I saw the cartoon and the live action movie practically side by side. The animation isn't nearly as good as I remember it from when I was little. Still, there's one thing this version of the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe did that the recent movie didn't. It brought the focus to Edmund and his redemption. As entertaining as the movie is, there was too much emphasis on warfare and battle when it really wasn't the central thrust of the book.
sharehey, i grew up on this cartoon. i worked at a videostore for a while and i would play it OVER AND OVER. i went to go see the live action and felt "eh". i totally agree with you. i know the animation is a bit lame, but i LOVE it. i also felt that the actors had watched this cartoon, because i swear at least tilda made some of the exact same faces that the cartoon witch makes. i think if i hadn't seen the cartoon as frequently as i had, i would have enjoyed the film more.
shareI remember the animated film from when I was little, always loved it, but I saw it a few years ago when it was repeated and they seemed to have redubbed it. You know how when you know a film really well the audio is very familiar and you recognise the rhythm of the voices etc but this was just wrong so it was quite weird to be seeing the familiar old images but with strange voices. It's on tv again tomorrow, am a bit anxious while waiting to watch it in case it's that new re-dubbed version again!
shareJust saw it a few hours ago, and yes, it was the re-dubbed version with the American voices. No offence to the yanks and all, but the version I grew up with, with the British voice cast was SOOOOOOO much better, IMHO. Beaver in particular, voiced by the late Arthur Lowe, was far superior to his American counter-part. The same could be said about the children, Mrs Beaver and some others. Why they had to change the voices, I just don't know :( Perhaps to appeal to an American audience?
But they did get one thing right...they didn't change Aslan's voice :)
Despite all of that, this version (of the story that is) is well worth a look.
7.5/10
Missed it :o(
According to www.radiotimes.com:
http://www.radiotimes.com/ListingsServlet?event=10&channelId=26&programmeId=37386868&jspLocation=/jsp/prog_details.jsp
(which might only be a temporary link)
"The drawings seem too elementary for the subject, but voice-overs from the likes of June Whitfield and Arthur Lowe give life and lift to an idea that could have been distanced and abstract, instead of one of the most popular of contemporary children's classics."
I assume they assumed it would be the British voiced version then.
I'm going to check out my copy taped from TV years ago where the voices went "funny" and changed from British to American after the first adverts, at some point today.
Perhaps I'll do as they suggest, and email them at [email protected] to tell them what I think of the film, and perhaps ask about the freaky version.
[deleted]
Yes, i watched it myself. I do so much prefer the british voices because, when watching this as a child, it's what i grew up with.
I can certainly say, after watching it with american voices, that the british soundtrack sounded much more sinister in regards to acts such as aslans death, edmunds teasing and when mr Tumnus says ''that is to say, absolutly delighted''
There is a US voice-cast dubbed version and a UK one. The UK one is waaaay better!
I watched a few minutes of it over Christmas to see which version it would be (it was the US one) and we turned it off in disgust after a few minutes after.
I dug out my old video taped version from ITV (years ago) and it was a really strange mix of the UK/US dubbed version! Played at the wrong speed. Also MANY scenes were edited out or shortened.
The version to go for is the UK DVD release (currently stocked in Tesco). This is unedited, played at the right speed and has the proper English voice cast.
Beware if you buy from Ebay that you don't end up with the US version!
it's a slight shame that the DVD soundtrack has some synchronisation problems which ends up giving some parts of the score a "WOW" effect (if you know what I mean). It's a bit of a shame because Michael J Lewis's score (as well as the British voices) is what makes this film magical. I managed to track down a copy of the soundtrack, I suggest all you fans do the same. I'm not embarrassed to say it brought one or two tears to my eyes!! :-)
shareThere were some bits from the original that I was just waiting for in the Hollywood version.
Like when Edmund is eating the turkish delight without looking and eventually his hand can't find any more.
Also when Aslan is jumping around with the girls after he's come back from the dead.
When I was watching the movie - during the hunt for the white stag, the music from the animated version was running through my head. It was a magical moment for me.
Michael Lewis' soundtrack always sent a shiver up my spine.
Also, some bits of the dialogue I missed in the Hollywood version eg when Aslan so movingly says "Children, children" - that's missing in the movie.
I like both versions for different reasons.
The animation now seems somewhat crude to my eyes now but still captures the spirit of the book
Hey I'm American and I totally agree... I grew up watching the British version. I haven't seen it since i was.... 7?? And I've been dying to see it again, but I have NO interest in seeing the American dubbed version. I want to see the exact same thing I saw as a child.
This is why I hate the concept of dubbing.
I saw this once, many years ago. It was before I could read, and it was the British voiced version on US (or possibly Canadian) TV- I can remember because it was some years before I realized there was an "r" in Narnia!
shareI'm an American and saw the movie when it first showed in the U. S. I was disappointed in the American voices. I was yesterday years old when I learned there was a British version.
shareThis was my favorite movie when I was little. I used to watch it over and over again until the tape got worn out. So, for Christmas my mom bought it for me! Naturally I was really excited to see the live action movie of it. I saw it for the first time this week. I most say, they are both great!
shareI haven't the animated version yet but it doesn't sound interesting but I did see Andrew Adamson's version and it's fantastic.
If I can mix Code Lyoko, Anime, Freddy, Jason, Alien, Predator, Marvel and DC together.
Well, I guess I am in the minority here, but I grew up on the American version, and I dearly cherish the voices in it, and couldn;t imagine hearing anything but them, in fact, its funny but I had a similar experience to you all, but in reverse: One day I came upon this on TV, and it was with the British voices and I was horrified and had to turn it off. Now I know the story is British and all, and you could certainly argue that it should be told in british voices, and I do normally love the english accents. but it just wasn;t what I grew up on, and i happen to find all the american voices so distinct and amazingly descriptive, so I'd appreciate it if you would stop bashing it, becasue guess what? If that had been the version you had grown up with, you would love it just as much, same as if, if I had grown up with the British version.
shareDoes anyone else think Susan and Edmund in the new movie look like Lindsay and Sam Weir (Linda Cardellini and John Francis Daley) from "Freaks and Geeks"? If they had the cartoon's American voices and circa-1980 costuming it'd be a perfect match....
(Edited to add actors' real names)
This movie is amazing! :D I got the video years ago and I'm really happy to finally have it on DVD. The special features are great, especially the interview all about making the movie. I like the British voices, but it would be cool to hear the American dub. Does anybody have any sound clips? Or could you let me know which video or DVD has the American voices? I'd also love to see the funny version where it changes from British to American. :P That must be weird.
sharei prefure the animated version altogether
shareThe Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005)- 10/10
The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe (1979)- 7/10
The real scenery is better than the cartoon scenery.
Volker Flenske: (While torturing David) I don't know why you're doing this to yourself!