Rant Just saw Dawn Treader. (And other rants on movie mangling)

[Linguofreak]

So given that Voyage of the Dawn Treader is out on DVD we decided to rent it.

And we watched as Hollywood's traditional mangling of books got taken to a whole new low. I know they mangle books routinely, but this is something else.

There were *multiple* points at which they *obviously* threw the book out the window in a major way just to show off their mad CGI skillz at a point that the book was too mundane for them to show off said skillz.

They couldn't even have an excuse for mutilating the plot so badly if the only contact they'd had with the original story had been a half-illegible copy of the cliff notes that a dog had used as a chew toy! :beathead:

I won't be seeing any more Narnia films from Walden Media unless tied to a chair in front of the TV with my eyes taped open.

It was that bad.

[/rant]

Feel free to use this thread to rant about other Hollywood movie manglings...

 

[Hielor]

This is why I don't read books, it just gets in the way of enjoying the movie

 

[Ghostrider]

I'm curious to see if they ever dare to take on "The Last Battle".

 

[Linguofreak]

This is why I don't read books, it just gets in the way of enjoying the movie

Shun! Shun! :lol:

 

[jedidia]

I haven't seen dawn treader yet, but in my opinion they haven't done such a bad job with Narnia so far. One of the problems is that the books are so heavily rooted in 40's and 50's english culture (and morality) that it is impossible to throw them to the screen without an overhaul. The voyage of the dawn treader is exceptional in this way because the book is already pretty loose on plot. The episodical concept of the book would much more lend itself to a series than a two-hour movie, where you pretty much have to have an overarching plot that builds up tension, a thing dawn treader simply doesn't have, so I can well imagine that they had severe trouble with it, and as far as I heard had to put in an artificial plot-arch.

They really should have done a horse and its boy instead, as it would simply be perfect a) for a children movie that lends itself very well to both genders and a clear plot line, even with some conspiracy thrown in. It would make for a great classical childrens adventure movie.

I think things will clear up a bit in the future, as the silver chair and the last battle both have a very clear and epic plot arch. The trouble with the last battle will undoubtedly be one big huge elefant in the room, which might need some adaptation to a) not piss everyone off except hard-core fans of the books and b) not put stereotypes into kids heads. The trouble wouldn't have been so big with a horse and his boy, as there the calormen aren't blatantly revealed as Satan worshipers... In any case, the Calormen will need a rework to sever them a bit from their obviously ottoman roots, if you don't want to deliver the movies in package with a historical documentary on Western/Turkish relationships in the middle ages to put it all into the right picture.

 

[Scruce]

I thought it was good...

 

[RisingFury]

I don't read books. Data transfer rate is way too low...

 

[n72.75]

C. S. Lewis was, in my opinion one of the greatest authors to have his works abused by Hollywood.

I don't read books. Data transfer rate is way too low...

I read books. It gives me an excuse to calculate my baud rate.

 

[JEL]

what's a book??

 

[Live4Him]

Did you ever notice the parallels between C.S. Lewis' work and Jesus? The Chronicles of Narnia were, in a way, meant to be an allegory of Christ. In "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" Aslan laid down his life for a traitor. That's exactly what Jesus did. He laid down His life for us, traitors to God, so we could be free! Do you know Jesus? If not, I'd be happy to help you! God bless you. I'll be praying for you!

 

[Quick_Nick]

Obvious troll is obvious?

 

[jedidia]

The Chronicles of Narnia were, in a way, meant to be an allegory of Christ.

Actually not an allegory. An allegory would mean that Aslan is like Jesus. C.S. Lewis actually said that Aslan IS Jesus. You could in a way regard it as theological fiction (as the Perelandra triology), or as outright heresy. Or you could make a sect out of it...

 

[Kyle]

I always thought Aslan was Qui-Gon reincarnated as a lion.

 

[Ghostrider]

I always thought Aslan was Qui-Gon reincarnated as a lion.

Actually, Liam Neeson is a lion reincarnated as an Irishman.