S9E3: “Narnia in the Eighties”, After Hours with Christin Ditchfield Lazo

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We now come to the gold standard of Narnia adaptations! Andrew’s wife, Dr. Christin Ditchfield Lazo, joins us to discuss the BBC adaptation of “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe”.

Click here to download audio for S9E3: “Narnia in the Eighties”, After Hours with Christin Ditchfield Lazo

Show Notes

Introduction

Quote-of-the-Week

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Welcome

  • As we outlined last episode, this month is going to be a mini Narnia month. Those of you familiar with the television series will recognize the larger-than-life opening monologue by the White Witch as audio pulled from the 1980s BBC adaptation of “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe”, whose episodes we’ll be discussing today with the help of the real Queen of Narnia, Lazo the Greater, Lazo-Major, otherwise known as Dr. Christin Ditchfield-Lazo (Andrew’s lovely wife).

Chit Chat

  • David tried to kick Matt off after he said the 1988 adaptation didn’t need to happen.
  • We’re recording this on October 20th, and since Amazon servers went down, we’ve been fighting the internet today. So, let’s jump right in before Andrew has to hop off for a work call!

Discussion

Toast

  • Today, we toasted the Eighties. Cheers!

01. “Background”

Q. So, I [David] watched this BBC adaptation when it originally aired on Sundays in 1988. I actually created homemade cinema tickets for my friends and hosted watch parties each week! So needless to say, I’ve got a lot of nostalgia for this property. How about you guys? When did you first watch this?

  • Matt watched it for the first time last night. Timely, as always. He wasn’t very impressed, believing that the very ordinary scenes would take away from the magic of the books.
  • Christin saw it when she was about 20 years old, and watched it with her brothers. Rewatching it years later was a much different experience.
  • Andrew first saw it while housesitting for friends who had the cassette tapes, and found it horrifying!

02. “Opening Thoughts”

Q. I was going to ask about opening thoughts, but we’ve already learned that both Andrew and Matt are wrong! But Christin, you mentioned that your experiences were different. Could you share what that was like?

  • Christin watched it after the burgeoning era of special effects was coming into play, from movies like Star Wars and E.T., so her watching experience left her “nonplussed”. She spent most of the time cracking jokes about it with her brothers. Now, she looks at it as people doing the best they could with a very limited budget, in order to make something wonderful for children. She also noticed that it remains very faithful to the book, unlike some other adaptations.
  • Matt mentioned that this adaptation would make an excellent audiobook.
  • Christin and Andrew found that the documentary Past Watchful Dragons helped them understand the series.
  • David believes that the BBC series is an excellent preparation for watching theatrical productions of the Narnia books, because theaters will use similar costume and puppetry techniques.

03. “Episode #1”

The way we’re going to discuss this today will broadly be chapter-by-chapter. Since everyone listening to this has read the book, I’ll just briefly mention the chief blot points of each episode before we begin just to orient us…

In the opening episode, the Pevensies board the London train to the country, arrive at the professor’s house and settle in. They explore the house the next day and Lucy goes through the wardrobe, meets Tumnus, comes back and none of them believe her. They then have a game of hide-and-seek where Lucy and Edmund enter the wardrobe and the episode ends with Edmund coming face-to-face with the White Witch.

Q. What did you make of this opening and the initial characters we meet?

  • The episode was very faithful to the source material, almost line-for-line. The only character critique was that Lucy should’ve been blonde, but nearly every adaptation seems to miss this.
  • The pacing is very slow, almost painfully so. It’s difficult for someone in the fast-paced digital age to concentrate for very long.
  • Opening credits
    • The musical score with the French horn was beautiful.
    • The graphical tour of Narnia in the opening is wonderful as well. David wants it as wallpaper.
  • The Train
    • In general it sticks very closely to the book, but the new dialogue on the train is great in establishing the characters and setting them up for an adventure. 
      • Edmund is a turd “They’ll be right there in all the excitement”. He also referenced “Mummy and Nanny”, unlike the Walden media version.
    • Edmund claims nothing ever happens in the country, which sets the viewers up for an adventure!
  • Arrival
    • LOVE Mrs. Macready. She waits at the TOP of the stairs and leads them into the house saying NOTHING. Her severity is an example that Elizabeth Hawthorne from the 2005 version follows after.
    • Professor Kirk is jovial and kind, and has several cute interactions with the children.
  • Entry into Narnia
    • These scenes were filmed in Scotland, and are a bit creepier than the Waldon Media version, which makes it a magical experience. In some ways, it’s more appropriate, since it is “always winter, never Christmas” in Narnia.
    • In the 2005 version, the directors didn’t let the children see the snow set until they went in, in order to catch their surprised reactions.
  • Meeting Tumnus
    • For David, this is the definitive Mr. Tumnus (sorry James McAvoy!).
    • I like the cutting of the shots – subtly creepy
    • In the transition from Tumnus’ musical pipe to Lucy’s dreams, we see Narnia as it once was. We also get our first introduction to the animation for the mythical creatures to come, which was… a little bit rough.

04. “Episode #2”

In Episode 2, Lucy arrives at Tumnus’ house and Emund meets the Witch. Lucy and Edmund return to our world and Edmund lies about being in Narnia. Peter and Susan talk things over with the Professor and things calm down. However, Mrs McCready’s tour chases the children into the Narnia where the children go to see Mr. Tumnus, only to discuss that he has been arrested.

Q. Let’s move on to Episode Two. What did you think?

  • Back home
    • When the children check the wardrobe and Lucy is accused of playing a prank or a game, the scene is very emotionally charged. Poor Lucy!
  • Meeting the Professor
    • The actor Michael Aldrich has been in a lot of stuff, but he is my definitive professor.
    • There’s some more non-canonical dialog which is delightful, such as where he says how nice it is to be interrupted, otherwise life would be all work.
  • Editing
    • The cutting back-and-forth between Lucy and Edmund’s separate Narnian adventures adds dramatic tension, as we watch Edmunds betrayal of Tumnus unfold in real time.
  • The White Witch
    • In David’s opinion, Barbara Kellerman is AWESOME, and there’s no such thing as overacting. He knows all her lines from memory, and loves her self-monologues and gasping.
      • “Can’t I just have one more piece of Turkish Delight?” “Noooooooooo!”
      • Was Kellerman’s portrayal of the Witch purposefully ridiculous and cartoonish, in order to avoid scaring children who watched the series?
      • The special effects people had a hay day in this episode. It was fun, even if some of the effects were noncanonical, like the Turkish Delight telekinesis and the smart panels on her tent to show Edmund where her house was.
  • Edmund is perfect
    • Edmund is brilliantly cast – he has a very punchable face. Even the short scene where Edmund comes in, sees Lucy drawing a faun, then picks up the paper and drops it on the floor… what a turd!
    • Andrew refers to him as the PLB, or the “perfect little beast”. Edmund also reminded him of the odd Inkling, Charles Williams. Lewis once wrote in a letter to his brother that other members of the group found him “eminently combustible”, and that Williams “enabled [Charles Wrenn] to understand how inquisitors had felt it right to burn people.”
  • Entering Narnia
    • The wardrobe scene is cute, albeit somewhat cringeworthy.
    • Peter: “Never shut yourself in a wardrobe, stupid!”
    • Andrew pointed out that the personalities of Susan and Peter are flipped in this series. Rather than Peter being the kind, affectionate, and pure one, he takes on Susan’s role of being reasonable and rational above all else.
    • A little disappointed the coats weren’t longer to make them look like royalty, like the book says.
  • Finding Mr. Tumnus’ cave wreaked
    • I didn’t remember – Maugrim pronounces “Jadis” like “Jardis” like “TARDIS”
    • We end the episode with the special effect of Maugrim’s face imposed onto the letter, and hear a “dreadful” roar… do wolves even roar? Well, this one did.

05. “Episode #3”

We turn to Episode Three where we pick things up at Maugrim’s letter and the children meet Mr. and Mrs. Beaver. Edmund sneaks away and journeys to the Witch’s house where he meets Maugrim and tells the Witch that Aslan has arrived and that his family are at the Beaver’s House.

Q. Any thoughts?

  • Deviation
    • The children don’t follow a robin in this adaptation (understandable, robins are hard to train after all!)
  • The Beavers
    • Their meeting was word-for-word taken from the book.
    • Even at the age of 8, David found the beavers hilarious at every level. Their costumes are memorable, to say the least.
      • Kerry Shale and Lesley Nicol do a great job, even though in David’s opinion their accents should be from Yorkshire rather than the West Country. 
      • Out of all the actors, Lesley Nicol went on to have the most successful acting career, staring in Downton Abbey and Mama Mia.
      • Fun fact: during filming there were a couple of assistants on standby, nicknamed the “Beaver Retrievers” who had pick the beavers up when they fell over in the snow!
      • The scene where they find out “Aslan is on the move” tries hard to mirror the emotions felt in the book, but it was a little cringe… but everything was book-perfect dialogue-wise.
      • Susan and Lucy say they would like to help, and Mrs. Beaver gives tasks to the girls, but also to Edmund – hilarious. He also sulks when Mr. Beaver laughs at his comment about turning Aslan to stone. A great job acting, Edmund is a perfect little brute throughout.
      • The camera pans back to reveal Edmund has snuck away – how he managed that escape, goodness knows – somehow he even managed to snag his coat.
      • I quite liked the witch’s voiceover for the audience to explain the meaning of Edmund seeing two hills.
  • Edmund’s Journey and the Witch’s House
    • A lot of monologging and gollum-like arguing, as we see Edmund confronting another version of himself, when it’s very clear that the Witch isn’t going to give him what he wants.
    • There’s no stone lion in this version, it’s skipped right over. They probably couldn’t find one that was cheap enough. But the scenery is perfect, very spooky.
    • Barbara turns it up to 11, adding the line “without bells… no warning… burst upon them” to really spell out (in case she was too subtle before) that she’s evil.

06. “Episode #4”

The Beavers and the children pack to leave. The witch dispatches Maugrim and takes Edmund to capture his siblings. The children escape and, after resting in a hiding place they meet Father Christmas who gives them gifts. The witch turns a party of celebrating animals into stone, spring arrives, and the children finally see Aslan.

Q. Any thoughts about the fourth episode?

  • Editing
    • They ramp up tension by cutting back and forth between the Witch’s castle and the Beavers’ dam.
    • We only discover they’ve escaped the clutches of the Witch once the wolves (or German Shepherds) arrive at the dam.
  • The Beavers
    • There’s a funny scene with the beavers where Mr. Beaver has to pry a vase of dried flowers out of his wife’s hands, argues with her about the sewing machine, and then she wants “one last think”.
      • In every couple there’s a Mr. and Mrs Beaver. We all know who Andrew is… his wife has to label their overpacked suitcases so that people know it’s not ladies shoes, but books.
  • The Witch’s House
    • The line “Turkish delight for the little prince” is hilarious because Edmund clearly believes he’s actually going to get it!
    • Edmund hears the Witch explicitly say to Maugrim to kill his family.
  • The Beaver Journey & Father Christmas
    • They ramp up the tension again by cutting between the White Witch seeing something and Mr. Beaver leaving their hiding place.
    • Though Walden’s Father Christmas was fantastic, this one is great too, even though the sleigh is small.
  • The Witch’s Journey & The Animals’ Christmas Party
    • Barbara turns it up to 12…
    • She warns the animals not to say Aslan has arrived, and the littlest animal can’t help itself.
  • Arriving at Aslan 
    • Animated animals and finally… Aslan! This Aslan is much better than the previous live action movie, much more huggable, not just a weird man in a leotard.

07. “Episode #5”

The children meet Aslan who shows Peter Cair Paravel. Peter kills Maugrim. The Witch summons her friends and tries to kill Edmund who is rescued. The Witch and Aslan negotiate for Edmunds life. Aslan’s party leaves the stone table and, later that night, the girls follow him back to the table where the Witch’s minions are waiting…

Q. What did you think of the penultimate episode? And what did you think of this new Aslan?

  • Meeting Aslan
    • Everyone agrees that Aslan’s voice is rather jarring. It doesn’t exude that overwhelming goodness. But then again, they don’t find Liam Neeson’s to be perfect either (though better). Everyone here is hard to please.
    • Peter goes first, without protest from the children and the Beavers.
    • Rather than leopards beside Aslan, they have two dark-skinned fauns.
  • Battling Maugrim
    • Susan blows her horn, but she’s not in danger. Instead, Maugrim is just hanging out at the Stone Table.
    • The battle is done in “duel mode” like in video games – with the red background blurring everything out but Peter and Maugrim.
    • Watching it again as an adult, the fight is longer and more explicit than David remembers it being.
  • Edmund’s Sacrifice & Rescue
    • The witch uses an incantation to call her hags and other evil accomplices – very creepy as a child watching it. If you recall, the narrator of the book even says that he would describe it more, but parents wouldn’t let them keep reading.
    • Edmund is rescued – you can see Edmund’s legs pass through the Pegasus’ wings.
  • Family reunite and the witch comes to parlay 
    • Aslan and the Witch leave, but in the book he makes everyone else leave
    • Aslan’s roar to the Witch isn’t bad, but it’s still a little lacking… 
  • The Fords of Beruna
    • They’re actually in “the forest” – it’s where they’ll have the battle
  • The Stone Table
    • It’s a scene that a child would find rather intense. There’s a lot of mockery, showing the depravity of what was happening. The girls really sell it as they sit in the bushes crying.
    • They tweak the order of events a bit, but they do their best with the special effects.
    • David saw an interview on a call-show where Babara Kellerman was asked about all of the “violence” in the show – standards have certainly changed since!

08. “Episode #6”

The girls free Aslan from the Stone Table and he comes back to life. Aslan brings all the statues in the Witch’s House back to life and they join the battle with the Witch. The children are crowned, grow older, chase the White Stag, and come back to our world. They visit the professor to explain why some things from the wardrobe are missing.

Q. What are your thoughts on the closing episode?

  • Aslan’s Resurrection
    • Aslan’s roar…meh.
    • Rather than saying “death will work backwards”, Aslan says “death will be denied”.
    • Aslan doesn’t play with the girls before traveling to the Witch’s house.
  • The Battle
    • The Witch says that they should have arrived at Peter’s camp sooner, but the Dwarf says that they would have expected that so…they choose to attack under the cover of daylight? Why the Dwarf is the Queen’s advisor is anyone’s guess. The Witch then tells the dwarf that everyone must stay silent or… and then she turns a creature who was being silent into stone!
  • The Statues
    • The special effects here were superb, as Aslan breathes everything back to life. Everything comes alive, even the fountain.
  • The Battle
    • The fighting scenes are very PG. They made lots of animations, but they’re creatively done.
    • In this version, you see the fight between Edmund and the Witch, which we’re just told about in the book.
    • The book is a bit vague about what happens to the Witch. In this adaptation, Aslan roars, causing an earthquake, and the Witch plummets off of a height. Since they were using a puppet, they couldn’t have him pouncing on the Witch.
    • Lucy wants to stay with Edmund, and following the book, Aslan is a bit harsh with her!
  • Cair Paravel
    • The crowning is a bit odd. Unlike the Walden version, the children are not crowned by their friends, but by magic out of nowhere.
    • It’s fun to see the children playing on the beach in their crowns.
  • The White Stag
    • Tumnus is used as a chronicler to explain the time jump. Greta Gerwig, are you listening?
    • Peter checks for his beard once he realizes it’s gone.
  • The Professor
    • Perhaps the best scene in the series. “Once a king of Narnia…”
    • He looks up and smiles after the children leave. He has a twinkle in his eye, and you know there’s more story to be told.
  • Before jumping off, Andrew made one more Downton Abbey connection: next February in London, Hugh Bonneville is staring in Shadowlands.

Wrap Up

Concluding Thoughts

Q. Any closing thoughts about this adaptation? Or has watching this adaptation given you any thoughts regarding the upcoming Netflix adaptation?

  • They need to get Aslan right. It’s a must.
  • The scenes should have a fantastic, magical feel to them.
  • David expressed that he’s open to a little more creativity, given the very slow pacing of this series. But not too much! It should be kept true to the spirit of the books.

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David

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After working as a Software Engineer in England for several years, David moved to the United States in 2008, where he settled in San Diego. Then, in 2020 he married his wife, Marie, and moved to La Crosse, Wisconsin. Together they have a son, Alexander, who is adamant that Narnia should be read publication order.