Anamchara

PRINCE CASPIAN: DOES THE FILM DO JUSTICE TO THE BOOK?

PRINCE CASPIAN:  A BETTER FILM OR BOOK?

"How could they gut this film of all the spirituality?"  That's what some folks are saying about the movie--not many, but some.  In fact, my reviews have gotten criticized a little because I have called the movie a very faithful and uplifting adaptation.  Did those who disagree go see a different movie?  Not at all.  Expectations matter and I guess it is worthwhile talking about the context in which I viewed the film.

First of all, I have no illusions about the secular media.  It's a miracle when they try to adapt any film that has deep spiritual meaning.  So I was not bothered that there was a little smoothing around the edges of the faith aspect.  C. S. Lewis did this himself in his novel.  Never does he call Aslan, "Christ", because if he did, millions of readers would never finish the book.  He slipped that fact in behind an imaginary world, and succeeded because of it.  I maintain that Adamson does the same.  Anyone watching the film is going to get the faith aspect.  Because it is not dressed up in blatant language or as a catechism answer does not mean the message does not exist.

Second, I do think that Adamson improved upon the themes of the book.  Peter's inner turmoil of once being High King and now having to do geometry and fight with the bullies of his day just rings true to me and answers a question I have had of the Chronicles for decades--"How did those kids handle the fact that they ruled as kings and queens and had to return to normal life?"  In fact, Peter's pride and anger and Caspian's thirst for vengeance are welcome additions to the drama and make the fantasy even more poignant.  I did not want a slavish presentation of the novel, because much of it would not have worked on film.  Adamson had to fill in details simply left out or not thought of by Lewis.

Lastly, it is an adaptation.  This is Adamson's vision of Lewis' book, just like the film The Lord of the Rings was Peter Jackson's view of Tolkien's novel.  They are entitled to their interpretation.  Is it as good as the original?  That depends.  I preach on the Gospel every Sunday.  People like my homilies; they interpret the Gospel.  But when I place my homily next to the Scriptures my words pale in comparison.  Yet, my homily helps bring people to the Gospels.  Without it, people would not think about the Word of God.  The same is true with a film adapation of a novel.  It's not the novel.  If you want it to be, you will be disappointed.  I went into the film preparing to be enchanted.  I surely was.  So were the 225 people from my parish that I took to see the film.  Whether very old, middle-aged, or very young, all were mesmerized by the beauty and wonder present in the film.

I am thankful this movie was made.  The basic gist of Lewis' work and message made it through, sometimes with incredible beauty.  Those who grouse and complain ought to thank God that this novel got such reverential treatment.  Far from turning over in his grave, C. S. Lewis is shouting for joy that Narnia lives for the whole world to see, and Aslan can still teach what it means to live forever and lead those humble enough to become like little children to Aslan's country where summer is forever and the joy never ends.

 

PRINCE CASPIAN MOVIE REVIEW: FAREWELL TO CHILDHOOD

REVIEW FOR PRINCE CASPIAN THE MOVIE:  BECOMING A MAN, PUTTING CHILDISH WAYS BEHIND

PRINCE CASPIAN is a more than worthy successor to THE LION, THE WITCH, AND THE WARDROBE.  It stands on its own as a great adaptation of the most difficult of C.S. Lewis' children's books to translate to film.  It gets a stellar rating because of all things small and superficial and all things great and dramatic. 

First of all, Andrew Adamson, the director,  scoured the globe for beautiful natural sights.  The first part of the film is a testament that a fantasy film draws us into an awareness of how nature lifts us up and ennobles us.  The movie is a visual feast for the eyes.

Second, every detail, even the smallest, has been given exquisite attention so that one has the feeling of actually being in another world.  Whether its the chips in the steel swords or the tears in chain mail, or the grittiness of once free world fallen into slavery, the filmakers can take a bow for bringing this imagined world to life.

Third, Adamson knew that much in the book would not work in the film, and much that was dramatic needed to be added.  With a deft touch, he points out Peter's understandable difficulty in adjusting to being just a kid in our world and his move to prideful risk taking once he has his crown back.  Add a desire for revenge on the part of Caspian because of his uncle's murder of Caspian's father, and these two protaganists are going to have inner demons to fight and difficulties in relating to one another.  To their shame and sorrow, they suffer for their grandiosity, helplessly watching their fellow Narnians die for their misjudgments.  Thanks should be given for Adamson wisely leaving out the Bacchus and Silenus parts of the book that always seemed a bit out of place.  One can just hear J. R. R. Tolkien slamming down a pint of stout on the table and telling Lewis during one of this Inkling meetings at the pub that his weakness as a writer was adding everything but the kitchen sink.  Adamson has made the movie into a powerful narrative that tells a deep story with great meaning.

Fourth, the portrayal of Peter, Susan, Edmund, Lucy and Caspian by the actors was simply excellent.  Here's why.  This is a movie about what happens when you leave faith behind and think it is just a childish thing.  It's a film about how such necessary belief is often replaced by darkness and sin represented by pride and vainglory.  None of the secular reviews can mention this, but it is striking how much of St. Paul is in this film.  Remember in First Corinthians when he says, "When I was a child, I talked like a child...When I became a man, I put childish things aside."  His childish things were pride and jealousy and anger.  He points out clearly that faith, hope and love are needed if one wants to become truly an adult.  We will never see God clearly here, says St. Paul, but if we believe, we'll see enough to know that God is by our side.  Kudos to Adamson for constructing the Aslan sequences to make this point crystal clear.  To really see, one has to believe.

Fifth, there is real loss as one grows up.  The grief on the faces of Peter and Susan when they learn they cannot return is a testimony to the fact that life is a one way street.  You really can't go back again.  Like Aslan says, "Things never happen the same way twice."  To be an adult is to embrace humility and trust the God who made us.  The movie emphasizes that those who trust in themselves lose, and, to the dismay of many secular critics, only with Aslan( the Christ-like Lion) can victory be won.

Some will wonder about the violence, but Lewis was a big believer in Ephesians 6 which talks about putting on the armor of God and doing battle with evil.  Aslan never criticizes the need to fight; but he does care about the motivation. 

All this meaning goes down easily in a film that is exciting, swashbuckling, humorous and poignant.  Can a viewer see it without the religious angle?  Sure, but you'll miss the meaning of much of the action.  Never the less, with whatever mindset you see this coming of age film, you will be touched by a hope that makes a person believe that perhaps, just perhaps, recapturing a sense of wonder and faith is the fastest way to grow up  and face the real world.  Rating:  5 Grails [rating system: 1 Grail=Lost; 2 Grails=Stumbled along the Way; 3 Grails=Worthy of the Quest; 4 Grails=Vision Achieved; 5 Grails=Illumination

PRINCE CASPIAN: THE SOUNDTRACK REVIEW

                              PRINCE CASPIAN SOUNDTRACK:  A BROODING BATTLE LOOMS; A HAUNTING HOPE COMES

It's always difficult comparing a sequel's soundtrack to the original film.  Almost always, such a comparison suffers.  Why?  In The Lion, The Witch, And The Wardrobe, composer Harry Gregson-Williams introduced us to this enchanted land.  The themes were complete, melodic and told a story in their own right, as should happen in an introductory film of a series. 

Prince Caspian, both the film and the soundtrack, presumes that backstory and sets us directly into a world of forgotten faith and slavery.  When our heroes arrive to help Caspian, there are hints of the melodic themes of a glorious past age, but only hints.  Mostly there is brooding melancholy over the necessity of battle against evil oppression and loss of faith, but once joined, the score takes on a fierceness that superbly challenges the ears with the same passion with which Lewis' words and Andrew Adamson's film assaults our eyes.  I choose those words carefully because the music is designed to capture the listener and present him or her with a choice: to stand with the good in the battle against evil or to walk off in despair into the darkness.  Not only that, but the haunting hope that dances around the fringes of the music makes one long for the truth of a faith once learned in childhood and perhaps lost in maturity.  The music of Prince Caspian asks us to recapture the truth of that faith and bring it into adulthood.

This is a beautiful soundtrack, heroic and martial.  In many ways it is comparable to John Williams' The Empire Strikes Back score.  The use of the choir is superior to TLWW, and Aslan's Theme comes forward to bring a hope that no one thought was possible. 

Additional music brings a contemporary take on the same themes and should be welcomed by a younger audience. 

It's great to know that aurally, as well as visually, this movie and its music complement one another to give the viewer and listener what cinema always promises but seldom is able to deliver; namely, a walk in a new world with a message that sheds light on how we should live in our own reality.  Rating:  4 Grails. [rating system:  1 Grail= Lost; 2 Grails=Stumbled along the Way; 3 Grails=Worthy of the Quest; 4 Grails=Vision Achieved; 5 Grails=Illumination]

MIXED REVIEWS FOR "PRINCE CASPIAN?" PROBABLY.

DON'T DESPAIR IF THE REVIEWS OF PRINCE CASPIAN ARE MIXED

Most likely they will be.  There are two main reasons for this. 

First of all, Prince Caspian is a religious film and specifically Christian based.  An awful lot of film reviewers are secularists and just not really familiar with what Lewis was trying to do with the novel.  Few expected The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe, the first installment of Narnia, to be as wildly successful as it was.  Hollywood scratched its head trying to figure out how a Christian themed movie could capture the world's imagination.  Look for the reviewers to be a lot more critical of this film. 

Second, look what happened to The Golden Compass.  A concerted effort was made by folks who blogged and critiqued the underlying assumptions of the novel and the movie.  It was about as anti-God as a fantasy film can get.  And it failed in this country, garnering only 70 million dollars (compare that to Narnia's $292 million in the USA).  Lots of people are mad about that and we ought to expect their voices to be heard as Prince Caspian makes its debut.

Just an educated guess on my part, but expect about a 65% favorable rating after the reviews have been averaged.  Even though that's deemed a mixed result,  consider that positive, given the above facts.  The first Narnia film came in with a 75% rating.  Usually reviews can be enlightening.  Watch for unfavorable propaganda this time.  I doubt much whether the reviews will seriously affect the box office.  Prince Caspian will be a hit, and a big one to be sure.

*****First reviews are in and they are favorable.  Check them out at The Hollywood Reporter and at Variety.  Here's an opposite view at emmanuel levy.

*****May 13 UPDATE:  Here's two more mainstream reviews, both positive:  Associated Press and MSNBC (which liked the movie  very much despite its "overplaying the Christ metaphors.") (!!)

****May 14 UPDATE:  Reviews from the mainstream press continue to be positive with the exception of newsweek.  For far more uplifting reviews, check out usa today and entertainment weekly.

THE MEANING OF PRINCE CASPIAN

PRINCE CASPIAN:  A MOVIE ABOUT FAITH FORGOTTEN, AND HOPE RENEWED

One of the most beautiful parts of the C. S. Lewis' Prince Caspian, is the return of the children as the kings and queens of Narnia.  Fauns, satyrs, centaurs, wizards, nobility, commoners, all feel these rulers from our world are simply imaginative fabrications and not real at all.  Part of the job of the Pevensie kids as they return to the fantastical world of Narnia is to convince the inhabitantsthat the old stories are true--that it is worth having faith and fighting for it.  And High King Peter's additional task is to convince old Narnia that he and his siblings bring new hope--namely that stories about a dying and rising God can be true, and if believed, may open a doorway to an encounter with the divine.

There is much religious meaning in the book and will be in the film.  We are asked to answer four questions:  Do we believe in the faith given to us?  Do we see our existence as spiritual warfare?  If we refuse true faith, what will we believe in?  Do we have the courage to hope?

Check out this link, Faith and Hope in the movie Prince Caspian, where you'll find my article that probes a little more deeply into what all of us are about to experience as we view this new installment of the Chronicles of Narnia.

PRINCE CASPIAN PREMIERS!

PRINCE CASPIAN IS HERE!

Tonight, Prince Caspian premiers in New York City, just a week and a half before its nationwide debut.  For the next couple of weeks, check out this blog for updates, articles, reviews and links about how this movie will fare.  You can bet there will be both criticism and high praise.  Don't be afraid to let everyone read your comments as well.  What do you hope for in the film?  If you've seen it, did you like it?  Add your voice to the discussion.

THE POPE IN THE USA

TRIUMPH!  TRIUMPH!  TRIUMPH!  TRIUMPH! 

THE POPE IN D.C.--PART TWO

POPE:  GRATITUDE AND CHALLENGE TO AMERICA

You just have to love a Pope who knows how to Pope.  Three years ago this very weekend, the press was up in arms over the election of Benedict.  Too conservative, mean, and retrograde.  A dark day for the papacy and the Church, so they said.  We still heard a little bit of that this week, most notably from Lisa Miller in this week's issue of Newsweek.  But most of the commentary was like George Weigel's.  His praise for Benedict was echoed by the cynical D.C. media.  Why?  Because this Pope took the nation by storm, revealing a charismatic compassion for people most thought could not exist in the man.  His meeting with victims of sexual abuse by clergy was groundbreaking in an historic sense.  His hope and joy continued to grow palpably throughout the week.  Catholics in America feel a sense of importance about themselves that they have never felt before.  Benedict thinks we matter!  A lot!

Again, his ability to challenge people and still make them feel good about themselves is a gift no one thought he had.  Young people love him.  Old as he is, he still believes there is good in this world, and he makes you feel that he is looking at the good when he sees us. 

48,000 people attended the Mass at Nationals Stadium.  I was amazed how such a big place could become so quiet when asked to pray.  It was very moving, but when Placido Domingo sang Panis Angelicus people were in awe.  And when the Pope left his chair to greet the singer, you could see how appreciative he was.  It was at that moment the solemnity of the event gave way to enthusiastic celebration.  The Pope was cheered down the aisle by tens of thousands.  All of us, including him, just got into the moment.

Lisa Miller's article says that the Pope doesn't connect with people and is out of touch.  Must be a different Pope.  This one has got the feel of America and let's us know he likes what he sees.  Everybody's in awe so far--a good trip and a wonderful visit from a great man!

(Photos of event by Msgr. Eric Barr)

THE POPE IN WASHINGTON, D.C.

THE POPE AND THE PRESIDENT:  GOD BLESS AMERICA!

Just got back from D.C. after an exciting time with the Pope!  It was fantastic.  At the last minute, a couple of us were able to get tickets to the South Lawn of the White House for the official welcome on Wednesday.  Very cool--especially since we got seats!  Something the Bishops didn't even get.  Can't believe they made them stand for an hour before the ceremony.  Never the less, great pomp and circumstance.  The President pulled out all the stops and this ended up being the biggest event the White House has ever hosted during this administration.   Here are the highlights that made this memorable:

• The President and the Pope get along great.  It is obvious they have a very good relationship.
• The Pope loves America.  He said it many times and is clearly grateful to us and our culture while continuing to call us to further perfection.
• The coming together of secular and religious at the White House ceremony was absolutely beautiful.  Both the President and the Pope could have exchanged each other's speeches, so closely did they resemble each other.  Dignity, freedom, responsibility, the sanctity of life, the importance of courage, character, integrity--all of this united under God Almighty's Hand.
• Such a festive atmosphere.  D.C. can be a tough town, but people were happy and joyful.  This Pope really put a spark of hope and optimism into this rather cynical and vision challenged political town.

Now, those are just the broad brushstrokes.  I'll talk about the Mass tomorrow and finish up with some comments on the essence of the Pope's message.  The welcome at the White House will always be a highlight in my memory.  From Hail to the Chief with the President coming out the White House and then the Pope coming up in his motorcade, to the Our Father, to the Military Fife and Drum Band, to the Marine Choir singing the Battle Hymn of the Republic, to the 21 gun (really cannon) salute--all this made me so proud to be Catholic and an American.  Great day, great trip, great Pope.

(photos from the event by Msgr. Eric R. Barr)

POPE BENEDICT COMES TO THE USA!

WELCOME POPE BENEDICT!

The coming visit of the Pope is sure to bring much commentary--most of it shallow and predictable.  None the less, my hunch is the Pope will have some groundbreaking things to say to us concerning our faith and our purpose in the world.  Whatever he says will be easy to understand, even if difficult for some to hear and follow.  I'll be going to Washington to hear him and will report on what I see and find.  It's been a while since a Pope has visited us.  Look for some excitement, some challenge, but most of all, look for how a good and decent man can make a difference in the world.  May God bless the Pope; may He keep him safe and hold him in the palm of His hand.