Chronicles of Narnia
Saw it last night...First, I enjoyed the film. It was an interesting story and the digital work didn't overwhelm me with being too obvious or used out of control like other films. I did think the opening scene was too graphic and scary if this was supposed to be a children's film. My daughter kept asking what are they dropping from the air planes and I had to say bad things. It was too complex for a child to understand and too violent. I'm glad they fell asleep before the big battle scene as that was too gory as well.
I did think the director caught a lot of the innocence of childhood with the actors expressions and mannerisms. I don't know if I like this however...As I listened to the behind the scenes with the director/actors, I found they used a lot of manipulation for various scenes to create a world of wonder/surprise. I started feeling sorry for the children actors and all they went through. It seemed close to abuse/mind control at certain points esp. when the little girl went home sobbing because a scene was so emotionally intense.
I understand films/art are exciting and there is a lot of money involved but it just seemed sickening to me. I guess I'm too prudish and would not allow my child to go through something like this. There was another scene apparently, where the two boy actors had to have a fight and the younger was supposed to cry. They yelled for hours and the next day the younger boy was hoarse. Why do I think these kids are going to need therapy of some sort (if not already)? It's so ironic in many ways as the kids (in what we see in the film) are represented as innocent, natural child mannerisms but the reality is frightening to me. So much was manipulated on the child actors and a sense of forced maturity that comes out of them, it makes the films seem kind of ugly.
I'm glad I have the info and I'm going to show the behind the scenes of Narnia to my kids so they know it's all pretend. I'm annoyed by the marketing of this film as a children's movie as it's not. And I think using kids in films is very, very difficult and just wrong if so much has to be done on trickery. Children believe what they are told. Not because they are gullible or stupid but because they trust (if they are lucky to feel trust). I know there are different methodologies to acting but with a child, there should always be the standard of ruling on the side of the child and limiting their exposure to situations that expose them.
I know my opinion is not worth much as the film has done what it set out to do...tell a story and make money.
I did think the director caught a lot of the innocence of childhood with the actors expressions and mannerisms. I don't know if I like this however...As I listened to the behind the scenes with the director/actors, I found they used a lot of manipulation for various scenes to create a world of wonder/surprise. I started feeling sorry for the children actors and all they went through. It seemed close to abuse/mind control at certain points esp. when the little girl went home sobbing because a scene was so emotionally intense.
I understand films/art are exciting and there is a lot of money involved but it just seemed sickening to me. I guess I'm too prudish and would not allow my child to go through something like this. There was another scene apparently, where the two boy actors had to have a fight and the younger was supposed to cry. They yelled for hours and the next day the younger boy was hoarse. Why do I think these kids are going to need therapy of some sort (if not already)? It's so ironic in many ways as the kids (in what we see in the film) are represented as innocent, natural child mannerisms but the reality is frightening to me. So much was manipulated on the child actors and a sense of forced maturity that comes out of them, it makes the films seem kind of ugly.
I'm glad I have the info and I'm going to show the behind the scenes of Narnia to my kids so they know it's all pretend. I'm annoyed by the marketing of this film as a children's movie as it's not. And I think using kids in films is very, very difficult and just wrong if so much has to be done on trickery. Children believe what they are told. Not because they are gullible or stupid but because they trust (if they are lucky to feel trust). I know there are different methodologies to acting but with a child, there should always be the standard of ruling on the side of the child and limiting their exposure to situations that expose them.
I know my opinion is not worth much as the film has done what it set out to do...tell a story and make money.
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