It looks very promising in some respects, but I swear, if the plot involves Edmund being unable to get over Not Being King and being constantly tempted (by the White Witch, apparently, as though he hadn't learned anything?) to depose Caspian and take over Narnia, I will SCREAM MY RAGE AT THE WHOLE THEATRE.
Oh, I don't think he will be constantly tempted. At least, I, too, hope not, but the impression I have from the trailer is that the Witch represents Ed's particular nightmare on the Island of Dreams. Something he in particular has to renounce. That would make sense to me, and I think it might work quite well. It's a bit like Arwen in LOTR - when we were talking about how they might expand her role, both Deirdre and I said, "They'll probably have her take Glorfindel's place in the first book." And, lo and behold, that was exactly what they did, and it was fine! So I'm not too worried.
OTOH, I can see why you are, because of the character assassination practiced on Peter in "Caspian". I think they got a lot of things right in that movie, but they really, really got Peter wrong. I wouldn't want them to do the same to Edmund.
Still looking forward to Wayfarer. Deirdre's library got their copy today (no spoilers before the 22, we promise!) and I am looking forward to reading it when she finishes, if my library copy doesn't come in first. It's a lovely cover!
Character assassination is right. Peter has always been a favourite of mine, and I really disliked much of the Caspian movie because of the way Peter's character was handled. It's similar to the defaming of Faramir in the LotR films. Why do filmmakers think it's so impossible to believe in a character who has both humility and integrity? It makes me so annoyed.
On the other hand, Edmund in the PC movie was awesome, so my feelings are mixed...
Yay for copies of Wayfarer in the wild! Thanks for letting me know!
I don't think it's just filmmakers. I really think, sometimes (and from the widespread praise for the "Star Trek" reboot, which I hated, and the reaction to the "Potter" books, too!) that we live in a culture that dismisses a certain kind of strength as weakness, and the corresponding weakness as strength. I would have forgiven the filmmakers everything if they had only given Peter his line - "Aslan. I'm so glad, and I'm so sorry. I've been leading them wrong ever since we left the Rush". (Mistakes mine, I'm quoting from memory.) But heaven forbid that any character we're supposed to admire should ever apologize for anything! Somehow or other, in this culture, apologizing is a sign of weakness. Don't even let me get started on Farmir! His was not the only character assassination in those movies, but it was the one that grieved me most. I've a blog post about this question, btw; it's called, "On the loss of courtesy in popular culture".
But they didn't mess up Edmund or Lucy in PC, so I do have some hope they will get them right in VDT - which is one of my favorites of the "Chronicles". At least, in the book, Edmund and Caspian actually did argue about the kingship, on Deathwater Island. And the witch really does come into the story, if obliquely, in that it's by quarreling over power, and seizing her knife, that the lords fall into the enchanted sleep. So she's present in spirit in both those places. But we'll have to see what they do. I hope it will be better than PC. I basically liked the movie; I thought they got many of the themes exactly right, but, where they went wrong, they went very wrong. (I also think the character-assassination of Peter began in LWW. He didn't treat Susan that way in the book, and he recognized his own bossiness and critical attitude toward Edmund, and how his own attitude could have affected his little brother. Not in the movie!)
Oh - my essay wasn't titled, "On the loss of courtesy in popular culture". It should have been, but it wasn't - for a librarian, I'm not as clear as I should be in some of my indexing! It's actually called, "On militarism and tribalism in the movies". I can give you the link, if you're interested.
And I was very happy to see Wayfarer, and will be still happier when I actually get my hands on it!
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Date: 2010-06-17 07:30 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-06-18 03:11 am (UTC)OTOH, I can see why you are, because of the character assassination practiced on Peter in "Caspian". I think they got a lot of things right in that movie, but they really, really got Peter wrong. I wouldn't want them to do the same to Edmund.
Still looking forward to Wayfarer. Deirdre's library got their copy today (no spoilers before the 22, we promise!) and I am looking forward to reading it when she finishes, if my library copy doesn't come in first. It's a lovely cover!
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Date: 2010-06-18 12:16 pm (UTC)On the other hand, Edmund in the PC movie was awesome, so my feelings are mixed...
Yay for copies of Wayfarer in the wild! Thanks for letting me know!
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Date: 2010-06-18 04:27 pm (UTC)But they didn't mess up Edmund or Lucy in PC, so I do have some hope they will get them right in VDT - which is one of my favorites of the "Chronicles". At least, in the book, Edmund and Caspian actually did argue about the kingship, on Deathwater Island. And the witch really does come into the story, if obliquely, in that it's by quarreling over power, and seizing her knife, that the lords fall into the enchanted sleep. So she's present in spirit in both those places. But we'll have to see what they do. I hope it will be better than PC. I basically liked the movie; I thought they got many of the themes exactly right, but, where they went wrong, they went very wrong. (I also think the character-assassination of Peter began in LWW. He didn't treat Susan that way in the book, and he recognized his own bossiness and critical attitude toward Edmund, and how his own attitude could have affected his little brother. Not in the movie!)
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Date: 2010-06-18 04:31 pm (UTC)And I was very happy to see Wayfarer, and will be still happier when I actually get my hands on it!