Which did you watch first?

[waterhogboy]

Hmmm... It seems there are two sides emerging as to their first viewing of Narnia. Either the animated series or the BBC ones. I was just wondering, which was your first out of the two, or was it another type altogether??

For me it was the BBC ones, and Ive never seen any others...

[inkspot]

Never seen either! I had to READ to find Narnia!

[waterhogboy]

Awwww man!!!! Youve missed out mate!

[holyboy]

i watched the BBC version when i was really young and it scared me into not watching it or reading the books for some time :o But after i read LWW out of curiosity, i kept reading and loving the books!!! never seen the animated one, though

[rosymole]

My first contact was the paper variety, but it was always the BBC versiond - Sunday teatime, just before the Antiques Roadshow and Lifeline.
I don't knwo how I'd react to seeing the animated version, I just have afeeling that I'd hate it - not good I know!

[GrayCloak]

I saw the BBC LWW when I was really young (like 4)- It scared the life out of me! (This, of course, was just before I was desensitized to such things as witches) I don't remember ever crying so hard at a movie as when Aslan died on the Stone Table, I'm pretty sure I asked my dad to shoot the White Witch after that one.....

[she-elfwarrior19]

i grew up with the animated one

[inked]

The books, the animated LWW as it was initially broadcast on TV then in the video, then the BBC as broadcast on TV (and in video and, now, DVD).

A 35 year love affair with Narnia!

[john011126]

I saw the BBC LWW when I was really young (like 4)- It scared the life out of me! (This, of course, was just before I was desensitized to such things as witches) I don't remember ever crying so hard at a movie as when Aslan died on the Stone Table, I'm pretty sure I asked my dad to shoot the White Witch after that one.....

Oh wow - finally someone feels the same way I did when I was like 4-5 years old - when Aslan died on the stone temple, I was like traumatized, whenever I thought of that movie, I thought of Aslan being killed. I really loved the cartoon series back in the 70's. I felt so bad for Aslan. I know it was a cartoon, but back then, I didn't realize it, I was a small kid. To this day, I feel bad about that. When I realized that the new movie was about this, I nearly flipped - it took me a bit before I realized that this movie sounds awefully familiar - GREAT stuff - I absolutely cannot wait for this movie to come out - I will see it the first day it comes out!

Thanks!

John

[Ite]

I started with the cartoon when I was very young.

[glamel]

never seen it too, I've read Narnia, but never watched it :D

[Susan Pevensie]

I grew up with the BBC version, so I was slightly hesitant to see the new one, but now I love the new one...I'll see it again today possibly.

[Queen Swanwhite]

I watched the BBC one first, I wasn't born in 1988 (shows how young I am) but I know the script off by heart! :o How embarassing...

[Galadriel]

I did see the cartoon version but always wanted the real people version. I think i saw part of a drama version but i was really disapointed with the effects they had no way to pull off.

[LionessVoyager]

I had grown up with the audio tapes by Focus on the Family. Only after listening to them for a few years did I see the BBC versions. I was still pretty young then, so I don't remember much. However, after {finally} reading the books (thank you new version!), I am having flashbacks. I didn't even know there was a cartoon version! I think I'd be pretty disappointed too.

[PunkMaister]

The first introduction to the crohicles for me was defintiely the 1979 animated TV film and I haved loved the story ever since :D , I watched part of the U.K miniseries a few years ago as well on either Cable Or Dish Network (It as about the same time we moved from one service to another so is hard to guess which).

[sarahprincess]

never saw cartoon, but I loved the BBC version, would watch it all the time when I was younger.

[Elizabeth Pevensie]

I must of been like four or five, when I saw them. I cried so much when the White Witch killed Aslan during the Stone Table scene.

[glamel]

well, I have already watched the bbc series, :)

[TimmyofOz]

First I saw Animated version of LWW, then the BBC Silver Chair.

[Queen Swanwhite]

I did see the cartoon version but always wanted the real people version. I think i saw part of a drama version but i was really disapointed with the effects they had no way to pull off.

Well, I think in their day they were the HEIGHT of the effects. Weird! :)

[Rhyanidd]

I grew up with the books, I dont remember the first time I watched BBC I just remember that I didnt like it....Lucy looked like a chipmunk and even though I was really little I had imagined her really cute....I also hated the visuals I could tell they were fake though I was probably only about 7, though when it came to accuracy I like the BBC a lot....(whoa I am contradictory)....I have never seen the animated....I didnt cry when Aslan died acctually....I yelled! I was ready to beat the White witch into doing as I told her.....but that was when mommy read the books to me when I saw the movies I knew what was going to happpen.......I have seen all the BBC Narnia movies and my fav is The Silver Chair!

[Queen Swanwhite]

Yeah the silver chair is very good, but nothing beats LWW!!!!! :) (for me)

[marshwiggle@1216]

my first contact with narnia was the animated series when i was small, then the books, then the books again in highschool then the new movie and over christmas the BBC which mostly, i love :D

[Matko]

I watched BBC version of LWW when I was 4 years old and I still adore it! I don't know why but I really like White Witch! When I watched it first time, I knew that White Witch is evil but she was my best character in whole series! Maybe it sounds little stupid that I prefered evil character than good one but what I can do?! :D Obviously I was spelled with her Turkish delight like Edmund! I've never seen animated version.

[slideyfoot]

My parents recorded the animated film from the television, so its likely that was the one I saw first. It debuted in England on 5th April 1980, 17:30 on ITV, according to The Times archive. My sister would have been around 3 at the time, while I was conceived a few months later. However, my family would have been living in Belgium then, so it can't have been that showing - as the tape is in English with no subtitles, I assume it wasn't shown on Belgian TV that soon.

On Saturday 18th April 1981, the animated film was shown again at 14:15 on ITV, when I was just over two weeks old, but still in Belgium. Finally, the third showing on Thursday 29th December 1983 at 10:25 on ITV is one they might have recorded, when I was two years old. I think it was the animated film. I saw the 1988 Narnia series at the age of 7, and can remember watching that at home, though we only actually recorded The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. I'll have to get the DVD box set to revisit the others.

[EveningStar]

I first saw the animated one. And let me confess that the resurrection of Aslan was handled best in that version.

Aslan played what amounted to a cat's game of keep-away, and then everywhere he landed when he leaped up or walked blossomed in flowers. The music in that moment was absolutely spellbinding.

To give you some idea of what you missed, if you never saw it, you are looking at a tight close up of his eyes as he says, "Her knowledge goes back only to the dawn of time, but if she could have looked a little further back..."

<his eyes flickered>

"...into the stillness and darkness BEFORE time dawned..."

<his eyes dissolve into a view of stars receeding into space>

"...she would have seen written there a DIFFERENT incantation."

I really should do a page with a few small screen grabs of that scene just to give folks a frame of reference. I have the DVD of the CTW LWW. Maybe even a low bitrate audio rip for you to play.

[slideyfoot]

That would be great, Chakal. I was looking for pictures of the White Witch to compare with Barbara Kellerman and Tilda Swinton's portrayals of her, but there were only covers of the animated film video available on the web. Also, could you do a screen capture of that bizarre yellow duck fighting the tree at the start of the battle on the far left of the screen? Very strange scene that deserves to be kept for posterity. ;)

By the way, does the DVD has any good extras, or just the film? The tape I have of the film misses out the beginning, starting with the bit immediately preceding Lucy's flashback.

As to the bit you're referring to, I also found it interesting that the White Witch speaks of the words 'engraved into the Trunk of the Tree of Life', making a reference to Yggdrasil, presumably, rather than the 'fire-stones on the Secret Hill'. Unless I'm remembering that bit wrongly...which would be worrying as I last watched it yesterday. :p

[Matko]

Has someone more photos from BBC version of LWW? I already found some in LWW Yahoo Group but I want them more! Especially of White Witch :D ! If someone has dvd please make some screen shots from dvd! Please!!!

[sarahnarnia1983]

i watvhed the bbc version first. at teatime with the rest of my family.

[spinner]

I first read the book, many years ago, long before either the BBC or the animated version were made. I then saw the BBC version on PBS and loved it. The special effects were not up to today's standard, but then, anything better at the time would have been hideously expensive. Still watch it on VCR from time to time.

[peter_all_the_way]

i watched the BBC ones after i read the books......i wuz like 8,....i just watched them agin like last month, and i cryed cuz they were soo bad! im happy that they came out w/ a newer one!!

[marshwiggle@1216]

Has someone more photos from BBC version of LWW? I already found some in LWW Yahoo Group but I want them more! Especially of White Witch :D ! If someone has dvd please make some screen shots from dvd! Please!!!
well matko, i am looking for puddleglum shots, if you have any or know any one who does, could you please let me know!!
thanks!!!

[Matko]

well matko, i am looking for puddleglum shots, if you have any or know any one who does, could you please let me know!!
thanks!!!

I don't know anyone who has screen shots, I also would like to have it. ;)

[marshwiggle@1216]

I don't know anyone who has screen shots, I also would like to have it. ;)

i am looking for ANY shots of him, art work any thing, i want to make a backround for my lap to or a banner for my posts or something but the two photos i have suck! their fuzzy and just not good :confused:

[the Large Voice]

I grew up with the BBC stories, then read the books. I've never seen the animated version.

[Moe92]

i watched the animated one from 1979 or something like that. it was always my favorit until i saw the one in theaters.yay. :D

[jillthevaliant]

well, what do you mean? like, the BBC versions or the BBC vs. the new Narnia? b/c i saw the new Narnia first and then watched th e BBC. But i saw LWW, the PC/VDT, and then SC. that was the first time i've seen them b/c i was born after they were made...:D

[mrstumnus99]

I saw the BBC ones first. I've never seen the cartoon one but I have seen the new one.

[jillthevaliant]

cartoon ones?

[Twilight]

Out of the animated and BBC versions, I've only watched the BBC ones. Even though they're old and the animation is not what it is today, they're still quite good!

[Son of Adam]

I first saw the animated film, then the BBC film and then, of course Disney's film. I enjoyed them all, but the Disney version is the best by far although the other two stick closer to the book version as far as dialogue is concerned.

[Tsukiko]

I've never seen BBC or animated....:o but I want to.

[SimonW]

I'm like waterhogboy....I've only seen the BBC...Don't want to see any other versions (besides the films).

[AlfredtheGreat]

I've only seen the animated one 2 times but it was the first one I watched

[Dernhelm]

I grew up on the animated LWW, and the BBC version of The Siver Chair, Prince Caspian and The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. I've never been able to figure out if the BBC version of LWW was simply not as good as the other three, or if I like the other three better only because I grew up with them.

Both the animated and BBC have wonderful music. :)

[liljentuva]

The BBC Chronicles was my first introduction to the world of Narnia. Been a fan ever since I saw them on TV in 1989. I saw the animated version a few years later but didn't like it at all. I read the books in my early teens and found those to be as good as the BBC series if not better.

BBC Narnia will always be the 'real' Narnia for me though :)

[Pirate Queen]

You guys are going to think I'm like some alien not from the planet Earth because... I hadn't even heard of Narnia until I saw the commercial in 2005! And of course I went to go see it and then I became a fan and read the books, but even after seeing the film first, I still think the books are better.

[liljentuva]

Hehe don't worry, I don't think you're an alien. Before the new movie came out I barely knew anyone who knew what Narnia was. I had known about it since 1989 but it was almost impossible to find fellow fans, at least for me :)

[NarnianofGryffindor]

I read the books when I was 7 or 8, I watched the BBC version (didn't really like it), then I watched the 2005 version! :D Then last year I watched the animated one on Youtube, but didn't get past the lampost, it was boring and Mr. Tummus looks like a frog. :p