I know the black and white one and the bbc series but not the other that you mentioned.

I absolutely loved the cartoon Narnia when I was little. That was how I was introduced to Narnia. Rewatching some of it as an adult, I still like it in a nostalgic sort of way, and I love the music, but there are some things that strike me as a bit off about it. First of all, the voice-acting was really hammy. You don't notice that so much when you're little, but it's glaring to an adult viewer. Then there's also the fact that the "our world" parts are set in 1970s America. I still like it better than the BBC or ABC (what I've seen of it) LWW, and the portrayal of Aslan is my favorite in any version. Not as tame as the later versions, and not as freakish as ABC Aslan.

Here's a youtube comparison:

The 1979 coloured animated version was put out by Children's Television Workshop, the same organisation that produced the Sesame Street Television series. The 1989 BBC television series was produced by British Broadcasting Corporation, a quasi autonomous non government organisation. I know that Australian Broadcasting Corporation is a similar sort of organisation which has many ties with BBC, which is why the series is still available for purchase in Australia, as of last Christmas. This Australian ABC has nothing to do with the ABC television company in America.

So, Anhun, when you said the ABC Aslan was freakish, did you mean the BBC Aslan? This Aslan was built especially for the series and could not be moved around easily, an early animatronic, in contrast to the later Walden CGI version of Aslan. I don't know who did the voiceover for Aslan in that BBC series, but I find that Aslan was not a patch on Liam Neeson's Aslan in Walden.

Even the old two episode televised stage performance of LWW, featuring a man dressed up as a lion, had a more fiery and fierce Aslan than the BBC television one. juzuma, was this black and white television show part of the 10 episode 1969 version you were discussing, or was it something else again? And did the 10 episode series you mention deal only with LWW or with others of the Narnia series?

It is also curious why CTW, using animation, did not do the whole Narnia series, not just LWW. Stephen Thorne, who did the voiceovers for the CTW version of LWW, also was the audio actor for the BBC audio Aslan, and I would have loved to have seen as well as heard an entire series with his voice in it. Especially as even today, cartoon animation is easier for filmmakers to do than live television or film.

I also find that it is an interesting exercise to compare versions of each of the series, not only LWW, but also the other three books BBC televised, and the two audio versions of the entire series. I've noticed how very different versions each of them are. For example, take the wildly differing treatment in all four versions of PC of that incident in which Lucy sees Aslan but not the others. In which ones does Edmund take Lucy's side, as he does in the book? And in which does he not?

To illustrate, only the FOTF audio version of VDT mentions Lucy trying the eavesdropping spell, as she does in the book. The BBC television version Aslan asks Lucy how long she has envied her sister, Susan, whilst the BBC audio Aslan says nothing to Lucy about her temptation to try the beauty spell. Whereas the Walden version, though it also omits the eavesdropping spell, has her dreaming of trying the beauty spell later on.

When I said "the ABC Aslan" I was talking about the outlandish guy in the lion suit, who was in the black-and-white telelvision serial. That series was produced in 1967 by the Associated British Corporation (ABC). That ABC is not to be confused with the British Broadcasting Company, or the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. BBC's LWW came much later, and, as far as I know, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation has never produced a version of LWW.

I also would have liked to see CTW do the whole series, I'm sure I would have loved it as a kid.

Anhun, you're right. 70s version of Narnia is so good that they could do next books. But in PC people are most of characters. When you watch 70s LWW battle, you notice that yes, they are fighting, but such violence as in new versions isn't presented. I think that it could be a trouble- make a cartoon in which men are fighting with animals and creatures and present no violence. Telmarines are bigger. Do you remember Reepicheep's wounds?

Waggawerewolf27, that oldest version was only for LWW. And it was made in 1967.

The Narnia books were originally read to me when I was a toddler and watched the BBC then. It wasn't until I watched the 70's cartoon version of LWW at one of my acting camps when I recieved the part of Lucy when I started reading them by myself. I know the cartoon is a little out dated and not much detailed but it is a classic and still one of my all time favorites.

I heard and saw some footage of the 60's versions of Narnia. I don't know but older films seem to have a lot more magic then than they do today. Of course that is just me and the way that I think.

Yes. I heard that one studio wanted newest Narnia films to start in America, as the cartoon started. That's why filmmakers refused it and Disney had the rights. But I think that even if it was in America, it would be still Narnia we know.DamselJillPole, I saw the part of 60s Narnia when White Witch talks to Aslan about Edmund. I love watching cartoon Narnia because it's something between those versions we first met (I'm eleven) and those old which people don't need. But I love all versions.

Thanks for putting up that list juzuma, I didn't realize there were so many versions of Narnia about the place!! I've seen a very little bit of the BBC narnia on youtube but I haven't seen any of the others that you mention. One day I might go through them all if just for comparative purposes. Thanks!!

Yes, my teacher also didn't know about them all! I'm eleven years old and that's not thing you expect after a girl in my age! OK, Eowyn of Lantern_Waste, 1979 Narnia is beautiful. I think you'll like it. Write normal title of LWW in Youtube and after that write Pt 1. It's the video with the beginning of it. It's set in America, not Britain, and it's animated. Lucy's first visit in Narnia is the flashback, so don't be surprised seeing Lucy jumping out of the wardrobe just at the beginning!

the cartoon of LWW scared me out of my socks when I was little

I Grew up watching the BBC ones, but I'm not much of a fan now that I'm older and have seen the epic new ones

Yes, my teacher also didn't know about them all! I'm eleven years old and that's not thing you expect after a girl in my age! OK, Eowyn of Lantern_Waste, 1979 Narnia is beautiful. I think you'll like it. Write normal title of LWW in Youtube and after that write Pt 1. It's the video with the beginning of it. It's set in America, not Britain, and it's animated. Lucy's first visit in Narnia is the flashback, so don't be surprised seeing Lucy jumping out of the wardrobe just at the beginning!

Thanks so much for that info juzuma - I will look into them

I didn't hear those audio versions but I know that they exist. I want to hear them, but I know that they aren't broadcast in Poland. I wonder if they are avaible to hear without downloading for free in Internet. I love comparisons! But I must train my accent and I understand the films only because I know the books. Oh, you don't want to use Google to make the subtitles! I have LWW, PC and VDT in modern versions at home. And I'm Polish, so I don't understand some of the lines! I understand modern versions because they've got subtitles and dubbing. Oh, I don't know anything what could help me with these problems I mentioned!

I have seen all the versions of Narnia (well, for the 1960s black and white serial, just the couple of surviving clips- not the whole thing).

Besides the Walden version of LWW, the animated version from 1979 is my favorite. This was my first introduction to Narnia and my love and interest for the series has grown from it. I don't necessarily think, as it has been said already, that the "real world" setting is in fact in America. I say this because there are two sets of voice actors for the 1979 LWW (on for the US and the other for the UK. However, I do believe that Stephen Thorne played Aslan in both versions). The other point being, there's no specific landmark or written bit that says "we're in downtown USA" or "Welcome to the British countryside".

Especially as even today, cartoon animation is easier for filmmakers to do than live television or film.

I have to disagree with you there waggawerewolf27. While the different mediums of filmmaking come with their own sets of challenges, creating something live action is far easier (in terms of few challenges) than any form of animation. For one, an animator has to create things that we take for granted in a live action film (for example, lip sync. You don't think about it, but if not done correctly, it really stands out in animation... and not in a good way). Also, everything in animation has to be created. For live action, yes there are things you have to design and create, but you don't have to make everything.

The other point being, there's no specific landmark or written bit that says "we're in downtown USA" or "Welcome to the British countryside".

No, I didn't see anything in the 1979 animated version of LWW which positively screamed 'America', but if others have picked up on it, I wouldn't dismiss that criticism lightly. Stephen Thorne aside, this was a British story, after all. A proper production of LWW would reference the evacuation of British children once war had commenced, complete with a reference to searchlights, aerial bombardment and much else. This was the reason why the Pevensies were staying at Professor Kirk's house, outside of London.

To Walden/Disney's eternal credit, they did do this, as they should have done. Unlike other productions, such as the BBC TV production or the two audio dramas.

While the different mediums of filmmaking come with their own sets of challenges, creating something live action is far easier (in terms of few challenges) than any form of animation. For one, an animator has to create things that we take for granted in a live action film (for example, lip sync. You don't think about it, but if not done correctly, it really stands out in animation... and not in a good way).

Fair point. But when VDT was made, to make it a live film they had to create a plausible Dawn Treader, a fine work of art, by the way, and use it for much of the filming. This is a real feat of engineering to make such a ship, set it on a gimbal for flexibility and to use it as a screen stage without actually setting sail in some of the most treacherous waters on the globe. The artwork alone of this ship left me gobsmacked, quite frankly. I really doubt that animation would be as expensive as the $5 to $10 million it would have taken to set this film prop up.