THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA
The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe

Work in progress by Shaun

The night is dark inky black, suddenly bright searchlights pierce the blackness. About 300 Heinkels and Messerschmitts fly in formation. Bombs fall, shrapnel shells burst into the formation of aircraft. Some of the planes are hit by gunfire and burst into flames and crash upon the houses of London below. The year is 1940 this is the Blitz.World War two is one year old. A boy stairs out of a window as bombs fall and explode in the street. A woman runs gathering her four children and rushes out to the Anderson Shelter in the Garden. This is the opening scene from the film The Chronicles of NARNIA, {The Lion, theWitch and the Wardrobe}.

Ever since I became a Christian 13 years ago the one name I have always here is C.S.LEWIS. I have read the book The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. But this year 2005 the story came to life on the big screen.

The next scene is the train station where thousands of children our being evacuated into the countryside because of the war in the cities. Then we see a beautiful old steam train ploughing threw the English countryside. The children are dropped at a rural station and are picked up by Mrs Macready in an old horse and cart. Then the journey begins to the big old mansion. The children then settle in to big house. One day while playing a game of hide and seek the big adventure begins. Lucy cannot find a place to hide so she runs into the room where the wardrobe is.

The wardrobe stands against the wall of a long room and covered over by a canvas sheet. Lucy pulls off the sheet and enters the wardrobe to hide. Moving further and further backwards Lucy brushes up against fur coats and then begins to feel something that is shaper, bristly like trees. Lucy turns around and she has entered the wintry land of Narnia. Here she meets a faun called Mr Tumnus they have a nice tea together and Lucy goes back to the Wardrobe.

On her return her brothers Peter and Edmund and her sister Susan do not believe her story. Lucy goes back to Narnia later on this time Edmund goes after her and he meets the Witch and he comes under her power. She tricks Edmund into believing it would be a good idea to bring the other children to her palace. The witch then leaves and he meets up with Lucy. They go back together through the wardrobe and Edmund does not tell the truth, at this Lucy cries.

Later on all four of the Pevensie enter Narnia by hiding in the wardrobe after an accident. Mr Tumnus is taken prisoner by secret police, and then the children meet a pair of talking beavers who take them for some shelter. The beavers then tell them that when two sons of Adam and daughters of Eve accept the four thrones of Narnia this will overthrow the witch’s power.

The story moves fast, the beavers then say that Aslan the Lion and founder of Narnia are on the move. Edmund under witches spell and rushes of to meet her. Meanwhile Peter, Susan and Lucy find Edmund is missing from the beavers home. They then set out to find Aslan and they do after meeting Father Christmas on the way. Edmond finds the witches castle but is taken prisoner, but rescued before he dew to be killed. Then the witch calls for a truce and demands Edmunds return because he is a traitor. The witch is right to demand this because of ancient law. Aslan permits it because witch does not know everything. Aslan takes Edmunds place and is killed. But Aslan comes back to life, and he rushes to the big battle with some reinforcements that he has set free. He then kills the witch and the Pevensie children are made Kings and Queens of Narnia. They live long time they reach adulthood before going back through wardrobe and they are children again in there owe time. This then is the end of first adventure in Narnia will not be the last but that another story.

As a Christian I have read the Bible and I could see the parallels between scripture and film. You could see the Gospel themes of betrayal, death, resurrection and redemption. The way that Aslan gave himself for Edmund and way the stone spilt in two. Then Aslan came back to life on the third day. This is good film and I thoroughly recommend in to anyone as a family film.