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What's your favorite Narnia film?

PostPosted: Jan 13, 2014 10:56 am
by jewel
Thought I ask this. I've heard people pick TLWAW or VOTDT most often. How about you al?

Re: What's your favorite Narnia film?

PostPosted: Jan 13, 2014 4:42 pm
by Impending Doom
VDT as a favourite of the 3 films? It mustn't of been on Narniaweb! ;) If you look at the user ratings on IMDB, LWW is the highest, followed by PC, and then Voyage. And I think the majority of members on Narniaweb also have LWW as their favourite.

Each film has its strength and weaknesses but overall LWW is my favourite film (so far) both from an adaptation and film standpoint.

Re: What's your favorite Narnia film?

PostPosted: Jan 13, 2014 9:30 pm
by Reepicheep775
Definitely LWW. I had some gripes with it, but they were relatively minor. I thought it was a really good adaptation and a beautiful film in its own right.

PC was a mixture as an adaptation, but definitely more good than bad. It probably got some things more right than LWW, but it also got some things more wrong. I thought it was a pretty good stand-alone movie too, but weaker than the first.

VDT was a cringe-worthy adaptation and just not a good film.

Re: What's your favorite Narnia film?

PostPosted: Jan 14, 2014 2:54 am
by King_Erlian
I would rank LWW first, then VDT, and PC last. I was more annoyed by the changes to PC than by those to VDT. Though one thing I thought was brilliant in PC was the depiction of Miraz. He went from being merely a grumpy old so-and-so in the book to a real villain you loved to hate.

Re: What's your favorite Narnia film?

PostPosted: Jan 14, 2014 7:35 am
by Reepicheep775
King_Erlian wrote:I would rank LWW first, then VDT, and PC last. I was more annoyed by the changes to PC than by those to VDT. Though one thing I thought was brilliant in PC was the depiction of Miraz. He went from being merely a grumpy old so-and-so in the book to a real villain you loved to hate.


Last time I read Prince Caspian, I was surprised at how little Miraz is actually in the book. I really liked how the movie fleshed out Miraz, Glozelle, and Sopespian. Making Glozelle (i.e. "Sopespian", since their characters were essentially switched in the movie) more sympathetic was probably the most interesting choice.

It's easier for me to forgive the changes in PC, because they're so much fun to discuss. You can tell a lot of thought was put into restructuring the plot while still maintaining the essence... unlike VDT, which feels like the script was put together in a few days.

Re: What's your favorite Narnia film?

PostPosted: Jan 14, 2014 12:21 pm
by jesus-aslan freak
I honestly enjoyed all of them. Voyage of the Dawn Treader is definitely my least favorite, but I didn't hate it. I think the reason that I don't hate it, and still enjoy it when I watch it is that is good, visually. The sea serpent battle was awesome, and visually it captured the magical images that are in the book. But, honestly, everything else was pretty bad.
Prince Caspian is certainly the most well-made film. The cinematography was beautiful, the locations and sets were stunning, the CG improved upon the revolutionary work done in LWW, and it was a much more action-packed, dramatic, and intriguing film. It was also, I think, the best adaptation of the books so far. By adaptation, I don't mean sticking to every little thing in the books as possible. Adaptation's actual definition is something that "changed or modified to suit new conditions or needs". Prince Caspian does that! I of course am not a big fan of what they did with Susan and Caspian, but otherwise it was great!
Honestly, though, my favorite is LWW. Maybe its nostalgia, maybe its the fact that it got so many details from the book right, like the fly on the window seal, and the roots on the lamppost. Or maybe its the fact that though it butchered up many of the core themes of the book, and didn't have Aslan's resurrection as the climax of the film, it still gave me the same sense of magic that I get when reading the book. The fact that it captured perfectly the emotions of the characters, and the wonder of a little girl opening up a wardrobe to find herself in a magical world. Maybe its Tilda Swinton's stunning performance as the White Witch, or the fact that the four children embodied the children in the book, and James McAvoy became Mr. Tumnus, and it was the first time I heard Liam Neeson's voice as Aslan's. Somehow, the climax was thrilling, and the end fulfilling and magical. All in all, I've got to say is that "The Silver Chair" movie has got to do something really special if it can top "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe".

Re: What's your favorite Narnia film?

PostPosted: Jan 14, 2014 1:14 pm
by jewel
Thank you all so much for these replies. Some of your answers somewhat surprised me, but I thought LWW would pretty well be everyone's favorite. As jesus-aslan freak put it: The Silver Chair will have to be something really special to top LWW. Thank you all again. I wish I could see each of you in person. I is so cool to meat Narnia fans and like minded people. :ymhug:

Re: What's your favorite Narnia film?

PostPosted: Jan 14, 2014 5:20 pm
by narnia fan 7
LWW is my favorite film so far I have some minor problems with it but overall is a good adaptation and a good film.

PC is also a good film and a good adaptation (for the most part) I think it did a better job then LWW in terms of adapting the themes from the book

VDT was a absolute disaster in my opinion both in terms of an adaptation and as a movie which was especially disappointing sense VDT is my favorite book

Re: What's your favorite Narnia film?

PostPosted: Jan 17, 2014 3:58 pm
by DamselJillPole
LWW is my all time favorite of them. Silver Chair can easily take number 1 if it's done right. I do like the other films a lot but with LWW I never have to worry about cringing at something.

Re: What's your favorite Narnia film?

PostPosted: Jan 24, 2014 9:09 pm
by truthherald2011
Definitely LWW for the meaning and rich symbolism throughout. But, a recent review of The Voyage of the Dawn Treader caused me to appreciate the very Narnia-quality present throughout the film----an atmosphere I personally felt lacking in Prince Caspian (for all of its laudable attention to warfare and intensity). VDT couples adventure WITH the childlike spirit of Lewis' books---in my opinion, very well. I think it was rather underrated. Overall, every one of the films has been entertaining and true enough to the spirit of the books. I am anticipating The Silver Chair; I only wish I didn't have to wait years still for its arrival to the big-screen :(.

Re: What's your favorite Narnia film?

PostPosted: Jan 25, 2014 3:34 am
by Son of Tash
i would say Prince Caspian(i would give it a 9.5) then LWW and VDT coming second (9.0)

Re: What's your favorite Narnia film?

PostPosted: Feb 01, 2014 10:40 pm
by Lion's Emblem
LWW (great), PC (good), VDT (what were they thinking?). Done.

Re: What's your favorite Narnia film?

PostPosted: Feb 03, 2014 4:59 pm
by Thunder-Fist
Prince Caspian is the best movie of the three, if you separate it in your mind from the books. Despite some ridiculous changes and some horrific dialogue, in my opinion it stands as the most re-watchable. To this day I don't understand why people dislike the dark tone. My biggest complaint is something I don't see a lot of people talk about. The time spent searching the island, discovering the ruins, the realization about the passage of time, all that was cut so short it really had no impact. And yes, Peter, Suspian, Epic Battle, we've all heard that before.

LWW is a closer literal adaptation of the story, but stylistically it wasn't quite right. Narnia felt unreal, or like it was created just so the Pevensies could go visit. That being said, I adored it when I first saw it.

VDT was neither a good adaptation, nor a good movie. I won't go into why I feel that way, that would be beating a (very) dead horse. Oddly, most small children I've asked like this one best. I suppose the filmmakers focused their target audience more tightly and excluded some of us ('some of us' meaning fans of the book, and fans of good movies.)

All that to say PC and LWW tied, though for very different reasons, and VDT trailing far behind.

Re: What's your favorite Narnia film?

PostPosted: Feb 05, 2014 1:45 pm
by wild rose
I had to go back and forth between LWW and PC but in the end LWW won. The reason for that was in PC I just didn't like the way Peter was portrayed and that ruined the film for me. I still love the movie, but Peter's snobby attitude made LWW take first place in my mind's rating. I have almost no issues with LWW at all, and I am very pleased with it as a film. PC take second place, and really, if it hadn't been for Peter it would most certainly been a tie with LWW. VDT is last for me. I really can't stand just about 95% of the film. I've only watched it once since it came out on DVD and that was enough for me ;))

Re: What's your favorite Narnia film?

PostPosted: Feb 05, 2014 11:23 pm
by aileth
I'm still torn between LWW and PC. If LWW hadn't been good, I wouldn't have watched the other two. But the cinematography of PC is quite excellent, from the point of view of someone who really doesn't watch movies at all.

I ended up ripping the discs to my computer and doing some editing, so the versions I rewatch are shorter. PC, though, retained the most material.

As someone said about VDT, if it had been longer, with more character development, it would have been a better movie. I find that making it shorter has the same effect - removing all the parts I didn't like (most of the green mist bits, etc.)

Re: What's your favorite Narnia film?

PostPosted: Feb 08, 2014 10:38 am
by jewel
I agree with Truth herald that Dawn Treader brought back some of the Narnia feel that was in the first. :)