Prince Caspian: Xusan, Warrior Queen
Posted: Jun 29, 2018 3:23 am
I've been trying to think what it is about the Prince Caspian movie that I object to. I didn't like the way they upped the ages of the characters, to make it look like a teen movie rather than a children's film. I wasn't keen on Susan and Caspian snogging, though I accept that was a logical corollary of making those characters older. However these changes are (arguably) within the boundary of legitimate changes when converting from page to screen.
But the thing that really annoys me is the complete change in Susan's character. Lewis was very clever in creating four young protagonists with markedly different personalities, but where all four made valid and essential contributions for the greater good. Susan in the books was a role model for the quieter, gentler kind of kid who would only fight under the most extreme circumstances, but had their own kind of courage and contributed to the group through thinking and reason. Yes, she was also the "Doubting Thomas" of the four but that's really a separate issue.
In the PC movie, Susan the Gentle has been replaced by Susan the Warrior Queen. I'm certain that the reason the filmmakers did this was because they're terrified of portraying any female character as gentle, which they equate to being cowardly. It goes against the Hollywood creed that violence is the answer to everything. My favourite English language film is Back To The Future, and even there the resolution of the plot is when meek George McFly punches the bully Biff and knocks him out. Movies and TV are so afraid of portraying women and girls in any way that even hints at the weak, screaming, useless heroines of decades ago that they go to completely the opposite extreme and make them even more aggressive and "kick-ass" than the men. How many movies made in the last twenty years can you remember seeing where the heroine wasn't a black belt in karate?
The reason it angers me is that the role model for the quieter, gentler kid (like I was) has been lost. Book Susan was an excellent archer but she didn't use it against other people unless there was no other way. In the PC movie, all the Pevensies fight and the only reason Lucy doesn't do very much is because she's too young. The message that comes over is, "If you don't fight, you're a coward," and helping behind the scenes doesn't count.
What do you think?
(PS: the reference to "Xusan" in the topic header is deliberate - a sort-of reference to Xena.)
But the thing that really annoys me is the complete change in Susan's character. Lewis was very clever in creating four young protagonists with markedly different personalities, but where all four made valid and essential contributions for the greater good. Susan in the books was a role model for the quieter, gentler kind of kid who would only fight under the most extreme circumstances, but had their own kind of courage and contributed to the group through thinking and reason. Yes, she was also the "Doubting Thomas" of the four but that's really a separate issue.
In the PC movie, Susan the Gentle has been replaced by Susan the Warrior Queen. I'm certain that the reason the filmmakers did this was because they're terrified of portraying any female character as gentle, which they equate to being cowardly. It goes against the Hollywood creed that violence is the answer to everything. My favourite English language film is Back To The Future, and even there the resolution of the plot is when meek George McFly punches the bully Biff and knocks him out. Movies and TV are so afraid of portraying women and girls in any way that even hints at the weak, screaming, useless heroines of decades ago that they go to completely the opposite extreme and make them even more aggressive and "kick-ass" than the men. How many movies made in the last twenty years can you remember seeing where the heroine wasn't a black belt in karate?
The reason it angers me is that the role model for the quieter, gentler kid (like I was) has been lost. Book Susan was an excellent archer but she didn't use it against other people unless there was no other way. In the PC movie, all the Pevensies fight and the only reason Lucy doesn't do very much is because she's too young. The message that comes over is, "If you don't fight, you're a coward," and helping behind the scenes doesn't count.
What do you think?
(PS: the reference to "Xusan" in the topic header is deliberate - a sort-of reference to Xena.)