Narnia Fans » 2006 » July

Earlier this week, UltimateDisney.com “broke” news that we knew for a few months, that Disney/Walden’s blockbuster fantasy adaptation The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe was due to be revisited in a 4-disc extended edition in the near future. From UltimateDisney:

Now, not only has that been confirmed, but the release appears to have been put on the fast track. Those attending the annual fanboy festival Comic-Con in San Diego later this month will be treated to a first glimpse at never-before-seen footage from the upcoming limited edition “director’s cut” DVD, hosted by Narnia producer Mark Johnson. The event will take place on Saturday (July 22) at 3:45 in Hall H, with attendees being treated to exclusive collectibles from Narnia and Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest, which shares the hour with an insider’s look at visual effects.

From the Comic-Con’s website:

3:45-4:45 Disney Previews: From Narnia to the Caribbean— Academy Award–winning producer Mark Johnson (Rain Man, Galaxy Quest, Young Sherlock Holmes) will preview never-before-seen footage from the upcoming four-disc limited-edition Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe DVD. You’ll see all-new scenes from the director’s cut of the film and hear some exciting details about this new release. Then join legendary ILM Visual Effects Supervisor John Knoll (Star Wars I, II, and III, Star Trek: First Contact, Pirates of the Caribbean) on board the Black Pearl and the Flying Dutchman for an insider’s look at the making of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest. Exclusive Comic-Con collectibles from these films will be made available to all who attend. Hall H

And if you’re going to Comic-Con that day, you’ll probably miss part of this, but Isis Mussenden is going to be part of a panel discussing costuming:

4:30-6:00 The Costume Designers Guild: Costume Centric Session 3— The Costume Designers Guild concludes its three-part series on costume design and its profound influence on world culture. In this final session, CDG president Deborah Nadoolman (Raiders of the Lost Ark) will host Isis Mussenden (The Chronicles of Narnia, The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe), Penny Rose (Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl, POC: Curse of the Dead Man’s Chest), Mary Vogt (Men in Black 1 & 2, Fantastic Four 2), and Judianna Makovsky (Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone, X-Men 3) in a discussion about designing for the big screen. Comic-Con attendees will have the rare opportunity to hear from costume designers and see the sketches, fabrics, costumes, and film clips from some the most influential productions of the last five years. Room 2

[Also read our Extended Edition Wish List]

Instead of pushing through furs hanging in a wardrobe to discover a winter wonderland, artist Michelle Noe pulls back the plastic covering the doorway and flips on her jerry-rigged lighting system to reveal a magical fantasy world.

When Homearama opens next Saturday, the plastic sheeting will be gone and the electrical wiring completed for lighting and air conditioning.

It hasn’t been so for the two months Noe spent painting scenes from the popular movie “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” over about 1,000 square feet in the upstairs playroom of the house being built by Mickey Corcoran.

She worked for Corcoran and with designer Wendy Gonzalez of Hikes Point Paint and Wallpaper three years ago on Homearama, when she did a “Finding Nemo” mural.

In between, Noe, who graduated from Sacred Heart Academy and the University of Kentucky with a degree in studio art, moved to Portland, Ore.

About three months ago, she moved back.

“There was no lack of work there,” she said. “It’s just a long way away. I have a lot of family here.”

When Corcoran offered her the chance to do the mural, she saw it as a way to re-establish herself here. Though most of her work is mural painting, faux finishes and other types of decorative painting — plus pet portraits — her goal is to set up a studio where she also can work on sculpture and painting canvases.

Corcoran said he gave Noe and Gonzalez complete freedom on the mural. Noe said she also helped Corcoran design an elaborate tray ceiling in the master suite.

“Because I had worked with Michelle before, I knew her work and her work ethic,” he said. “I knew I’d be lucky to get her.”

Noe said she and Gonzalez went to a bookstore to look for ideas for a slightly older audience than the “Nemo” theme.

“We saw all this stuff on ‘Narnia,’ ” she said. “We had both loved it as kids. The movie is really beautiful, with all the landscapes and animals. It’s just a really inspiring movie.”

Entering the playroom, the opposite wall bears the colorful scene of the tent encampment before the big battle.

BANG Showbiz told ComingSoon.net about a recent chat they had with Anna Popplewell about Prince Caspian: “I am usually the last to know about these things but I know the producers are scouting for locations at the moment,” Popplewell said.

“I’ve been told we should be starting shooting at the beginning of next year. As far as the children go, I think all the old faces will be back. We’re all keen to do ‘Caspian’ anyway.”

She also wants to try and get a namecheck for her hometown London ‘burb – Finchley – in the film after managing to squeeze it in the first time around.

Anna revealed: “I really want to, I really do. I was so pleased to get it in and was over the moon when it made the final cut.”

Dr. Francis S. Collins, director of the National Human Genome Research Institute at the National Institutes of Health, will speak on the topic “Bios Through Logos: Seeing God in the Human Genome” at the C.S. Lewis Foundation Summer Institute at Williams College.

Collins led the completion of the 13-year-long Human Genome Research project, and developed techniques to map and identify genes responsible for diseases such as cystic fibrosis, neurofibromatosis, Huntington’s disease and Hutchison-Gilford progeria syndrome.

Collins’ talk at the C.S. Lewis Summer Institute befits the conference theme: “Love Among the Ruins: the Renewal of Character and Culture.” Seminars will be held from Friday to July 16.

In addition to seminars on Lewis, art history, popular culture and other subjects, there will be workshops in the visual arts, dance, theater and creative writing. There will also be a Children’s Track that will focus on a theme from Lewis’ “Chronicles of Narnia,” and a “College Briefing” for college-bound high school juniors and seniors.

The theme of the conference will be developed through several artistic performances, including an evening concert by the Boston Symphony at Tanglewood, as well as performances by the Shakespeare Theatre Festival and the Williamstown Theatre Festival.

For more information or to register, visit the Foundation’s Web site at www.cslewis.org, or call toll free (888) 235-3947.

Last year, the Newsboys recorded a song for the Inspired By soundtrack for “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.” The song didn’t make the final cut, but is now available for you to download and listen to, for free. It is available with a sampler that includes 11 other songs from great artists such as Mat Kearney, Paul Colman, Tree 63, Foolish Things and more!

InPop Records has released this online-only music sampler to download for free!

The sampler includes 12 songs, so head on over to www.inpop.com/ipop2006 for the download. When you’re there, select “Other” and put in “NarniaFans.com” and let them know that we sent you there!

Also, after you get the song, help us figure out if our lyrics page is correct for the song, which you can find here: Newsboys – Something to Believe In – Lyrics.

[www.inpop.com/ipop2006 for the Free Music]

Exclusive to Rose Publishing. Here is a full-color map of the magical world of Narnia. This gorgeous map illustrates the green forests and beautiful castles and places described in all seven of C.S. Lewis’ beloved Chronicles of Narnia. Size: 19.5” x 26” on heavy chart paper. Reproducible worksheets and teaching tips on chart back.

The map that goes with the movie shows only a portion of Narnia; but the Rose Map of Narnia shows all of Narnia, Archenland, Calormen, and the Islands of the Eastern Sea.

The Rose Map of Narnia: An Unofficial Map to C.S. Lewis’s Wonderful Country

How is their map different?
Brighter colors are closer to C.S. Lewis’s original map by Pauline Baynes than the movie poster is.
Shows all of the surrounding countries and islands, not just a small portion of Narnia:
Calormen
Archenland
Tashbaan
Giant’s Castle
Lone Islands
Terebinthia
Dragon Island
Dark Island
Ramandu’s Island
The End of the World
The Lillies and the Sea People
Cauldron Pool
And more
Shows places in the book

Worksheets on the back include
1. 9 major biblical parallels in the Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe
2. Map of Narnia and quiz
3. Bio and photos of C.S. Lewis and the wardrobe
4. Quotes by C.S. Lewis
5. Narnia and Earth Time Line

[ Rose Map of Narnia wall chart ]
[ Rose Map of Narnia -LAMINATED wall chart ]

Also available:
[ Rose Guide to Narnia pamphlet ]

UltimateDisney has finally gotten word of what we’ve known for quite some time. That Andrew Adamson wasn’t kidding about the excended edition of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. I think that the idea that there were “no plans” for it was probably based on the fact that they weren’t ready to officially announce it, or they were still waiting to see how the original version would sell. Now that it’s been listed as the top selling DVD of the year so far, Disney has decided to go forward with it.

I’d also like to point you to the story I wrote on what I think should be included in the Extended Edition. Extended Edition Wish List.

Here’s the report from Ultimate Disney:

Last February, a Buena Vista Home Entertainment representative informed us that despite what director Andrew Adamson was quoted as saying in USA Today, there were no plans for the Disney/Walden mega-hit The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe to be re-released in an extended version DVD. Now, thanks to a super-secret, reliable inside source, UD has learned that either this was not true or plans have been changed. Plans are now in place for Wardrobe to be revisited in a deluxe four-disc edition sometime soon. While details are very much in development, you can expect an extended cut of the already-substantial 143-minute fantasy, perhaps stretched over two discs, along with some all-new extras. The set could arrive as soon as this holiday season or might be held off closer to the release of sequel Prince Caspian, which is currently scheduled to reach theaters in the summer of 2008. Keep in mind that, like everything else that hasn’t been announced (or even has), this information is subject to change.