Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, Witch & Wardrobe

The 4 disc DVD set comes with a lot more features but not much more movie

Tags: Categories: DVD/TV Reviews, Reviews

Posted by Daniel "monk" Pelfrey on Feb 12th, 2007


When I first saw (and this will be the only time I use the full title in this review) The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe in theaters, it was enjoyable, but ultimately a little disappointing in that it really glossed over a lot of what happened in the book, and made it appear as if the events took place over a couple of days, rather than giving the sense of time that had actually passed. There are some minor changes to the film from the original book, but they are minor, really, and not much to quibble over. As a visual companion to the book, the movie is wonderful, much in the same way that the Harry Potter or the Lord of the Rings films are to their respective source material.

The film was released on DVD already in a 2 disc special edition with plenty of extra features. What we now have is a new 4 disc extended version, with 2 extra discs of all new supplements, as well as the content from the previous release. These 2 new discs are documentaries, one focusing on Narnia author C.S. Lewis, and the other on the production of the film.

Narnia as a film is a well done adaptation of the first book in a sever book series. It is too bad that all seven books won’t be adapted (though at least one sequel is being planned) because these tales are very fondly revered and remembered by millions. This extended edition of the film really isn’t all that extended however, as it only inserts about 10 minutes of extra footage, mostly in the form of extended shots of scenery, or the action has less “quick cuts” away. There are no additional scenes developing any of the sub-plots within the film, no additional characters, and in short doesn’t really extend the movie in any significant way.


Now, I’m not saying that this edition of the film is bad. It’s just fine because the film as it played out in theaters and on the original DVD release worked. Unlike, however, the Lord of the Rings films (a comparison that I’m sure everybody involved with Narnia is tired of hearing about by now) the movie doesn’t actually come in a true extended edition. Where Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers provided an additional 45 minutes of actual extra scenes to help flesh out the story, this isn’t the case here.

That’s not to say that the film isn’t worth picking up in this format, especially if you sat on the fence about getting it on DVD before. It’s a beautifully done film, and if you are a fan of the book (and there are plenty of you out there) then this is a great adaptation. Unlike some other DVD releases that slap an extended edition of the film together with new bonus material and leave out everything from the first release, this not only has all of the bonus content from the first DVD release, but two extra discs that are well worth viewing.


I won’t go into too much of the first two discs, because they are not new. The film I believe, I have already covered enough. If you are still unsure and haven’t seen it at all, go rent the film (even just the single disc will be sufficient for this purpose). If you have seen it and want more, not that what you’re paying for here is the bonus features. There are a couple of audio commentaries, timed to have pauses where the extra footage is inserted (lame – at least one new commentary could have been done). There is also a blooper reel and a pop-up trivia feature to be displayed during the film.

The second disc focuses on the making of the film with several featurettes of varying length. A lot of these focus on the world of Narnia, its inhabitants, and translating them to the screen, as well as cast and crew experiences in the making of the film and their backgrounds.


The third disc is devoted to a new documentary titled The C.S. Lewis: Dreamer of Narnia. It has only French subtitles. Weird. It takes an overview of Lewis’ life, and connects events that happened to the inspiration and realization in the books. The narrative (and there is one here) bounces back and forth between some experts, and a first person account, as if Lewis himself is reading one of the various letters he wrote to his fans. Also very interesting in this documentary is how it points out the correlation between the books and Lewis’ religious beliefs. It could have been longer, but as it is one doesn’t feel that they are getting a shortened account that skips over too much.


The fourth disc has the real showpiece of this DVD set. Visualizing The Lion The Witch & The Wardrobe comes in at almost 2 ½ hours, and is a very thorough documentary about the making of the film. Again, though, like disc 3, the subtitles available are only French. So many aspects of the filmmaking process are explored here that it won’t do it justice to provide a quick summary. Instead, suffice to say that if you enjoyed the movie, this will be interesting, and engaging, viewing. There are some multiple images used, almost like a picture in picture style, to better demonstrate what was being discussed. Even at 2 ½ hours, this feature is rather fast paced and doesn’t drag down or feel overly long. Sure, many will be bored, but for those of us who enjoy watching behind the scenes stuff, this is perfect. Unlike the typical 15-20 minute featurette, this actually takes the time to fully flesh out what went into making the film.

Additional features on the fourth disc include an 8 minute featurette – Anatomy of a Scene: Behind The Battle. It takes a quick look at the climactic battle sequence of the film. Again, the subtitles are only available in French. There is also a gallery of concept art, landscapes and maquettes (small clay model).


The big question is if this new edition is worth purchasing if you already own the 2-disc edition of the film. The price difference isn’t that great from the 2-disc edition to this one. If you haven’t already picked up the previous 2-disc edition, this one is a no-brainer, especially if you just have the single disc edition, this is worth the plunge because of the wealth of extras on the three extra discs you would be getting. For those that already have the 2-disc edition, it comes down to how much you are interested in the behind the scenes and C.S. Lewis documentary features. If those appeal to you, go ahead. If you are simply looking for an extended version of the film with a few bonuses, pass it up.

What Works Score
+ A good film adaptation of a well loved book
+ Plenty of extras
+ New C.S. Lewis documentary
+ Disc 4's documentary very well done and informative
+ All of the extras from the previous 2-disc edition are present 		8.7
What Doesn't
- Extended version of the film isn't really all that extended
- No new commentary track?
- Limited time release, and may be hard to find even now
- Only French subtitles for the new material?
Under the Shrink-wrap
If you're like me and previously had only the single disc version of the film, this is well worth the purchase. If you already have the 2-disc edition, then maybe you just want to rent the other discs.
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