Notes: No major spoilers, just minor nods to the content of the episodes and books. Special thanks to my friend Rae for checking my review.
***
The BBC adapted four books from The Chronicles of Narnia series by C.S. Lewis. The lucky four were: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe (TLWW); Prince Caspian; The Voyage of the Dawn Treader; The Silver Chair.
The miniseries aired on television between 13 November 1988 to 23 December 1990(1).
Alas, the remaining books were never adapted and this is a great loss, for the BBC series showed a faithfulness to the books, which matched with the acting and sets, somehow conjured the essence of Narnia bringing the books successfully to life.
My review focuses on The Silver Chair. Why? Well, The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe has had much ink spilled on it – and typed! Unfortunately, adaptions of the other books in media are rarer and harder to find. Another reason is that The Silver Chair, out of the Narnia series, ties for my favourite book with The Magician’s Nephew.
So, like Eustace and Jill let us push open the door in the wall, at the top of the hill, and enter…Narnia.
The Silver Chair consists of six episodes and the first one opens with Jill Pole, (played by Camilla Power) running away from the awful bullies that her school encourages. She bumps into Eustace Scrubb (played by David Thwaites), who is a reformed individual after his experiences in The Voyage of the Dawn Treader.
Together they run and try to hide, whereupon Eustace reveals the world of Narnia, suggesting they ask a ‘certain someone’ to help him…them. The actor here was very good, capturing the awe and wonder that this ‘certain someone’ inspires. This wonder is repeated by Jill and the actress, Camilla, has an echo in her voice, as if from deep within inside her, the name kindles a wonder and hope she is hardly aware of.
‘Magic circles’ are dismissed by Eustace, and by that a clue is given to the identity – the true identity – of this certain someone. This saviour of theirs, Aslan as Eustace now reveals his name, needs only to be called by name and asked for admittance to his world. This glimpse at Aslan provided by Eustace implies that Aslan’s power is beyond/outside the need for spells. He will come if asked and you are truly in need.
Slight detraction aside, Eustace and Jill are interrupted and run until they find the door in the school wall fortuitously unlocked. Opening it they see a world revealed before their eyes that is certainly not the heather on the moors that borders their school!
Dashing through with them we see their adventures begin.
Almost instantly they squabble, resulting in Jill being left on the high mountain, not alone but in the company of a lion. From here we learn the task Aslan will entrust to them has been endangered by their squabble, for in Eustace’s absence, it is left to Jill alone to meet Aslan and hear his words.
This is vital to the plot, for upon Jill Aslan impresses not only their quest, (echoing on one level, the legends of Knights sent on quests to save friends or slay monsters), but the signs by which they will be guided on their quest.
Camilla here does a good job in displaying her nerves in meeting a lion. A lion she must ultimately trust on courage and faith alone, so that she can drink water from the stream running nearby him. Once done she must face and speak with Aslan and her regret at her actions is easy to pick up so you feel strongly for her.
I have referred to the acting in passing, but now shall go into a little more depth, leaving the story for those unfamiliar with it so no major spoilers are revealed.
The acting from the children to the adults is first class. Indeed, for many today the acting by the children may appear dated, missing the modern ‘glamour’ of a less classical approach and more relaxed attitude.
Camilla and David display the appropriate emotions both by their bodies and their speech. In fact, it is refreshing to hear the clear enunciation of words. This results in not only catching every word, but also their meaning by the inflection they put on that word or phrase.
Compared with today, the lack of action and special effects means that the acting has to truly pull the spirit of the book onto the screen. The BBC managed this feat by casting children who were capable of expressing the emotions of Jill and Eustace with aplomb. Their vocal and physical discipline is reminiscent of stage acting where the props, while important, cannot cover a lack of ability in the actors and actresses.
The superb acting choices continues with the casting of Puddleglum, the Marsh Wiggle, who accompanies them on their adventure. Despite his negativity and fateful attitude Puddleglum is a beloved character who decides he must escort Jill and Eustace.
Yet who could capture this peculiar mix of negatively and depression yet with a streak of valour as expressed by the Marsh Wiggle? None other than Tom Baker. Doctor Who fans know him as the Fourth Doctor with the colourfully long scarf that somehow wasn’t a trip hazard.
As Puddleglum, Tom Baker triumphs. You are kept enthralled by a mixture of amusement and exasperation at his doom and gloom pronouncements. Tom Baker fosters a fondness for him that grows as you watch him and the children on their task and he poignantly shows ultimate courage and self-sacrifice in freeing them from the spell of the Green Lady in Underland.
Their mutual despair when they realise how the Green Lady has duped them and they have missed another sign is beautifully done, echoing in their horror and determination to put things right. Later on, it is this remembrance of falling afoul that encourages them to take heart and put faith again in Aslan, even when by following the final sign they have to release a young man, tied to a Silver Chair, they believe to be mad.
I referred to the special effects above and well, here a criticism might be levelled. In some places the effects are very dated, yet this does not mean we should dismiss this adaption or the rest of the series.
Throughout the series cartoons are used for some of the animals, but after a moment of accustoming oneself to this and understanding that this is part of that era of television it no longer is jarring; rather it becomes normal and the tale no less enjoyable.
Further, in a world where there is an overabundance of CGI, even in a number of TV shows, it is almost restful not to have a slew of CGI on the screen. Animatronics instead is used for Aslan and in a way, this makes him more real. Your mind says: he is actually there, Jill or Eustace could actually touch him and not thin air or an item masquerading as Aslan, to be later filled in by digital effects.
This is no censure of CGI, merely an observation that ‘old-school’ techniques have their place. The costuming must also take centre stage and overall the costume choices and designs showcase a BBC production crew serious about adapting The Silver Chair as faithfully as possible.
Action is not created out of thin air and what action there is, remains faithful to the spirit of The Silver Chair and the same for the other adaptations in the series. In fact, the lack of heavy action is in the BBC’s favour here. The action that appears is either from the book or if the action has been added, it fits seamlessly into the show, because it keeps the very essence of the book at its core.
There is no reserve in showcasing the faith, trust, honour joy and hope from the books which is lovely.
The BBC managed in this TV series to be as faithful to the books as possible. I dearly wish they had adapted the remaining books, because with the resources the BBC had to their command: excellent actors, costuming and a wonderful screenwriter and production crew, they succeeded in bringing to life Narnia and Aslan.
The joy and the fears, the evil and good, the redemption of those who had strayed, the characters, the wonderful tales and Aslan reside in the series as in the books. Aslan! Isn’t he worth meeting? How about Jill and Eustace? The Kings and Queens of Narnia? The denizens of Narnia?
Please do watch the BBC series if you can. The Silver Chair is one magnificent adaptation, the rest are the same in calibre. Give the series a chance and put aside doubts about the dated special effects, the ‘old style’ in acting you may find strange and you will find yourself in Narnia.
Then you can travel with the cast amid the beauty and wonder and magic of Narnia. You can experience the anxiety, the drama and solemn joy of meeting Aslan, Jill, Eustace, Puddleglum and the others!
Resources
- The Narnia wiki, retrieved Saturday 24/02/2018:
http://narnia.wikia.com/wiki/The_Chronicles_of_Narnia_(BBC_miniseries)
- BBC TV Series, The Chronicles of Narnia, DVD, The Complete Four Disc Collector’s Edition