Jo-Anna wrote in to remind us about Silver Leaves. Our very own Jonathon Svendsen has an article in this issue, and we’re very proud of that:
Tolkien-based journal “Silver Leaves” Issue Two, has released as of Saturday, Jan. 10. The theme is The Inklings and we are very excited about getting it into folks’ hands. It’s a superb issue, with contributors including Douglas Gresham, Colin Duriez, Brian Sibley, and Jef Murray, along with many others. Ordering information is at www.whitetreefund.org.
NarniaFans Staff Member, Jonathon D. Svendsen, is going to be featured in the second issue of Silver Leaves, which is put out by the White Tree Fund, a Tolkien-related publication. The theme for this issue is dedicated to the Inklings. Fans of CS Lewis and JRR Tolkien know that the Inklings was the name of the informal literary group that consisted of CS Lewis, JRR Tolkien, Charles Williams and many others.
Sci-Fi Pulse has finally posted their red carpet interview video for Prince Caspian. In that, Douglas Gresham mentions a bit about what they’re doing with the production order for the Narnia films. From what he says, it looks like the production will continue as the books were published.
This is the smartest way to do it. Narnia purists will tell you that the only way to read the books for the first time is the original publication order. That’s what I tell anyone to do, that has not read them yet to do.
Anyway, on the red carpet in New York, Douglas Gresham says:
We still have five books to do. I’m working right now on pre-production on The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, and I’m already starting discussions on The Silver Chair; and we’re just toying with the idea of doing The Horse and His Boy after that. So we are thinking ahead.
This doesn’t confirm it solidly, but it does show a bit more of what they’re planning. That’ll just leave The Magician’s Nephew and The Last Battle to close out the series.
Watch the video on Sci-Fi Pulse. There’s a great part where Georgie Henley meets Liam Neeson. Priceless!
Narnia Insiders go “Behind the Scenes” with Narnia’s Douglas Gresham, with Part 5 of the Narnia Insider’s series. I think we’ve seen this video before, but there have been so many, that I might be mistaken.
Douglas Gresham was interviewed on the Haven Today Radio program
yesterday: Haven Today
He was talking about his step-father and the The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.
You can also listen to todays program where D. Gresham is going to talk a
little more about C. S. Lewis and hopefully Prince Caspian: Haven Today Archives
Thanks to Shad E. for the report!
Prince Caspian Official Illustrated Movie Companion
Title: The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian: The Official Illustrated Movie Companion.
Author: Ernie Malik
Publisher: HarperOne
ISBN-10: 0061435600
ISBN-13: 978-0061435607
Summary of the book:
The film adaptations of the Chronicles of Narnia are some of the most anticipated movies ever. Ernie Malik looks at the making of the second film in the series, “Prince Caspian”. From preproduction, to filming to post production this book goers every aspect of the filming of the movie, complete with exclusive behind the scenes photos from the movie.
Review of the book:
It was almost a given that with the success of the first film in the Narnia series, that a second would follow. This book looks at the making of the film and is great not only for film buffs interested in the process, but for fans of Narnia who want to know more about their new favorite movie.
The book begins with forwards from Andrew Adamson, Douglas Gresham and Mark Johnson. Appropriately it concludes with an afterward by newcomer Ben Barnes, who plays the titular prince. These forwards and afterwards are very inviting and welcoming and immerse you in the action of the film making process and make you eager for not only Prince Caspian, but for the Voyage of the Dawn Treader.
As expected the book has many biographies on the cast and crew, complete with great photos. This includes some amazing shots of Will, Anna, Skander and Georgie, who, in my opinion are looking more and more like Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy Pevensie and less like a bunch of actors and actresses chosen to play them.
Readers discover that the four young stars didn’t let their success on the first film go to their heads. What’s more these kids are clearly very good friends with each other, which will help so much in their performances in the film.
The new cast member profiles as just as enjoyable as the ones on the returning cast members. Ben Barnes recounts how he became the “fifth Pevensie” and fit right into their already jelled group of friends. This is great news for us fans when we go to the movie. If he can’t fit into the mix, then the movie would be a bust, but if he seems natural with them, the magic can continue. He even recounts how he grew so close to them that at times Will grew angry at him as it seemed Ben was usurping his role as Georgie’s on set older brother.
Warwick Davis recounts his work on the BBC Narnia films and how much he enjoys being back working on Narnia. There’s even a humorous anecdote about how on his first day on set, Howard Berger, blasted the Ewok theme from Return of the Jedi ( Davis played Wicket, the main Ewok who befriends Princess Leia in Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi) over the speakers on set to welcome him.
The book goes into full detail about the whole production process from making the props and costumes to designing the creatures. They continually emphasis how everything in Prince Caspian should feel more “used” and “worn out” as opposed to how new and fresh it all felt in the first film.
Casting is described to be just as hard as it was with the first film. The hardest character to design and cast ended up being Reepicheep who was cast at the time the book was being finished. From what we’ve scene already in trailers and sneak peaks, when you read this book, you’ll be glad they did.
The behind the scenes photos are visually stunning and at times are funny to see. You’ll see things like tennis balls, or fake lion heads standing in for creatures like Reepicheep or Aslan. There’s even one of the four Pevensies standing on their marks at the ruins of Cair Paravel, with Anna and Georgie in very modern sandals. In the case of Georgie, they are a clearly oversized pair of sandals.
And of course, lest I forget, our own Paul Martin is mentioned in the Special Thanks section in the back of the book as he helped contribute some information for the book.
This books is nothing short of an exciting look at the magic behind the magic of the Prince Caspian film. It was well written, well researched, the photos were great and in short it had everything you need in a “behind the scenes book.”It is certainly well worth the read. However, when you buy it, make sure to read it after you see the film. There is plenty of juicy spoiler info inside. One thing becomes more sure after reading this book, you will want them to make the rest of the series.
Five out of five shields.
Narnia Fans Spy Shad E. writes: Right now I am listing to a radio broadcast of Focus on the Family, where they are interviewing Douglas Gresham on C. S. Lewis and Prince Caspian!
You can listen to it any time here: Focus on the Family
We’ve seen and read many interviews with Mr. Douglas Gresham, Co-Producer and creative consultant of the Narnian films, now Mr. Gresham is interview by the very people Narnia is meant for. Children. Special thanks to Sabrina O’Malone at Workingmom.com for the interview link. Here’s a brief excerpt:
Do you have the “real” wardrobe and did you ever look inside it and see anything?
[This question generates a stern look from the older siblings with the reminder that she's on the wrong movie and there isn't any wardrobe in Prince Caspian. Mr. Gresham graciously responds anyway]
Angelica, there is actually no “real” wardrobe, Jack took that idea from a book by E. Nesbit (and if you haven’t read her books yet then you have a great treat in store for you) called “The Aunt and Amabel”. There was no wardrobe that stimulated the idea at all. Despite that fact, there are two colleges in America both of whom claim to have the “real” wardrobe. One has a wardrobe from Warnie’s [C.S. Lewis' brother's] room at The Kilns, and the other has a very fine wardrobe hand carved and made by Jack’s grandfather. It used to stand in the hall of The Kilns. Neither of these wardrobes has any relationship at all with Narnia.
When a cherished book becomes a movie, the book fans usually cringe. Yet, three years ago, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe burst onto the screen, satisfying even the most ardent fan of C.S. Lewis’ literary classic.
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, comes to the screen this month. Thus, the question in the minds of Lewis fans is, “Can they give us a film that’s faithful to the book again?”
Movieguide® recently chatted with Douglas Gresham. In his eloquent and affable manner, he gave us insight into the upcoming movie.
Considering himself to have a “moral, sacred duty to protect the essential messages of the books,” Gresham has worked hand in hand with director Andrew Adamson to make sure that the spirit of the book will make its way onto the screen. Gresham says that during production of the first movie, he had a steep learning curve due to his ignorance of the filmmaking process. Gresham credits Adamson with being the “world’s best teacher.” This time around, the learning curve has not been as steep for Gresham, but he said they found Prince Caspian presented unique challenges not found in the previous book and movie.
For one thing, the book’s plot is darker, taking place when an evil tyrant rules the land at a time of civil war. The movie then needs to reflect that more somber era in the history of Narnia. The other challenge is the simplicity of the book’s plot.
In Gresham’s words, “The four kids arrive 1,300 years later. Things are different. They rescue a dwarf named Trumpkin, and then, while sitting around the fire, Trumpkin tells them about Prince Caspian. Now, that doesn’t make for a great movie.”
To fully tell the story, more action sequences have been added to make the movie more epic in nature. Gresham believes that this makes Prince Caspian more exciting than the first movie.
Even with these scene changes and additions, he asserts, “The underlying message is what Jack (C.S. Lewis) put in there. Faith, truth, justice, courtesy, chivalry, honor, personal commitment.”
Gresham believes that Lewis most likely would not have worried about minor or even major changes as long as the movie stayed true to the message and spirit of the book.
Gresham’s journey with Hollywood has actually been a very long road. Some of the biggest names in filmmaking have been interested in and even developed scripts for The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe. However, in the “wisdom” of Hollywood, changes were made which gutted the spirit of the book, and Gresham kept those scripts from going forward.
Not until Walden Media and Andrew Adamson become involved did Gresham have the confidence that the books would make a faithful transition to the screen. Gresham also sees in hindsight a side benefit of waiting. For only now with sophisticated computer animation can the regal lion Aslan really come to life.
So, if Lewis himself were able to sit next to Gresham at the premiere of Prince Caspian, would Lewis like it?
Gresham is confident that he would.
He further says that Lewis saw the potential of the new, emerging technology of cinema and worried about the potential immoral use of the medium.
Gresham says that both Lewis and he believe that “the enemy of mankind has taken over the cinema. Jack (Lewis) would be overjoyed about taking it back.”
And what of the future? After Prince Caspian, what’s next?
Gresham reports that pre-production has begun on the next book, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, which also features the character of Prince Caspian. For the book which follows that, The Silver Chair, Gresham is in “initial talks” about it coming to the screen. He sees the day when all the movies will finally make their way to film.
Books such as “The Horse and His Boy” which feature grown-up Pevensie kids will have to wait for the actors to become the right age. The book that technically predates the events of “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” (in Narnia time anyway) is “The Magician’s Nephew.” Aficionados have often wondered if that book will become a movie. Giving hope to diehard Narnia fans, Gresham considers that book to be his “arch ambition.”
Gresham encourages Movieguide® readers to see the movie. “Take your friends, take your family and even take your enemies!” he prompted.
He is relying on the Movieguide® community to get out the message of the movie, he said. He further added a word for all Movieguide® readers, viewers and listeners, “You’re my kind of people.”
Thank you for those kind words, Mr. Gresham.
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As a complement to the movie, Dr. Ted Baehr has written “Narnia Beckons” available at www.movieguide.org or by calling 1-800-577-6684. It is a fascinating glimpse of the life and ideas of the man behind the beloved children’s book series. While many books have been written to coincide with the movie’s release, “Narnia Beckons” has been featured by a number of reviewers who recognize the book as the cream of the Narnia-commentary crop. Jean Peerenboom of the Green Bay Press-Gazette writes, “If you choose only one of these books, (“Narnia Beckons”) would be the one to go with.”
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Jeff Holder is an editor for MOVIEGUIDE®.
The National Federation of Catholic Youth Ministry talks to Douglas Gresham about Prince Caspian. Watch the video here!
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