The Silver Chair

This is much better than the BBC's earlier forays into Narnia, partly due to the book it's based on. It's set in the bare, unpopulated wastes to Narnia's north, so the drab scenery is not a defect. Nor is the absence of extras. Puddleglum, C.S. Lewis's best Narnian creation, is played by Tom Baker, who fits the role as well as anyone on Earth. In general the acting is better in `The Silver Chair' than it was earlier on. Direction is crisper, costumes are more convincing: everything has improved. I have commented harshly on `The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe', and most of those comments apply here as well, but never to the same extent. This is actually okay television. Of course, an adaptation of the Narnia books should be much more than that.

This is the best one. However, I will say that these movies never have achieved that sense of wonder and amazement that I feel the books always have. But, when the 2005 version came out, and I watched it, I was FLOORED! The 2005 version is better than all of the BBC TV presentations put together. The 2005 version holds your attention throughout, even in the parts when they are just playing hide-and-seek or talking about Aslan, and has that sense of wonder and amazement correctly portrayed throughout, also. Tom Baker was good as Puddleglum- he gives the best performance! But when I read the book, I pictured him to be, well, to be like he was in the illustration that is in my edition of the Silver Chair- taller and thinner, and smoking his pipe most of the time. But otherwise, Tom Baker is "quite up to snuff". When the queen is bitten by the snake, she does not look very concerned, or very hurt, or very worried about screaming for help, or very worried about dying, for that matter. And I thought Pole would be a lot prettier. In the scene where Puddleglum is "drunk", it was not nearly as funny as it was in the book. In the movie, that scene was humorous. In the book, that scene was laughable, hilarious, and I just about died laughing the first time I read that page in the book, and I just about die laughing every time I read it.

I have commented more than once about my love for the books. And in general, I like these BBC adaptations. They aren't perfect, but they are very enjoyable, and I concur with those who say the best is The Silver Chair, in my view it is absolutely. The book is wonderful with a great story, and this adaptation did it justice. Any changes that were made actually worked, particularly Rillian's iron mask. One or two parts may have dated slightly though, and there is a rather weak scene with the committee of owls and eyeballs in the dark. On the whole, the production values are an improvement, with the sets and costumes good enough and the effects much better than previously. The music is still as beautiful as ever, the writing has also improved and the story is wonderful, the whole Rillian story especially is brilliantly done. And the acting is fine. Camilla Power is very good, as is David Thwaites. Barbara Kellerman is a stunning and imposing Green Lady, and Aslan is majestically voiced by Ronald Pickup. The standout though is easily Tom Baker, who is simply brilliant as Puddlegum, and I too think he gives the best performance of the entire series. All in all, very enjoyable even with its limitations. 8/10 Bethany Cox

The Silver Chair is perhaps the most consistent of the commendable trilogy of BBC Narnia adaptations of the late 80's, back in those dim distant days when the BBC was committed to quality children's drama. Revisiting the production Ten years after first viewing I found myself warmed anew by the charm of Narnia, which the trilogy more than adequately conveys, and am quite frankly saddened by some of the cynicism of some reviewers towards the economical budgeting. The acting is excellent throughout, Tom Baker much deserving of praise for is simply superb performance as the perennial pessimist 'Puddleglum'; a truly crafted and nuanced portrayal of one C.S Lewis' most endearing characters. Equally the respective child actors put in commendable performances, I much liked the slightly more forceful interpretation of the character of Jill, and Ronald Pickup's Aslan remains resplendent. Perhaps Kellerman's Green Lady is a little OTT for any mature viewer, but the younger viewer will revel in her pantominesque acting.

The atmosphere of the TSC is altogether more dark than some of the earlier outings, Richard Henders manic performance as the crazed Rillian as his the child actors almost visibly reeling in horror, and the scene where Kellerman's Green Lady bewitches the children, "There never was a Narnia", is seditiously sinister. What a shame the tension of the scene was somewhat dispelled when Kellerman transforms into a very unthreatening rubber snake which, despite my defence of the budgeting, really was palpably absurd.

The Chronicles of Narnia really are crying for a modern adaption, to captivate a whole new generation of children bored into catalepsy by inane 'S-Club 7' type melodrama. Indeed, I'm heard whisperings of a Movie production of 'The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe', inspired perhaps by the movie success of Tolkien. A Hollywood Narnia would indeed by very interesting, perhaps at last Aslan will bound across the screen to remedy my memories of the all to static Aslan of the BBC productions, and the Green Lady will actually turn into a serpent! I only hope the casting and acting is as good as is in these BBC classics!

I'm not to fond of writing long reviews. I like to keep things short, so this will be a quick one.

This one is amazing! Ever since I had been watching it on VHS as a toddler and eventually watching it on DVD, I've always loved this one and I don't think I need to say that Tom Baker steals the show as Puddleglum.