Travis Seitler [photo]

Travis Seitler is a twenty-something guy living in Marietta, PA with his wife and two kids. Since 2003 He's been writing here about God, government and comic books. You can read more about him if you really want to, and you're invited to drop him a line, like, whenever!

Prince Caspian?

Posted December 11, 2007

Not Quite Prince Caspian

  • Prince Caspian reaches out to the White Witch?
  • Susan has to break the enchantment?
  • Waitaminit… Susan’s not back at the bridge with Aslan?
  • Um… eagles? Are the kids coming to rescue Gandalf from the top of Orthanc? (Oh, sorry—wrong Inkling.)

Katie and I just finished reading Prince Caspian a few weeks ago, so the book’s still fresh in my mind. I hope they don’t screw around with it too much… but it irks me that, while “book Caspian” was definitely repulsed by the idea of working with Jadis:

“So that is you plan, Nikabrik! Black sorcery and the calling up of an accursed ghost. And I see who your companions are—a Hag and a Wer-Wolf!”

…in the film it seems Caspian X’s nursemaid and Doctor Cornelius gave him a more tolerant education on Old Narnia. Why do filmmakers insist on taking successful books and messing with them, to the point of changing main characters’ motivations?

I guess I should just be glad Aslan wasn’t changed into a 2007 Camaro. :?

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8 Comments so far

  1. Malnurtured Snay on December 11th, 2007

    I haven’t read the book for a couple of years, but I thought the whole point of Dr. Cornelius secretly teaching Caspian about Old Narnia (against his uncle’s wishes) were so that Caspian would be sympathetic and tolerant of Old Narnia … ?

    I didn’t care for the (albeit minor) changes they made to “TLTW&TW”, and I particularly detest their casting change — Brian Cox would’ve been a much better voice for Aslan than Liam Neeson, IMHO.

  2. Travis on December 11th, 2007

    “I thought the whole point of Dr. Cornelius secretly teaching Caspian about Old Narnia were so that Caspian would be sympathetic and tolerant of Old Narnia?”

    Except that the White Witch wasn’t part of Old Narnia; she despoiled and ruined Old Narnia, and lovers of Old Narnia and Aslan (such as Dr. Cornelius) would not have taught Caspian to embrace the fierce giants, werewolves, ghouls, boggles, ogres, minotaurs, cruels, hags, spectres, etc., etc. That’s what I meant by “tolerant.”

  3. Malnurtured Snay on December 11th, 2007

    Gotcha. Maybe they’ve just added a bit where he’s entranced slightly by the White Witch before coming to his senses and turning on Nikabrik.

  4. Travis on December 11th, 2007

    Hopefully that’s all it is. :)

  5. Kneon Transitt on December 11th, 2007

    Tee hee.

  6. Travis on December 11th, 2007

    I thought you’d like that closing remark, Kneon. ;) I can see it now:

    …and then the Aslan-mobile bumbles over the Professor’s grounds at night, knocking all sorts of things over with his tail and generally making a mess of the place. Hilarity ensues…

  7. malnurtured snay on December 11th, 2007

    That said, I didn’t like the book enough to see this in theaters. When “Voyage of the Dawn Treader” hits the silver screen — November/December 2010, I’m guessing — I’ll be there with bells on.

    (Mebbe not bells…)

  8. Travis on December 12th, 2007

    AMEN—preach it, Brother Snay! Katie and I are reading Dawn Treader right now… man, is that book trippy! I’m sure WETA will have a field day with it.

    That WonderWorks special in ‘88 didn’t do the book justice, and not just because they crammed it and Prince Caspian into movie. A dumpy rubber-suit dragon can only be so intimidating.

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