What are your thoughts on Narnia?

[HoneyBee]

Is the Narnia movie series good? I hear it has a lot of Christian themes in it, so I really want to take the time to watch the movies. I plan on watching the first movie today. Any thoughts on the movies? No major spoilers please!

 

[paul1149]

Disney came out with a Narnia flick a few years ago. Found it unwatchable, the acting was so bad. I felt bad that because it was such a major production it will probably preempt a better attempt for a long time.

 

[A_Thinker]

Is the Narnia movie series good? I hear it has a lot of Christian themes in it, so I really want to take the time to watch the movies. I plan on watching the first movie today. Any thoughts on the movies? No major spoilers please!

Have you read the books ?

 

[~Anastasia~]

The movies are entertaining (to me).

But the books are where the treasure is found. There are DEFINITE Christian themes.

Some of the movies follow fairly closely but still lose some things in the transition to film. Some of the movies are drastically changed (Prince Caspian).

I'd really recommend the books. They will (probably) make the movie more enjoyable. They are very widely available as recorded books too if it's easier to listen during a commute. Our library has both physical CDs as well as e-files to download the sound recordings.

 

[K2K]

Narnia was written by C S Lewis, an Oxford professor of literature. He was a Christian and is well known as perhaps the greatest Christian writer of the last century. While he wrote the Narnia series, and it does have many Christian concept in it because of his beliefs, he also wrote such well know Christian classics as 'Basic Christianity', 'Screwtape Letters', 'The Problem of Pain' and many more both of a theological nature and fiction nature.

Maybe you won't like the flick, but I did. I thought it was pretty well-done and enjoyed it. Another interesting thing is that he and J R R Tolkien, who wrote 'The Hobbit' and 'Lord of the Rings' trilogy, were both at Oxford and were close friends. One story even has it that J R R Tolkien was involve in converting C S Lewis to Christianity. The story I read had it that the two were walking together and J R R Tolkien pointed out an old tree to C S Lewis, saying that a lot of stories have been written about old trees like that and while not all the stories are true the tree exists, which is why you have the stories. Then he compared God to that tree, in that a lot of stories have been written about God and perhaps not all of them are true, but God must exists because we have all those stories.

 

[Albion]

The Narnia series is totally Christian and was written by one of the most famous Christians of the 20th century, but as for the videos/movies that have been made from the books, I much enjoyed the cartoon version and did not enjoy the more conventional version with actors in costume, etc.

Whichever version you watch (and you are referring to an even newer version), be aware that the very Christian messages are only gradually revealed and are sufficiently subtle that they are powerful but may be missed by some viewers.

 

[HoneyBee]

Have you read the books ?

No, but after reading these comments, I'm highly considering listening to the books on audible or YouTube if I can find them there.

 

[Jonaitis]

I have yet to read them! I was forewarned about the theological errors of the themes by those I respect as wise, but I still want to check them out. I have watched one of the movies, but I want to actually read them.

I have an idea. How about we start a book club for those of us who haven't read it (or want to read it again)? It will be a great way for us to fellowship and talk about it. If not, I'll just go and check them out from the library and read them by myself.

 

[~Anastasia~]

A book club could be a fun idea. I reread them from time to time. I first discovered them as an adult, about 15 years ago.

 

[ChristianGirl_96]

Count me in!

 

[renniks]

Is the Narnia movie series good? I hear it has a lot of Christian themes in it, so I really want to take the time to watch the movies. I plan on watching the first movie today. Any thoughts on the movies? No major spoilers please!

I like them. Lots of Christian themes an allegory.

 

[RDKirk]

The Narnia series is totally Christian and was written by one of the most famous Christians of the 20th century, but as for the videos/movies that have been made from the books, I much enjoyed the cartoon version and did not enjoy the more conventional version with actors in costume, etc.

Whichever version you watch (and you are referring to an even newer version), be aware that the very Christian messages are only gradually revealed and are sufficiently subtle that they are powerful but may be missed by some viewers.

I don't know how many animated versions there may have been, but when my daughter was five, back about 1991, I sat down with her to watch an animated version.

I didn't tell her anything about the story, we just sat down to watch a cartoon together.

I didn't think it was all that great, but she was totally involved in the story. Then at the part when Aslan had come back to life and was bounding through the meadow with the two girls, she tugged at me and said, "That's just like Jesus."

 

[yeshuaslavejeff]

Is the Narnia movie series good? I hear it has a lot of Christian themes in it, so I really want to take the time to watch the movies. I plan on watching the first movie today. Any thoughts on the movies? No major spoilers please!

If , somehow, someway, God uses something like that to get the truth to you, or to get someone "hungry for the truth" and "for righteousness",
then that would be good (as it is from God).
i.e. if God leads someone in or to His Kingdom, directing their steps, with something, that is a "good gift" from above.....

 

[shortangel]

I like the BBC versions of the Narnia series & the remakes they were all good

 

[dms1972]

The Narnia series is totally Christian and was written by one of the most famous Christians of the 20th century, but as for the videos/movies that have been made from the books, I much enjoyed the cartoon version and did not enjoy the more conventional version with actors in costume, etc.

Whichever version you watch (and you are referring to an even newer version), be aware that the very Christian messages are only gradually revealed and are sufficiently subtle that they are powerful but may be missed by some viewers.

I liked the cartoon version also as a child, may have seen that before I read the book.

 

[shortangel]

great perspectives here

 

[sunshineforJesus]

I love the Narnia series movies especially the first in the series,The lion the witch and the wardrobe.

 

[dms1972]

This was I think the first ainmated version of LWW made for screen (1979). If you can ignore that the animation is a bit basic, and there are some omissions (such as Father Christmas), it captures the book quite well I thought.

I just read there was two versions (US and UK) with a different cast of voice actors. The UK version (which I haven't been able to find online) had well known British actors such as Leslie Phillips, Arthur Lowe and Shelia Hancock voicing the characters.

There was also a 1967 ten part TV series adaption.

 

[dms1972]

There were also BBC miniseries of The Silver Chair, with Tom Baker (DR Who) as Puddleglum, and Prince Caspian / Voyage of the Dawntreader

 

[RDKirk]

This was I think the first ainmated version of LWW made for screen (1979). If you can ignore that the animation is a bit basic, and there are some omissions (such as Father Christmas), it captures the book quite well I thought.

That's the version I watched with my daughter, mentioned earlier.