 daughters of Adam, who are destined to become kings and queens of this land. But in order to do that they need to rid this world of the evil witch (the absolutly fabulous Tilda Swinton), who is the reason this world has been ravaged by winter. To bring summer to the world again means the army of the most unlikely creatures commanded by Peter and Edmund needs to fight and defeat the army of the White Witch.
Edmund, who almost got completely tangled in the dangerous webs of the Witch’s lies out of his anger and resentment to the others, is saved from peril by the Lion Aslan, who is a great spirit of this land. The Witch is demanding Edmund’s life, but Aslan (wonderful voice of Liam Neeson and quite a powerful presence of Aslan’s CG image on the screen) agrees to die instead of Edmond and his sacrifice removes the power of the Witch over Edmund as well as her power over that land.
The fierce battle ends in a decisive victory of the army of the Kings and all Pevensie children are crowned as the Kings and Queens of the land. Years later, as young men and women on a horse ride, they accidentally ride into that part of the forest where it all started and find the long forgotten path into the wardrobe. On the other side of the wardrobe they appear as though they had not aged a day and only memories remain of their adventures.
I thought the story was very well transferred to the big screen, which does not happen often with the well-known books – “The Lord of the Rings†is the only one lately that I can call a success in this sense. I actually had a chance to compare it to the British TV series on the same books and found the movie much more captivating. Part of the charm (as usual probably the biggest one) was a good choice of the young actors playing the Pevensie children. I liked all of them very much – best of all little Georgie Henley, who plays Lucy – she was fantastic! The rest of them were very good too, very natural in their roles. Tilda Swinton as the White Witch was incredibly evil and cunning. I believe I first saw this talented actress in “ Constantine†and I must say that she captures the audience immediately, her presence on the screen is extremely powerful. Practically all other actors, though practically unknown to me, were also very good and they’ve really managed to create a whole new world on the screen for us.
The fierce battle ends in a decisive victory of the army of the Kings and all Pevensie children are crowned as the Kings and Queens of the land. Years later, as young men and women on a horse ride, they accidentally ride into that part of the forest where it all started and find the long forgotten path into the wardrobe. On the other side of the wardrobe they appear as though they had not aged a day and only memories remain of their adventures.
I thought the story was very well transferred to the big screen, which does not happen often with the well-known books – “The Lord of the Rings†is the only one lately that I can call a success in this sense. I actually had a chance to compare it to the British TV series on the same books and found the movie much more captivating. Part of the charm (as usual probably the biggest one) was a good choice of the young actors playing the Pevensie children. I liked all of them very much – best of all little Georgie Henley, who plays Lucy – she was fantastic! The rest of them were very good too, very natural in their roles. Tilda Swinton as the White Witch was incredibly evil and cunning. I believe I first saw this talented actress in “ Constantine†and I must say that she captures the audience immediately, her presence on the screen is extremely powerful. Practically all other actors, though practically unknown to me, were also very good and they’ve really managed to create a whole new world on the screen for us.
As there are seven books in the series if I remember correctly, I am looking forward to a great pleasure of meeting the Pevensie children again in their new adventure!
As there are seven books in the series if I remember correctly, I am looking forward to a great pleasure of meeting the Pevensie children again in their new adventure!
P.S. And they already have the White Witch in the Disneyland signing autographs – see for yourselves!
