Posted by: @fantasia

For the record, I don't know a single American who grew up with these shows who was confused. It aired on TV with the description of each episode listed in the TV Guide in our newspaper.  But perhaps you're referring to later on when the series was released on VHS tapes or DVDs? And if so, I can see how there would be some confusion if you're not familiar with the original releases, and I don't think that's going to be limited to Americans.  

ETA: I just saw Narnian78's comments about the release at night as one big, long showing (sorry i missed that). I have no memory of that myself. My family and I watched it during the day with each episode being shown one at a time per day, on PBS if I recall correctly. 

@fantasia Clearly what I have read from Americans on here and the old Into The Wardrobe forums is not your experience.

May I just diverge from the topic while I clarify? -

I know that not all Americans call them the BBC serials (Col Klink called them Wonderworks, above). But worldwide they are mostly called the BBC adaptations/serials, in my experience.
There are three stories in the BBC  adaptations: LWW, PC/VDT, and SC.  Each was made as a serial of six episodes.
If the story is continuous, but shown in sections on more than one day, we call it a serial. If it has a set of episodes each with its own topic or story, we call it a series.
If the six episodes of one serial are shown in quick succession (or two or three in each screening), this seems to be called a miniseries in USA. In Britain this term would refer to no more than four episodes; six would count as a series.
Some people in US seem more used to the whole of each story shown at once, giving nearly three hours of continuous story. All my recordings (VHS & DVD) are episodic.

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@fantasia 

I think that the total length of Prince Caspian and the Voyage of the Dawn Treader was about two hours and 45 minutes with only about one hour devoted to Prince Caspian and the rest to Dawn Treader.  I guess the reason for Prince Caspian being so short was lack of money. It is really a shame that it was so short, but I would have liked both stories to have been at least two and a half hours or more.  Dawn Treader was actually quite a good adaptation, considering the limited time and resources that BBC had available.  
I was thankful for Wonderworks and PBS bringing these children’s dramas to the screen during the 1980’s even if they were shortened.  But it is sad that more money was not available for a better and longer production of both stories.

So apparently this year's Oscar favourite "The Brutalist" clocks in at a whopping 3 Hours 20 mins.... however, it also has a 15 minute intermission (bringing it up to 3 Hours 35 overall). I thought that in itself was kind of interesting.

I've seen a few modern-era movies which have intermissions (Kingdom of Heaven director's cut springs to mind) but they are exceedingly rare these days.

Anyway, Empire magazine has done a piece on whether the intermission format is due a comeback:

https://www.empireonline.com/movies/features/brutalist-intermission-should-stay/  

Would probably have to think about whether I like the idea or not for Narnia. I do like in old films where they have an Overture at the start and an Entr'acte in the middle.... makes them feel slightly more grand and operatic.

Posted by: @coracle

There are three stories in the BBC  adaptations: LWW, PC/VDT, and SC.  Each was made as a serial of six episodes.

I am..... not 100% sure on this. But I believe when I saw them as a child, they were each shown as 3 - 1hr segments. I really should go back and rewatch the BBC series just to refresh my memory.

This afternoon, I did dig out my DVD set. BBC LWW's run time is 169min, PC/VDT is 168min, and SC is 168min -- 20 to 25 minutes longer than Walden's versions.

Posted by: @icarus

So apparently this year's Oscar favourite "The Brutalist" clocks in at a whopping 3 Hours 20 mins.... however, it also has a 15 minute intermission (bringing it up to 3 Hours 35 overall). I thought that in itself was kind of interesting.

I've seen a few modern-era movies which have intermissions... but they are exceedingly rare these days.

That's really interesting. I mean, if they were to do a really good adaptation, then okay, but I can't imagine a Narnia movie (one in theaters) being that length. I'm making an assumption she's making this for kids and they don't last that long. Maybe some of the series could clock in at that length. I do like the idea of the return of intermissions anyway.  

@fantasia Clearly a different decision was made for the US viewing audiences than for the UK ones. Do you remember how it was to watch for an hour?

Posted by: @coracle

Do you remember how it was to watch for an hour?

Well, this is coming up on 40 years ago. I don't have good clear memories of anything other than I know I watched it at home on TV. And I'm quite certain we recorded it on our VHS player so we could rewatch it again and again later. So I'm not sure if my memories are from the original viewing or rewatching it another time.  (And I liked it quite a bit so I did watch it more than once!)

If you're asking about attention span or something along those lines, I never had trouble with it....either being too long (overall) or too short (a single episode).  I do think I remember being disappointed that Prince Caspian was only one episode. I couldn't figure out why they had cut it so short. Otherwise I don't remember the "cliffhangers" of the episode endings and having to wait for the next one to come on. (Now what I do clearly remember is the french horn theme with the credits each episode. That theme has cemented itself in my mind as the official Narnia theme. )

What do you think @coracle? Are you ready for a 3hr long Netflix film?  

@fantasia No, I couldn't sit through 3 hours, even with an Intermission. Too long to concentrate and follow every bit. 

I think that even if the BBC Narnia had been broadcast when I was a child (it was 25 or 30 years later that the series was made) I would have been able to watch all three hours of each presentation.  But that is because I have a long attention span and the series was very interesting to me. The same was true of the books. I could read them for hours.  The Sound of Music is about three hours long and is considered a family film. But I was never bored with it and I loved the music.  The BBC Narnia can hold my attention in the same way, and I never tire of it.  But I can understand why some other people may not have the patience to view the entire program at once.