Like I mentioned in my previous entry, I’ve had the complete VCD collection of the BBC adaptation of The Chronicles of Narnia for 3 years now but I have only attempted to watch it once. I gave up after a few minutes because I was creeped out by the talking beasts – which were actually people wearing animal costumes, until friends from The Lion’s Call forum mentioned how they liked it, especially The Silver Chair. So I dug out my old VCD’s and watched SC, and liked it a lot.

Tonight, having nothing better to do (and not having cable connection at the moment for some reason), I thought I’d watch Prince Caspian and The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, which was meshed to one movie. My major problem is that I can’t find the last disc, so I couldn’t finish watching it. But still, here are my comments:

COMMENTS ON THE CAST

There’s something about Richard Dempsey’s portrayal as PETER PEVENSIE that I really liked. He was younger than I thought Peter would be from the book, but he has a certain kingliness and nobility about him that I could really imagine him as the High King.

Sophie Cook as SUSAN PEVENSIE had only a very short role in the film, and I don’t remember much about it.

Jonathan Scott as EDMUND PEVENSIE was okay, though he looked nearly Peter’s age.

I didn’t like Sophie Wilcox as LUCY PEVENSIE that much, because she didn’t quite capture the innocence and pureness of heart that Georgie Henley was able to portray in the Walt Disney-Walden Media version.

I loved both the young PRINCE CASPIAN, played by Jean Marc Perret, and the older KING CASPIAN, played by Samuel West. First, because they got the age right. When Caspian became a king, he was only a boy, not a 27 year old man. Second, because they got his hair right. Caspian had golden curls, not raven black wavy hair. Oh well. Plus, I love how the older Caspian resembled the younger Caspian.

As I mentioned before, David Twaithes as EUSTACE SCRUBB captured the whining, irritating quality of the character.

For the minor characters, I’ve got to say I also loved MIRAZ (Robert Lang), CORIAKIN (Preston Lockwood) and best of all, the HAG (which I just found out was played by Barbara Kellerman, who also played the White Witch and the Lady of the Green Kirtle).

COMMENTS ON THE SCRIPT

Again, I must say I’m really impressed with how many direct quotes they incorporated in the dialogue. I guess the main difference is that they combined PC and VDT into pretty much one single story. As I said before, I can’t find the last CD so I don’t know how the story ends, but they thought of a pretty good way to do it. When the Pevensies get back to Narnia after the end of PC, instead of everyone going to school, Peter is going to Professor Kirke’s, Susan to the USA (uh, in a train?) and Ed and Lucy to the house of their cousin Eustace Scrubb. Of course, this leads straight to the story of VDT.

I think though that if you watch this film without reading the book, you’d be hard-pressed to understand the back-story of the Telmarines and the battle.

OTHER COMMENTS

Uh, I thought it was weird for Aslan, Susan and Lucy to watch the second Battle of Beruna rather nonchalantly from the comforts of a tall hill. And I thought the dryads (spirits of the trees) were way too creepy and ghost-like.

I sort of wished I’ve seen the BBC adaptation of The Chronicles of Narnia when I was younger. I’m sure I would have enjoyed it more, but as it is, I still love it.