As Crônicas de Nárnia: O Leão, a Feiticeira e o Guarda-Roupa

I've watched this a zillion times with my kids, and never tired of it. But I wonder now what it will seem like after having seen the big-budget 2005 Narnia. While my kids adored the modern version, I found it lacked the charm/continuity of this the 1988 BBC version. In the modern Narnia I hated the father Xmas scene, also the initial scene of Lucy and the fawn. By the way I'd never realised there were religious undertones to TLWATW, I still think you have to look really hard. I'm writing this without having read other recent comments so look forward to see how many of you preferred the old version.

Keep looking for Narnia!

Disney's upcoming movie is certainly an exciting prospect; I know it will be excellent since WETA is involved. (They did all of the Lord of the Rings props and costumes and more.) Many of us who look forward to the 2005 film fondly remember growing up with the BBC "WonderWorks" version from 1988. The best way to watch this movie is: not after Lord of the Rings. I mean it. You are spoiling it for yourself if you go into it expecting too much.

The worst thing about this film is definitely the effects. Most of them you can move beyond if you try to have a pre-Toy-Story-revolutionized-world attitude. The worst thing for me was the green-screen flying sequence. Even with an open mind, that one's tough.

Aslan actually looks pretty lion-ey until he talks, then you have to try to concentrate anywhere but his mouth. Anyone remember "Wishbone," the PBS beagle-mutt who took us all on adventures in classic literature? His mouth didn't move at all, and by the third or fourth episode, you believed it without a problem. If you have patience, Aslan gets better as the movie progresses. He falls a little short of "majestic," but the Stone Table scene had me in tears even when I was past the cry-in-Free-Willy age. (The Beavers also take a little imagination -- but come on, it was 1988... how else do you do a Beaver who talks and acts?

Those few less-than-stellar aspects aside, this movie was fantastically done. The acting was definitely the strongest point. The Professor was hands-down the best character as far as performance goes, though he was in it little, but the others were all good too. Barbara Kellerman as the White Witch was excellent as well; I think that of all the comparisons between this film and the upcoming version, the White Witch will be the hardest for me to accept. I mean sure, they can beat the all technical stuff without any effort at all, but can the new White Witch be quite as regally evil? We'll see. The four children are very naturally good, they act just like four young British children who come upon such and adventure would act. (Which is a much bigger accomplishment than it sounds, and not all that common. Can anyone say nine-year-old Anakin Skywalker?)

Also, the script is taken from the book nearly verbatim, which gives is much credibility. Anyone who feels the need to improve upon C.S. Lewis loses a few points in my book.

Long story short, if you have the ability to forget you've seen computer-animated creatures interact flawlessly with live action, and you can use your imagination a little, then you will enjoy this beautifully crafted tale. Although, I do recommend trying to see it BEFORE you catch Disney's in December. :-D

This is my absolute all time favourite film (ok- TV programme) to watch. I've bought it on DVD and as soon as I hear the opening anthem I'm taken back to being four again and sat right in front of the TV watching with excitement. Does this mean I love it so much because it's very good or just because of the nostalgia I feel? Does anyone else have TV programmes/ films that instantly take them back in time when they watch them? After I'd watched this on TV (or video I'm not sure) I remember going up to my bedroom, closing my eyes and putting my hand slowly towards the back of my wardrobe. No matter how many times I did it I'd always get to a point where I'd believe I'd got into Narnia!

This series showed how a small and resourceful budget can produce the maximum feeling and atmosphere in this truly classic version. It remains, like the other dramatisations, faithful to the text, and although the special effects are cheap, remember they were state of the art in 1988 and the amazing acting from the children and Barbara Kellermann's stunningly sharp and real portrayal of the witch more than makes up for it. And by the way, unlike other reviews state, this was a series, not a movie, so isn't too long when you think about it. See it if you can, though! Truly classic version.

Every child has a memory of a TV programme they watched when they were little and played it back for as long as they can remember and it always reminds them of the good times in their childhood. CS Lewis's Lion, Witch and the Wardrobe was one of them for me. I watched Rainbow, Simon and the Witch, T-Bag, Rod Hull and EMU along with Grottbags but Lion Witch and the wardrobe brings back the best.

I was never to much fussed or even liked Prince Caspian and The Silver Chair but this was a childhood masterpiece and also classic. The witch is still the most scariest thing I have ever witnessed, even in my adulthood the thought of her voice sends shivers down my spine. I always thought Aslan was a dark character as the Lion. The scene where it is night and he sends Lucy and Susan away and he lies onto the stone table awaiting the Witch to come and take his life in a bargain that she would release Edmund from her powers still keeps in my head as it was one of those famous scary scenes from kid programs.

I now have the box set of the entire films that were made and I have taken a liken to Prince Caspian but still no luck on The Silver Chair but with the movies coming along soon then I could be changed which will probably be the case as the whole thing is supposed to give Lord of the Rings a run for it's money which will be interesting to see.

Not matter how Good the new Lion, Witch and Wardrobe will be this is will always have a place in my heart for making my life as a child enjoyable one as it kept me excited every Sunday evening when they showed each episode on BBC One and I will always think of that Witch.