NarnianPrincess got the chance to have an exclusive interview with Douglas Gresham. This is a great one that addresses many of the things in Prince Caspian that you may have been wondering about, based on the trailer. There’s also a bit about Voyage of the Dawn Treader! So she’s taking the floor from here on out.
Hi NarniaFans! This is Alaina/NarnianPrincess here asking Douglas Gresham a few questions about Prince Caspian! I hope that you enjoy it, and that these are answers to things that you’ve been wondering about!
NF: Okay then, with only 90 days (huzzah!) until Caspian is released, how are things shaping up?
Douglas Gresham: There is still quite a bit of work to do but the film is looking absolutely fantastic. I am so proud of Andrew and Walter and all our team for the great job they have done on this movie.
NF: When you went to the screening last week, what was your first impression of the movie? Are you please with the overall outcome?
Douglas Gresham: I am very pleased indeed. My first impression was “Wow!”, and remember I had already seen all the “dailies” so I knew what the footage looked like. The movie has come together amazingly and beautifully well. When it ended I thought to myself “What over already?” And then checked my watch to find that it is actually still about 5 minutes longer than we need it to be. It was astonishing how fast it all went by. I can’t wait to see it again.
NF: Can you tell us who/what your cameo is in PC?
Douglas Gresham: Oh that’s easy to find out, just go and see the movie. 🙂
NF: How do you think Prince Caspian will compare to The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe?
Douglas Gresham: With the Narnian movies its going to be very hard to make that kind of comparison because the stories are all so very different. It’s not like we are making sequels, each movie will be a completely unique stand-alone work. But to try, I would say that starting with a story that is not as good or as powerful as that of “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,” I think that our team have actually made a better movie out of it than LWW turned out to be.
NF: What is the main message that you think Jack, and you, would like us all to take away from this film?
Douglas Gresham: Prince Caspian is a story about people and indeed the entire world of Narnia, returning to truth and true faith after a millennium of corruption and a long slide away from what is real and important. It is a story about hope, courage and honesty, and it tells us that no matter how far away we drift, there is always a way back. What that way back is, you’ll have to watch the movie to find out. 🙂
NF: How’s the soundtrack? Do a lot of the same theme’s come back from LWW, or is it all new music. Do you know when the soundtrack will be released on CD?
Douglas Gresham: I am not sure when it will be released, and I’m not going to tell you anything about it except that Harry (Gregson-Williams) has done a great job with it and it will keep on getting better till the day we release the film.
NF: ~Now for some things that certain people have some reservations about. We understand if you can’t comment.
NF: There are a lot of people that have a problem with Ben being as old as he is. How do you think he has done as the uncertain boy-prince?
Douglas Gresham: Go see the movie and find out. 😀 But Ben is a superb actor (and a very nice guy) and I am very pleased with his portrayal of Caspian. I am also really looking forward to working with him again on “The Voyage of The Dawn Treader.” I don’t think anybody will be disappointed by his performance at all.
NF: Do Peter and Caspian really have a sword fight?
Douglas Gresham: Heh heh, once again you’ll have to see the movie to find out.
NF: Why add a night raid scene to the film?
Douglas Gresham: Well we did have a bit of a problem with making Prince Caspian the book into Prince Caspian the movie. You see, its largely a book of walking and talking. The kids arrive in Narnia and then Trumpkin arrives and they all sit down and he tells them the story of Prince Caspian. So if we had stuck to the book half the movie would be four kids and a dwarf sitting round a camp fire talking. And then they all get up and go for a nice long walk in the woods, arrive at the other end and there’s a battle. Now this all works very well in the book, but it would make a very poor movie. What we needed to do was to find a way of making the story of Prince Caspian integral to that of the four Pevensies and carry both through the whole movie. The raid is a part of that process. Its never as easy as you think. 😀
NF: Some were upset over the fact that Susan carries a sword and appears to fight. Any comments on why they had her do that?
Douglas Gresham: Well, knowing our Susan (and indeed our Anna too), I somehow just can’t imagine her sitting down in the grass and watching the boys have a battle against the bad guys. I don’t remember the sword though.
NF: Do you tell/show us what happens to Miraz’s son? Does he really get kidnapped by the Old Narnians?
Douglas Gresham: I don’t think this is something that you should worry about too much, there’s Global Warming remember, world-wide Recession, dental cavities and facial blemishes and all sorts of things more meritorious of anxiety than the fate of Miraz’s son. He’s a cute little fellow anyway.
NF: In the trailer Jadis appears to be reaching out to Caspian, whereas in the book they never get to the point of calling her up. Why was this changed?
Douglas Gresham: Why not? Actually, it turns out to be a very powerful scene but you’ll have to wait a see the movie to find out how and why.
NF:~Now just a tad bit about Voyage of the Dawn Treader.
NF: I was overjoyed to hear of the writers strike ending! How close are you now in the script being finished?
Douglas Gresham:Hey, the strike has only just ended, give us a chance! 😎
NF: Have they found a Eustace yet?
Douglas Gresham: We have a number of good prospects, but we haven’t yet made a decision.
NF: Will most of the same people (except Andrew Adamson, of course) be putting this movie together?
Douglas Gresham: Obviously we will try to keep as many of our team together as we can, but there will of course be some great new faces as well.
NF: ~Thank you so much for taking the time to answer these questions. I know I speak for all the NarniaFans when I say that we really appreciate it!!
Douglas Gresham: You’re very welcome.
NF: Well folks! There you have it! I hope that you’re more excited than ever to see this wonderful book be made into an awesome movie! 🙂
