Leaked Script vs. Final Movie
Posted: Dec 12, 2010 3:22 pm
Okay so this topic is to discuss the similiarities and differences between the leaked script and the final product. To talk about what we were glad they cut out and what we were happy they left in. I got mod approval of this topic, but I am not allowed to actually quote the script.
The following are the changes from the leaked script and the final movie.
In the leaked script Uncle Harold has more dialogue and seems to have a disliking to the Pevensies because of their uneasy relationship with his son. In the new movie, Uncle Harold doesnt speak.
In the leaked script Trumpkin and Dr. Corneilius are aboard the the Dawn Treader. No Gael or Rhince.
In the leaked script the crew explore Narrowhaven and encounter the abandoned creepy Bell Tower, just like the movie. One addition is that they notice a ship with green sails. However, when they are attacked and captured it's revealed that Gumpas is under an enchantment (he has a green glow in his eyes). Gumpas takes the list of slaves and says all thats important is his ledger...and a hungry moon(more on that later).
The crew on the Dawn Treader, meanwhile, gets attacked by Lord Bern and his group of rebels. This is because Bern thought that they were slave traders. This is one huge difference between leaked script Bern and movie script Bern. Leaked script Bern is a leader, while movie Bern is a cowarding prisoner.
In the Leaked Script Gumpas takes the slaves to a stone wall. As the full moon rises, the rocks begin to take the form of a giant serpant and the craters form eyes and nostrils (which glow green). The serpant then opens it's mouth, and Gumpas forces the slaves into the mouth. As the slaves get enchanted by the Green moonlight, they find themselves getting sucked into the Serpant's before it closes it's mouth and reverts back to being a regular stone cave. Dr. Corneilus tells Caspian that this is deep magic that must be fought with deeper magic. Caspian, Ed, and Lucy then break out into a fight and overthrow the slave traders. In the movie Caspian watches from prison as Gumpas sacrifices teh slaves to the Green Mist which eats them up and dissapears. As they are being sold off, a fight breaks out and they overthrow the slavers.
In the leaked script, Lord Bern says how they were told by Aslan in a dream to follow the blue star in hopes of finding the "Lost Souls" (people who had been kidnapped and sacrificed to the Serpant Cave). Lord Bern states that those fed to the serpant are taken to the Underworld. He mentions that they had possession of the knife that killed Aslan but they were arguing whether it was sacrilege to use it or if it was lucky to use it. Trumpkin, whose apparently in search of his wife who was fed to the Serpant Cave, says they should try to save the Lost souls. In the movie Bern says the Lords were out searching for a way to stop the Green Mist, and that things went bad once they did. In the movie Bern also gives Caspian and Edmund his sword. Also in the movie, Gael and Rhince come aboard in search of their mother/wife. That subplot seems to be replacing the Trumpkin one.
In the leaked script, Aslan talks to Lucy at Coriakin's house. In the movie he talks to her on the Dawn Treader.
In the leaked script, Coriakin reveals that the "lost souls" are being taken to the Underworld and are being held captive by the Lady of the Green Kirtle, who plans to use the prisoners to raise an army in order to rise through the the surface and overthrow Narnia. Coriakin advices them to follow the blue star. In the movie Coriakin reveals the source of the Mist to be Dark Island and that the only way to stop the Dark Island is to bring the Seven Swords at Aslan's table. He tells them to follow the blue star.
In the leaked script Caspian has dreams of Lilliandil (only reffered to as "star girl" in the leaked script). When Edmund tells Lucy that Edmund has dreams about a girl, Lucy thinks that Caspian was reffering to her (as she has a crush on Caspian in the leaked script). In the movie, Caspian does not dream of Lilliandil.
In the leaked script Eustace reveals himself by showing his tattered, bloody, clothing and pointing to himself. In the movie he breaths fire that says "I AM EUSTACE".
In the leaked script, the Dark Island is just another island. While passing through Dark Island, the image of Lilliandil appears on a nearby rock. Obsessed with her, Caspian tries to steer the ship toward Lilliandil while the crew tries to stop him knowing she's not really there and that Caspian could destroy the ship if he runs into the rocks. I never found out how they got out of that situation because the remaining pages of that part of the script are nowhere to be found. In the movie The Dark Island is the central antagonist. Caspian sees images of his father telling him he's dissapointed in him. Edmund is haunted by the White Witch and the Sea Serpant attacks.
In the leaked script a sea girl gets caught in a fishing net and brought aboard. (I presume she was released back in as she's never mentioned again). Also in the script the crew sees Sea People watching the ship. The sea people ride sea horse like creatures. I don't know their role in the script as the last third of it is missing but I presume they were enchanted by the Lady of the Green Kirtle since concept art shows them gaurding her castle. In the movie Lucy sees water nymphs who wave to her and try to warn her of danger.
In the leaked script, Lucy throws the Beauty Spell page into the water and has a brief conversation with Eustace afterword. In the movie she throws it into the fire.
In the leaked script Lilliandil has the crew put Lord Roop to sleep so he can ease his mind. She also tells Caspian that to stop the enchanted sleep, one of the crew must go to Aslan's Country. She gives them the Knife that killed Aslan and says that if used with the right intentions it will bring good luck for the battle to come (presumably the battle with the Lady of the Green Kirtle). Edmund does not obsess over her the way Caspian does. In the movie the crew hasnt even rescued Lord Roop. Lilliandil tells them to go to Dark Island to get the seventh sword. She says the enchantement will be broken by placing the swords at Aslan's table. Also, in the movie Edmund seems to have an attraction to Lilliandil as well as Caspian.
Thats all of the comparisons I can make since I never got to see how the leaked script ended. But juding from the direction of the script and judging from concept art I saw here is how I think it ended.
The crew ends up getting into an underwater battle with the Sea People (who are enchanted by the Lady of the Green Kirlte). They end up defeating them. Not willing to give up, the Lady of the Green Kirtle sends a giant Sea Serpent to attack the crew. Dragon Eustace and the crew battles the Sea Serpant and kill it. After the battle, Aslan arrives and heals Eustace and then undragons him. The "Lost Souls" are freed (eitehr from the belly of the serpant, or the prisons's of the Witch's castle). However, the Lady of the Green Kirtle escapes and swears vengance upon Caspian and Lilliandil for thwarting her plans (setting her up for the Silver Chair). The crew then sails to the end of the world. I believe we actually see the wave of water open up and reveal the beautiful Aslan's Country, as I saw concept art showing this. Aslan walks out of his country and the wall of water closes behind him. The script would probably end the same way the movie did.
Overall I think both the leaked script and the final movie had their ups and downs. I think the plot with the Lady of the Green Kirtle makes more sense then the Green Mist/Seven Swords plot. I also like the development of Caspian and Lilliandil's relationship, the role of Lord Bern (which is more faithful to the book), the better development of Caspian wanting to live up to his father and wondering if he's in Aslan's Country, the fact that the sea people are present, and the fact that Aslan seems to be held more important.
What I don't like in the script that I am glad the movie took out is Lucy's attraction to Caspian, Trumpkin's presence (It would hurt the Silver Chair movie since one of the signs is that Eustace would see an old friend from Narnia), the constant tension between teh Narnians and the Telmarines (it's realistic but I found there was too much bickering and no real friendship), and that it's often cheerless.
Overall I think the leaked script would have been more epic, more in continuity with the first two films, and would have had a more clear plot. But I feel the movie does a better job at making the Dawn Treader it's own story that retains the overall spirit of the novel.
One thing I do think both versions of Dawn Treader have is the tone. I found that the leaked script was a bit too dark (for this entry in the series at least) and that movie was a bit too light (the audience is getting older not younger). The leaked script actually had a few moments that creeped me out, and the characters were always in a state of tension. The new movie however has the characters either completly happy or briefly troubled by the Green Mist. I think the Voyage of the Dawn Treader movie's tone should have been somewher inbetwen the leaked script and the final version.
The following are the changes from the leaked script and the final movie.
In the leaked script Uncle Harold has more dialogue and seems to have a disliking to the Pevensies because of their uneasy relationship with his son. In the new movie, Uncle Harold doesnt speak.
In the leaked script Trumpkin and Dr. Corneilius are aboard the the Dawn Treader. No Gael or Rhince.
In the leaked script the crew explore Narrowhaven and encounter the abandoned creepy Bell Tower, just like the movie. One addition is that they notice a ship with green sails. However, when they are attacked and captured it's revealed that Gumpas is under an enchantment (he has a green glow in his eyes). Gumpas takes the list of slaves and says all thats important is his ledger...and a hungry moon(more on that later).
The crew on the Dawn Treader, meanwhile, gets attacked by Lord Bern and his group of rebels. This is because Bern thought that they were slave traders. This is one huge difference between leaked script Bern and movie script Bern. Leaked script Bern is a leader, while movie Bern is a cowarding prisoner.
In the Leaked Script Gumpas takes the slaves to a stone wall. As the full moon rises, the rocks begin to take the form of a giant serpant and the craters form eyes and nostrils (which glow green). The serpant then opens it's mouth, and Gumpas forces the slaves into the mouth. As the slaves get enchanted by the Green moonlight, they find themselves getting sucked into the Serpant's before it closes it's mouth and reverts back to being a regular stone cave. Dr. Corneilus tells Caspian that this is deep magic that must be fought with deeper magic. Caspian, Ed, and Lucy then break out into a fight and overthrow the slave traders. In the movie Caspian watches from prison as Gumpas sacrifices teh slaves to the Green Mist which eats them up and dissapears. As they are being sold off, a fight breaks out and they overthrow the slavers.
In the leaked script, Lord Bern says how they were told by Aslan in a dream to follow the blue star in hopes of finding the "Lost Souls" (people who had been kidnapped and sacrificed to the Serpant Cave). Lord Bern states that those fed to the serpant are taken to the Underworld. He mentions that they had possession of the knife that killed Aslan but they were arguing whether it was sacrilege to use it or if it was lucky to use it. Trumpkin, whose apparently in search of his wife who was fed to the Serpant Cave, says they should try to save the Lost souls. In the movie Bern says the Lords were out searching for a way to stop the Green Mist, and that things went bad once they did. In the movie Bern also gives Caspian and Edmund his sword. Also in the movie, Gael and Rhince come aboard in search of their mother/wife. That subplot seems to be replacing the Trumpkin one.
In the leaked script, Aslan talks to Lucy at Coriakin's house. In the movie he talks to her on the Dawn Treader.
In the leaked script, Coriakin reveals that the "lost souls" are being taken to the Underworld and are being held captive by the Lady of the Green Kirtle, who plans to use the prisoners to raise an army in order to rise through the the surface and overthrow Narnia. Coriakin advices them to follow the blue star. In the movie Coriakin reveals the source of the Mist to be Dark Island and that the only way to stop the Dark Island is to bring the Seven Swords at Aslan's table. He tells them to follow the blue star.
In the leaked script Caspian has dreams of Lilliandil (only reffered to as "star girl" in the leaked script). When Edmund tells Lucy that Edmund has dreams about a girl, Lucy thinks that Caspian was reffering to her (as she has a crush on Caspian in the leaked script). In the movie, Caspian does not dream of Lilliandil.
In the leaked script Eustace reveals himself by showing his tattered, bloody, clothing and pointing to himself. In the movie he breaths fire that says "I AM EUSTACE".
In the leaked script, the Dark Island is just another island. While passing through Dark Island, the image of Lilliandil appears on a nearby rock. Obsessed with her, Caspian tries to steer the ship toward Lilliandil while the crew tries to stop him knowing she's not really there and that Caspian could destroy the ship if he runs into the rocks. I never found out how they got out of that situation because the remaining pages of that part of the script are nowhere to be found. In the movie The Dark Island is the central antagonist. Caspian sees images of his father telling him he's dissapointed in him. Edmund is haunted by the White Witch and the Sea Serpant attacks.
In the leaked script a sea girl gets caught in a fishing net and brought aboard. (I presume she was released back in as she's never mentioned again). Also in the script the crew sees Sea People watching the ship. The sea people ride sea horse like creatures. I don't know their role in the script as the last third of it is missing but I presume they were enchanted by the Lady of the Green Kirtle since concept art shows them gaurding her castle. In the movie Lucy sees water nymphs who wave to her and try to warn her of danger.
In the leaked script, Lucy throws the Beauty Spell page into the water and has a brief conversation with Eustace afterword. In the movie she throws it into the fire.
In the leaked script Lilliandil has the crew put Lord Roop to sleep so he can ease his mind. She also tells Caspian that to stop the enchanted sleep, one of the crew must go to Aslan's Country. She gives them the Knife that killed Aslan and says that if used with the right intentions it will bring good luck for the battle to come (presumably the battle with the Lady of the Green Kirtle). Edmund does not obsess over her the way Caspian does. In the movie the crew hasnt even rescued Lord Roop. Lilliandil tells them to go to Dark Island to get the seventh sword. She says the enchantement will be broken by placing the swords at Aslan's table. Also, in the movie Edmund seems to have an attraction to Lilliandil as well as Caspian.
Thats all of the comparisons I can make since I never got to see how the leaked script ended. But juding from the direction of the script and judging from concept art I saw here is how I think it ended.
The crew ends up getting into an underwater battle with the Sea People (who are enchanted by the Lady of the Green Kirlte). They end up defeating them. Not willing to give up, the Lady of the Green Kirtle sends a giant Sea Serpent to attack the crew. Dragon Eustace and the crew battles the Sea Serpant and kill it. After the battle, Aslan arrives and heals Eustace and then undragons him. The "Lost Souls" are freed (eitehr from the belly of the serpant, or the prisons's of the Witch's castle). However, the Lady of the Green Kirtle escapes and swears vengance upon Caspian and Lilliandil for thwarting her plans (setting her up for the Silver Chair). The crew then sails to the end of the world. I believe we actually see the wave of water open up and reveal the beautiful Aslan's Country, as I saw concept art showing this. Aslan walks out of his country and the wall of water closes behind him. The script would probably end the same way the movie did.
Overall I think both the leaked script and the final movie had their ups and downs. I think the plot with the Lady of the Green Kirtle makes more sense then the Green Mist/Seven Swords plot. I also like the development of Caspian and Lilliandil's relationship, the role of Lord Bern (which is more faithful to the book), the better development of Caspian wanting to live up to his father and wondering if he's in Aslan's Country, the fact that the sea people are present, and the fact that Aslan seems to be held more important.
What I don't like in the script that I am glad the movie took out is Lucy's attraction to Caspian, Trumpkin's presence (It would hurt the Silver Chair movie since one of the signs is that Eustace would see an old friend from Narnia), the constant tension between teh Narnians and the Telmarines (it's realistic but I found there was too much bickering and no real friendship), and that it's often cheerless.
Overall I think the leaked script would have been more epic, more in continuity with the first two films, and would have had a more clear plot. But I feel the movie does a better job at making the Dawn Treader it's own story that retains the overall spirit of the novel.
One thing I do think both versions of Dawn Treader have is the tone. I found that the leaked script was a bit too dark (for this entry in the series at least) and that movie was a bit too light (the audience is getting older not younger). The leaked script actually had a few moments that creeped me out, and the characters were always in a state of tension. The new movie however has the characters either completly happy or briefly troubled by the Green Mist. I think the Voyage of the Dawn Treader movie's tone should have been somewher inbetwen the leaked script and the final version.