User reviews

I am frequently appalled by the denegration (from previous comments, one in particular not sure how many in total) of this series people inflict on it. It may have hand-drawn animations and really bad bluescreen composite effects and lack breathtaking special effects but thats how the 1980's were, they tried and I give them points for trying and it did seem spectacular in that era. Nowadays we have CGI SPX that kicks-ass but lets not denegrate a series because of the limitations of the period, lets appreciate it.

I remember watching this as a child and taping every single episode ofa the BBC (BBC rock for not putting advertisements in) and I was not dissapointed at all, I enjoyed this series. I still have the VHS tapes of them all and shall never record over them.

It is not to be taken too seriously, of course you can tell that some of the animals are played by people and the acting is a bit off but it is after all a children's program. Perhaps it was intentional to have the animals look so obviously like people, to symbolize the duality of men and beast, depends on your interpretation!.

This is a television series not a big budgeted movie, so considering all this, the production has done a great job in reviving the spirit of the book.

As always, movies can hardly replace the book but this one does an adequet job of it especially considering when it was made. Musical title score is above par, the sets constructed do the job and show great creativity, the great direction and crew production quality shows.

I hope they do put all of the Chronicals of Narnia TV series' on DVD (if they haven't already) to preserve its quality. I am sure there are plenty of fans out there who would buy it like me.

I do not want to go into the story (perhaps I should sometime), as with all my reviews I only comment on the impression left behind and production quality. I think children would find it most entertaining however if you do have the opportunity to watch this I suggest you do.

Final thoughts are is that it is a memorable series.

Disney's upcoming movie is certainly an exciting prospect; I know it will be excellent since WETA is involved. (They did all of the Lord of the Rings props and costumes and more.) Many of us who look forward to the 2005 film fondly remember growing up with the BBC "WonderWorks" version from 1988. The best way to watch this movie is: not after Lord of the Rings. I mean it. You are spoiling it for yourself if you go into it expecting too much.

The worst thing about this film is definitely the effects. Most of them you can move beyond if you try to have a pre-Toy-Story-revolutionized-world attitude. The worst thing for me was the green-screen flying sequence. Even with an open mind, that one's tough.

Aslan actually looks pretty lion-ey until he talks, then you have to try to concentrate anywhere but his mouth. Anyone remember "Wishbone," the PBS beagle-mutt who took us all on adventures in classic literature? His mouth didn't move at all, and by the third or fourth episode, you believed it without a problem. If you have patience, Aslan gets better as the movie progresses. He falls a little short of "majestic," but the Stone Table scene had me in tears even when I was past the cry-in-Free-Willy age. (The Beavers also take a little imagination -- but come on, it was 1988... how else do you do a Beaver who talks and acts?

Those few less-than-stellar aspects aside, this movie was fantastically done. The acting was definitely the strongest point. The Professor was hands-down the best character as far as performance goes, though he was in it little, but the others were all good too. Barbara Kellerman as the White Witch was excellent as well; I think that of all the comparisons between this film and the upcoming version, the White Witch will be the hardest for me to accept. I mean sure, they can beat the all technical stuff without any effort at all, but can the new White Witch be quite as regally evil? We'll see. The four children are very naturally good, they act just like four young British children who come upon such and adventure would act. (Which is a much bigger accomplishment than it sounds, and not all that common. Can anyone say nine-year-old Anakin Skywalker?)

Also, the script is taken from the book nearly verbatim, which gives is much credibility. Anyone who feels the need to improve upon C.S. Lewis loses a few points in my book.

Long story short, if you have the ability to forget you've seen computer-animated creatures interact flawlessly with live action, and you can use your imagination a little, then you will enjoy this beautifully crafted tale. Although, I do recommend trying to see it BEFORE you catch Disney's in December. :-D

Yes, it isn't perfect-: the special effects do look a little cheap, but because of the overall loveliness of the adaptation, with the scenery and costumes(and the faithfulness to the book), I can't help but like it. The whole production looks lovely(apart from the beavers' costumes and some of the animated mythological effects, Aslan though looks great), and there are some truly memorable scenes, like Edmund's encounter with the White Witch, Lucy's meeting with Tumnus and any scene with Mourgrim, helped by the sparkling and very faithful dialogue. Though, I do think that very young children will find Mourgrim a bit too frightening, because I did especially when the children learn of Mr Tumnus' arrest. The music is memorable, and sticks in your head for a while. Extremely beautiful too, especially the main theme, when Lucy is enticed to sleep and her dream, Edmund's entrance from the back of the wardrobe into Narnia and the escape from the beaver dam with the wolves on their way there. The performances from the youngsters are very good, especially Sophie Cook and Sophie Wilcox, but Edmund was too much of a brat and his change doesn't convince. I liked Michael Aldridge, from Last of the Summer Wine, as the Professor, at times he was very funny with a touch of mystery. Although one may compare him to Liam Neeson, Ronald Pickup acquits himself brilliantly as Aslan, and the beavers and the other animals were well performed. For me, the standout was Barbara Kellerman as the White Witch. One may think she was a little pantomime, but she did have a certain frostiness and menace that is needed, so much so it reminds me of Miss Hardbroom in the Worst Witch. Her costume and make-up were also incredible. All in all, despite the effects and some frightening scenes, a beautiful and well-acted adaptation of a great book! 8/10 Bethany Cox

The criticisms of this BBC adaption, made as the first in what proved to be a set of four of C.S. Lewis' books are largely unfair. The budget was small - by American standards, at the time in the UK it was positively lavish - and the effect achieved given these constraints and the fact that the show is now almost 15 years old is pretty impressive. The adaption is an even-handed one, the leads are relatively engaging the animals don't look at all bad with Aslan clearly having the majority of the budget for the whole show lavished on him. Only those drunk on the slick fantasy effects of the 90's could complain. Above all Barbara Kellerman is the standout, however, as the White Witch, sending a chill into the hearts of even the most confident of seven year olds; as I was when this was first shown on British television. As far as I'm concerned the whole series was seminal. They don't make them like this anymore - though some would say thank goodness.

Narnia requires a big-budget adaption for the big screen. But until that comes along this is easily the best screen version of C.S. Lewis' best known story out there. And the music is absolutely fantastic.

Being from America I remember this film when I was very young, honestly it was great for my young mind. Then after the movie I read all the books, great books if you haven't read them you should.

Now as a adult I see many people have never heard of the movie and when they see it they mock it, but to me its still great this is one of few movies that are remotely close to the book , I do suggest to everyone who loves the books they get this movie or rent it, give it a try. What will it hurt, not much I know. Just because its a old film doesn't mean it will suck , and just because it didn't have a big TV budget doesn't mean it will be bad.

Ah, Narnia... Just mentioning the name of this enchanted land sends a soothing cool breeze over your face. Opening this masterpiece series of children's literature is always a delight. So, the book was begging to be put on the big and small screen. I had seen this 1988 television adaptation when I was very young and just now bought the DVD copy at a flea market. I remembered having a good experience watching it as a child, and was glad I got to see it again. While primitive in its production values compared to modern films and television, this show is as good as the recent film adaptation was not. Yes, there is some mediocre acting (especially the actress playing the white witch -- a lesson in overacting if ever I've seen one, although her performance will probably send chills down children's spines), but there is also some very good acting, especially on the part of the children and Mr. Tumnus. I suppose playing the witch convincingly must be challenging, as even the fabulous Tilda Swinton couldn't do a convincing job of being intimidating in the recent film version. But where the video is rough around the edges, it excels in tone. The movie version although loaded with state of the art effects, did little to capture the whimsy and fancy of the novel. Indeed, it felt more like an adult action film marketed to children. And it took itself so seriously!. There is a light touch carried all throughout this 1988 television version. The music is just right, the actors have a certain delight on the set pieces that makes their performances all the more charming, and the pacing is nice and slow, taking its time to let you soak in the world of Narnia. Though that very same quality may be lost on the new generation accustomed to fast paced slam action effects and hollow story lines, it will still surely charm youngsters. It is a good family TV series and highly recommended for rainy day viewing. You do feel like you are taken to a new world, even with the low budget. Enjoy!

This is my absolute all time favourite film (ok- TV programme) to watch. I've bought it on DVD and as soon as I hear the opening anthem I'm taken back to being four again and sat right in front of the TV watching with excitement. Does this mean I love it so much because it's very good or just because of the nostalgia I feel? Does anyone else have TV programmes/ films that instantly take them back in time when they watch them? After I'd watched this on TV (or video I'm not sure) I remember going up to my bedroom, closing my eyes and putting my hand slowly towards the back of my wardrobe. No matter how many times I did it I'd always get to a point where I'd believe I'd got into Narnia!

C S Lewis died the day before the first ever episode of Dr Who was broadcast and like Dr Who this version of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe has excellent production values but low budget special effects. I think the animatronic of Aslan must have absorbed quite a lot of the special effects budget. The two-dimensional animations of the various creatures contrasting with the three-dimensional Aslan mar the impact of an otherwise good production as do the rather humanoid beavers and wolves. But Barbara Kellerman is every bit as good as Tilda Swinton and the four child actors playing the Pevensie children are excellent. Thanks to the films of more recent years and a DVD promotion by the Daily Mail this BBC version of the second Narnia book will have gained a new following. It might lack the special effects and spectacular New Zealand locations of the 2005 film but I still recommend it highly.

I've watched this a zillion times with my kids, and never tired of it. But I wonder now what it will seem like after having seen the big-budget 2005 Narnia. While my kids adored the modern version, I found it lacked the charm/continuity of this the 1988 BBC version. In the modern Narnia I hated the father Xmas scene, also the initial scene of Lucy and the fawn. By the way I'd never realised there were religious undertones to TLWATW, I still think you have to look really hard. I'm writing this without having read other recent comments so look forward to see how many of you preferred the old version.

Keep looking for Narnia!

The Chronicles of Narnia has had an enduring nature, entertaining children and adults alike. There has been adaptations of it's most famous book, The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe, from a rubbish animated movie in the 70s to Disney's fine blockbuster effort. One of the best known version is the BBC version from the 80s.

Told in six 30 minutes episodes, The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe tells the story of four children, brothers and sisters, Peter (Richard Dempsey), Susan (Sophie Cook), Edmund (Jonathan R. Scott) and Lucy (Sophie Wilcox), who have been evacuated to the countryside from wartime London. In the mansion of the professor where they are find a wardrobe which leads to a magical world, Narnia. But Narnia is under the tyrannical rule of the White Witch (Barbara Kellerman), keeping the land in a state of permanent winter. There is a prophecy that four humans would save Narnia, but Edmund is taken in by the White Witch's promises, and its up to Aslan (Ronald Pickup) to guide the children.

A clear comparison is with the Disney version, and like say an adaption of play, where different people can make two very different versions of the same material. Whilst Disney and it's director Andrew Adamson had access to a multi-million dollar budget and made their version a large-scale epic, the BBC and Marilyn Fox had much less to work with. Because of this the BBC made a more low key version, and their version make the children younger, like in the book. The BBC does not flag up the action element, and tires to give a more low key tone. This version has the major religious films of betrayal and redemption, well handed by Fox. Edmund is shown to be more naive and lying to himself about his betrayal, then in the Disney version where he was the more angry younger brother. Fox has a different style to Adamson, and its shown with small things like Edmund debating his conscience, and Maugrim voice-over when the children read his notice. These difference don't make either version better or worse then the other.

This version casted more nature looking children in the main roles. Peter and Edmund just looked like normal boys, Susan had a natural pretty look, whilst Lucy was shall we say, not the most photogenic child in the world. Sadly these child actors were lacking and were not that convicting, with Sophie Cook offering the best performance. The best actor in the TV serial was from Barbara Kellerman who just oozed evil in her show stealing performance as the White Witch.

Because the BBC had a limited budget and it was filmed in the 80s, the special effects are awful. Their is a limited scale, and some thinks looked daft, like the Beaver costumes, and the usual of animation, with some silly designs, like some sort of winged four legged creature with a roster head. But the costume for Aslan did at least look better and more like a real lion.

The BBC gives The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe a quaint claim and is worth watching for younger viewers, but don't expert an action packed adventure.

For those of you who are interested in big budget films and/or today's standard of special effects, you will be very disappointed. Other than the low budget that was spent on this film, this is a wonderful adaption of C.S. Lewis's classic novel. The story takes us through the main plot of the book where Peter, Edmund, Susan, and Lucy are sent to a distant land to escape the danger and havoc of WW2. While living with an old professor they soon discover a wardrobe that takes them to the magical world of Narnia. There they face off against the White Witch with the help of different magical creatures and animal friends(and of course the king- Aslan). However repetitive this statement is, it is completely true, The movie takes you back to your childhood. This movie is full of substance and the great storyline will make you over look any faults in the special effects. Yet if somehow you are disappointed in the cinematography, just remember. This movie was made in the 80's!!!!!!!

*Spoilers may occur*

I'm planning on reviewing all four of the Narnian stories that were brought to the small screen by the BBC in the late 1980's so I thought I would start with a general overview of how these stories were originally written.

C.S Lewis was an Atheist turned Christian and wrote many "Adult" books to defend his choice of faith. He also wrote a series of books called the Chronicles of Narnia that were aimed at children but could also be enjoyed by the adults as well. While there were many Christian parallels in them (especially The Last Battle which was never turned into a TV Show by the BBC) the stories were ambiguous enough for people of all religions and atheists alike to sit back and enjoy them. The books themselves were extremely popular and have sold around 65 million copies all up so far.

With this in mind the BBC set aside a modest budget to turn the first book published (though not the first book in the series, confusing I know), the Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe into a short TV series. The story tells of four children, Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy, who find there way into a magical land called Narnia through a wardrobe. The land of Narnia was once a very happy place before the White Witch took control of the land and made it always winter, but never Christmas. It is up to the four children, along with Aslan, a lion who is also the King of Kings to defeat the White Witch and turn the land of Narnia back to the happy, peaceful country it use to be.

The acting in this series is over the top, especially by Barbara Kellerman who plays the White Witch however in the context of the story that is being told, this is not a bad thing. I thought that of the child actors, Sophie Cook, who played Susan was the best and it is a shame that she got little screen time in her next Narnian adventure. The other child actors were also very good, even if Sophie Wilcox, who plays Lucy was a little bit whiny at times. You can't really blame Sophie for this however since this was part of her character.

The budget was modest and it is clear that much of the budget went into Aslan and even Aslan didn't look or move particularly well. The beavers look like men in beavers outfits and the less said about werewolves outfits the better. What the director couldn't achieve with people in costumes he created animations that look shocking by todays standards. However despite the budgetary problems the director managed to capture the atmosphere and mood of the story quite well and should be congratulated for doing such a fine job on such a small budget.

Overall, the Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe is a great book turned into a great TV series by BBC Television. Despite its problems this is a show that should be watched by all who love a good story and it is disappointing that they do not make shows like this anymore.

7/10

Every child has a memory of a TV programme they watched when they were little and played it back for as long as they can remember and it always reminds them of the good times in their childhood. CS Lewis's Lion, Witch and the Wardrobe was one of them for me. I watched Rainbow, Simon and the Witch, T-Bag, Rod Hull and EMU along with Grottbags but Lion Witch and the wardrobe brings back the best.

I was never to much fussed or even liked Prince Caspian and The Silver Chair but this was a childhood masterpiece and also classic. The witch is still the most scariest thing I have ever witnessed, even in my adulthood the thought of her voice sends shivers down my spine. I always thought Aslan was a dark character as the Lion. The scene where it is night and he sends Lucy and Susan away and he lies onto the stone table awaiting the Witch to come and take his life in a bargain that she would release Edmund from her powers still keeps in my head as it was one of those famous scary scenes from kid programs.

I now have the box set of the entire films that were made and I have taken a liken to Prince Caspian but still no luck on The Silver Chair but with the movies coming along soon then I could be changed which will probably be the case as the whole thing is supposed to give Lord of the Rings a run for it's money which will be interesting to see.

Not matter how Good the new Lion, Witch and Wardrobe will be this is will always have a place in my heart for making my life as a child enjoyable one as it kept me excited every Sunday evening when they showed each episode on BBC One and I will always think of that Witch.

I just want to say that I remember seeing this movie and reading the book when I was younger, probably around 9 or 10. I just saw the new movie yesterday and it was very good. A lot of people think that this movie is a new concept, which upsets me a little, because it was an excellent movie and book. These people are ignorant to the fact that there was something before the new one, which is the case in most things today, clothes, music, movies, everything...

If you have not seen the new movie or the old movie, check out both of them, and if you want your children to absorb the concept of God, this is a great place to start, then maybe you can reiterate the ideas from the movie to those in the bible!

This fable is wonderful. We have 4 young children: Peter(Richard Dempsey), Susan(Sophie Cook), Edmund(Jonathan R. Scott) and Lucy(Sophie Wilcox); taken from London in 1940 to avoid the onslaught of the German Luftwaffe. They arrive at an old manor house in the country where they meet a kindly old professor(Michael Aldridge). The boys aren't thrilled by the empty and damp house, but the youngest, Lucy, is enchanted. They decide to explore the grounds, but have to explore the house instead of the grounds, due to a rainstorm. Lucy discovers a large, decorative wardrobe which appears to be made out of oak or some other hardwood. She goes in and is transported to another world. A world of witches, nymphs, talking fawns and other wonders. She can't convince her brothers and sister, but eventually as they are trying to avoid the stern governess, Mrs. McCready(Maureen Morris), they follow Lucy into the world. Then the real adventure begins.

This fable is layered with metaphors and symbolism. C.S. Lewis became a dedicated Christian late in life and the symbolism in the story shows his faith, as well being a good story.

All of the young people and others portray their roles with gusto. A couple of the actors go over the top, but it adds to the story. But the one that caught my eye was young Sophie Wilcox who played Lucy. This child was so animated. The range of her emotions traveled from joy to sadness to anger and back again. Lucy was portrayed as an innocent defending her family and loyal to her friends. There was no guile in her. Then there was her brother, Jonathan R. Scott(Edmund), who betrayed the family to the "White Witch"(Barbara Kellerman), because of anger and greed. The love of his family and King Aslan(William Todd Jones) saves him.

The special affects were the affects that were popular during the late 80s. Not as spectacular as in the Harry Potter movies, but the engineering of Aslan as a large male lion was wonderful.

I'm 44 and I recommend this film to anyone who wishes to go back and relive some wonderful childhood moments.

Laura

Yes, this series has flaws (the beaver costumes stand out as the worst part). But, it's actually good.

While the acting isn't the best, Aslan's voice is very soothing and fitting of the character, as is the very unsoothing over-the-top preformance from Barbara Kellerman as Jadis, which was very entertaining, especially in her conversation about the deep magic.

Narnia looks amazing throughout, being a real forest, and you can tell. I also love the music, especially the main theme.

The episodes are pretty close in quality, and I have more detailed reviews there. The only stand-out difference is episode 5, which I think is by far the best. Don't let the slow pace of the first few episodes, the cheesy costumes, or the bad camera quality throw you off, this show is worth watching.

I rate this 24% into Tier 5 (Good).

I have just purchased this on DVD for my seven year old son, after I recalled watching it when it was first screened in the eighties, on the prime Sunday "teatime" spot on BBC1 in the UK. It is a typical BBC production, working with a limited budget, they manage to make a magical & intelligent interpretation of C.S. Lewis's work. The Children who play Peter, Susan, Edmund & Lucy do so with some style, Peter especially, playing his role as the older brother to perfection. Although the budget constraints do show, especially with the animation/live action mix, some of the costumes still look good even now, in this age where CGI enhancement is king. I would recommend this production to anyone, it is classic story-telling in the finest sense.

Although the special effects are a lot better in the new one, this one still succeeds in being the better film. Made on a small budget, this film/serial captures the tone and magnificence of the book perfectly, while the 2005 one, made on a much bigger budget, destroys the tone and magnificence of the book and instead focuses itself on being a blockbuster action movie with explosions every second. One big problem that changes the tone in the 2005 one is the soundtrack. Here, in this 1988 version, we get a magnificent, memorable soundtrack, composed by the great but unknown Geoffrey Burgon, who sadly passed away seven years ago. In the 2005 one, we get an unmemorable soundtrack that is over the top, clichéd, loud, blaring and annoying. They also overuse the soundtrack in the 2005 movie. There's basically a unmemorable, over the top, clichéd, loud, blaring, annoying song every two minutes in the 2005 one. This 1988 one, however, uses it's music carefully, not making the soundtrack over the top. You'll have to listen to it to understand, but it fits the tone perfectly, because it's wonderful and not clichéd, with a perfect volume.

Another thing that this film is great at is pacing. The pacing was perfect, and so was the timing of the music. The music was played in the background at the right times, without making the scene over the top. There was also some character development in this version, believe it or not. The 2005 one, however, almost has close to none, and you don't really care for the characters because of it. In fact, I kind of wanted the White Witch to kill off the main characters in the 2005 one. In this version however, you'll see why the White Witch is so bad.

I also love the subtle dark tone in this version. The other one tries to be dark, but fails miserably. You understand the pain and the suffering of the people in Narnia in this version, but in the 2005 version, the reason isn't cared about enough. Instead, the filmmakers of the 2005 one care about making big bucks at the box office by making ground breaking action scenes. Truth be told, the action scenes aren't very good in the 1988 one, but trust me, if you sit down and watch the 1988 one instead of complaining about the special effects and stuffing popcorn into your mouth, you'll love the film.

Also, notice how this movie, the CHEAPER movie, feels more like an epic than the 2005 one does? IF you haven't seen this version yet, watch it, compare the two, and you'll see how by your own eyes. No explanation is needed for that once you see.

Oh, and I LOVED the White Witch in this version! The 2005 one actually had a decent White Witch, but this one is by far, the best. So is the version of Lucy in this one, she is adorable, always smiles in this one and behaves exactly like the one in the book. The 2005 Lucy may as well be renamed, as her personality is completely different. I thought the actor for Lucy in the 2005 one wasn't too good at her job, either.

To be honest, I liked the bad special effects in this version. It made a sort of tone to the movie that fitted the book that I can't describe. That may sound weird, but once you watch this, you should understand.

Overall, if you prefer Michael Bay from Ingmar Bergman, go watch the 2005 one. If you prefer Ingmar Bergman, go watch this one. You will not regret it. I rate it a 9.9/10.

It was about time we got to see this wonderful BBC film in its entirety. they cannot make quality children's entertainment like this anymore. Lucy in particular was a wonderful child actor - and how dare other reviews mention this BEAUITFUL ladies "buck teeth". Back in the 80s they used real children to portray real roles, and not everyone looked like a magazine. Azlan is a gorgeous lion animontronic and the animated bad creatures are not so badly done. All in all MY child was inthralled.

I remember this TV series being broadcast in the late eighties. At the time, it was widely trailed as state of the art and "big budget". Having said that, "big budget" back then for the BBC would have been similar to the budget for an independent film maker.

Watching this after the recent Disney film of the same book, 2 things strike me.

1) It (this series) is more faithful to the text.

2) Much of the recent film seems a direct copy of scenes in this series - down to details such as the internal decoration in some scenes and the shape of jars etc.

Finally, don't forget that this was a *series*, not a film, and the market it was aimed at.

Overall, well worth getting this on DVD - although time has not favoured the quality of sound.

If you or your children enjoyed the books (or not) then this makes excellent watching.

Ouch! They don't come much worse than this horrid adaptation of C. S. Lewis's beloved novel. While the adaptation is very true to the novel, the acting is simply awful and the sets and special effects are on a scale equivalent to a school play. I've read that the budget for this miniseries was the grandest that the BBC has ever given at the time, but surely they could have scraped together a bit more than the $2 that it looks like this was filmed for. The worst effect of all is Mr. Beaver. I know computer effects weren't at the level necessary or even cost effective at the time, but the costume store man in a suit look was horrid. Better to have just cut the character from the film than do that to the role! Avoid this at all costs.

This series showed how a small and resourceful budget can produce the maximum feeling and atmosphere in this truly classic version. It remains, like the other dramatisations, faithful to the text, and although the special effects are cheap, remember they were state of the art in 1988 and the amazing acting from the children and Barbara Kellermann's stunningly sharp and real portrayal of the witch more than makes up for it. And by the way, unlike other reviews state, this was a series, not a movie, so isn't too long when you think about it. See it if you can, though! Truly classic version.