The Chronicles of Narnia - The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (Two-Disc Collector's Edition)
by Andrew Adamson
List Price:
Our Price: $3.99
You Save: $26.00 (87%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $0.01 (click here)
Category: DVD
See more DVD details
Buy this DVD movie at online store in your country
Canada
Canada
DVD details
Actor: Anna Popplewell, Georgie Henley, Skandar Keynes, Tilda Swinton, William MoseleyDirector: Andrew Adamson
Brand: Buena Vista Home Video
Producer: Andrew Adamson
Writer: Andrew Adamson
Producer: David Minkowski
Writer: Ann Peacock
Writer: C.S. Lewis
Writer: Christopher Markus
Writer: Stephen McFeely
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown), Dolby Digital 5.1; English (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled); French (Subtitled); English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 5.1; German (Original Language); French (Dubbed), Unknown; Spanish (Dubbed), Unknown
Format: AC-3, Closed-captioned, Collector's Edition, Color, Dolby, DTS Surround Sound, Dubbed, DVD, NTSC, Special Edition, Subtitled, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 143 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2006-04-04
Audience Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Buena Vista Home Entertainment / Disney
Product features:
- Prepare to enter another world when Walt Disney Pictures and Walden Media present C.S. Lewis' timeless and beloved adventure. With the stunningly realistic special effects, you'll experience the exploits of Lucy, Edmund, Susan, and Peter, four siblings who find the world of Narnia through a magical wardrobe while playing a game of "hide-and-seek" at the country estate of a mysterious profe
DVD Reviews of The Chronicles of Narnia - The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (Two-Disc Collector's Edition)
DVD Review: Purely Magickal 100% De-Christianized Fantasy.
Summary: 4 Stars
This review is for the THEATRICAL VERSION, not the not-yet-released DVD in any form. When I have procured the Special Edition, I will then review that format/version.
I must say that I was more than a bit apprehensive concerning My viewing of this film. I was as hesitant to see this as any bible-thumping fire and brimstone mom would be to see a Harry Potter movie, and for the same reasons...I didn't want Me and Mine subjected to religious beliefs to which we do not subscribe. It is for that reason that I refuse to see/own/borrow "The Passion of the Christ" or otherwise view it in any capacity.
I had no idea what to expect. I frankly could not remember the story to save My life. I had to go online and read the Cliff Notes to remember the damned thing at ALL. I do remember that I had just completed a heinous wading through "Pilgrim's Progress" at the time [I was living with nuns then...OY!] and was about as thrilled about reading the LW&W as I was over a visit to our sadistically twisted monk/dentist. Before that, I honestly had no memory of the work.
Now that I've read the Notes and refreshed My memory, I can say that I do remember the story quite well. It was incredibly similar to Tolkien's works, which I would read in their entirety some 18 years later, making the connection only then.
I must say the beginning of this endeavor brought the Lemony Snicket series immediately to mind. I do realize, of course, that the SoUE was written much later than the CoN; however, the casting choices for the parts of the children is more to what I refer. Naturally, there are four children here in the LW&W, where in SoUE there were three, but I think anyone could see the similarities quite easily. Indeed, in the opening moments of LW&W, I more than half expected to hear Jude Law's voice smoothing through the speakers to caution us that this would not be a happy tale.
Many reviewers have [at this point] been quick to extoll the striking similarites between the LW&W and the LotR, while others were more keen to demonstrate [ad nauseum, I might add] each detail of Christian symbolism Lewis found appropriately necessary to insert throughout his works, so I won't bore you with loads of those details. I have to point out a few, but that's only because the story is built around Christian myth and Tolkien's stolen ideas [alleged by Tolkien himself, not by this reviewer].
I will, instead, attempt a different route and see where it leads us.
*The introduction to our principal characters was an emotional one, setting up a small bit of character development, allowing you to "know" them as well as a few minutes' insight into their lives will allow.
*Edmond is the petulant one, Pete[r] is the responsible "daddy-like" older brother.
*Susan is "just trying to be smart," and Lucy's duty to the cast is to be adorable; a task which she performs beautifully, I might add.
The comparison to the Baudelaire children is astounding.
*Susan is darker haired, pouty-lipped, wannabe braniac very much like Violet. The physical and characterizational similarities are astounding.
*Both Edmond and Pete[r] serve to give us Klaus.
*The two characters combine to constitute the depth of character given us by Liam Aiken which says a great deal about the quality of his acting abilities.
*And Lucy takes the place of the cutesykins, Sunny. Of course, Lucy is a bit older and therfore offers us a tad bit more than cute expressions, meaningless gurgles, and "offered meanings" to her indiscriminate noises.
*Their lives begin with startling parallel to the Baudelaires, in that their parents are absent from their lives, and they are sent to live with strangers.
From there, the only resemblance to the cinematic SoUE work is the personalities of the characters, themselves. To illustrate that, I'll point out the striking similarities between Count Olaf and the White Witch [portrayed brilliantly by Tilda Swinton who also was more than adequate in her role as the Archangel Gabriel in Constantine].
*Both are over the top.
*Both are willing to go to any means to achieve their self-serving ends.
It is My opinion that children and some adult] "actors" don't usually act. They remember their lines, and they pretend to be someone they're not, but acting is more than remembering lines. Acting is being your character, not just spouting thoughts and ideals which are not your own. An actor possesses the ability to make someone who is watching, believe that you are who you're pretending to be, to believe what you're saying.
As far as the Tolkien references/rip-offs/similarities, there are simply too many to mention. It is My understanding that Tolkien and Lewis were both members of a literary club [known as the "Inklings"] at Oxford during which time Tolkien would share the early drafts of his novels with the other members of the group. He claimed early on that Lewis was stealing his ideas, causing him to rewrite his drafts, and thereby forcing him to "best" his own works. So, if Tolkien was correct in his accusations, we have Lewis to thank for the beautiful works which are the Lord of the Rings. Tolkien and Lewis remained bitter enemies until Lewis's death in '65, and indeed, Tolkien still bore him a grudge until his own death in 1973. Some references state that they were friends and that's not entirely untrue. They were friends until Tolkien began to recognize his own words and ideas within Lewis's writings [according to Tolkien].
Again, the similarities are many, but to name a few...
* the entrance to Mr. Tumnus's lair looks remarkably similar to the entrance to Bagg's End
* the archtypical fiend was the "White Witch," whereas the LotR bears Saruman the White
* beloved Gandalf sacrifices himself to save his friends [namesly Frodo] and dies at the hand of Magick used darkly and is "reborn" even more powerful because he was not dark, himself...just as Aslan dies at the hands of those who use Magick darkly, and is reborn through the means of a Magickal sacred stone altar which will crack and negate a sacrifice made erroneously [Aslan gave his life in Edmond's stead so Aslan was not the traitor, but was sacrificed as one which activated the spell on the sacred stone]
* the battle scene build-up was very reminiscent of the larger, more involved Lord of the Rings battles [Helm's Deep especially], but not nearly as well done
* the gryphons served the part of the Elves in that they were airbourne in their assault [shredding beaks and rending talons rather than archer's arrows, but in the air none the less]
* ents
* the maps were extremely Tolkien
* Aslan returns from the grave like Gandalf, and for the same reason [the Laws of Magick]
* the traveling party all received gifts from Santa Claus [also known as King of Elves]
* right after Mr. Tumnus is released, the shot of the troups marching across the rock bridge atop the mountains looked like it was straight out of LotR! Call it "homage" if you will, but to Me, that was blatant...
Now, I realize these Tolkien similarities [and there are more...many more] also involve the filming, direction, casting choices, location choices, DoP's choice of angles, etc. rather than what Tolkien and/or Lewis has written, hence My hesitation to sit here and go over any more of them. Those listed above are among the most obvious and blatant examples. There are more, to be sure.
As far as the Christian symbolism contained within, there was surprisingly little. Below, I've detailed the most glaring instances.
* the lion, Aslan, who returns from the dead [but c'mon! Gandalf returned from the dead and no one made the Christian connection with that!]
* Aslan the Lion King was intended to represent Christ
* the coat of arms on Narnia's shields and breastplates was reminiscent of Richard the LionHearted and those used during the Holy Crusades
* they [the people of Narnia] refer to the children as "Sons of Adam, Daughters of Eve"
Those are about it. I realize there were more, but those are so subtle that no one BUT a religious zealot would care to notice.
Now, for My "different route."
* it strikes Me as more than a bit odd that a Lion King would be chosen as a representative of christ by Lewis when it was the very lions to whom the xtians were fed! He was much more closely associated with the King of the Island of Misfit Toys, if you ask me...
* the Dogwood tree [beloved by xtians for symbolism only they read into it] was formerly used to grant wishes and bring protection to the home. It is the first tree flower to bloom in the Springtime, and although the Christians claim that is one of the xtian connections and CS Lewis was a Christian author, I still hesitate to give them that. I find its use more Pagan than Christian.
* I considered the White Witch's alignment [that of Evil] to be a direct insult to all "white" witches. Christians are of the opinion that a witch is a witch, but if you've studied Paganism to ANY extent, you know that's just not the case. However, the usage here is quite obvious.
* I also considered the White Witch to be the anti-thesis to Santa Claus. She rides in a belled sleigh drawn by white reindeer. She takes, rather than gives, and she is cruel down to her bones.
* regardless of the Christian dogma throughout this work, it completely fails to achieve any hidden Christian agenda and uplifts that which it would condemn. Disney is great at that. LOL
* Santa appears as the Holly King to bestow gifts upon the children which will help them in their tasks. This Santa is also on the side of Aslan, which could parallel the priesthood of Catholics and Druids who worked side by side for generations before the Druid tolerance of the Christians was used against them to force them out all together.
All in all, I found this movie more Pagan through its use of Nature and Sympathetic Magicks than Christian. Aslan did rise from the dead, but due to a Law of High Magick, rather than "divine intervention," thereby negating the xtian undertones completely.
Honestly? I loved it. It was wonderful. It was the children's version of the Lord of the Rings saga.
Unfortunately the costumes appear to have only just been made. They did not take the time and expense of "aging" the costumes, thereby lending an almost 80's television feel to this otherwise epic production. Everyone looked [most of the time] as if they just stepped out of the makeup trailer, which did nothing to dispell the 80's television feeling.
The CGI was decent, but Aslan was not as well done as he should have been, considering the staggering budget this movie was awarded, the quality of actors and talent they had associated with this thing, and the name "Disney." I always expect the very best from Disney. I am often disappointed. The CGI in no way failed. It just was not what it should have been.
This one nearly lived up to its potential. At any rate, I found "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" to be highly entertaining, heart-warming, and endearing.
It rates an 8.5/10.
More The Chronicles of Narnia - The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (Two-Disc Collector's Edition) reviews:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Description of The Chronicles of Narnia - The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (Two-Disc Collector's Edition)
Prepare to enter another world when Walt Disney Pictures and Walden Media present C.S. Lewis' timeless and beloved adventure. With the stunningly realistic special effects, you'll experience the exploits of Lucy, Edmund, Susan, and Peter, four siblings who find the world of Narnia through a magical wardrobe while playing a game of "hide-and-seek" at the country estate of a mysterious professor. Once there, the children discover a charming, once peaceful land inhabited by talking beasts, dwarfs, fauns, centaurs, and giants that has been turned into a world of eternal winter by the evil White Witch, Jadis. Aided by the wise and magnificent lion Aslan, the children lead Narnia into a spectacular climactic battle to be free of the Witch's glacial powers forever! The Chronicles of Narnia, Narnia, and all other book titles, characters and locales original thereto are trademarks of C.S. Lewis Pte Ltd. and are used with permission. © Disney/WaldenC.S. Lewis's classic novel The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe makes 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 Wardrobe tells 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 Shrek franchise, 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. Narnia is, 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 Potter franchise, but it is well done, and kids will get swept up in the adventure. Note: Narnia does contain battle scenes that some parents may consider too violent for younger children. --Dan Vancini
Stills from The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (Click for larger image)
 |  |  |
 |  |  |
 |  |  |
Bestsellers in DVD
![The Story of Jeremiah [VHS] Image](/images/noimg.gif)
The Story of Jeremiah [VHS]Vision Video; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Wresting With God [VHS]by Vision Video
Vision Video; Published: 1990-10-01; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Price in other shops:
Study Bible Video with Workbook [VHS]Spring Arbor Distributors; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $7.95
Price in other shops:
Tempo:Childrens TV Favourites Video [VHS]HarperCollins Audio; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $9.17
Price in other shops:
Tempo.Herbs:Parseley'Sb/ Party Video [VHS]HarperCollins Audio; VHS Tape; VHS Video
![Strike the Original Match [VHS] Image](/images/Strike-the-Original-Match-VHS-0001374079-X.jpg)
Strike the Original Match [VHS]New Liberty Films; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Price in other shops:
![Medjugorje The Miracles and the Message [VHS] Image](/images/Medjugorje-The-Miracles-and-the-Message-VHS-0001373293-X.jpg)
Medjugorje The Miracles and the Message [VHS]JPN Film Production; Release date: 1995-12-15; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $29.99
Mayo Clinic Echocardiography Review Course for Boards and Recertification DVD 2008by Mayo
DVD
Price in other shops:
Pediatric Diagnostic Imaging DVD: Single Userby Oakstone
DVD
Price in other shops:
Cost Accounting [VHS]by Charles T. Horngren, George Foster, Srikant M. Datar, Howard Teall
Pearson Canada, Toronto; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Similar DVDs, VHS Video, Audio CDs
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (Two-Disc Collector's Edition)Buena Vista Home Video; Release date: 2003-12-02; DVD
Best price: $4.99
Price in other shops:
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Movie Tie-in Edition (Narnia)by C. S. Lewis
HarperFestival; Published: 2005-10-25; Paperback; Book
Best price: $2.99
Price in other shops:
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (Single-Disc Edition)Walt Disney Video; Release date: 2007-12-04; DVD
Best price: $5.50
Price in other shops:
The Spiderwick Chronicles (Widescreen Edition)Paramount; Release date: 2008-06-24; DVD
Best price: $2.56
Price in other shops:
The Narnia CodeKoch International; Release date: 2011-01-11; Published: 2010-12-01; DVD
Best price: $7.37
Price in other shops:
Chronicles of Narnia - Silver Chair (1990)Image Entertainment; Release date: 2007-03-27; DVD
Best price: $12.07
Price in other shops:
The Golden Compass (Widescreen Single-Disc Edition)NEW LINE HOME VIDEO; Release date: 2008-04-29; DVD
Best price: $0.99
Price in other shops:
The Chronicles of Narnia (The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe / Prince Caspian & The Voyage of the Dawn Treader / The Silver Chair)Warner Brothers; Release date: 2010-11-09; DVD
Best price: $26.05
Price in other shops:
The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Voyage Of The Dawn Treader (Single-Disc Edition)Fox Home Entertainment; Release date: 2011-04-08; DVD
Best price: $8.93
Price in other shops:
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince CaspianWalt Disney Video; Release date: 2008-12-02; Published: 2009-12-29; DVD
Best price: $8.79
Price in other shops: