Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #18867 in DVD
• Released on: 2003-09-15
• Rating: Universal, suitable for all
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Format: PAL
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 169 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
This Alan Seymour dramatisation of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe was originally broadcast as a BBC series in 1988. Whether you take CS Lewis' unsubtle Christian symbolism on board or not, the fact remains that the cycle of Narnia novels, of which this was the first, are among the best children's fantasy stories of all time. For anyone who spent their formative years on Mars, the story concerns four children who find their way into a magical land benevolently ruled by the mystical lion, Aslan (voiced by Ronald Pickup, no less). Aslan has been deposed by the evil White Witch (played wonderfully by a screechingly camp Barbara Kellerman) who has cast all of Narnia into perpetual winter and whose eventual defeat entails a fearful sacrifice. While the special effects are firmly of the Doctor Who school, Lewis' writing is expertly transferred to the small screen and there are robust but credible performances from the four highly plausible young thesps cast in the leading roles. It's perfect for cosy family (early) evening viewing, and something that young viewers will return to again and again. --Roger Thomas

DVD Description
It is a quiet sort of day in the heart of the English countryside when Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy stumble through the back of an old wardrobe into the enchanted land of Narnia. They embark on an extraordinary adventure discovering talking fauns, friendly beavers, giants and flying horses. When the White Witch learns of their presence in Narnia, their lives are in danger, but there is talk that Aslan, the Great Lion, is on the move.

Originally broadcast in 1988, this adaptation of C.S. Lewis’ powerful fantasy for all ages uses live action, animation and special effects to recreate the most thrilling adventure of all. Relive the excitement of this memorable production in this magical DVD.

Special Features

• Photo Gallery
  
• Episode and scene selection

DVD Technical Information:

• Digitally remastered
  
• Subtitles: English SDH
  
• Audio: Dolby Digital Dual Mono
  
• Region Code: 2,4
  
• Disc Format: DVD-9
  
• Aspect Ratio: 4:3
  
• Total Running Time: 169 minutes approx.

Customer Reviews

The lion, th witch, and the BBC
In the December, C.S. Lewis's "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" will follow in the footsteps of Lewis' pal Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings Trilogy," with a gleaming new big-screen adaptation. In the months before it's released, however, it might be time to dust off the 1988 BBC adaptation of Lewis's first book, which is divided between the good and bad.

The four Pevensie children arrive in the country, at the start of World War II. Despite the eccentric but friendly professor (Michael Aldridge) who lives there, they're all bored. And during a game of hide-and-seek, Lucy (Sophie Wilcox) slips into an old wardrobe -- and finds that the back of it opens into a magical, snowy forest land called Narnia. She encounters a friendly faun, but when she arrives back home, she finds that none of her siblings believe her.

But soon Lucy and her siblings find their way through -- not knowing that peevish Edmund (Jonathan R. Scott) has already allied himself to the evil White Witch (Barbara Kellerman) who keeps Narnia locked in winter. She's especially desperate, because Narnia is beginning to thaw out, now that leonine Aslan is coming back to it, and the Pevensie kids have shown up to fulfil an old prophecy. But the Witch won't go down without a massive battle -- and one that might destroy the lion-messiah himself.

"The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe" is a mixed bag -- it has more or less equal measures of good and bad. What it also has is deep fidelity to Lewis's original book, which was one of the first major fantasies to get widespread attention. And that's definitely an important detail, since the spirit of the book could easily have been lost.

The filmmakers obviously did their homework, crafting the script and dialogue to be close to Lewis's novel. And it's a credit that they pulled off some lines that could have sounded idiotic ("You're not dead, Aslan!" "Do I look dead?") in the wrong hands. They also did an excellent job of changing atmosphere, shifting from the stodgy English country house to the airy frozen Narnia, with its castles and dewy wildlands.

Unfortunately, the special effects haven't aged well. They were state of the art at the time, but now they look quite cheesy and low budget, with a few exceptions -- the scene where Lucy restores various "statued" people to life is pretty good. The other stuff ranged from primitive bluescreen to an enormous puppet playing Aslan. It's a good puppet, and remarkably convincing physically, but it still makes Aslan look like he has a wicked case of arthritis.

The acting is also divided between good and bad. Scott is particularly good as the "bad boy" Edmund, who ends up falling in with the Witch, especially when he turns on his evil mentor. He is accompanied by some good acting from Sophie Cook as Susan, and Richatd Dempsey as Peter, who also has to do a convincing battle with a werewolf. The weak links are Wilcox, who speaks most of her lines in a whine, and Kellerman, who laughs madly, coos and shrieks, and generally hams it up like a lunatic.

The new version of "The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe" has yet to be judged against Lewis' original novel, but the 1988 BBC version is a solid if flawed adaptation. Worth checking out.

Fabulous movie for all ages!
I have loved this movie ever since I first saw it (I was 4 at the time). In fact, my first memory is of sitting right in front of the television on a Sunday afternoon glued to the adventures of Peter, Susan, Edmund, and my personal favourite (probably because I could identify with her) Lucy. I found it so captivating that until I was 12 I checked the back of every wardrobe and closet I had to see if I could get into Narnia! I recently bought the film on dvd after moving to England from Canada and having no success finding it on video over there. I was ecstatic to find it as I remembered it being such a wonderful film. As soon as I got home I shut myself away and sat myself in front of the tv, a childish grin on my face as I heard the familiar music and guess what!?! After 15 years it has lost none of its charm. Even after dissecting the theological aspects of it in my religious education class, I was fully engrossed in the story. I definitely recommend this to anyone who has even an ounce of imagination, young or old as even though I am now a university student, I still read every one of the books in the series faithfully at least once a year. I cannot say enough what a wonderful movie it is. Despite frightfully see-through special effects the story is pulled together by a wonderful plot, excellent casting (though Edmund is a bit obvious at his script reading) and one major element that makes it so wonderful: everyone can identify to one of the children, whether they are a shy girl, or an adventurous one, a valiant boy or sideliner. Either way, unless you were born without any imagination, I recommend this to all of you.

Brilliant stuff.
I am so glad that the BBC has released this little treasure on DVD. I used to sit down on a Sunday tea-time and avidly watch this with my family.

All I remeber (I was very small at the time) was how wonderful it all was that some children could find a new world out the back of an old warderobe.

This DVD is an absolute must for all collections and I think it appeals to all, good clean family viewing which will be watched over and over again whether you are 5 or 105.