Another Narnia movie is coming, so it’s time for a quick gripe about the movies Walden has been churning out. I’m sorry if you disagree, but I have to say that these have been pretty darn disappointingly awful.
The problem is this: they’re trying to make Narnia another Lord of the Rings franchise, but for kids. And it just isn’t that. Tolkien’s obsession was the overall history of Middle Earth. He made up world building, which is the basis of so much fantasy today. But Lewis didn’t work like that… The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe came mainly from three unconnected images of a lion, a faun carrying an umbrella in a snowy wood, and a white queen on a sledge. Tolkien’s books are like an elaborate, carefully constructed statue. Lewis’s books are a collage of fairytale, British school stories, and creatures from all mythologies.
They just aren’t the same.
I would pay big money to see a Narnia where Weta Workshops is respectfully sacked, and replaced by someone who works from the original illustrations, and then does a little Tim Burton for the White Witch and a little Wes Anderson’s Fantastic Mr. Fox for Tumnus and the Beavers; and where dialogue, character, and suspense draw you in, rather than big sets and action sequences.
Obviously, this is all just armchair coaching… it’s not like I’ve gone out and made millions with my film franchise. But since reboots are in the air in Hollywood anyway, can I just say that I, for one would love to see a faithful reboot that happily and unapologetically lets Tolkien be Tolkien and Lewis be Lewis.
2 responses to “The trouble with Narnia”
Agreed.
But I can still enjoy them as fun movies… I just separate them from the books.
Well, yes. And that’s a good thing. I should try that. :)