Before we went to Pittsburgh to visit my family we visited Golden's family south of Springfield. As vacation trips go it was relatively uneventful, but one thing that we did do was go to see The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.
Ever since I first read the series in sixth grade I have been a big fan. None of the books are really epics, but that is mostly because they are written for kids. They are all very creative and I do think that a lot of the parallels to real life in C. S. Lewis' writing in the series illustrate some powerful points.
For as much as I like the series, I have never been incredibly fond of the first book in the series. I think this is due to the fact that this book was written without the intention of being part of a series and so it feels a little incongruous from most of the rest of the Narnia books.
The book The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe does have the distinction of being the only book that I can recall ever made me cry. I don't ever cry over problems that a fictional character goes through, but when Aslan is killed I am very able to see myself as the Edmund for whom the sacrifice is required. The parallel that Lewis drew there is very strong to me. I didn't cry in the movie, but I will honestly say that I had to fight it a little.
Going into the movie I was concerned that there might be problems making a children's fantasy not look too childish for moviegoers who saw The Lord of the Rings in the past couple of years. I was impressed with the quality of the movie, though, and I thought it stayed reasonably true to the books. Of course, I'm not the expert on that. Dash will have to weigh in once he has seen the movie.
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I guess with all the Narnia hype...I should check into reading the book again. Not sure what I am missing...but the book scared the death out of me as a child...and then it just didn't seem to stick when I had to read it in a college Bible Class. Not trying to disagree with anyone, but if there are this many raving reviews...I must have missed something along the way. And I am a VERY well-read person. hmmmm...
"scared the death out of you?" Interesting word choice!
I have yet to read most Narnia. I may eventually, only time will tell. Living with the "expert" means there's not a lot left for the imagination. I probably know more just by conversations I've overheard then most know that have read it as a kid!
Well, I think it may be because I do have a vivid imagination...so anything I read or watch in a movie is amplified in my mind's eye.
For example, everyone tried to tell me how awful and emotional it would be to watch The Passion of the Christ. Honestly, I had already imagined everything that extreme. So it was the first scene in the garden where I cried. It was the realization I saw the agony that Christ had and was pleading with His Father to not go through the ordeal. That's when I cried when I saw how "human" Christ was. I think my mind just processes things differently...LOL!
I grew up reading books like Hudson Taylor, D.L. Moody, and Through Gates of Splendor.
I hope they don't make a movie of the "Horse and His Boy"
Really BB? N was talking to her cousin today and I found out that the "Horse and His boy" is Dash's Cman's and my nephew's favorite book! Sounded like it would make a good movie.
I just finished listening to "The Horse and His Boy" on our trip to Springfield this weekend. N and C-Man had quite the debate about which Chronicle to listen to before we left.
It came down to a choice beteween "The...Nephew" and "The Horse.." and I have to admit that the fact that "The Horse" is my favorite of the stories certainly helped tip the scales of victory.
T suggested that I go see the movie tommorow night. It will be interesting to see how the story is interpreted. Getting to hear the dramatization of the the end of the Horse when Aslan explains how he was "The Lion" all through Shasta's life seemed much more like the Exodus's "I Am" statements.
If Dust "almost cried" I'm sure I'll be bawling. And with Master Qui-Gon playing Aslan it's going to be even worse. .... If you strike me down Darth, I shall becaome more powerfull ...oh sorry - wrong Jedi.
Watch for one or more posts on the movie this weeks as I complete my vow to post 7 days in a row.
leave it to BB to be negative and always pointing out the bad (in his mind.)
I love the horse and I hope they make a movie out of that one. It would do well as a movie since it is an action/adventure oriented story.
Do you think maybe that part of the reason that the LWW is your least favorite is due to the winter landscape of Narnia throught most of the books. It's cold, it's cold.
On a different thought do you think the talking animals were offending at the young children for wearing the fur coats they took from the wardrobe?
I hadn't thought about the winter weather, but that might have had an impact on my opinions of the book.
I thought about the fur coats when I watched the movie. I don't think they would be offensive to the inhabitants of Narnia due to the discussion of eating meat in The Silver Chair. The distinction they made wasn't whether meat came from an animal, but whether meat came from a talking animal.
True, I never thought of the fur coats before until I visually saw it in the movie. Obviously these coats did not come from talking animals.
Hmmm...you guys might be onto something with the winter weather backdrop....since I grew up in Alaska, maybe I had a subconscience adversion to the book...LOL!
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