Summary: Includes the classic stories: 'The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe', 'Prince Caspian', 'The Voyage Of The Dawn Treader' and 'The Silver Chair'.

THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA, based on the beloved children's books by C.S. Lewis, was an ambitious television project taken up by the BBC. The tale of four siblings who find a passageway to a magical land filled with little people, talking animals, evil queens and warmhearted lion who has the power to rid Narnia of injustice and corruption. THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA, which makes reference to the Bible and THE ODYSSEY, never fails to capture both hearts and heads. In an age that sees the soaring budgets of LORD OF THE RINGS and STAR WARS, its charming and impressive to see creative solutions to low budget demands of this TV series. See individual titles for complete descriptions.

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C.S. Lewis's classic novel The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobemakes an ambitious and long-awaited leap to the screen in this modern adaptation. It's a CGI-created world laden with all the special effects and visual wizardry modern filmmaking technology can conjure, which is fine so long as the film stays true to the story that Lewis wrote. And while this film is not a literal translation--it really wants to be so much more than just a kids' movie--for the most part it is faithful enough to the story, and whatever faults it has are happily faults of overreaching, and not of holding back. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobetells the story of the four Pevensie children, Lucy, Peter, Edmund, and Susan, and their adventures in the mystical world of Narnia. Sent to the British countryside for their own safety during the blitz of World War II, they discover an entryway into a mystical world through an old wardrobe. Narnia is inhabited by mythical, anthropomorphic creatures suffering under the hundred-year rule of the cruel White Witch (Tilda Swinton, in a standout role). The arrival of the children gives the creatures of Narnia hope for liberation, and all are dragged into the inevitable conflict between evil (the Witch) and good (Aslan the Lion, the Messiah figure, regally voiced by Liam Neeson).

Director (and co-screenwriter) Andrew Adamson, a veteran of the Shrekfranchise, knows his way around a fantasy-based adventure story, and he wisely keeps the story moving when it could easily become bogged down and tiresome. Narniais, of course, a Christian allegory and the symbology is definitely there (as it should be, otherwise it wouldn't be the story Lewis wrote), but audiences aren't knocked over the head with it, and in the hands of another director it could easily have become pedantic. The focus is squarely on the children and their adventures. The four young actors are respectable in their roles, especially considering the size of the project put on their shoulders, but it's the young Georgie Henley as the curious Lucy who stands out. This isn't a film that wildly succeeds, and in the long run it won't have the same impact as the Harry Potterfranchise, but it is well done, and kids will get swept up in the adventure. Note: Narniadoes contain battle scenes that some parents may consider too violent for younger children. --Dan Vancini

Main Language:	English
Region:	Region 2
Special Features:	2003 Cast Reunion, Interview, Blue Peter Clips, Costume And Set Design Features, Special Effects, Out Takes, Narnia Quiz, Trivia Pages, Biographies
Year:	1988
Release Date:	November 17, 2003
Runtime:	600 minutes
Certification:
Catalogue Number:	B B C D V D 1317
Keywords:	Family, Classic, Book, Voyage, General, Chair, Four, Edition, Dawn, Silver, Witch, Prince, Lion, Wardrobe, Chronicles, Narnia, Tv, Drama, Childrens, Discs, Based, Caspian, Collector's, Treader
Genre:	Childrens