I don't like the BBC I saw them wean I was 4 but I didn't remember them so I watch them again and I just didn't like them.

I have to admit that in general I don't like the BBC versions for the quality but to make fun of them, except for Silver Chair. That is definitely made better than the other four.

The thing that annoys me the most is just how totally untrue Lucy's character is to the book. Ugh.. especially in PC.

I see what you mean, even though I voted they were OK - for the time. We've had copies of these Television productions for a while, but they aren't movies in the strictest sense, the main reason why they drag. You can still see where the episode breaks are in all of the movies. Lucy in the BBC series really does appear plain compared to Georgie Henley, and I could really sympathise with her in VDT when she looked in the Magician's book and wanted to be as beautiful of her sister Susan. Does anyone else also notice that Susan and Peter in the BBC series appear to be actual brother and sister? And did Ramandu's daughter seem all that beautiful to you?

Otherwise, some of the BBC costuming is atrocious in PC/VDT in particular. Did anyone notice that in PC Lucy and Susan seem to be wearing what looks like mail shirts over actual school uniforms? Other things I don't like about PC/VDT: The selection of 3 different actors playing Caspian, that VDT is almost the same film as PC, and in Silver Chair, I didn't like the clunky way Aslan and (boy) Caspian were portrayed leaving at the end of the movie. Surely even in those days, BBC could have managed a quick fade out, which would have been better than having them both shooting off into the skies.

Huh, that's funny. I voted a couple of days ago, but I guess I forgot to post my explanation. Oops.

Anyways, I voted "They're okay." I absolutely loved LWW as a kid, but I think that's because I loved the story, and that was the best thing available at the time. As I got older, my opinion of them started to fade. I have yet to see the end of VDT and any of SC, so I can't say anything about them. But from what I did see, there were several things that started to bug me. First, the costumes for the animals, especially the beavers. I mean, they were huge!! Couldn't they have at least done what George Lucas did for the ewoks and got some kids to play the parts? I mean, I can see why they had to have Reepicheep so big, but at least they got Warwick Davis to play him (who's a real-life dwarf)! Second, the witch and co. They just weren't convincing at all. And the hag in PC looked way too much like the witch in LWW. As a kid, I seriously thought the hag was the witch! Third, the battle in LWW. I mean, all they were doing was standing around waving their swords in the air, with ghost-like things flying around them! Again, not very convincing. Same with Aslan's death. It just didn't feel real enough to me. Fourth, the kids that played Edmund and Lucy just bugged me. They just looked pudgy and whiny to me, not like kids that end up being a king and queen. And Peter looked younger than Edmund. Susan was really pretty, though, but she was blonde. I don't remember who said it, but they didn't look related to each other at all. I guess what I'm trying to say is, the BBC movies were okay for their time, but now we've got something ten times better.

And the hag in PC looked way too much like the witch in LWW. As a kid, I seriously thought the hag was the witch!

There is a good reason for the hag in PC looking too much like the White Witch in LWW in the BBC series. It really was the same actress that played both roles in the BBC series: White Witch in LWW, hag in PC and Queen of the Underworld in SC. Her name was Barbara Kellerman, and she went on to play the Green Lady in BBC's version of SC as well. This is where BBC's costuming and makeup was really good, and they did take a bit of care over it. They had to give Barbara Kellerman a different look in each chronicle, but it doesn't seem to have fooled enough people.

^^ and that was the other annoying part: Barbara Kellerman played all the evil ladies! and I noticed it! ugh! oh well.....

I don't like them. First of all Aslan was a let down. I did not like the casting for anyone I can think of, but they are true to the books I'll give them credit for that. The beavers made me and my sister laugh like forever! In fact I kind of liked the beavers! They were so funny looking! I called them the giant chocolate blobs. The best was VDT I have to say.

^^ Asaln as a puppet head seemed to me as almost mocking, even though that's the best they could do.....ugh! his mouth doesn't even match his words. the man who did the voice of Aslan did a good job, but it didn't match the Aslan head they used......

LH- I thought that was pretty humerous myself. You think they could have done a bit better. Oh well. What's done is done, and it don't matter that much I guess.

^^ yeah. I must admit, the last time I watched BBC's LWW (I watched it with Glenstorm The Great) I laughed almost the whole time. I think seeing Walden's version has spoiled me - for the good. I vowed after that viewing to never watch any of the BBC Narnia again!

I love em!!!
I've known them ever since I was a wittle baby. I remember my aunt and i watched it back in 1992 on LPB or something like that. I still watch them and some of my friends make fun of the series.
1. I don't care about the special or visual effects
2. unless it has a good story
3. and to the point

they are the best!!!!

Well, I'll list the pros and cons.
Pros:
1. The storyline. The story stayed very close to the book and I like that a lot. Many of the lines were word for word.

2. The casting. While some characters (I'll name them later) were totally not what I imagined, the crew did a good job of choosing people who fit the books description. (especially age-wise.)

3. The look of the narnian things, like clothes, objects, etc. All the clothes had a sort of medieval theme to them. They were red and gold, and basically all stuck to the same trend, they looked Narnian. I like that.

4. Glimfeather and Aslan. They were the only animals who looked real, especially Glimfeather. Aslan barely ever moved, but I guess it's okay...

5. The White Witch. She was better in BBC than in Walden, she looked more evil and yet more kind. She was better at both extremes than Swinton.

6. Reepicheep's personality. Much better than Walden version.

The Cons:
1. Special effects. I realize that back in those days, they couldn't have such amazing computer generation as we do now, but even so...people in human-size beaver costumes? All the animals (minus the said owl and lion) looked like mixes of human and animal, ultimately making Reepicheep the Narnian were-mouse.

2. Lucy. She was not even close to how I imagined her, yeesh. Georgie was much better. I actually watched the BBC LWW today and my brother commented that Lucy looked more like a beaver than the the actual beavers did.

3. The Lucy/Tumnus introduction. I can't help but laugh when I watch that. In the book, Lucy sees a faun and says "Oh my!' startles him, and helps him pick up his packages. In the BBC movies she sees him coming and says, without a hint of surprise in her voice "Excuse me?" Tumnus drops his stuff and Lucy doesn't apologize or anything she simply goes on "Are you a faun?" And not a word is said about the dropped packages.

4. Peter's army in LWW. There are about 15 people (And the witch turns 10 of them to stone). They include Dryads and Naiads. I mean really. Peter and Edmund are just wearing thin shirts.

5. The Caspian conclusion. Peter, Ed, and Trumpkin leave Aslan, Susan, and Lucy by a stone arch. You don't see the latter three again until after the others have fought the hag and the were-wolf, challenged Miraz, fought Miraz, and fought the battle. Then Aslan roars (He, Susan, and Lucy at the exact same spot, they haven't moved) and the Telmarines are scared away.

In conclusion, LWW has the worst special effects. After you get past those, and the PC disappointment, VoDT and SC are actually very good. I like the movies, but there's just those things that put them to a lower level for me.

The Lucy/Tumnus introduction. I can't help but laugh when I watch that. In the book, Lucy sees a faun and says "Oh my!' startles him, and helps him pick up his packages. In the BBC movies she sees him coming and says, without a hint of surprise in her voice "Excuse me?" Tumnus drops his stuff and Lucy doesn't apologize or anything she simply goes on "Are you a faun?" And not a word is said about the dropped packages.
4. Peter's army in LWW. There are about 15 people (And the witch turns 10 of them to stone). They include Dryads and Naiads. I mean really. Peter and Edmund are just wearing thin shirts.

the Lucy/Tumnus meeting bothered me too! she is not the least bit shocked and Tumnus is a bit too knowledgeable for the scene!
and the LWW battle was awful becuase there was no clear battle being fought!
the boys had no armour - they would have been killed very quickly in real life without armour. as it is, in the Walden LWW, Peter barly makes it when Jadis stabs his arm with a sword right through his armour! yikes!

I voted that I liked them, but now that I think about it I think I really liked them. Yes, I didn't like (fine, I hated) Sophie Wilcox (poor Sophie, I bet she's a sweetheart) AS Lucy. I didn't like how short PC was, and some of the puppets and effects (not all). But I really really liked Aslan's voice, much better than Liam Neeson's; he conveyed the depth and majesty of Aslan much better in my opinion.
The White Witch was much more like the book and I liked her a lot in that respect. I actually liked the serpent in VDT, and was freaked out by it when I was little.
I loved Peter... yes, I had a crush on him when I was little. He's my favorite Peter. Edmund was excellent (Skandar beats him though) and Susan wasn't bad (but not that good). I really, really, really didn't like Lucy ("Why don't you believe me!!" *shudder* ).
Overall, It was pretty good. But I haven't watched it recently.

I suspect that a big part of why BBC Lucy was not popular with Americans is cultural/accent.
What I perceive as a tearful/sad voice is often described as whiny - is it just that it's a little bit nasal?

And the whole visual image seems to put some people off; clothing that didn't quite fit in LWW (not her fault if BBC got costumes before cast!), a somewhat chubby preadolescent girl with prominent top teeth - nothing unusual in UK but Americans seemed horrified that she hadn't had braces to change them.

Sophie slimmed as she grew up and has had a successful career as an adult actor.

By the way, having convinced myself several years ago that I didn't like the BBC serials much at all, in the last couple of years I've watched them again and found a lot of real charm, irrespective of budget technology level restraints!