An Epic Failure

RIP
2005-2009

I read the Chronicles of Narnia series when I was a kid. I also read it in college when I was a deadhead who loved reading on the lawn (see Bonaroo post). Because of that time, I was REALLY into fantasy and thought the Narnia series was so much more epic than CS Lewis perhaps imagined it. I used to sit on the lawn with my jaw dropped at the monumental forces which were at work in front of my eyes; finding connections with quantum physics beneath the melting pages. These were also kids books, so reading one of them in a few hours made me feel accomplished. I also formed a personal attachment to one of the characters: Prince Caspian. Because I liked the name, I took the title and applied to one of my characters in my novels and artwork. Back in 2005, I was really excited at the announcement that they were going to take the series and make it into seven films. The first film (Lion Witch and the Wardrobe) was released in 2005 to many underwhelmed fans. three years later in 2008, I sat watching the second film (prince Caspian) by myself, surrounded by families. Now in 2009, I have learned that the third film (Voyage Of The Dawn Treader) has been pushed by to 2010. The films adaptation to the story is fair, even to the point of loyal. However this gap between films is corroding my fascination with talking lions and wood nymphs. There are a number of reasons why the seven films will never get made. Despite constant rewrites and lack of directorial vision, the audience for these films is not as strong as it should be. Lord of the Rings had the unwavering support of the high fantasy crowd. The Star Wars series had a stranglehold on the Science Fiction Scene. Chronicles of Narnia is a children's fantasy which has the nostalgia of parents but can never lock into the Young Adult demographic. Perhaps if the movies were released yearly, interest could be kept up, but changing fasincations will certainly delay further pictures. These films are certainly catered to children who identify more with singing high school students and romantic vampires than the magic of talking animals. The fourth film (Silver Chair) in this series is planned but it is anyone's guess whether or not we will see it.