Once a King or Queen in Narnia...

[kerravonsen]

Another thing that happened today, this morning actually, was that I went to see "The Lion The Witch and the Wardobe" with aizain.

It was good. It was very good. Of course, in the post-mortem with J I was remembering all sorts of things that were different from the book (I was practically brought up on the books, so even though I haven't re-read them recently, I remember them very well, even down to particular lines that were or were not said). Thing is, I could see why they did things, and it all hung together beautifully. The added bit at the start was excellent for setting the scene, setting up the context. And of course if you're doing a movie and you have the power of modern SFX, you're going to go gung ho for the battle scene.

The actors were good. I'm hard-pressed to say who was best, though I guess Lucy and the White Witch get my vote. Except that Edmund does too, it's hard to get the balance between "bad, selfish Edmund" and the "Edmund the Just" whom he grows into. And Susan comes off well, because she's not whiny, she's... hard-headed. And Peter too, and Mr. Tumnus, I just love them all! And the whole domesticity of Mr. and Mrs. Beaver... awww.

And of course, New Zealand and Poland should get applause also. And WETA, of course.

Must. See.

Comments

[temeres.livejournal.com]

Only a few minutes ago I was cogitating about the etymological origins of Narnia. If Lewis nicked it from Tolkien's Narn i Hin Hurin - Tale of the Children of Hurin - then Narnia might be translated as 'Storyland'.

Calormen (sp), I think, is a little more transparent. It's hot down there. Assuming it is the desert land of quasi-Muslim people. So long since I read the books.

I can't for the life of me remember the name of the kingdom on the southern border of Narnia.

[kerravonsen]

I can't for the life of me remember the name of the kingdom on the southern border of Narnia.

Archenland.

[hawkeye7.livejournal.com]

The added bit at the start annoyed me for a bit. I think it was for people who were unaware that children were sent out of London during the war for safety. Like the producers, who I think were unaware that most children were sent away during the winter of 1939-40 (when the story takes place) and not during the Blitz itself.

[kerravonsen]

Ah. Darn. And here I'd been liking it because of the danger and atmosphere.
Does that mean that "The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances" is all wrong in its timing too?

[kalypso-v.livejournal.com]

Oh! There was an article in one of the papers the other day about a town now called Narni (but originally Narnia) in Italy, which claimed that Lewis had underlined the name in his atlas.

[kerravonsen]

Hmmm. Who peeked at the atlas, then, I wonder? Somehow the Tolkien connection seems more likely to me.

[temeres.livejournal.com]

Having now bought a copy of LWW, I can check the (beautiful) map by Pauline Baynes on the inside back cover, and yes, Archenland it is.

Better late than never with the reply, though:)

[temeres.livejournal.com]

Oh. I see you did actually reply on the same day. It's only just reached me, three weeks later. Ain't the internet wunnerful?