oh my god, NARNIA
May. 25th, 2008 06:11 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
bedlamsbardLet me just put this out there before anything else -- you will never hear this again, so listen very carefully -- the movie was better than the book.
*fans self*
Now, there were a lot of differences from the book, but none of them to such an extent that they detracted from the story; on the flip side, I think they actually added to the story, because the filmmakers were able to fill in spots that, oh, the ficcers usually do.
Like, for example, my major quibble with the Narnia books: that the kids never show any sign of trauma post-Narnia. Which they so totally do here. I would love Prince Caspian just for that. And Peter. Oh my God, Peter. Always my favorite character, and now we all know why.
Guys, I am shallow. Give me a good plot, good action sequences -- holy God, Narnia's battle strategy actually made sense -- and hot boys fighting and you have me. But. But. We have Peter the High King -- and Peter will always be High King of Narnia, even when he's just an English schoolboy getting into fistfights over being treated as an English schoolboy -- and he knows it. He is The High King -- and he knows it, he acts like it, and he expects it. And Susan and Edmund are queen and king of Narnia too, and hot damn do they ever show it -- but Peter was High King from the moment he set foot in Narnia a year earlier and he never stopped just because he got back to England. He certainly doesn't stop being King -- or start being King again -- when he arrives in Narnia again. Susan and Edmund and Lucy -- they can turn it off and turn it on again, but Peter can't. He's incapable of doing so (and man, must that ever cause him problems back home, as we see) and he expects everyone to treat him as High King. Which they do. More or less. I mean, occasionally he also turns on his older brother vibes, but he is always, always a ruler first and foremost.
That said, let me quote The Last Battle, which I otherwise have extreme problems with -- except for this part.
"Children! Children! Friends of Narnia! Quick. Come to me. Across the worlds I call you; I, Tirian, King of Narnia, Lord of Cair Paravel, and Emperor of the Lone Islands!"
And immediately he was plunged into a dream (if it was a dream) more vivid than any he had had in his life.
He seemed to be standing in a lighted room where seven people sat round a table. It looked as if they had just finished their meal. Two of those people were very old, an old man with a white beard and an old woman with wise, merry, twinkling eyes. He who sat at hte right hand of the old man was hardly full grown, certainly younger than Tirian himself, but his face had already the look of a king and a warrior. And you could almost say the same of the other youth who sat at the right hand of the old woman. Facing Tirian across the table sat a fair-haired girl younger than either of these, and on either side of her a boy and girl who were younger still. They were all dressed in what seemed to Tirian the oddest kind of clothes.
But he had no time to think about details like that, for instantly the youngest boy and both the girls started to their feet, and one of them gave a little scream. The old woman started and drew in her breath sharply. The old man must have made some sudden movement too for the wine glass which stood at his right hand was swept off the table: Tirian could hear the tinkling noise as it broke on the floor.
Then Tirian realized that these people could see him; they were string at him as if they saw a ghost. But he noticed that the king-like one who sat at the old man's right never moved (though he turned pale) except that he clenched his hand very tight. Then he said:
"Speak, if you're not a phantom or a dream. You have a Narnia look about you and we are the seven friends of Narnia."
Tirian was longing to speak, and he tried to cry out aloud that he was Tirian of Narnia, in great need of help. But he found (as I have sometimes found in dreams too) that his voice made no noise at all.
The one who had already spoken to him rose to his feet. "Shadow or spirit or whatever you are," he said, fixing his eyes full upon Tirian. "If you are from Narnia, I charge you in the name of Aslan, speak to me. I am Peter the High King."
(Lewis, C.S. The Last Battle. New York City: Scholastic, 1995.)
The rest of The Last Battle has some pretty severe issues, but that part -- that part stays with me, and has always defined Peter. (Also, if they make The Last Battle, please to be bringing William Moseley back, kthnxbye.) Peter is the High King of Narnia, above all other kings, even the first king that accompanied Professor Kirke back when he was, you know, young.
And the rest of Narnia may have got that, but it took Prince Caspain a while. Although the moment when he realized he was holding High King Peter's sword was, like, totally awesome. Because it's an, "oh, shit, what the fuck has just happened?" moment, and I love those. (Also, did I mention I was shallow? Yes. Very shallow.)
Also, did I mention Peter? Getting into fights. And hitting people. And swordfighting. And being totally fucking awesome. And -- oh my God, I'm so glad they put the White Witch in there. Maybe I was making it up because I wanted it to be there, but the sheer terror on the Pevensies' faces -- Peter's, especially -- God. And Tilda Swinton fucking brought it, man. "Dear Peter...I've missed you." And Peter was bleeding! I think, out of everything in the movie, that was the one moment when Peter wasn't High King Peter the Magnificent. That was when he was Peter Pevensie, scared teenager who's looking his nightmare in the eyes again. (Don't tell me Peter -- all the Pevensies -- doesn't occasionally still wake up sweating from nightmares where he's failed Narnia and let the White Witch win, because after that seen, you'll never have me.) And it has to be Edmund who destroys the Witch, because...Edmund knows as well as Peter. Better than Peter. And that's the one thing Caspian -- none of the kings of Narnia that come after the Pevensies -- will ever be able to understand, because he wasn't there.
Now, of course, the ghost of the White Witch didn't come back in the book, and also, they tried to bring her back at a much earlier point in the book. It doesn't matter. It works better here, after the defeat the Narnians have just suffered. (Which, okay, also wasn't in the book, but hello, Peter with a sword and the Narnian Air Force! Totally worked. Also, Reepicheep. Oh, Reepicheep.)
Excuse me, I have to talk about Peter some more. Oh, Peter. This was not your story -- except in the way it was. Because the Pevensies made modern Narnia, and Caspian and every one of his descendents, from Rilian to Tirian -- they're following the path that Peter forged. And Caspian is doing very well at it, even though he has to keep up with the Kings and Queens of legend. There's a reason that this photoshoot calls him the "Prince-Regent of Narnia" -- because it will always, always be Peter's throne he's sitting on, even if Peter never comes back.
Also, Susan and Edmund? Completely awesome. Even though Edmund was being used as comic relief fairly often, it wasn't to the detriment of the story: he's still as much a king as Peter, just as Susan is as much a queen. And what a queen! She didn't do much in the book, but it's more than made up for here. Just like Peter, Susan is a queen -- a warrior queen. (Father Christmas didn't give her that bow just because it went with her hair!) And let me say -- Legolas may be faster with a bow, but not by much. Also, Susan is very much part of the Narnian Air Force. As is Edmund. And Peter. And Trumpkin. Also Caspian.
Lucy is...well, Lucy is cute. And young. Which explains why she's the heart and the faith, but not much of a warrior, compared to her sister and brothers. She doesn't feel like a queen, so much, maybe just because of how much younger she is -- she can forget everything but the broad strokes, while the others...can't. And...well, what with the Caspian/Susan kiss (at which point Peter is obviously smiling magnanimously and going, "You are so lucky that I'm going to another world so I don't have to give you the speech, even though I know my sister can take care of herself"), and Lucy going, "Am I not old enough? I don't get it!" I'm almost positive it's only the broad strokes she and Edmund remember, not the exacting details Peter and Susan do. Edmund remembers more...but not enough that he's as grown up as Peter and Susan are. (Also, I will never stop hating Lewis for this. Although I suppose it would be awkward for the High King of Narnia to always come along at some convenient point; it's much more amusing and believable for nobodies to have to deal with all the little stuff like following Caspian on his deep sea voyage and finding Rilian and...well, not saving Narnia.)
Also, the world-building? Completely awesome.
(Have I mentioned that the battle strategy makes sense? Because they had military advisers! I can just imagine interviewing for that, though: "Okay, we have a mouse the size of a cat that can use a sword. How would you use it?" "A mouse? What the hell do you have a mouse for?" "This is Narnia. Didn't you know that when you interviewed?" "No, I thought this was just another action flick!" "So how do you use the mouse?" "Man, I'm out of here.")
Also, Peter. Breathing. Hot.
Now I really want to write my Narnia-inspired story, which is...um, actually more of what would happen if you crossed Narnia and Dark Angel. No, really. Pair of twins that get sent to magical Narnia-like land, then suddenly come home again. Only they're fraternal twins, and the girl is pregnant. By her brother. So he gets sent away to live with his cousins, one of whom is a genetically engineered supersoldier stolen from a private company. Um. No, it...actually doesn't make more sense in context. This is because it was (vaguely, oh so vaguely) plotted when I was still working in what I fondly call "The 'Verse" where. Everything. Connects.
Okay, back to Narnia: Peter. Breathing. Hot. Peter. Fighting. Me. Dead. SO GOOD.
*fans self*
Now, there were a lot of differences from the book, but none of them to such an extent that they detracted from the story; on the flip side, I think they actually added to the story, because the filmmakers were able to fill in spots that, oh, the ficcers usually do.
Like, for example, my major quibble with the Narnia books: that the kids never show any sign of trauma post-Narnia. Which they so totally do here. I would love Prince Caspian just for that. And Peter. Oh my God, Peter. Always my favorite character, and now we all know why.
Guys, I am shallow. Give me a good plot, good action sequences -- holy God, Narnia's battle strategy actually made sense -- and hot boys fighting and you have me. But. But. We have Peter the High King -- and Peter will always be High King of Narnia, even when he's just an English schoolboy getting into fistfights over being treated as an English schoolboy -- and he knows it. He is The High King -- and he knows it, he acts like it, and he expects it. And Susan and Edmund are queen and king of Narnia too, and hot damn do they ever show it -- but Peter was High King from the moment he set foot in Narnia a year earlier and he never stopped just because he got back to England. He certainly doesn't stop being King -- or start being King again -- when he arrives in Narnia again. Susan and Edmund and Lucy -- they can turn it off and turn it on again, but Peter can't. He's incapable of doing so (and man, must that ever cause him problems back home, as we see) and he expects everyone to treat him as High King. Which they do. More or less. I mean, occasionally he also turns on his older brother vibes, but he is always, always a ruler first and foremost.
That said, let me quote The Last Battle, which I otherwise have extreme problems with -- except for this part.
"Children! Children! Friends of Narnia! Quick. Come to me. Across the worlds I call you; I, Tirian, King of Narnia, Lord of Cair Paravel, and Emperor of the Lone Islands!"
And immediately he was plunged into a dream (if it was a dream) more vivid than any he had had in his life.
He seemed to be standing in a lighted room where seven people sat round a table. It looked as if they had just finished their meal. Two of those people were very old, an old man with a white beard and an old woman with wise, merry, twinkling eyes. He who sat at hte right hand of the old man was hardly full grown, certainly younger than Tirian himself, but his face had already the look of a king and a warrior. And you could almost say the same of the other youth who sat at the right hand of the old woman. Facing Tirian across the table sat a fair-haired girl younger than either of these, and on either side of her a boy and girl who were younger still. They were all dressed in what seemed to Tirian the oddest kind of clothes.
But he had no time to think about details like that, for instantly the youngest boy and both the girls started to their feet, and one of them gave a little scream. The old woman started and drew in her breath sharply. The old man must have made some sudden movement too for the wine glass which stood at his right hand was swept off the table: Tirian could hear the tinkling noise as it broke on the floor.
Then Tirian realized that these people could see him; they were string at him as if they saw a ghost. But he noticed that the king-like one who sat at the old man's right never moved (though he turned pale) except that he clenched his hand very tight. Then he said:
"Speak, if you're not a phantom or a dream. You have a Narnia look about you and we are the seven friends of Narnia."
Tirian was longing to speak, and he tried to cry out aloud that he was Tirian of Narnia, in great need of help. But he found (as I have sometimes found in dreams too) that his voice made no noise at all.
The one who had already spoken to him rose to his feet. "Shadow or spirit or whatever you are," he said, fixing his eyes full upon Tirian. "If you are from Narnia, I charge you in the name of Aslan, speak to me. I am Peter the High King."
(Lewis, C.S. The Last Battle. New York City: Scholastic, 1995.)
The rest of The Last Battle has some pretty severe issues, but that part -- that part stays with me, and has always defined Peter. (Also, if they make The Last Battle, please to be bringing William Moseley back, kthnxbye.) Peter is the High King of Narnia, above all other kings, even the first king that accompanied Professor Kirke back when he was, you know, young.
And the rest of Narnia may have got that, but it took Prince Caspain a while. Although the moment when he realized he was holding High King Peter's sword was, like, totally awesome. Because it's an, "oh, shit, what the fuck has just happened?" moment, and I love those. (Also, did I mention I was shallow? Yes. Very shallow.)
Also, did I mention Peter? Getting into fights. And hitting people. And swordfighting. And being totally fucking awesome. And -- oh my God, I'm so glad they put the White Witch in there. Maybe I was making it up because I wanted it to be there, but the sheer terror on the Pevensies' faces -- Peter's, especially -- God. And Tilda Swinton fucking brought it, man. "Dear Peter...I've missed you." And Peter was bleeding! I think, out of everything in the movie, that was the one moment when Peter wasn't High King Peter the Magnificent. That was when he was Peter Pevensie, scared teenager who's looking his nightmare in the eyes again. (Don't tell me Peter -- all the Pevensies -- doesn't occasionally still wake up sweating from nightmares where he's failed Narnia and let the White Witch win, because after that seen, you'll never have me.) And it has to be Edmund who destroys the Witch, because...Edmund knows as well as Peter. Better than Peter. And that's the one thing Caspian -- none of the kings of Narnia that come after the Pevensies -- will ever be able to understand, because he wasn't there.
Now, of course, the ghost of the White Witch didn't come back in the book, and also, they tried to bring her back at a much earlier point in the book. It doesn't matter. It works better here, after the defeat the Narnians have just suffered. (Which, okay, also wasn't in the book, but hello, Peter with a sword and the Narnian Air Force! Totally worked. Also, Reepicheep. Oh, Reepicheep.)
Excuse me, I have to talk about Peter some more. Oh, Peter. This was not your story -- except in the way it was. Because the Pevensies made modern Narnia, and Caspian and every one of his descendents, from Rilian to Tirian -- they're following the path that Peter forged. And Caspian is doing very well at it, even though he has to keep up with the Kings and Queens of legend. There's a reason that this photoshoot calls him the "Prince-Regent of Narnia" -- because it will always, always be Peter's throne he's sitting on, even if Peter never comes back.
Also, Susan and Edmund? Completely awesome. Even though Edmund was being used as comic relief fairly often, it wasn't to the detriment of the story: he's still as much a king as Peter, just as Susan is as much a queen. And what a queen! She didn't do much in the book, but it's more than made up for here. Just like Peter, Susan is a queen -- a warrior queen. (Father Christmas didn't give her that bow just because it went with her hair!) And let me say -- Legolas may be faster with a bow, but not by much. Also, Susan is very much part of the Narnian Air Force. As is Edmund. And Peter. And Trumpkin. Also Caspian.
Lucy is...well, Lucy is cute. And young. Which explains why she's the heart and the faith, but not much of a warrior, compared to her sister and brothers. She doesn't feel like a queen, so much, maybe just because of how much younger she is -- she can forget everything but the broad strokes, while the others...can't. And...well, what with the Caspian/Susan kiss (at which point Peter is obviously smiling magnanimously and going, "You are so lucky that I'm going to another world so I don't have to give you the speech, even though I know my sister can take care of herself"), and Lucy going, "Am I not old enough? I don't get it!" I'm almost positive it's only the broad strokes she and Edmund remember, not the exacting details Peter and Susan do. Edmund remembers more...but not enough that he's as grown up as Peter and Susan are. (Also, I will never stop hating Lewis for this. Although I suppose it would be awkward for the High King of Narnia to always come along at some convenient point; it's much more amusing and believable for nobodies to have to deal with all the little stuff like following Caspian on his deep sea voyage and finding Rilian and...well, not saving Narnia.)
Also, the world-building? Completely awesome.
(Have I mentioned that the battle strategy makes sense? Because they had military advisers! I can just imagine interviewing for that, though: "Okay, we have a mouse the size of a cat that can use a sword. How would you use it?" "A mouse? What the hell do you have a mouse for?" "This is Narnia. Didn't you know that when you interviewed?" "No, I thought this was just another action flick!" "So how do you use the mouse?" "Man, I'm out of here.")
Also, Peter. Breathing. Hot.
Now I really want to write my Narnia-inspired story, which is...um, actually more of what would happen if you crossed Narnia and Dark Angel. No, really. Pair of twins that get sent to magical Narnia-like land, then suddenly come home again. Only they're fraternal twins, and the girl is pregnant. By her brother. So he gets sent away to live with his cousins, one of whom is a genetically engineered supersoldier stolen from a private company. Um. No, it...actually doesn't make more sense in context. This is because it was (vaguely, oh so vaguely) plotted when I was still working in what I fondly call "The 'Verse" where. Everything. Connects.
Okay, back to Narnia: Peter. Breathing. Hot. Peter. Fighting. Me. Dead. SO GOOD.