**Comparing Narnia and LotR**

[Valesse]

I just got back from watching the Narnia movie for the first time, and in my opinion it really has nothing on Lord of the Rings. C. S. Lewis' world was quite... original, I'll give it that. The idea of climbing into a wooden wardrobe past a few fur coats and into a snowy forest is something I can see myself dreaming about, but the story and scenes given to us by the film made me feel like taking out a religious text and making a check list.

I know that C. S. Lewis did base the story line on the Bible, but I was rather hoping that the magical wonderland appeal wouldn't be so easily shot down. Lord of the Rings really gave us these... allusions, and by gosh I have been spoiled! Tolkien didn't do any of that. He wrote in a letter, even, that there is no allegory in his series... Middle-Earth was entirely his own creation which made the story seem so purely whole. I didn't find myself searching for anything (other than those pesky deleted scenes, thankyouverymuch PJ).

Moving on: the acting was fine in both -- considering their ages and career lengths, but I couldn't STAND how much just...breathing there was in Narnia. Did anyone else feel like some lines were scraped just so the cast can collectively hyperventalate in the climax for five minutes? Elijah Wood has an interesting squeak on his part, so it never really got boring... just annoying.

Being a thespian I pick up on technical... "issues" a lot and won't put them down. The Witch's dress, for instance, appeared to have been made out of crackling grey/heat sensitive sillyputty in my eyes, and her eyebrows were NEVER made fully apparent. Kate was at least made slightly less repulsive even with her random green-wind scene in Lorien. ...Oh I shouldn't have even started on costumes, I'll rant like a mad woman.

I actually really, really liked the soundtrack for Narnia better than the Lord of the Rings one. Sure, it isn't John Williams (or at least I don't think it is) but there is really something mystic in the hallow notes that spoke to me and gave the world of Narnia it's shape.

In all... I'm not -that- impressed. Lord of the Rings really changed my opinion about the stories... Before I had seen the Fellowship I utterly refused to read anything by Tolkien (this is a super secret confession... thats why its on a public forum) and I really am not kidding when I tell you that two people had to CARRY me into the car to see it. Since then I have obviously been hooked. I really don't see that happening here with Narnia. I might read the books, but it doesn't look all that hopeful. There just wasn't enough "mphft"! here for me.

[davem]

Originally Posted by Valesse

I know that C. S. Lewis did base the story line on the Bible, but I was rather hoping that the magical wonderland appeal wouldn't be so easily shot down. Lord of the Rings really gave us these... allusions, and by gosh I have been spoiled! Tolkien didn't do any of that. He wrote in a letter, even, that there is no allegory in his series... Middle-Earth was entirely his own creation which made the story seem so purely whole. I didn't find myself searching for anything (other than those pesky deleted scenes, thankyouverymuch PJ).
.

Lewis wrote the story (as I mentioned in an earlier post) to 'pre-baptise' children's imagination. The world of Narnia is intentionally a 'fairytale' world, with creatures from the various myths Lewis loved, as well as talking animals - stories of which he loved as a child.

Lewis & Tolkien both believed that Man was created by God with an 'innate' knowledge of what was to come (ie the Incarnation) - this is how they accounted for the presence in so many mythologies of dying & reusurrected gods, etc. Lewis was aware how the knowledge of such 'salvific' stories had been lost, so he wanted to invent a new 'mythology' which would put children in the same position/state as the pagans who were first confronted with Christianity - they would be 'reminded' of their own stories & so would be ready to accept the story of Jesus.

This is why LWW (both book & film) are not going to work very well (imo) as Christian allegories - I can't see anyone coming out of seeng LWW & wanting to run straight into their nearest Church. Lewis wanted children to be caught up in the wonder of Narnia, come to love Aslan, & then when they encountered Christianity later they would experience again that sense of wonder - Christianity wouldn't be about 'going to Church & hearing a sermon' but more to do with 'fighting alongside Aslan' to free Narnia.

What I dislike about the hyping of the movie by Evangelicals is that rather than making Christianity seem like that, they're trying to make Narnia like going to Church.

One of my favourite quotes about Narnia comes from The Western Way by John & Caitlin Matthews. They cite a comment by an unnamed reader: 'Jesus to me was just a man in a book, but I could have died for Aslan'. Lewis wanted to get his child readers to feel the same way about Jesus as that reader did about Aslan, but in order to achieve that he felt that encountering Aslan first as in the book would be most effective. That scene in the movie sums it up - Mr Tumnus says: 'He's not a tame Lion' & Lucy replies: ''No, but he is Good.'' Aslan is not a safe Lion - & that was Lewis's point, what he wanted to communicate - before children got all caught up in the 'theology', hymns & sermons.

That's how you have to approach the Narnia books, I think: like the Pevensey children, with innocent wonder, in a new, unexpected setting. Telling children 'Aslan is Jesus' will actually destroy that wonder, telling them 'Aslan is not a tame Lion, but he is good' will strengthen it.

[Captain Grishnahk]

I saw The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe last Thursday... it was GREAT!!! First, because I am a Christian and the symbolism was so clearly seen. Second, because I was a Narnia fan before I even heard of LOTR. Watching the movie was like a great family reunion. I enjoyed the whole thing, 100% of it. My sisters think that I am insane because I still like LOTR better. The people who worked on LOTR special effects were the same people who worked on Narnia's.

I find them equal, and I also find it so awesome that my two favorite books and movies were written by two best friends.

-Cap


p.s. my mom is making me edit this post because the grammar was not correct...

[Lalwendë]

Originally Posted by Hilde Bracegirdle

Lalwende, did you get the impression that they took the highlights out of Tilda Swinton's eyes? A very disturbing effect, it looked dark and frightening behind those eyes! Stranger than Cate Blanchett's Christmas tree light highlights.

Originally Posted by Valesse

The Witch's dress, for instance, appeared to have been made out of crackling grey/heat sensitive sillyputty in my eyes, and her eyebrows were NEVER made fully apparent.

I think that's just how she looks - she's known for taking off-beat parts where they make the most of her unusual appearance (which isn't bad for 45 ), which includes very fair eyebrows, which is why they weren't very prominent. I noticed that the make-up they put on her gave her skin a chalky, dusty quality which was very odd too. The costume was designed so that it would change colour according to how strong her hold was over Narnia (hence why it was black towards the end).

Originally Posted by davem

Lewis & Tolkien both believed that Man was created by God with an 'innate' knowledge of what was to come (ie the Incarnation) - this is how they accounted for the presence in so many mythologies of dying & reusurrected gods, etc. Lewis was aware how the knowledge of such 'salvific' stories had been lost, so he wanted to invent a new 'mythology' which would put children in the same position/state as the pagans who were first confronted with Christianity - they would be 'reminded' of their own stories & so would be ready to accept the story of Jesus.

I always find it odd that not long after I read LotR (and Narnia) I decided to give up going to church; I think that LotR was one of the catalysts in my change of belief at the time. I'm not sure how either writer would take that, but I found that what I was discovering in these works was not something that could be fulfiled by following a creed, more by discovering for myself what was 'truth'. I actually thought that this film brought across a broader, more 'ecumenical' message about goodness and honesty rather than act as a 'recruitment' campaign film, something it most definitely was not.

[Captain Grishnahk]

The witch's eyes were wicked! I'm glad they did not make her wonderfully beautiful, she has more of a dangerous look about her if you follow me.

[Estelyn Telcontar]

I'd been puzzling for several days over the Witch's familiar look until I finally realized whom she resembles - the Borg Queen in one of the Star Trek films! The pale, unearthly appearance is quite similar.

To compare to LotR's palest female character - Galadriel never looked like that. I wonder if your observation about the eyes and eyebrows might not be a key; I'll have to look more closely.

[Parmawen]

Originally Posted by Captain Grishnahk

The witch's eyes were wicked! I'm glad they did not make her wonderfully beautiful, she has more of a dangerous look about her if you follow me.

Indeed, and as for her eyes...it looks almost as if they added snowflakes to her eyelashes, to make her the ultimate snow queen. The effect was truly frightening. There's really something humanizing behind eyelashes, but it's hard to notice until they're defaced like that.

[Valesse]

Originally Posted by Lalwendë

The costume was designed so that it would change colour according to how strong her hold was over Narnia (hence why it was black towards the end).

Is that it? I thought that it was changing to reveal her "true" self (IE: dark influences) -- at least thats what I thought. I've already mentioned that I haven't read the series, but... well its kind of an easy assumption.

*cough*

Rather like Gandalf's color scheme! Seeing as he died and returned as they White, reflecting his positive influence and... good-ness and replacement of Saruman.

The Queen's battle armor was reminesent of orkish wear, what with it being covered in Aslan's mane. (I'm pleased to say that I didn't see any 'creative' costume peices on or near her ) ... (Esty, you know what I'm talking about!) I think, along with that wicked looking crown the entire Valkyrie look really took off. Though I doubt orcs look like Valkyries...
_______
Please forgive me if none of this made sense; I had about two hours of sleep last night.

[Captain Grishnahk]

I was a Narnia nut before i saw LOTR... and i must say that it is ASLAN, not Aslar! Come on! Get it right! YOU GET ME SO MAD!!! Get with the program, sista!

Ok, i'm just kidding, my dad calls him Ashlan for crying out loud... it doesn't bother me at all, i thought i might just irritate you.

-Cap.

[Tuor in Gondolin]

I was struck by how much more Narnia was consistent
with the book then PJ's LOTR. But the brief battle
scene at the end didn't seem to have much "oomph."
And, presumably because LWW is aimed at a younger
audience, it was interesting to see the way they cut away
just before graphic violence, such as the witches'
death, which are implied more then seen- as opposed to
PJ's not infrequent over the top shots going a bit too
much the other way.

Btw, it's been a while since I read them, is the
professor Eustace Clarence Scrubb?