With the release of the new film version of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe due to come out soon, I thought it was about time I got round to reviewing the old BBC version that I remember watching on TV as a child back in 1988, and more recently on DVD.

Though the budget was very limited and so the special effects weren't (special, I mean), this screen adaptation of the C S Lewis book still holds up very well. Despite the fact that it's designed very much for children, it's so sweet that most adults will enjoy it too. (Unless you hanker for lots of blood, sex scenes, and bad language, of course.) The basic story is of course about four children (Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy) who are sent to live in the country during the war. More to the point, it is about their journey into the mystical land of Narnia through the wardrobe in the house they're staying in, which is owned by an old professor. In this land they find themselves caught in a struggle between good and evil, that is to say between the White Witch and the lion Aslan. In this battle however, one of the four children is quickly swayed to the side of evil.. will the Witch and her followers succeed in encompassing Narnia with an eternal winter, or will Aslan, aided by the 3 other children and the talking beasts, prevail and put all right with the world?

Split into 6 episodes with a total running time of 169 minutes, the storyline keeps almost exactly to the book – in fact I can't think of a single instance where it deviated from the original! So for people who've read the book there'll be no surprises (although any adaptation that doesn't try to tamper with the storyline is in itself a surprise!), but I feel that overall this authenticity works very much in favour of the series. Though I'm not really a great fan of "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" in its book form (though I am a great fan of the Chronicles of Narnia series as a whole), the storyline works very well on-screen.

The acting is good throughout, from the veteran (now departed) Michael Aldridge as the professor to the child actors, without seeming overly cheesy (or downright nauseating!) as is so often the case with children's programs. None of the four children in the lead roles have gone on to do much else, with only Richard Dempsey (who played Peter) seeming to have done much else at all in the acting world. His portrayal of Peter, the oldest of the children, is very good. The oldest girl, Susan, is played by Sophie Cook, who is suitably bossy, while Edmund is played by Jonathon R Scott. The kid's acting honours definitely go to little Sophie Wilcox though, whose portrayal of Lucy is wonderful.

Poor old Aslan looks a bit on the shaky side to be honest, or possibly he had some kind of strange debilitating illness... this is something I'm sure will be rectified by the CGI technology available to the producers of the newer film version! He's a sort of pantomime-horse lion and it's fortunate that he doesn't need to get up much speed in any of his scenes. Unfortunately his roars are very much less than impressive, and when he speaks you often need to turn the volume up to hear what he's saying. This is definitely the weakest point in the production. The rest of the talking animals, beavers, centaurs, and the like are pretty well done (though you can sometimes see the join in the film where the horse ends and the man begins!!), and overall the costume design and make up are extremely well done, particularly in view of the obviously small budget available. The series won the BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts ) Award for Best Video Lighting and was nominated for Best Children's Programme (Entertainment / Drama), Best Costume Design, and Best Make Up in 1989. It was also nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Children's Program. So there's been plenty of recognition for what was and still is a highly enjoyable and accurate interpretation of a piece of children's literature that for many will always have a special place in their hearts.

For children of around 6-12 it's delightful entertainment, older kids would probably want more action and impressive visuals though, it's not until someone gets into their mid-twenties that they'd be able to appreciate it again! :-D

The DVD special features are... practically non-existent, which doesn't bother me in the slightest but will no doubt dismay some. The production has been digitally remastered, there's episode and scene selection, and you get a photo gallery. That's it.

The sound is Dolby Digital dual mono (fortunately the lack of true stereo isn't terribly noticeable), the DVD supports regions 2 4, and is present in 4:3 aspect ratio. Rating: U (Universal - suitable for all.) English SDH (Subtitling for Deaf and Heard of Hearing)

I can't remember how much the DVD cost us at MVC but it's available from Amazon.co.uk for £13.49 (that only says it's region 2 though). Amazon.com have the region 1 DVD for just $13.27 with the following DVD features: Interactive Game, Bookworm excerpt on C.S. Lewis from BBC, Turkish Delight recipe, Stills Gallery.

Not sure why you lot overseas get more for less money but there you are!!!

Thanks for reading,

CaptainD


Related Links

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe - book version.

The Chronicles of Narnia - all seven novels in one collection.


Children's Movies (or at least, movies appropriate for children...)

Gulliver's Travels

Loony Tunes – Back In Action

Good Boy

Finding Nemo

Spy Kids 3D

Cool Runnings

Look Who’s Talking Now


See also my Top Ten Children's Movies


Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Good for a Rainy Day
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 9 - 12