“The Chronicles of Narnia” was premiered at NY City’s Learning Annex at the AMC on 42nd Street to a sold out audience of 1000 people.
The movie is true to the book and according to Adamson he insisted on Aslan’s moustache and started the film with the bombing of Britain to later influence Peter to use the eagles to drop stones on the White Witch’s army.
Tilda Swanson plays an amazing intelligent White Witch and in discussions with Adamson they decided that adults who constantly change their attitude and minds is very scary to children. The White Witch frequently comforts Edmund so that her desires are met and then yells at him only to “apologize” thereafter.
The Stone Table scene where Aslan sacrifices his life to the White Witch is extremely scary and violent but Adamson and the ratings board felt that it reflected the book and even C.S. Lewis was criticized for this scene in the book.
The animated characters from the Shrek director are extremely realistic and believable. Adamson took measures to research each mythological character to decide if they were to be on the good or bad side.
Adamson claims to have studied “Braveheart” and used a similar POV in the bloodless Narnia battle.
Adamson claims to have first read the series at age 8 and recently has reread “The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe” many times and feels the book stands well from a non-religious point of view (although the film will make many religious people think about their beliefs).
Adamson is currently working on “Shrek 3 (not as the director this time) and looking at Lewis’ “Prince Caspian.”
Thanks to Roger E Pedersen for sending us this report!
