VDT – Creatures featured as part of Dawn Treader crew

[GlimGlum]

It turns out there are a lot more creatures aboard the ship than just one minotaur and Reepicheep

New Story link: http://www.narniaweb.com/2009/09/dawn-treader-filming-report-from-michael/#comments

So what do NaniaWebbers think of this inevitablility?

Your votes and comments are appreciated, as always.

[narnian1]

Only if it's 25% or less of the crew,
I was against it entirely at first but I actually would like to seem them. As long as they are minimal and mostly background characters only, with the exception of Reepicheep of course who's story needs to be fleshed out entirely as in the book.

[icarus]

On the last film, having followed production from the start, we got introduced to all the changes and additions one-by-one over a period of a year or two, so that by the time the movie finally came out i was so used to them i barely even regarded them as changes any more, and felt somewhat confused when all the spoiler-free people started crying heresy at the movie.

Likewise on this. It must of been like a year and a half or so since we first heard reports of creatures on the Dawn Treader. And over that period of time my opinion has gone from one of supreme annoyance, to mild indifference. I suspect that within a few months i'll slowly start to appreciate the rationale behind adding the creatures, and that by the end of it all, i will think its the greatest addition in the history of movie additions.

[Liberty Hoffman]

i hope there are only a few creatures on the Dawn Treader, but not a minotaur.....i guess a few fauns and sayters wouldn't hurt..... :

[Valiant_Lucy]

I'm not crazy about the idea, but like the poll said, I'll get used to it. In light of other things they could change, I don't think this one is a huge big deal...
Although I do think it would be a bit awkward having minotaurs and such on board a ship.

[ForeverFan]

I echo Val's comment. I personally am not exactly happy about it, although I was somewhat used to the idea of *one* minotaur- am I correct in presuming there'll be more then one on board, or no? (Somehow I got that impression). I really hope there's no centaurs, though. Surely the people making this film realize how impractical that would be!

[Pattertwigs Pal]

I voted thumbs down. I wasn’t willing to commit if I would get used to it or not. I’ll have to see it first. Will it make me hate the movie? Probably not. If the extra creatures don’t have too big a role (i.e. they are just in the background like most of crew is anyway in the book), I think I will be able handle it better than if they are raised to the status of a main character. Reep should be the only main creature character (not including Eustace).
I really don’t think they should have any creatures on the boat besides Reep. It serves no practical purpose. This is a quest not a cruise. A minotaur would be strong, but on a small boat I think it would be a liability rather than an asset. Think how much a minotaur would eat. I wonder if it has more than one stomach like a centaur (see SC). Also, would a minotaur want to go on a ship voyage? I think that most of the creatures in Narnia would feel much more at home in the woods than at sea. Sure I can see some of them taking short voyages such as to Calormen in HHB or even as far as the Lone Islands, but would any of them besides mice and rats (who in our world often stowed away on boats) want to go on a lengthy voyage? Caspian promised to sail east “for a year and a day”; thus, on the short side the round trip voyage would be two years and two days. From the description in MN as to how fauns and satyrs and dwarfs are awakened by Aslan, I would say they would feel a deep bond with the woods and the land. Tumnus talks of longing for the woods during his short visit to Tashbaan. Naiads and Dryads wouldn’t want to go or couldn’t go. I’m not sure how far they can go from their trees. I wouldn’t mind a dwarf, but then again, a dwarf wouldn’t be able to help much with the work, unless they need a blacksmith for something. It couldn’t use the oars either. I think with a small boat they would try not to take too many voyagers who could not help with the work. Also, in Narnia the creatures often do what they are best at: the moles and dwarfs dig, the centaurs give council and watch the sky, the fauns dance, etc. To me it seems that men would be the best choice for sailors. A marsh-wiggle might not mind being at sea, but they are very private creatures and probably would not want so many roommates and besides it would spoil SC if a marsh-wiggle. A bird could be useful as a lookout but then that would diminish Eustace’s usefulness as a dragon. If they add too many creatures, it will seem like Noah’s Ark.
I think I saw two minotaurs on board the boat in this video: http://www.narniaweb.com/2009/09/dragon-attack-on-the-dawn-treader/
There were two different men in minotaur costumes in the pictures with the news article GlimGlum posted.
This article http://www.narniaweb.com/2009/09/locals-flock-to-see-the-filming/ has a quote from someone who says see saw centaurs. I really hope she was mistaken. I think that would be ridiculous. How in the world would a centaur get below deck in a storm? With one or more minotaurs I think they would already have a little trouble stocking the boat but with one or more centaurs there is no way they are going to be able to store enough food to get from island to island. I know this is a fantasy movie, but they should consider some points of practicability. Lewis did when he wrote the books. Food was a very important part of the journeys the characters make. (LWW- worried no food, Mrs. Beaver brings food; PC – apples, fish, bear, worries about starving in Aslan’s How; VDT – worried about food after the storm, think about turn around points if don’t find islands, how to feed Eustace if he boards as a dragon; SC – bacon, bows for shooting food; HHB – raiding food, food in saddlebags; MN – Polly and Digory forget food and have to eat toffee and toffee fruit; LB – Creatures feed Tirian, Jill and Eustace give him food and these are just some of the examples.)

[Kelila]

What's a Narnian ship without Narnians?
I personally like the idea, since it will liven up the scenery a bit, if you know what I mean. As long as they don't try to put a centaur on board, I'm okay with it. The minotaurs seem like they would be very helpful during a storm, or carrying supplies on board or something else like that.

Besides. The faun guy looks cute.

[Eustace]

It was a hard decision, but I finally went with Thumbs down-not faithful to the book at all. I will have a hard difficulty getting use to some of the characters aboard theDawn Treader being Narnian Creatures. At least they are not having Trumpkin in this movie. Having him in the movie would ruin half the story of the SC and the whole reason why Puddleglum went with Eustace and Jill at all. But still to me it seems the trip seems less fanstatic when there are creatures not including Reepicheep aboard the ship. Plus if you have fauns and things of that sort wouldn't the pirates notice and wonder if maybe you were someone important in Narnia.

[FrecklefaceJill]

I immediatly chose -not really but I guess I'll get used to it-. In my opinion they're ruinining the movie. I mean, since when do fauns sail to the end of the world man?!

~Jill~

[greenbird37]

I am totally against it...it would ruin the very aspect of the book. They should stay as true to the book as possible. They change a lot in PC, but I was hoping not with this one. To me, they just dont belong there! There is probably nothing we can do about it, thats just the way it is!

[Edis1]

I voted thumbs down. It is totaly against the book, the only animal on the DT is Reep. I want them to stick as close as they can to the books,I don't want another PC.

[NothinButNarnia]

I don't think it really matters either way, i mean, Reep is already on the ship and I wouldn't mind a few minotaurs, etc. I think it will actually add a little more depth to the story plot (with Eustace) and make it more "Narnian"

[Gandalfs Beard]

Personally, I love the idea of a Narnian ship having Original Narnians on it. Why should Telmarines have all the fun ? It wouldn't bother me a bit if there were Centaurs on board too. It's a fantasy; I'm not going to lose sleep over how they're going to fit all the food for them on board .

GB

[Broadway_Freak]

I think a couple of fauns or satyrs would add to the Narnian feel of the ship. Centaurs or minotaurs, not so much. Just too large to be efficient.

[Adeona]

A Narnian ship needs Narnian creatures. That said, lets be reasonable. Centaurs, minotoars, and other very large creatures should have been out of the question. I understand the arguments against the fauns, but I think that Caspian would have been able to find at least one who would be interested in such an adventure.
But, with the exception of Reepicheep, all Narnian creatures should be sort of "Background" characters. As much as such an addition can be background.