I revisited yet another adaptation of Narnia that I watched as a kid and back then I actually loved it, I mean when I saw the remake by Disney, while I also liked that I thought "What? They already have this!" but... Not to hate on this movie but looking back, I prefer the Disney version.The plot, 4 children are taken into the country in World War 2 away from London, there they go to the house of a professor and when one thing leads to another the youngest, Lucy finds a magical world inside a wardrobe but the magical world is under the tyranny of a Witch that has made the world always freezing with snow and no matter how much time is spent there, only a few seconds will go past. Once she tells them all about this they don't believe her but soon they find it under other circumstances and must rise up against the White Witch.Okay my problems, for one Barbara Kellerman. In the Silver Chair I thought she was bad but passable but HERE... Every note she hits is loud and over the top evil. She's supposed to talk Edmund into betraying his family by getting him to prefer her with sweets and offering him the position of the royal heir but when she shouts, erratically gasps and acts completely insane - the scene comes off as hilarious the first time you're watching it.What else? As I may have already brought up the effects don't really hold up, stuff like the Beavers and when there are other people pretending to be animals (except Aslan, that effect does hold up even if they make no effort to lip synch it) it really shows the limitations they had and how it doesn't really work. Because when I think Beavers I think 6 foot tall people wearing obvious prosthetics and clearly rubber gloves. That and being that around about half of it is set in woods I think the sets, while they're okay I don't buy they're in a fantasy world after the woods. With that said some do stand out as being good like the Witch's castle, Tumnus' house and the beaver's hut. Mainly my problems are stuff like Care Paravel (I haven't read the books so I don't know if I spelled that right, if I read the books and it's wrong then it will change).Now onto what I liked. I enjoyed the story, even in some areas improving on the Disney version such as playing out Aslan's sacrifice as a complete gamble, even talking out battle plans with Peter to give them the best chance of winning, and as I said for the budget, Aslan looks pretty damn good and I don't have a problem with the actors all that much, aside from the one I mentioned But easily my favourite performance in the thing goes to The Professor. I want to know his story, he clearly knows about Narnia in this version in the sense of convincing the other kids that Lucy is telling the truth and saying he was once a King there as well, I wish he had more screen time as well. I also liked the 2D animation. It gives it it's own style that I think existed before the days of CGI.So in terms of watching it... I'd say it has more then it's fair share of problems but I'd say it can be worth it. As I said I do like the story and while I may be seen as unfair to the effects and sets I acknowledge there are some that are really good. I'd say it is worth it to fans of the source material and as a kid this was harmless. So I'd say while I didn't really like it, I can see why some people do.

Yes, it isn't perfect-: the special effects do look a little cheap, but because of the overall loveliness of the adaptation, with the scenery and costumes(and the faithfulness to the book), I can't help but like it. The whole production looks lovely(apart from the beavers' costumes and some of the animated mythological effects, Aslan though looks great), and there are some truly memorable scenes, like Edmund's encounter with the White Witch, Lucy's meeting with Tumnus and any scene with Mourgrim, helped by the sparkling and very faithful dialogue. Though, I do think that very young children will find Mourgrim a bit too frightening, because I did especially when the children learn of Mr Tumnus' arrest. The music is memorable, and sticks in your head for a while. Extremely beautiful too, especially the main theme, when Lucy is enticed to sleep and her dream, Edmund's entrance from the back of the wardrobe into Narnia and the escape from the beaver dam with the wolves on their way there. The performances from the youngsters are very good, especially Sophie Cook and Sophie Wilcox, but Edmund was too much of a brat and his change doesn't convince. I liked Michael Aldridge, from Last of the Summer Wine, as the Professor, at times he was very funny with a touch of mystery. Although one may compare him to Liam Neeson, Ronald Pickup acquits himself brilliantly as Aslan, and the beavers and the other animals were well performed. For me, the standout was Barbara Kellerman as the White Witch. One may think she was a little pantomime, but she did have a certain frostiness and menace that is needed, so much so it reminds me of Miss Hardbroom in the Worst Witch. Her costume and make-up were also incredible. All in all, despite the effects and some frightening scenes, a beautiful and well-acted adaptation of a great book! 8/10 Bethany Cox

I must agree with all the past comments on how great this film is compared to the 2005 version. This film is full of magic, joy, hope, and just enough terror to make even me still a little scared. Unlike the 2005 version that felt me feeling as though I had missed out on the true magic of Narnia.The performances by all the children and the white witch are superb and perfectly catch the essence of the characters as described in the book by C.S.Lewis.It is clear that the special effects do not stand up to the CGI effects of today but I think even now children will be as enchanted by the story and amazing costumes as I was as a child.I still love watching this film and recently purchased it on DVD so I didn't have to swap the tapes half way through.This is a must buy for any children's film collection.

The BBC version done in 1988 which I remember watching as a child on PBS. This version was done in the days before the CGI computers and when you had to use live actions and costumed characters to do this version. There is more in the 171 minutes and more dialoge than in the newer versions. There were three of these done including Prince Caspian and The Silver Chair. I view these versions as closer to a stage play and nearer to the book than other versions. I like what has been done with CGI, but they are too short and leave out important items for those of us who have read the books. If you get a chance to see this version it is worth checking out. Thank you.