Thinking of Waggawerewolf's suggestion, thought I'd make this poll. Wondering what NWebbers think about the exisiting productions (audio and TV) of the Silver Chair that are out there and their favorite bits of each one. Comparison and contrast is appreciated. Am not including the BBC audiobook as it is strictly an audiobook and not technically an adaptation of the book. I know some may like more than one production, so I allowed for two choices (to show the most favored two of the three). And I also know that it's probably not fair to compare radio to TV, but wondered what were people's favorite parts of each of those productions. This is just for fun of course. I voted for the Focus on the Family and the BBC TV versions because they were really faithful to the book.
I like the FotF version mainly because it pretty much has the whole book dramatized with narrator. I didn't like the BBC radio drama because it didn't have a narrator and it had such a long introduction into the story, but I'll admit it was creative of them to do that as they were trying to adapt the book without having a narrator at all. I like the BBC TV version of SC for the casting of Puddleglum, Tom Baker was great. Jill was what I imagined her to be, but Eustace (as played by David Thwaites), was not what I imagined...though he did act well and the whole script seemed pretty faithful.
I would love to see what Walden/Fox would do with SC (especially if they got the spirit of the book "right" in their 'go' at it).
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I think it is a great idea and could be extended to other books in the series. Only three so far have been made by Walden, and all three were also made for the BBC television series that also made Silver Chair. However, all 7 Narnia books came out in both the BBC and FotF audio dramas. It is nice that those series are complete.
On the whole, I chose the two audio dramas in preference to the TV program SC. I fear that the television series in 6 episodes loses something when I attempt to watch it in its entirety, especially as it takes longer to watch it than a comparable Narnia film, such as the three Walden ones. This is an advantage with the radio series that they can be more easily listened to whilst driving, ironing or something like that, whereas to watch a film or even television, even in hourly weekly programming, needs more of one's time and undivided attention.
Some things I liked about the BBC television production of SC include the fidelity to the book, the owls, despite the clunky costuming, in particular Warwick Davis' Glimfeather, and the appearance of the added-in dragon on Ettinsmoor, all ready for some dragon-to-dragon socialising with Eustace. I preferred Camilla Powers' performance as Jill and David Thwaites' performance as Eustace to that of the four Pevensie actors in that series. Tom Baker, a former Dr Who, put in a sterling performance as Puddleglum, though in that movie he injured his hand rather than his foot. But I liked in particular, the scenery for the Underground palace, with that stained glass effect and also the way they did the Silver Chair itself.
Some things I disliked about that BBC version were the use of the PC Caspian, a little boy, rather than BBC VDT's Samuel West as the resurrected Caspian, which I feel would have been a better choice. Some of the special effects were clunky and outdated. And though Barbara Kellerman made a good LOTGK in SC, I couldn't see her going back and playing Jadis afterwards in a MN production. Lastly, I'm not sure how BBC's Rilian would translate to a Walden movie.
I'm not sure which of the two audio drama productions of SC I prefer yet. They are both interesting but completely different. FotF is prefaced with some valuable commentary from Douglas Gresham, and a distinctly scoundrelly LOTGK snippet. Whereas the BBC audio drama starts with LOTGK making some sort of vow. Then Eustace discusses his school with Lucy and Edmund whilst they wonder what is happening in Narnia. This is the BBC radio drama's chance to portray the back story of how Caspian and Liliandil got married, the arrival of Rilian. Trumpkin and Drinian's fireside discussion then goes straight into the tragedy of how Caspian loses his bride and heir. And then we have Jill and Eustace at Experiment House, off to Narnia to solve the situation.
The FotF audio drama, by contrast, sticks more closely to the book order. Most of the back story of Caspian, Rilian and Liliandil is told via the narrator, at the Owl Parliament. I like the narrator for the FotF who is used for good effect. Whereas the BBC one relies more on the characters themselves. However, I do prefer the BBC Owl parliament to that of the FotF. They sound more like owls, and the BBC Puddleglum sounds more authentic than th e FotF one. Just my tuppence worth.
I voted for the Focus on the Family radio drama. I have it on CD. I have enjoyed listening to it many times. I do not think the BBC one was quite as faithful. I like the voices for the many characters.
I still want to see SC on the big screen.
I voted the radio drama because I haven't seen the other two.
I never heard either of the radio versions, but I did rather enjoy the BBC tv series for SC (though I didn't really enjoy the other 3 as much)
"The mountains are calling and I must go, and I will work on while I can, studying incessantly." -John Muir
"Be cunning, and full of tricks, and your people will never be destroyed." -Richard Adams, Watership Down
The radio drama is the best in my opinion although I never heard the BBC radio version. I saw the BBC Silver Chair and thought it was the best out of all the BBC episodes for Narnia.
I really love the BBC Silver Chair, I played it almost every night as a kid so when I fell asleep I would pretend I was really Jill Pole on adventures in Narnia. I still do it a couple of times and everytime it works. To me it's just magical and that's why I love it.
Long Live King Caspian & Queen Liliandil Forever!
Jill+Tirian! Let there be Jilrian!
I really liked the BBC TV Drama of The Silver Chair the best.
The acting to me was a lot better than it was in the previous BBC adaptations in Eustace and Jill. Of course everybody else was great too. I would just like to see somebody beat Tom Baker's spot on performance as Puddleglum.
Well, the visuals, were a little better than the previous installments. I liked the scenes with the giants, and the Centaur(not sure if that was Glenstorm or not; the actors looked the same.) wasn't that shaky when he moved. But the LotGK turning into a snake literally had me laughing.
At least it was better than the previous ones.
I loved the radio drama. I have seen the BBC TV Drama It was good. I liked the Black Prince. But the radio drama was better. For me anyways.
The Hobbit in theaters: 14 December 2012