This week’s mailbag is a little late because I was waiting for the upgrade to the software on which NarniaFans.com runs. It finally was released late last night, and by that time, I was too tired to write this. Not to mention that I’m working on a secret project that I think you’re all going to love. But there’ll be more time for that in the future. If you want to submit a question as to what it could be, hint free, be my guest. I’ll answer every question with one that brings you closer to the answer.
Let’s get started:
When, and where, are your movie auditions for the Voyage of the Dawn Treader? thank you. :):):D
-Camille Jones
Paul: We aren’t actually in charge of the casting, but there is a website that you can find out about casting calls for the film, called My Entertainment World. The production for The Voyage of the Dawn Treader has updated the listing, which you can see in it’s entirety if you are subscribed to the website. It’s looking more and more like the late July / August start for shooting the movie is actually going to happen!
CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: THE VOYAGE OF THE DAWN TREADER, THE – August, 2009 – Queensland, Australia; Details Are only Available By Subscription.. STORY: In the enchanted land of Narnia, Edmund and Lucy join King Caspian on a sworn mission to find the seven lost Lords of Narnia. So begins a perilous new quest that takes them to the farthest edge of the Eastern world on board the mighty Dawn Treader. Sailing uncharted seas, the old friends must survive a terrible storm, encounters with sea serpents, dragons, and invisible enemies to reach lands where magicians weave mysterious spells and nightmares come true. They need every ounce of courage and the help of the great lion Aslan to triumph in their most hazardous adventure of all. (Posted: May 8, 2008. Revised: June 4, 2009)
Now, let’s dig into the archives of letters that we were sent back in 2007. This is an interesting one that we all know the answer to.
Is PC going to be a love story between Caspian and Susan? The production blog clip seemed to me to indicate that, but could you find this out for me?
Shad Eash
Paul: No, there is not. There’s going to be times that they glance at one another, and help each other out. There will also be a couple of quick conversations between them, if even that. And then Susan is going to be herself and kiss him. Typical Susan. 🙂
Now, here’s a question that doesn’t seem dated:
Hey, great job on the site!! But I have a question on your opinion. I was watching LWW in the coronation scene where Lucy and Mr. Tumnus are on a balcony discussing Aslan’s departure and you can see Aslan walking down the beach. I noticed Aslan’s footprints behind him. But did anyone else see (a few frames after) that Aslan is gone… and his footprints end abruptly! You can still see them, but at the edge of dry sand there are none. I thought, maybe he just disappeared!?!? What do you think?
Rachel
Paul: Very good question. You know how Aslan appears when he is needed, and then leaves again when he is not? Well, we don’t know Aslan’s method of transportation, but we do know a bit about his nature. The simplest way to put it, is that Aslan is supernatural. In the Bible, we read about how angels would sometimes come to people within their dreams, just as Aslan appeared to Lucy within hers. For Aslan, and for Lucy, this is no less important than when she meets him face to face when she is awake, just as it was no less important for Joseph when the angel appeared to him.
Aslan, being supernatural, appears only when he is needed, and not more often than that. But if you’re paying close attention, you can see him working through all things, and where he is present even when not physically on the screen. He does this to teach us.
And that’s it for this week’s mailbag! Feel free to send in some e-mail for next week!
I loved your answer about Caspian and Susan, Paul. The way some people have talked about this, you would think this IS what the whole movie is about.
Thanks, Mark! I thought about it, and I figured I would answer it in a very tongue-in-cheek manner, as if the movie hadn’t come out yet, but I had some inside information about it. It’s amazing how much of a thing people make of it. Some feel that Caspian and Susan were perfect for each other. I’m sorry, but making eyes and having a conversation about a magical horn doesn’t make a relationship perfect, as is a realistic assessment of the whole thing.
well paul. When caspian first saw susan he fell in <3 of her!!! And then susan starrted falling in luv with him. but she(knew!!!) it wasnt ment to be but still she loves him or at least likes him. they where flirting. (ALOT) but then in the thir movie Susan regreats kissing him becuse he falls in luv and marries ramadu's daughter
The problem with the kiss is that Susan should be a figure out of myth and legend to Caspian. Not a girlfriend. To Caspian, she’s a character out of his bedtime stories come to life. “The myth becoming fact,” as Lewis called it, which is arguably the most important theme in the book, and perhaps the entire series.
If Esther from the Bible came to life, I would be far to in awe of meeting her to want to have any romantic feelings for her, no matter how beautiful she was. So, was the whole movie ABOUT Suspian? No. But did it severely damange an essential theme in the story? Absolutley. That’s why it’s such a big deal.
As an adaptation, it was totally inappropriate. As a stand alone film, it was laughable.
Oh, and what exactly did you mean by “typical Susan”? LB says nothing about her kissing boys.
And even if it did, the movie was clearly portraying the kiss as a POSITIVE thing. Adamson himself said the purpose of the kiss was to show Susan letting herself reattach to Narnia. In his words, she learns that “it is better to have loved and lost than to not have loved at all.” In the film, the kiss is supposed to be the end of her arc.
And even if it did somehow forshadow LB, was it really worth damanging such an essential theme to do so?
Paul, It looks like the can of worms is open.
glumPuddle, While I respect your knowledge of Narnia, and have enjoyed your views on many topics, in my humble opinion, you’ve got this one wrong. Prince Caspian has a mystic of his own. He has been raised in a castle after all. And, while the “myth factor” may have affected his attitude before he meets Susan, when he does meet her, she is not exactly what he expected. And, as those who have friendships with celebrities can attest, being “star struck” wears off once you get to know a person.
Of course, this subject has been talked to death, and anyone who wants to read more can find mountains of discussion by doing a Google search for “Caspian Susan kiss.”
For what it’s worth, here is a link to what I said about this before the movie came out: http://live.hollywoodjesus.com/?p=1883&page=3
ok, i have a question about the ‘secret project’: what is it?
🙂
About the auditions: I went to the “My Entertainment World” website and you have to subscribe for a year in order to access the information, which seems a little ridiculous. Is there nowhere else I can find it? I’ve searched everywhere! Please help!
Argh, what is the secret project?!?!?! Oh, I looooved your answer to that last question about Aslan. 🙂
I hope that the adventures and special effects of the voyage of the dawn treader is better or somewhat like the pirates of the caribean.
As for my own opinion on the Caspian and Susan smooch, it wasn’t near as bad as I was afraid it might be. To me, it seemed like they turned the kiss into a ‘good-bye’ type-thing, which I thought was okay. My biggest problem with it (besides the fact that it was not even hinted at in the book) is that it makes Caspian look… well, kinda silly. After all, Susan is the one who says, “It wouldn’t work.” Then, I think it sorta messes up the story for ‘The Voyage of the Dawn Treader’ becasue (Warning: spoiler coming up!!!) Caspian does fall in love and marries Ramadu’s daughter. I guess what I’m getting at is that, with two ‘love stories’, it just makes Caspian be a sorta mushy character. Don’t get me wrong; I loved ‘Prince Caspian’, and I thought it was a great movie. I just didn’t care for the movie-makers weak attempt to sneak in a kiss at the end.
Hey, Paul, I love your insight on Narnia. I can’t wait for your secret project! What could it be…?
i agree with u. Its cute how susan kisses caspian but i think when susan ssays it wont work caspian should kiss her. He is stupid for not doing that.He turns it in too a (goodbye).In the third movie they dont have long converstaions because susan kinda regreats she kissed him because she nver new she was coming back(???)And seccond caspian falls in luv with(stupid) ramadu’s daughter and MARRIES HER!!!!I think he should propose to susanthey look the same age so who cares?! well i still LOVE u pc
Mark, if you want to reason it out, you can. It’s not a complete impossability that they might could fall in love, (though I’d say extremely unlikley in the middle of a war and in just a few days). But think about non-readers’ impression. What does the kiss do for them? Does it give them the right impression about how Caspian views Susan? What good does the kiss do?
They never really showed Caspian’s awe of Susan at all. If the film was a couple hours longer and they had time to show how his awe could turn to love, the kiss would not be quite as bad. But they never did that. And the kiss certaintly does nothing to add to that. In fact, if anything, it certaintly goes in the opposite direction.
The kiss is an abomination.
U got this thing all wrong.When caspian sees susan he falls in <3 of her. Ucan see it in his eyes.. and then susan starts falling in luv of him too. They flirt (alot)2. but he only fell in love with her in that movie but in the other movie he falls in luv and marries ramadu's daughter how stupid him.
I rarely see a kiss-supporter arguing why the kiss is a great thing. Rather, they try to show how it’s “not so bad.”
glumPuddle,
In the article I link to above, I do not argue that it’s “not so bad.” I ague it could be (The movie was not out yet.) a good thing.
Really confused about auditioning for the new Narnia movie to be shot in Queensland.Unsure whether I should subscribe to My Entertainment World for details. Am I too late?
I don’t think that you’re too late. For details about it, you just need to be registered.
The kiss “could have been” a good thing in the sense that nothing is impossible. But now we’ve seen the movie: It was an abomination. The exact kind of thing we thought we were safe from with Walden and Mr. Gresham being involved. Shameless Hollywood touch.