This is an area that really could have been expounded in the movie: the depiction of Aslan; it should have included a clear vision of who/what he was and his origins. Without the book's narrator to assist, the movie found it difficult to (or chose not to) show what Aslan meant to the children and everyone else in Narnia, other than that he was the big chief. The magic of Narnia is due in part to the transcendence of Aslan of a "big chief" role; his essence permeates every aspect of life there. The "crucifixion" of Aslan is the cornerstone of the book, not the battle, as in the movie.
When Aslan dies, true tears should flow down the cheeks of the audience. Yet, because the audience has not properly been introduced to Aslan, the emotions are not there, and they are left wondering why the children are crying so profusely. Of what they've seen of Aslan's interaction with the children, they cannot know that Aslan has become as a father to them.
I would agree with you on this one. Both the witch and Aslan were diminutive in scale, compared to the size one imagines they should be. The book states that the witch is of giant lineage and one of the biggest women. The scope was just not there. Aslan was no ordinary lion, but the equivalent of a God. He should have been the size of a barn. Also, I always pictured him as having blue eyes.
My concern with the ESRB rating system is one similar to that of a grandmother trying to repartition the hard drive of her computer: incomprehension. Many parents don't understand, know, or care to know about it. The rating system that has "stuck" in the social consciousness is the one utilized by the motion picture industry: G, PG, PG13, R etc. It works!!! Everyone knows it. R means kids cannot view it (restricted). The same cannot, in my opinion, be said for the ESRB rating system. Although I am an avid videogame player, I cannot tell you offhand all of its rating symbols and their meanings. Why then does the videogame industry not implement the motion picture rating system? I have heard that it is because they want to be unique and distinguish themselves from that industry. Frankly, when the protection of children is on the line, I find that not to be a convincing reason. The obfuscation of the ESRB rating system seems to pander to the interests of children who want to trick their parents into taking them to an R rated movie. Just a thought.
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This is an area that really could have been expounded in the movie: the depiction of Aslan; it should have included a clear vision of who/what he was and his origins. Without the book's narrator to assist, the movie found it difficult to (or chose not to) show what Aslan meant to the children and everyone else in Narnia, other than that he was the big chief. The magic of Narnia is due in part to the transcendence of Aslan of a "big chief" role; his essence permeates every aspect of life there. The "crucifixion" of Aslan is the cornerstone of the book, not the battle, as in the movie. When Aslan dies, true tears should flow down the cheeks of the audience. Yet, because the audience has not properly been introduced to Aslan, the emotions are not there, and they are left wondering why the children are crying so profusely. Of what they've seen of Aslan's interaction with the children, they cannot know that Aslan has become as a father to them.
I would agree with you on this one. Both the witch and Aslan were diminutive in scale, compared to the size one imagines they should be. The book states that the witch is of giant lineage and one of the biggest women. The scope was just not there. Aslan was no ordinary lion, but the equivalent of a God. He should have been the size of a barn. Also, I always pictured him as having blue eyes.
My concern with the ESRB rating system is one similar to that of a grandmother trying to repartition the hard drive of her computer: incomprehension. Many parents don't understand, know, or care to know about it. The rating system that has "stuck" in the social consciousness is the one utilized by the motion picture industry: G, PG, PG13, R etc. It works!!! Everyone knows it. R means kids cannot view it (restricted). The same cannot, in my opinion, be said for the ESRB rating system. Although I am an avid videogame player, I cannot tell you offhand all of its rating symbols and their meanings. Why then does the videogame industry not implement the motion picture rating system? I have heard that it is because they want to be unique and distinguish themselves from that industry. Frankly, when the protection of children is on the line, I find that not to be a convincing reason. The obfuscation of the ESRB rating system seems to pander to the interests of children who want to trick their parents into taking them to an R rated movie. Just a thought.