Did You Find the BBC Version Humorous?

[polly&digory]

I saw the LWW last night for the 3rd time and then came home and unearthed the old BBC version from our shelf. I watched untill the battle but i was laughing so hard through it. I remembered aslan as so cool and very unfake looking. it is amazing the leaps in movies that have gone on in 15-20 years.don't get me wrong i loved them so much when i was younger that our tape is now crappy and wobbly. Anyone else find it humorous?

[*IOWW the Iasc*]

I've seen the movie 3 times now, too! Though I've never seen the first one... *shields snowballs* I'll probably have to see it, huh?

[i luv skandie*!!]

well , you are nOt the only one i alreadi wath it 4 times 2 i promisse!and. i just love edmund!skandar is cute,hot,and lovelylyly!

[Aslan Fan]

I just bought the animated movie yesterday at Wal-Mart. It was good. :)

[Anna the Witty]

I dunno how many versions there are, but the old one I saw was HYSTERICAL. The creatures were cartoons! And Aslan...wow, that was really sad. It was a disgrace - He doesn't even ROAR! And that is what Aslan is all about:

"He's no a tame lion."

;) Yeah, I found it very laughable. Sad though. I have been waiting for this Narnia for over a year, and they did a JOB WELL DONE. Well worth the wait. I seriously do not think they could have done any better. :) Happiness...

-Anna Kate

[glamel]

hey, BBC version is good
it was made a long time ago, and it is great way back then
the new movie was great because of the effects,
but the bbc was fine, and was loved by many kids. :D :) :)

[Narnian_Lady]

The BBC is far more faithful than the new film...in that department, I was quite disappointed. I adore the BBC version and always will. I don't care if the films are dated and some of the acting wooden, it has so much heart...something that is completely lost IMO in the new film.

Rachel

[onlymystory]

Oh, I love the BBC version but I think the last time I watched I was 10. So when I watched it again, my imagination had built it up to so much more in my head. It was truly hilarious though with the cartoon creatures. (Although I remember Lucy wasn't my favorite but I thought I was going to jump through the screen and strangle that girl) I'm sure that will make some upset.

[Son of Aslan]

What about that tight cardigan and that one button straining to keep it from flying open?

[mrstumnus99]

I love the new movie a whole lot better than the BBC ones but I do still love the BBC ones because I grew up watching them. They did do the best they could in the time period they were made in but Aslan's breathing and Lucy have always bothered me. Prince Caspian is my favorite so far but I haven't watched the Dawn Treader or the Silver chair in like 5 years so i don't know.

[Twilightdryadhobbit]

Ummm, it made me laugh too. The cartoon animals were really funny, and though Aslan did roar, he talked kind of in burps. He would open his mouth and say five sentences, and then close it again. And Lucy was not good. I'm sorry, but she wasn't young enough, she was kind of on the chunky side, and she wasn't all that great of an actress. I love Georgie as Lucy. The White Witch provided the best entertainment I think. Her little "Narnia shall perish IN FIRE AND WAAAAAAAAATTER!" Made me fall over laughing. The scene with her and Edmund made Edmund look like a complete and absolutely total idiot for trusting her at all whatsoever. Every other second she was screaming in his face, and the rest of the time she was so insincerely sickly sweet my baby sister would not have been fooled. She overacted way, way too much, Tilda Swinton was SUCH a relief after the old White Witch. But, strangely enough, I used to really like that movie as well. The Silver Chair is actually pretty good until you get to the Witch turns into a snake sock puppet scene. It was the funniest scene in the movie, but not intentionally) I guess we did a good job of making do with what we had, but thank goodness for what we have now! I've seen the new movie twice now!
P.S. Still can't decide. (For confused people, check out my banner by Namaste)
(Sorry I accidentally posted twice. Does anyone know how to remove the other one?)

[Twilightdryadhobbit]

Ummm, it made me laugh too. The cartoon animals were really funny, and though Aslan did roar, he talked kind of in burps. He would open his mouth and say five sentences, and then close it again. And Lucy was not good. I'm sorry, but she wasn't young enough, she was kind of on the chunky side, and she wasn't all that great of an actress. I love Georgie as Lucy. The White Witch provided the best entertainment I think. Her little "Narnia shall perish IN FIRE AND WAAAAAAAAATTER!" Made me fall over laughing. The scene with her and Edmund made Edmund look like a complete and absolutely total idiot for trusting her at all whatsoever. Every other second she was screaming in his face, and the rest of the time she was so insincerely sickly sweet my baby sister would not have been fooled. She overacted way, way too much, Tilda Swinton was SUCH a relief after the old White Witch. But, strangely enough, I used to really like that movie as well. I guess we did a good job of making do with what we had, but thank goodness for what we have now! I've seen the new movie twice now!
P.S. Still can't decide. (For confused people, check out my banner by Namaste)

[TimmyofOz]

I never liked the BBC version or the earlier Animated version of LWW. But the BBC version did a better job in VTD and SC. Mainly becuace I like the Scrubb and Jill. I really hope the movies make it to The Silver Chair. Pole and Scrubb are such fun characters and Puddleglum is such a jolly person in his own way. i wonder who would do a good job as the actor for Puddleglum. If he is a CG character Ben Stein has the touch as a voice. But he is too old and small to act the character. :)

[polly&digory]

I definately did love the old ones soo much when i was little that i didn't realized that they where pretty lame at points. Though they were way more true to the book than the new one. Edmund was my favorite in the old version. He played it soo well that you hated him but then you understood in a weird sort of way.

[DeplorableWord]

I agree! The BBC version is so funny, but I remember being younger and loving it and thinking everything was so real! :D I also DID NOT think that the makers picked very good actors and actresses... esp. Lucy.

DeplorableWord

[Kitt]

I, too, grew up watching the BBC versions, but they certainly are unintentionally funny. I found the Witch (and the other parts the actress played) hilarious, even as a kid. Has anyone got any sound clips of her saying 'How DARE you come alone?!' or 'Which one of you destroyed the Silver Chair?!' I don't think I've ever seen such over the top acting before or since.

[stronger_WM]

Yeah, after my fourth time (ive seen it 5x) I went home with my friend and watched the BBC version, i was laughing as well. I remember saying how awesome it was and that I LOVED Aslan in that one. Because When i saw the newer one, I thought to myself 'i like the Aslan in the BBC version better' but then I saw it and I was liek woah. I still love the movie, and it is A LOT MORE FAITHFUL to the book, but the newer one is allowed to do this book some justice. The one scene which I wished they spent more time on was when Susan, Lucy and Aslan went to the White Witch's house. i felt they rushed that.

[Rhyanidd]

The BBC is far more faithful than the new film...in that department, I was quite disappointed. I adore the BBC version and always will. I don't care if the films are dated and some of the acting wooden, it has so much heart...something that is completely lost IMO in the new film.

Rachel
HEREHERE!!! I completely agree with you!!

[jillthevaliant]

i just had a marathon of LWW and PC and VDT and it was...very...hysterical, cheesy, odd. i didn't like how the talking animals were really humans dressed up and the witch was...a bit too strong and not very cunning. then the ordinary animals were ANIMATED!!! god. do you know how ridiculous it looked when ed was riding an ANIMATED horse?! i don't know. i just started watching SC (mainly to see what jill looked like and see how her acting was because i thought that everyone else was terrible) so i don't know if it got better or not. does it? anway, i definetely like the new version better! (sorry if i offend anyone that likes the BBC version)

[woodrose4]

Hi everyone! I'n new here, but I've loved Narnia since I was little. I was practically raised on it!

Quick question: Does anyone have or can obtain screen caps of the old BBC narnia movies? I loved them, and can't find good caps anywhere!

Please let me know! Thanks!

[Narnian_Lady]

"HEREHERE!!! I completely agree with you!!"

Thank God I'm not the only one!

[Susan the Gentle]

hi everybody. :)
Will be a prince caspian film?
Do you know?

[Susan the Gentle]

hi
Where I can find this BBC Version of the Chronicles of Narnia? :confused:

[jillthevaliant]

hi everybody. :)
Will be a prince caspian film?
Do you know?

eventually there will be. i think maybe it said in 2007.. i dudnno. check the movies link on narniafans. welcome to the boards!

[jillthevaliant]

hi
Where I can find this BBC Version of the Chronicles of Narnia? :confused:

i got mine at the library. you'll probably be able to find it there. also, i was at costco or sam's club or some other wholesale club like that and they had the boxed set. just keep looking at you will find....welcome to the boards, also

[will_moseley_fan_7]

Yeah, I laughed so hard too. The battle in LWW was incredibly tacky. It was okay for that time though.

[narniafreak216]

oooo goodnes the BBC version of LWW was good I loved it when I first saw it!! I had no idea the made other ones too. I'm gonna have to find those.

[daisy brambletoes]

Personally, I preferred the old BBC version to this newer one. The new Disney one is certainly prettier, its special effects better, its acting an improvement, but it is not nearly as faithful to the original book as the BBC one was. That's a pretty important point, too.

I was also bothered by the anti-Christmas bias that made its way into the new film. The witch made Narnia a place where it was always winter, but never Christmas - she angrily turned animals to stone for celebrating Christmas, and Father Christmas himself appears to say that the witch had driven him out, but he'd managed to come back because Aslan was on the move. In our new film, Father Christmas returns, but without his red suit--though one of the kids slips and mentions a man in a red suit, so probably it was an afterthought in political correctness that the editors missed. Yes, Santa Claus/Father Christmas is a secular symbol of Christmas, but he is also a Christian symbol because he promises us a free gift as long as we believe in him; and although it is said he only rewards good children, he still brings a gift with no strings attached other than belief.

But in this film, Father Christmas is not identified by name, he looks like King Theoden from "Lord of the Rings", the animals celebrating Christmas are not to be seen. To show the white witch banning Christmas would make our modern day anti-Christmas, anti-Christian Liberals very uncomfortable since that is exactly what they are doing. As it is this fiolm as a whole, even in its watered-down state, is making them fearful and nervous, and they are attempting to be very dismissive about this film.

[Frenchie]

hi
Where I can find this BBC Version of the Chronicles of Narnia? :confused:
For rent on Netflix.

[Frenchie]

I have not yet read the LWW. My daughter and I are making our way through the books and started w/The Magician's Nephew. I have, however, seen both the new release and am (painfully) working my way through the BBC series. Thus far, I can not see how it can be said the BBC LWW is much more faithful to the book than the new release. Certainly there are some differences, but I had to pay close, hard attention to find them. Yes, they spend a bit more time on the Father Christmas aspect -- he's in the red suit and they show the Narnians celebrating Christmas -- which took all of a minute or so. I don't think the new movie tried to gloss over this. I thought Father Christmas looked more traditional than did the department store version in the BBC series. Yes, perhaps it didn't clearly explain the whole banning of Christmas, but to me, the BBC version didn't make it much clearer either.

On the whole, I think the new version does a much better job at bringing the story to life. Differences in technology should not be an excuse. Many great movies were made pre-1988 which did not have even the level of technology available when the BBC series were made and are done much better. I think that excuse has been used as a crutch to hold up the BBC series as being just as good or better than the new version. I can understand nostalgic reasons, etc. I am the same way with Star Wars and many movies that have been extended using updated technology or even remade. I saw them as they originally were 20+ years ago and can still appreciate what was done with the available resources of the time. But, the BBC LWW is very laughable. The White Witch was not scary, but funny (and, according to Mini-Me, my daughter, has yellow teeth! LOL), Lucy was just awful, and they could have gone about it another way trying to recreate the magical world of Narnia than the way they did, and still do it justice with what was available at the time.

Just my $0.02.

[sarahnarnia1983]

yeah i remember the old versions as well. and i think they are pretty funny compared to this film ive seen about 8 times.

[becxox]

I love the BBC version, but it is incredibly cheesy in many places. Like the flying lion and the astonished looks when spring comes.

[waterhogboy]

LOL!!!! But thats what makes it so special! The bist cheesy bit is when theyre flying on Aslans back, and its ovious that its superimposed, and Lucy does an overdramatic gesture and dasp even though you know shes pointing at a blue plastic floor!!

[I♥Georgie]

I saw the LWW last night for the 3rd time and then came home and unearthed the old BBC version from our shelf. I watched untill the battle but i was laughing so hard through it. I remembered aslan as so cool and very unfake looking. it is amazing the leaps in movies that have gone on in 15-20 years.don't get me wrong i loved them so much when i was younger that our tape is now crappy and wobbly. Anyone else find it humorous?

I don't really blame you :D LOL

[The Half-Blood Prince]

I hadn't even heard of the BBC version until I saw this forum. :o

[I♥Georgie]

It's this old dorky funny edition :D

[rsrikanth05]

I've seen the movie 3 times now, too! Though I've never seen the first one... *shields snowballs* I'll probably have to see it, huh?
Only three times?
I saw the movie around a half a month back, and already have seen it a hundred times.
I see it twice/thrice a day.

[.:God's Princess:.]

I have not seen the bbc version but our friends said that the old version is so good and the new version is so cheesey and I cracked up when I heard it!!

[I♥Georgie]

The old one was SO Cheesy the new one was WAY better ;)

[Tsukiko]

the BBC?? well, me and my sis wathed it for like 5 mins..and then we got bored and said "ok..this is o dumb: ints not even funny" then we turned if off...hhee

[Queen Swanwhite]

I love the BBC one...it may be old and kinda fake, but I think they did a pretty good job of it, judging by it being BBC and in 1989! :)

[Miss.SunFlower]

I love the BBC one...it may be old and kinda fake, but I think they did a pretty good job of it, judging by it being BBC and in 1989! :)
you have a point...

[Aravis Kenobi]

I haven't seen either the animated film or the BBC version, but I saw a "trailer" on YouTube. The crowns floated through the air and landed on the kids heads! What a joke. Lucy, to me, was not cute in that one. Lucy in 2005 version is so adorable. Here's that trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5KZMqA9bwAI They used LOTR music in it too, which is completely wrong!

[SlpNarniaQueen]

I did find it funny after seeing the new one. It is just that the techonolgy wasn't as advanced as we have today. Its hard for us to like stuff that isn't all advanced because thats our culture today...but honestly, I did laugh too.

[Aravis Kenobi]

Yeah, but weren't those made after Star Wars? I mean, at least Star Wars was beliveable.

[Wunderkind]

Well I've actually never seen the BBC one so I don't know how it's like.Do you recommend it?

[Samwise Gamgee]

Eh BBc is ok.

[Skandar's Girl]

uhhhhhhhh wow um wow yeah up

[Queen Swanwhite]

OK, that trailer was cheeeeesy! :D when I was young I thought it was spectacular....for some reason.... :p

[tottyfruitty]

i havent seen the bbc version but i have seen the recent one like so many times!!!but it would be interesting to see the bbc version though

[ChildOfAslan7]

i think a lot of us that have seen the BBC version and like it a lot is because we were very young and it made an impression on us. it's part of our childhood. even though it's not as spectacular as the 2005 version, it was more true to the book.

[QueenSusanofNarnia]

I saw the LWW last night for the 3rd time and then came home and unearthed the old BBC version from our shelf. I watched untill the battle but i was laughing so hard through it. I remembered aslan as so cool and very unfake looking. it is amazing the leaps in movies that have gone on in 15-20 years.don't get me wrong i loved them so much when i was younger that our tape is now crappy and wobbly. Anyone else find it humorous?

i was scared. like, omg the that's the weirdest thing I've ever seen kind of scared. Not the omg it's a big scary draaaaaagonnnnn! Kind of scared.

[Son of Adam]

It is humorous to look at new films like LWW and then go back and view a prior version. I remember being scared stiff back in the 50s and 60s over the original Dracula, Frankenstein, and Wolfman movies. I wanted to show them to my kids so I rented them. They laughed hysterically all the way through them and couldn't imagine why, as a kid, I would be scared seeing these movies. In the making of films and the special effects that now go into them, we have a whole new vision of reality than we did 40 or 50 years ago. Man I feel old all of a sudden. lol

[Sir Godfrey]

i think a lot of us that have seen the BBC version and like it a lot is because we were very young and it made an impression on us. it's part of our childhood. even though it's not as spectacular as the 2005 version, it was more true to the book.

I agree, I grew up on the BBC version. It was my first doorway into Narnia.

[Gondorgirl]

I saw the LWW last night for the 3rd time and then came home and unearthed the old BBC version from our shelf. I watched untill the battle but i was laughing so hard through it. I remembered aslan as so cool and very unfake looking. it is amazing the leaps in movies that have gone on in 15-20 years.don't get me wrong i loved them so much when i was younger that our tape is now crappy and wobbly. Anyone else find it humorous?

oh yes, I find that hilarious. I remember Machia and I were going through that one before the movie came out and we were laughing.

[Dragon]

i was scared. like, omg the that's the weirdest thing I've ever seen kind of scared. Not the omg it's a big scary draaaaaagonnnnn! Kind of scared.
Yes, the second type is the type of scared you should be now, now that I have returned from, um, wherever I must have been that prevented me from posting all summer.

[Bramblefox]

it made me laugh too! Even when we first saw it (about 4 years ago) Aslan was stiff-legged and his "roar" sounded like someone going "Aaaahhh". Lucy was the funniest ("I'm Luthy") but she improved with the next couple films. Even though the BBC versions are completely faithful to the books, you'd think they would have had more imagination with the films.

[AlfredtheGreat]

I Loved the old ones when I was younger but now I just think they are horrible.

[office]

Well I can tell they tried to make it good.

[~EyeonFowl~]

They are BAD!!! VERY BAD!! I hated them but I did laugh!!!! LOL LOL

[ILSE]

i like them!! they are funny!! you could laugh with it! :D

[Tsukiko]

Haha. I wouldnt exactly call it funny. :p

[Savanna_2010]

I haven't seen the BBC version.

[Lookintoforever]

I saw the LWW last night for the 3rd time and then came home and unearthed the old BBC version from our shelf. I watched untill the battle but i was laughing so hard through it. I remembered aslan as so cool and very unfake looking. it is amazing the leaps in movies that have gone on in 15-20 years.don't get me wrong i loved them so much when i was younger that our tape is now crappy and wobbly. Anyone else find it humorous?

I couldn't keep watching it, I saw like five miutes of it then I couldn't stand to keep watching it. The acting is horrible and well, its just all round ...yukk.
lol

[Into the Wardrobe]

I disagree. Sure it wasn't done the best. The production wasn't great but for the technology of the day it was ok. I actually liked the BBC series. It followed the books well. In some ways I prefer it to the new one.

[fernshirehobbit]

when watching the bbc versions, it is important to note that they were made when technology wasnt as high tech. for the time period they were made in, they are very well done. i dont mind watching them from time to time.

[waterhogboy]

when watching the bbc versions, it is important to note that they were made when technology wasnt as high tech. for the time period they were made in, they are very well done. i dont mind watching them from time to time.

Precisely, a well made point. True, the films are poor, but we forget they were made 20 years ago, and how much technology has advanced. They didnt even have CD Roms back then.... whoa that makes me feel old. I was born before CD's.....:(

[Tazzy]

I haven't seen the BBC version, but I saw the animated one, and the cartoon Lucy with a long face, and Edmund was fluffy curly hair made me laugh for blinkin aaages!

[Lookintoforever]

I disagree. Sure it wasn't done the best. The production wasn't great but for the technology of the day it was ok. I actually liked the BBC series. It followed the books well. In some ways I prefer it to the new one.

I understand that...but technology aside, the acting was terrible
as in; I so didn't believe a word lucy said...
the others were somewhat better but still....

[Into the Wardrobe]

Well, that's your opinion. We each have a right to our own. I liked the BBC version. They weren't perfect, but they were fine. I didn't think that they were that bad as far as the acting went. The characters were treated very differently...not in a bad way, just different aspects of their characters were brought out. I liked them. So, you didn't...that's fine. WaterHogBoy said in the other thread that we who liked the series are a dying breed...most people like the new technology. He likes to pick on Lucy too, but liked the series overall. I liked the spins that they took on the BBC characters in a lot of ways. Regardless, they stayed true to the books. They were good for what they were when they were created.

[Lookintoforever]

eh...sure....
I am super picky about acting though...
I think my teachers helped me with that lol and books I've read on the subject.

[LadyAnneOfNarnia]

I saw the LWW last night for the 3rd time and then came home and unearthed the old BBC version from our shelf. I watched untill the battle but i was laughing so hard through it. I remembered aslan as so cool and very unfake looking. it is amazing the leaps in movies that have gone on in 15-20 years.don't get me wrong i loved them so much when i was younger that our tape is now crappy and wobbly. Anyone else find it humorous?

I do. But I think they are great movies besides the fact the acting and effects isn't the greatest, they are still fun.

[firearrow]

I've never actually seen any of the bbc version.....

[Into the Wardrobe]

The special effects and costumes are on the cheezy side, but on the whole it sticks very closely to the book. I thought they were good for what they were. They were created in the 80's and the technology wasn't great. The characters have a different focus than the Disney/Walden one, but still true to the book...even moreso actually than the new one. I hope you'll get to see them!

[waterhogboy]

I do. But I think they are great movies besides the fact the acting and effects isn't the greatest, they are still fun.

I think this is a good review! If you're looking for a good, classy representation of the books dont watch the BBC. But if you want a light hearted, fun version that doesnt take itself too seriously but manages to put the point across - you'll love the Beebs!!

[MidianElfwitch]

I still love the old BBC series, but I guess the special effects aren't that amazing. Still, that is some of the charm, in my opinion. ^_^

[dwarven_crusader77]

it didnt make me laugh it sacred me...*shudders* those beavers are after me i swear....JK it was kinda funny but as far as acting it blew the new LWW out of the water. I was expecting the new one to be some huge leap but to my dismay it wasnt. they cut everything out of the book in the new one but in the BBC ones they captured every sentence from the book lovingly...man I wish the guy that dircted this movie had directed the new one...andrew adamson just needs to be shot! *sheilds for snowballs, rocks and vegitables*

[Into the Wardrobe]

it didnt make me laugh it sacred me...*shudders* those beavers are after me i swear....JK it was kinda funny but as far as acting it blew the new LWW out of the water. I was expecting the new one to be some huge leap but to my dismay it wasnt. they cut everything out of the book in the new one but in the BBC ones they captured every sentence from the book lovingly...man I wish the guy that dircted this movie had directed the new one...andrew adamson just needs to be shot! *sheilds for snowballs, rocks and vegitables*

Hey, Hey, Hey now...I agree that the BBC version captured the lines from the book and stuck much closer to them than the new one and I'm protective of the story as well. Having said that I don't think on a family friendly forum that we ever need to express violent thoughts toward people. Andrew is very talented and he had a different take on things than others maybe...and no one can please everyone...but I don't think it's right to suggest that he needs to be shot or hurt in anyway, shape or form. He's not a bad guy and he wasn't the only one working on the film. Was the new LWW all that it could have been...not remotely...but it was good for what it was. Please let's be kind to the cast and crew of the movies...even if we don't like their work huh.

[Wunderkind]

I just watched some parts of the BBC version of LWW and...I laughed so hard during the Stone Table scene! But they got me slightly impressed with their Aslan.He looked much better than I thought! But realistic? Umm....not really...:p
And the actress playing Jadis overacted so much! But maybe that's just me.

[Into the Wardrobe]

No, it's not you...she overacted tons. No, not that realistic with Aslan...but I love the way they did a lot of things...being able to hear the kid's thoughts like Edmund's. It did well to tell the story better.

[Wunderkind]

I like their way of telling the story.This version is very,very faithful to the book.I think they got every single line right! That made me impressed.
But...even though Aslan looked better than I thought..he was not realistic at all.Whenever he spoke,he just opened his mouth and the words came out without him moving his lips.
But it's very important to remember that this movie is made in the 80's and they didn't have all these special effects that movies have today.Also,much more money was involved when Walden Media and Disney made their version.

[MrBob]

I just watched these movies over this weekend. Hopefully, I'll get to see SC tomorrow.

I do have to agree that compatred to today's standards, they are a bit on the cheap side. To their credit, I must say that they kept nearly exact to the dialogue in the books in most situations.

It wasn't the lack of technology that did them in. It was done in 88-90. The problem was that they more than likely had a very low budget and could not afford the high end special effets that would have made it better. They also apparently had a cost problem where they could not afford a good number of actors for the battle scenes.

As for the actors, I agree with Valiant that Jadis' actress was way over the top. I also just didn't like who they cast for my favorite character of Lucy. And Edmund and Peter looked like they were the same age.

To respond to the original subject, I, too, had times where I could not help but laugh in places where it was not warranted.

MrBob