Would C.S. Lewis Disapprove of Narnia because of Disney?
01/27/06
Aslan in 1980s BBC ProductionI just read an article on The Edmond Sun detailing why C.S. Lewis would not have approved of the just released film version of The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe. Her argument is primarily based on the following two quotes Lewis made:
"Aslan is a divine figure, and anything remotely approaching the comic (anything in the Disney line) would be to me simple blasphemy."
"...anthropomorphic animals, when taken out of narrative into actual visibility, always turn into buffoonery or nightmare. At least, with photography, cartoons (If only Disney did not combine so much vulgarity with his genius!) would be another matter."
Her argument, though, is disingenuous. The first quote refers to the animation Lewis was familiar with in the 1950s Disney-esque way. The second quote assumes that Lewis would today still think there is "buffoonery" in digital special effects--I think the only buffoonery we've witnessed with Aslan was in the 1980s BBC version (see the picture at the right). The Aslan in the recent film is believable--perhaps not what every reader wants, but there is no "buffoonery" or "nightmare" in Aslan's anthropomorphism.
I'm confident Lewis would have been much more willing to see his work come to life in this age of the film industry. Special effects are seamlessly integrated into films, and Aslan was given royal treatment to ensure his appearance on screen overcame Lewis's concerns.
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