Ther is an evident disconnect here between the fact of what C.S. Lewis created with the Narnian Chronicles, and the media view of what’s happening with the upcoming release of The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe.
One doesn’t have to get further into this piece form the DC Times than the first paragraph to see this:
“The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,” a $150 million film combining religion and fantasy, is being pitched to churches as a cross between “The Passion of the Christ” and “The Lord of the Rings.”
CLUE TO JOURNALIST: If it comes across as a cross between “The Passion of the Christ” and “The Lord of the Rings,” maybe it’s because that’s what Lewis had in mind when he wrote it. Lewis and Tolkien were contemporaries, friends and academic associates.
Both were unapologetically Christian, and elements of Christianity and Judeo-Christian symbolism are unmistakeably present in the LOTR trilogy, and even more so in the Narnia cycle.
This is only news to typical modern secularists, and those whose “modern” and/or “deconstructionist” educational experience has left gigantic holes where the the understanding of the cultural underpinnings of Western Civilization (both Judeo-Christian as well as Classical) would have formerly resided.
Those traditional “Classical” elements became classic due to their deep and abiding resonance with the circumstances of the human condition. Those elements, which still resonate with the human condition, are intrinsically embedded in the fabric of both Tolkien and Lewis. This is a good part of what attracts the often values-starved cinema audiences of today, although the fact that both authors could spin a good tale certainly doesn’t hurt.
Anyway, as far as the latest iteration of the Narnia world is concerned, it looks to the Chief as if the Lewis legacy is in good hands:
Mr. Gresham (movie co-producer Douglas Gresham, Lewis’ stepson) spent six months on the set ensuring that the story line stayed true to its Christian values. In his new book, “Jack’s Life,” Mr. Gresham described his stepfather as “influenced by the Holy Spirit of God.” The director, Andrew Adamson, is the son of missionaries. Walden Films president Micheal Flaherty, who has staked his personal reputation on the film’s adherence to the book’s Christian message, attends the nondenominational Grace Chapel in Lexington, Mass.
“We got as faithful an adaptation as possible,” said Mr. Flaherty of the yet-to-be-rated movie. “All the key scenes and the key dialogues are there.”
The Chief hopes, and expects that the audiences will be there too.