Having a focus on Digory's inner journey sounds like a good idea, since although he is the protagonist, he still has very harmful flaws.

I don't know, maybe Londoners are being kidnapped by a hot pink drizzle? . . . jk, but you get the idea.

I'm guessing this is a reference to the green mist.

I'm not quite sure what is wanted here. Is it what we think will happen? Or what we'd like to happen?

I don't think a hot pink drizzle would be such a good idea in London. Even back in Victorian days when Queen Victoria would say 'We are not amused' at such antics, most people would think a hot pink drizzle was a joke. Besides it is always drizzling in London, isn't it?

I think there is plenty of action already in MN. Firstly there is Diggory's dying mother, causing both of them to move to Aunt Letty's place. Of course Uncle Andrew is there also, and he is Villain Minor, the dastardly selfish uncle who spirits away Polly with magical rings, not with any hot pink drizzle. Diggory is blackmailed into going after Polly, but their messing around with the magic rings leads Polly and Diggory into Charn where Diggory foolishly wakes up Jadis, Villain Major. Don't forget that the Royal Mail issued stamps commemorating her villainness.

The rest of the story is getting away from Villain Major or at least neutralising her. Apart from the attitudes which allowed Diggory to awaken Jadis, I don't think we will be examining his spiritual development as much as the book, maybe. If only because whilst children learning something new is always edifying, it doesn't do for film makers to dwell too much on how Diggory, the hero of the story, did resemble his Uncle Andrew, or on his not very nice treatment of Polly. We don't want our young handsome heroes being somewhat unheroical, now do we?

I'm not quite sure what is wanted here. Is it what we think will happen? Or what we'd like to happen?

Both. You can select up to 2 options in the poll. You can pick one of the first 3 choices related to what you think will happen. And one of the 4th-6th choices related to what you want to happen.

They really should focus on the main theme of the story, which is mostly Digory's spiritual journey. This is much more of a character story, and if they don't realize that, they're going to create VDT Version 2. I'd rather be emotionally involved in a film than be interested in the action and cheesy stuff that has nothing to do with the book.

But, I don't think that they should take out the little action that there in to achieve that. MN really only has one action scene (if you can even call it that), and that'd be when Jadis is using the lampost stick as a weapon. The other scenes are either emotional scenes, fun scenes, or tense scenes. If they can use what made the book special and make a great adaption that's a great movie, I'll be happy.

Thus far the first thing the filmmakers seem to do is look through the book and decide "What works well in the book but won't work well on screen." Then they either minimize, cut, or change those parts. Like following Aslan through the woods at night in PC, or beating Gumpas using their cleverness and brains.

The second thing they seem to do is decide what the most important spiritual element is and then really ramp it up. In LWW and PC, it was ok, but in VDT I felt like I was beaten over the head with "TEMPTATION!!".

Thankfully in MN, the only parts I'm keeping very low expectations for is everything after the arrival to Narnia. Up to that point it's a filmmaker's dream. Afterwards though, the book slows down, which isn't good for on-screen so I'm not sure what to expect there. Maybe more action/drama on Digory's journey to get the Silver Apple?

I've been a bit sarcastic here. But really what I'm expecting is for them to focus on Digory's story. Any of the small action bits in the book will certainly be in the movie. I'm not expecting any gimmicks in this one (ie green mist). But like the other three movies, any joyful, happy, simple parts will be either cut down or cut out to make way for the exciting, action-filled, and dramatic.

Nearly every good story has a "main" character from who's eyes we see the world. They would be foolish to make that person anyone besides Digory!

Fantasia_Kitty is right that once they get to Narnia the story suddenly becomes very difficult to adapt. It's almost as if a little story within a story begins, which is a very strange thing for a movie to do 2/3 of the way through. I even thought it was a bit strange in the book. It's like everything is moving along, the kids discover Charn, awaken a witch, bring her back to their world accidently, and then manage to get her out of their world! Then all of sudden they come to Narnia where everything is so different, and suddenly all the tension that has been built up is suddenly lost. They can't let this happen! I don't know what their solution will be, but I will be a little more lenient on how they choose to adapt that part of the book.

How so? I don't see any real difficulty in adapting this story. I think though it depends on how much Digory's dying mother is emphasized in the film and how much weight the characters give to her condition. I'd start the film with Digory and mother arriving at Aunt Letty's place, their telling Digory about how bad his mother's illness is, and his rushing out the backyard to get away from the adults. It is in the process of this weeping that he meets Polly.

Right through the story, it is Digory's dying mother who is catalyst for the action, to a greater or lesser extent. It is Uncle Andrew's emotional blackmail which causes Digory to go after Polly. And when Jadis comes back to London with them, it is the concern for Digory's dying mother which propels Digory to get her away from there.

It is because of Digory's dying mother that Polly agrees to help Digory get Jadis away, and so she does, after serving a punishment at home for her wet clothes etc. And it is sympathy for Digory's family which impels someone to visit to donate a particularly nice-looking bunch of grapes, the occasion Digory overhears for someone saying that only fruit from the 'Land of Youth' would revive her.

In any case the action from London to Narnia, itself, is quite straightforward. The children whisk Jadis (and horse) out of the London street and into the Wood between the worlds. They have the Cabby and Uncle Andrew with them. The horse reaches over to eat some grass growing at the side of a nearby pool and then the whole party are whisked into Narnia.

There is a big silence, and the screen goes blank for a second. The Cabby reassures everyone that they haven't broken any bones, suggests they have fallen into a railway tunnel and that help will be along shortly. He then starts into a harvest hymn (Bringing in the sheaves, anyone?). They - and the audience - become aware that his is not the only voice singing and fall silent. High, tingly voices sing as well as the other voice and all the stars pop out. All the voices sing in unison, and then the Sun rises and they see the original singer - Aslan.

Uncle Andrew tries to get the children away to escape but they refuse to help. The cabby says that watching and listening is to be done at that time, not interrupting. This should be a hint to the audience as well. The Lion paces the area, and when he comes near, the Witch, who is still holding the iron bar, throws it at Aslan. The Lion continues his pacing as if nothing happened, and the Witch screams and runs away.

The children argue with Uncle Andrew who thinks Jadis is the heroine in this incident. The children and the Cabby have already started connecting the music to the trees and other plants that are appearing all around, and then to the bubbling soil as animals spring up around them. Perhaps the audience might be invited to do the same. Music is a language, after all.

Then everyone notice the iron bar growing into a lantern, and then comes the fateful conversation Digory has with Uncle Andrew about the 'Land of Youth'. After that, Digory's focus changes completely from getting Jadis away from his dying mother to the real possibility of finding a cure for her illness.

Digory has been quite oblivious about his own shortcomings up to this point. Yes he rang the bell and yes he had manhandled Polly. I get the feeling that if it wasn't for her compassion for Digory, himself, because of his dying mother, that Polly wouldn't have given Digory the time of day, let alone help him get Jadis away from London.

There is plenty of action here of a sort. And I think the real problem in the creation scene is getting a composer to match the music to the creation, and also to show Digory's change in focus back to his mother. I know that action is usually the preoccupation of most film directors. In this case, however I voted, I do hope that they also include Jadis' tempting Digory and Aslan's relating 'what would have happened'.

I voted that they'll find a gimmick to tie everything together. I'll believe they're going to produce a faithful adaptation that doesn't shoehorn pointless action scenes into the movie right around the same time I start believing in flying spaghetti monsters.

I voted they should focus on Digory's journey, since that's what the book is actually about anyway. But I voted they will use a gimmick instead. And that's based on the fact that it's what they seem to be doing each time around.

~Riella

But I voted they will use a gimmick instead. And that's based on the fact that it's what they seem to be doing each time around.

Just curious here.... what's the gimmick you consider they used to tie the first two movies together?

How is Walden going to handle MN?
Badly?

How do you think they should handle it?
First and foremost they should aim to make a good movie (VDT was very poor). A quality adaptation should follow from that.

I can see that if they continue thinking like they did the right thing on VODT they will focus on the action of MN. But they should really focus on the journey of Digory. But I am not sure they know what the book is about.

Maybe they'll be different this time around... But I can't see them allowing such a long (to them, boring) scene as Lewis' creation of Narnia. I think they might appear in an already blossoming world. It would take away the suspence, but it would speed up the movie. Man, I hope they don't have Jadis gathering an army to attack Diggory or anything. I think that this book could lend itself well to a movie in it's pure form.
But I really think that they're going to use a gimmick and focus on the action of the story. Blah!

But I voted they will use a gimmick instead. And that's based on the fact that it's what they seem to be doing each time around.

Just curious here.... what's the gimmick you consider they used to tie the first two movies together?

Just going for epic shots and cliche movie techniques, instead of sticking to the book, to make it appeal to the "general public". I was mostly referring to VDT. Although PC had its moments too. LWW was fine, I think, though. The truth is, Adamson made mistakes, but he did know how to make a good movie. I wish he was still on the project. If he was the director, instead of Apted, I probably would have voted a bit differently.

~Riella