BBC Warner | 1988-90 | 540 mins. | NR
With director Michael Apted’s The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, set to hit the big screen, BBC Warner has re-released the BBC’s late 1980’s television adaptations of the beloved C.S. Lewis Narnia series. The books were initially presented as three six-episode series (with Prince Caspian and the Voyage of the Dawn Treader combined), and were later edited into feature films for home video. Fortunately, this set offers the unedited episodes as they were originally aired. Adapted for the small screen by Alan Seymour and produced by Paul Stone, this set would be a welcome addition to the DVD set of any Narnia fan.
Things begin with what is undoubtedly the most popular book, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. It’s 1940; we are introduced to the Pevensie children—Peter (Richard Dempsey), Susan (Sophie Cook), Edmund (Jonathan R. Scott) and Lucy (Sophie Wilcox) who are sent to the countryside to live with an elderly professor (Michael Aldridge) during World War II. While exploring the house, discovers a wardrobe. She steps inside the wardrobe and finds herself transported into a land of mythical creatures. Here Lucy and her siblings are drawn into the battle to liberate Narnia from the White Witch (Barbara Kellerman) who holds the land in a state of perpetual winter. The Pevensies meet Aslan (voiced by Ronald Pickup), the lion god/king of Narnia, who leads them into battle against the Witch and her evil minions.
In Prince Caspian, the children are back in Narnia, where centuries have passed. The creatures of Narnia have been driven from the land, and taken over by humans. Summoned by Prince Caspian (Jean-Marc Perret), the children join him in a plot to retake his rightful place as ruler of Narnia.
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader finds Edmund and Lucy returning to Narnia again, this time with their cousin Eustace (David Thwaites). Reunited with Caspian, now, King of Narnia. The king has set sail in search of seven lords who had been driven from the land years ago by Caspian’s uncle, King Miraz. In the beginning, Eustace is spoiled, bratty, whiny and very obnoxious. By the end, he has matured, thinking of others before himself.
For me, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader is the most compelling. The pacing is good, and the production values (though none come close to the feature films), are a cut above the other segments. The swashbuckling mouse Reepicheep (Warwick Davis) receives a larger role here, and his encounters with the spoiled Eustace bring a welcome comic energy to the proceedings.
Things conclude with the six-episode adaptation of The Silver Chair. This time, Eustace and his school chum Jill Pole (Camilla Power) are whisked away to Narnia, where Aslan gives them the task of finding the long-lost Prince Rillian (rightful heir to the throne of Narnia). Eventually, they meet up with a marshwiggle named Puddleglum (Tom Baker, Doctor Who), who agrees to serve as their guide for the remainder of the journey. The episodic quest format is quite similar to that of the previous installment, and the results are equally satisfying. The acting is particularly solid this time around, with Tom Baker playing Puddleglum wonderfully.
Each episode is presented in its original full-frame broadcast aspect ratio. Again, the limitations of the show’s age and budget mean you aren’t going to get a fabulous picture. It looks almost like a VHS tape at times. Softness is rampant, and colors appear rather drained. Compression artifacts are present throughout. The audio is solid enough, with Geoffrey Burgon’s warm score coming through with clarity. On occasion, the dialogue sounds a bit distant or muffled.
We get the following special features:
Past Watchful Dragons: (29:07) There’s footage from an earlier black & white version of the story. You get to go behind the scenes and see the sets and locations up close. It completely deals with the first story.
Interviews: There are several interviews with cast and crew mostly on British television. It includes a 2003 reunion of the now grown-up children.
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