A friend of mine says no way will he see Chronicles of Narnia, because he is an avowed secularist and doesn't want a heavy Christian message shoved at him by Disney. I read C.S. Lewis's books as a kid and never figured out what the Christian symbolism was supposed to be, even though I knew it was in there. But boy, was this guy right about the movie, it's Christian as hell, I mean...well, you know. (Caution, spoilers ahead.) Consider the heavy Bible allusion in this bit of soothsaying, first mentioned in the film by talking beavers:It has been prophesied that when four human children appear in Narnia, a giant lion will return to power, and will raise a mighty army of centaurs, fauns, dryads, and hundreds of talking animals of all species, and will train them and equip them with swords, bows, and spears, lead them into an elaborate pitched battle against the White Witch and her army of trolls, dwarves, talking wolves, and chariot-pulling polar bears. This greatly resembles Old Testament scrying about the coming of the Messiah, and indeed recalls Jesus's triumphant entry into Jerusalem. Another painfully uncomfortable Biblical parallel is this bit of Narnian law, spoken aloud by several characters in the movie:
According to the rules of Deep Magic, a traitor belongs to the White Witch to execute, by stabbing him to death on the Stone Tables. However, someone else can offer himself up for execution in the traitor's stead. Yet, as is written on the sides of the Tables themselves in runes the Witch cannot read, or will stupidly misinterpret, if the substitute executee has done no wrong, he will rise from the dead several hours later!
This is very much like the story of Jesus. That's exactly the way he was killed and resurrected! Anyway, hopefully you're getting the idea--the movie isn't preachy, it's just wack, and I liked it a lot. As an icy cold, dreadlocked, sword-wielding she-bitch from hell with dilated pupils and dresses with enormous padded collars, Tilda Swindon will give small children nightmares for decades to come. Seriously, she's great. When she rides up in that chariot pulled by polar bears, adults all over the theatre were saying "All right!"
dang - I was writing this off as dumb dumb dumb. Now do I gotta choose between Narnia and Kong for my holiday blockbuster treat?
"centaurs, fauns, dryads"
I have met Culture-War type Christians who say that Narnia is PAGAN because it has "centaurs, fauns, dryads" in it!!!
Well, it is dumb. And pagan. The kids get cloying at times. But they're also brilliant at times. My main problem was with Peter, the oldest boy, who looks like a cross between Ryan Philippe and John Boy Walton. But like Lord of the Rings the action bumps right along and the frames are very full--lots of visual surprises of the now you see it, now you don't variety. It has an undertow of emotional violence and sadness--it didn't seem to be protecting the child viewer the way most Disney movies do, even though it's ultimately reaffirming, blah blah. The digital creatures are intermittently not all there--when Aslan's face fills the screen it seems to be de-rezzing before your eyes, moving and sliding around like a surrealist painting.
It is a kids' movie, though; you have to suspend a lot of disbelief.
I'm going to pass on Kong. I'd love to see the dinosaurs but just don't feel like havng my feelings jerked around by an ape-woman love story.
Best, creepiest bit in the movie - when her little gnome henchman smashes the ice goblet against the tree. It was as decadent as anything in Satyricon.
The Magician's Nephew is my fav, bizarre and very imaginative, like Harry Potter on acid. Glad to hear the first one's okay, I hope they continue through the whole series.
Definitely stay away from MR. KONG. I've rarely felt more letdown by the critics. Ebert said it was one of the best of the year! What the hell movie was he watching?
This movie is bad. While Jackson's ambition is admirable, and the CGI ape amazingly convincing, there's way too much movie, too much effects, and too little to care about. The dialogue has a lot of laughers and there's not nearly enough camp for a movie that features a sexy blonde oogling over the impressive pipes of a giant gorrilla.
SPOILER NARNIA
I saw Narnia last night. I had the same problem with it as I did with the book. Edmund did nothing wrong! He wasn't a traitor, he just needed a good lawyer. But no, mention the "old laws" and the lion folds up like a house of cards. Like he's just itching to make a big self sacrificing grand gesture. I wonder if Jesus had the same problem?
MM: "but I'm not a whore, I was just on my way to the store to buy vegetables"
JC: "would you shut up, I'm trying to make a point here!"
As an adult I understand that he needs to be guilty to further the plot, but as a child I hated the injustice of it all. If this is Christianity, you can have it. That scene where Edmund gets pardoned/blessed/absolved/chided by Aslan is downright chilling, and was in the book too.
The movie was way better than I expected (but not fantastic). I love how Christianity and democracy don't really work, but Christianity and royal fascism? Bingo! I wonder if that witch was brought to power by free elections. It'd vote for her.
The oldest boy looked a LOT like Dianna's oldest did at that age (is that one William?).
Oh, and what (or who) does Aslan eat?
Yeah, that scene where God, I mean Aslan, pardoned Edmund and then high handedly told the other children they needn't discuss it any more bugged me too. If I was the other kids I'd be saying "What are we, chopped liver? We have a few things to say to the little sweetie-loving bastard and having an apology made to *us* would be nice, too. Oh, but *we* don't matter because he's made his peace with GOD."
I still don't get how any of this is supposed to be Christian. It is all very pagan and as you say, royalist, to me.
As for what Edmund did wrong--I guess one thing is a Christian thing (or Catholic?): the sin of pride--he hung with clearly bad company (became an accessory) because he imagined himself sitting on a throne and eating sweeties and kicking his older brother's ass. The later betrayal by revealing the other childrens' whereabouts was to save the fox, so his lawyer could claim exigent circumstances, but still in the most absolute sense, he endangered his sibs and all the good things in Narnia by making that choice. That's a lot to lay on a kid--most adults wouldn't be able to handle that one very well.
Other than the fact that C.S. Lewis intended a Christian message, Narnia's message is so shrouded in symbolism that it is no more "Christian" than all of the myths of sacrificial virgins that are universally found around the world and pre-dated Christianity by thousands of years. I thought it was an excellent movie!
And how does the movie end? With him sitting on a throne, eating sweets. Only NOW to want power is somehow okay. (What was the deal with the Star Wars parade at the end? Seemed like a wierd reference.)
I think Edmund's biggest sin was in telling his siblings that he had not been in Narnia when obviously he had. This sin, however, did not happen in Narnia, so the old laws shouldn't apply here.
As for the christianity, I think the resurection part was pretty litteral - did you see that sunrise? very christian.. And Tom, Aslan is Jesus, not God. although how he got any carpentry done with those big paws is beyond me.
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A friend of mine says no way will he see Chronicles of Narnia, because he is an avowed secularist and doesn't want a heavy Christian message shoved at him by Disney. I read C.S. Lewis's books as a kid and never figured out what the Christian symbolism was supposed to be, even though I knew it was in there. But boy, was this guy right about the movie, it's Christian as hell, I mean...well, you know. (Caution, spoilers ahead.) Consider the heavy Bible allusion in this bit of soothsaying, first mentioned in the film by talking beavers:This greatly resembles Old Testament scrying about the coming of the Messiah, and indeed recalls Jesus's triumphant entry into Jerusalem. Another painfully uncomfortable Biblical parallel is this bit of Narnian law, spoken aloud by several characters in the movie: This is very much like the story of Jesus. That's exactly the way he was killed and resurrected! Anyway, hopefully you're getting the idea--the movie isn't preachy, it's just wack, and I liked it a lot. As an icy cold, dreadlocked, sword-wielding she-bitch from hell with dilated pupils and dresses with enormous padded collars, Tilda Swindon will give small children nightmares for decades to come. Seriously, she's great. When she rides up in that chariot pulled by polar bears, adults all over the theatre were saying "All right!"
- tom moody 12-16-2005 5:47 am
dang - I was writing this off as dumb dumb dumb. Now do I gotta choose between Narnia and Kong for my holiday blockbuster treat?
- sally mckay 12-16-2005 4:51 pm
"centaurs, fauns, dryads"
I have met Culture-War type Christians who say that Narnia is PAGAN because it has "centaurs, fauns, dryads" in it!!!
- Thor Johnson (guest) 12-16-2005 5:51 pm
Well, it is dumb. And pagan. The kids get cloying at times. But they're also brilliant at times. My main problem was with Peter, the oldest boy, who looks like a cross between Ryan Philippe and John Boy Walton. But like Lord of the Rings the action bumps right along and the frames are very full--lots of visual surprises of the now you see it, now you don't variety. It has an undertow of emotional violence and sadness--it didn't seem to be protecting the child viewer the way most Disney movies do, even though it's ultimately reaffirming, blah blah. The digital creatures are intermittently not all there--when Aslan's face fills the screen it seems to be de-rezzing before your eyes, moving and sliding around like a surrealist painting.
It is a kids' movie, though; you have to suspend a lot of disbelief.
I'm going to pass on Kong. I'd love to see the dinosaurs but just don't feel like havng my feelings jerked around by an ape-woman love story.
- tom moody 12-16-2005 6:14 pm
Best, creepiest bit in the movie - when her little gnome henchman smashes the ice goblet against the tree. It was as decadent as anything in Satyricon.
- Boogus (guest) 12-16-2005 10:01 pm
The Magician's Nephew is my fav, bizarre and very imaginative, like Harry Potter on acid. Glad to hear the first one's okay, I hope they continue through the whole series.
- paul (guest) 12-16-2005 10:07 pm
Definitely stay away from MR. KONG. I've rarely felt more letdown by the critics. Ebert said it was one of the best of the year! What the hell movie was he watching?
This movie is bad. While Jackson's ambition is admirable, and the CGI ape amazingly convincing, there's way too much movie, too much effects, and too little to care about. The dialogue has a lot of laughers and there's not nearly enough camp for a movie that features a sexy blonde oogling over the impressive pipes of a giant gorrilla.
- Art Soldier (guest) 12-16-2005 11:34 pm
SPOILER NARNIA
I saw Narnia last night. I had the same problem with it as I did with the book. Edmund did nothing wrong! He wasn't a traitor, he just needed a good lawyer. But no, mention the "old laws" and the lion folds up like a house of cards. Like he's just itching to make a big self sacrificing grand gesture. I wonder if Jesus had the same problem?
MM: "but I'm not a whore, I was just on my way to the store to buy vegetables"
JC: "would you shut up, I'm trying to make a point here!"
As an adult I understand that he needs to be guilty to further the plot, but as a child I hated the injustice of it all. If this is Christianity, you can have it. That scene where Edmund gets pardoned/blessed/absolved/chided by Aslan is downright chilling, and was in the book too.
The movie was way better than I expected (but not fantastic). I love how Christianity and democracy don't really work, but Christianity and royal fascism? Bingo! I wonder if that witch was brought to power by free elections. It'd vote for her. The oldest boy looked a LOT like Dianna's oldest did at that age (is that one William?).
Oh, and what (or who) does Aslan eat?
- joester 12-17-2005 9:56 pm
Yeah, that scene where God, I mean Aslan, pardoned Edmund and then high handedly told the other children they needn't discuss it any more bugged me too. If I was the other kids I'd be saying "What are we, chopped liver? We have a few things to say to the little sweetie-loving bastard and having an apology made to *us* would be nice, too. Oh, but *we* don't matter because he's made his peace with GOD."
I still don't get how any of this is supposed to be Christian. It is all very pagan and as you say, royalist, to me.
- tom moody 12-18-2005 12:15 am
As for what Edmund did wrong--I guess one thing is a Christian thing (or Catholic?): the sin of pride--he hung with clearly bad company (became an accessory) because he imagined himself sitting on a throne and eating sweeties and kicking his older brother's ass. The later betrayal by revealing the other childrens' whereabouts was to save the fox, so his lawyer could claim exigent circumstances, but still in the most absolute sense, he endangered his sibs and all the good things in Narnia by making that choice. That's a lot to lay on a kid--most adults wouldn't be able to handle that one very well.
- tom moody 12-18-2005 12:33 am
Other than the fact that C.S. Lewis intended a Christian message, Narnia's message is so shrouded in symbolism that it is no more "Christian" than all of the myths of sacrificial virgins that are universally found around the world and pre-dated Christianity by thousands of years. I thought it was an excellent movie!
- anonymous (guest) 12-18-2005 3:38 am
And how does the movie end? With him sitting on a throne, eating sweets. Only NOW to want power is somehow okay. (What was the deal with the Star Wars parade at the end? Seemed like a wierd reference.)
I think Edmund's biggest sin was in telling his siblings that he had not been in Narnia when obviously he had. This sin, however, did not happen in Narnia, so the old laws shouldn't apply here.
As for the christianity, I think the resurection part was pretty litteral - did you see that sunrise? very christian.. And Tom, Aslan is Jesus, not God. although how he got any carpentry done with those big paws is beyond me.
- joester 12-18-2005 10:05 pm