With all the strides we have made in entertainment it is no wonder movies are able to visualize what, at one point, only a reader could imagine. A book is limited to the creative mind of its reader, where a movie has the utilization of images on its side. Translating a story from paper to screen is tricky to get right, and a great example of a beloved book turned beloved film is The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. The 2005 adaptation utilized C.S. Lewis’s creativeness to pay respect to the original, even with the changes they added. The differences between the two are mostly minor, with the largest being the addition of the final fight, and the movie made sure to keep the core message intact. After all the unfortunate adaptations we have discussed, I am excited to be able to talk about one that, in my opinion, is brilliant.
For starters, the representation of the Pevensie children was a near-identical portrayal. Georgie Henley as Lucy is to this day one of my favorite casting choices, and Anna Popplewell played Susan wonderfully as well. With Skanda Keynes as Edmund and William Moseley as the powerful role of Peter, these four actors really made the film into a masterpiece. The four took on their roles so passionately that it is easy to get lost in the idea that they are the Pevensie children. The Iconic roles of Jadis and Aslan could not have been played by better actors, Tilda Swinton and Liam Neeson represented good and evil so brilliantly. Beyond the acting, the script was so true to its source material that you could almost go scene by scene and find they kept the dialogue the same. A great example being Lucy and Mr. Tumnus the faun, as their first scenes together are nearly identical to that in the book. Being that I grew up on these books, I already had an idea in my head of what these characters looked like, but this movie depicted everyone just how I imagined them. This movie's wonderful script and star casting continue to be a brilliant example of flawless character adaptation.
A particularly interesting theme among Lewis’ novels is the lack of romance, bloodshed, and many other mature elements. This absence of adult themes in The Chronicles of Narnia was in large part due to the limitations of its era. In contrast to today’s middle grade and young adult novels, graphic violence and love were not socially acceptable for kids. A scene of violence in a book could be imagined by a young child to be frightening, whereas a movie could portray it heroically without being too explicit. The movie, coming out long after we grew more comfortable with those themes, did not have the same limits. It was able to gently push the boundaries of the story and give life to previously undescribed scenes. Moments like the final battle between the Narnians and Jadis was something I had always found to be mildly downplayed in the original story. The movie, on the other hand, exceeded my expectations with the addition of the visually stunning battle. Although this change was fairly large, it only further enhanced the story and gave compliments to the book. The movie pushed past the limitations that had withheld the novel, allowing the story to be told a new way by a new artist.
It is always a refreshing and welcomed sight to see an adaptation stay so true to its source’s values. And in the case of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, it is amazing how the original intent of C.S. Lewis’ story was not changed. Lewis had always felt that the Bible was a little too complicated and wordy for children to really appreciate, so he decided to write a story that could introduce young children to Christianity in an engaging, magical way. This is likely the reason Lewis did not omit Aslan’s gruesome death, despite having omitted all other violence from the book. His death at the hands of Jadis was meant to be a powerful retelling of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Many times Lewis was asked if Aslan was meant to be an allegory for Jesus, but Lewis would always correct them by saying he was simply another manifestation of Jesus himself.
“In reality, however, he is an invention giving an imaginary answer to the question, ‘What might Christ become like if there really were a world like Narnia, and He chose to be incarnate and die and rise again in that world as He actually has done in ours?’ This is not allegory at all.”
The film held onto those values despite knowing that religion is not popular in children’s films nowadays. We, unfortunately, saw this in Watership Down, where they diminished many of the religious principles in its newest retelling. But this adaptation of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe clung to and fully respected the foundation upon which the book was built. It succeeded beautifully in transitioning the movie from its pages onto the big screen. Unfortunately, most modern movies tend to focus only on things that are trendy and popular, but this adaptation took the time to place the book’s core message at the forefront of its production, creating a wonderful film that stands out and can be fully appreciated for what it is.
The boundaries were pushed just far enough to add uniqueness from the book, but still, pay homage to it. The addition of more mature themes deemed undesirable at Lewis’s time only enhanced the original story. Like many, I first heard the books as a kid, and thus imagined my own Narnia that I will always cherish. The little details within Lewis’ beautiful writing have a nostalgic value that the movie cannot recreate, but I still watch the movie often, as it allows me to visually escape into that world. So really, you cannot go wrong with either! Watch the movie, read the book - I recommend doing both - you will find yourself entertaining the same story. Being unique individuals, we all no doubt created our own Narnia’s through imagination when reading the books, and I know not everyone's precious image will be upheld within this film. I thoroughly believe however that it deserves appreciation, from at least an objective standpoint, for doing an amazing job upholding Lewis’ intentions for the story. Unfortunately, that cannot be said for the rest of the Narnia adaptations that were made, as we will discuss in the upcoming months. But this stands true to be the crowning jewel of the films based on the beloved children’s books, The Chronicles of Narnia.
SOURCES;
Mikalatos, Matt. “Neither Allegory Nor Lion: Aslan and the Chronicles of Narnia.” Tor.com, 29 Oct. 2019, www.tor.com/2019/10/30/neither-allegory-nor-lion-aslan-and-the-chronicles-of-narnia/.
Lawrie, Robin, and C. S. Lewis. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Scholastic, 1996.
Cover art by Dey
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