User reviews

This cartoon has impressive credentials. It is a co-production of Bill Melendez (Charlie Brown) and the Children's Television Workshop (Sesame Street and The Electric Company).

It is simply and economically animated. The draughtsmanship may be rudimentary, but that is not a serious drawback. The music is very good. The humiliation, death, resurrection, and ascension of Aslan, the lion, are handled movingly. The parallels with Christ are clear.

This is the first novel, in publication order, in C.S. Lewis's Narnia series. The books have most recently been reissued in internal chronological order, according to the author's posthumous wishes. Franz Kafka's posthumous wish to have all of his works destroyed was ignored by his literary executor, Max Brod. If only Lewis's nonsensical request had also been ignored. This book unfortunately and regrettably now appears as Volume 2 in the current series.

I recently saw this programme in French, not English, under the title "Le lion, la sorcière et l'armoire". If there was a shortcoming to the French version, it was in the actor cast to portray Aslan. His voice was too gruff and did not have the majesty necessary for a Messiah, as English-language Aslans can normally be counted upon to have.

The excellent live-action BBC series from 1988 based on the Narnia books improves even on this praiseworthy cartoon.

I remember cutting short a picnic with some friends so I could get home in time to see this film at Easter 1980 (or was it '81, my how time flies). It gave me the same feeling I had when I first read the book. The English voices were excellently cast and whenever I read the book it is their voices I here in my head. Strange why they left out Farther Christmas and changed the name of Maugrim the wolf to Fenris Ulf (do all films have to deviate from their books for no apparent reason?)

The animation may be simplistic (especially by todays computer aided standards) but the story is so well told that it doesn't need the fancy graphics ladled on it.

A must see by anyone who has just read the books and wants to see it on screen (actually I have an hour to spare, I think I'll go watch it now).

This is one of the best animated films I've ever seen. C.S. Lewis' classic book comes alive with vigor and fun. I recommend this to anyone who has read books by Lewis, and especially to fans of the Chronicles of Narnia. The illistrations are exceptional and the music is very good.

This one is even superior to the 1988 BBC TV presentation, which was dull in story, shoddy in effects, less-than-mediocre casting, and horrible action. But I do wish the animation was better. However, the animators did do good on the expressions of the characters. Just as with the 2005 version, everything was as I had imagined, it's just that this was an animated feature, and that was a live action feature. That is the only difference. Some people might wonder why the only thing I dislike about it is the animation, and say that I should have given it a higher rating, since that was the only thing wrong with it. WRONG! With animated films, it is always very complicated to try to understand how to write a review on them. The animation in movies that are animated all the way through should at least mean something when you review them. With movies that are animated at only some parts, this opinion should not be used as much, because, more than likely, there is more live-action in the movie than there is animation.

This version is by far the best and most faithful to the original books, including the new one Disney just put out. Though a few things are missing and one or two changed, it is 90% true to the book with a good portion of the dialogue. True, the animation is from the 70s but that makes it even safer for younger kids and I still find it enjoyable. The voice characterizations were incredibly on the money. The witch seemed to come straight off of the pages of the book as did Aslan. The musical score for this production is absolutely beautiful and captures the feeling of Narnia, and should not be overlooked. The scene beginning with the girls following Aslan to the stone table and culminating with his death was portrayed very tastefully yet powerfully. I can never watch it without crying. My children and I have seen all of the versions (including Disney's latest) and this one is by far the favorite. A classic.

From the director of the Charlie Brown and Peanuts movies, comes this funny, delightful little cartoon adaptation of the classic C.S. Lewis novel. Although made for television, it still holds a bright candle to the book itself. With such clever narration by the lead voices, and the expressions given to the characters, this one delivers a gold trophy. Every line, and action is directly from the book, and portrayed well. Beth Porter certainly supplies the most fun as the voice of the desperate white witch. All other character voices are pleasant and appropriate. Maestro Michael J. Lewis serves us an impressive and, at times, tear-jerkingly powerful musical score to energize the senses. Truly on par with Jerry Goldsmith and John Williams. The running time is not three hours, so they managed to fit an entire story into the cartoon. You are actually watching the novel, and all things that C.S. Lewis may have written in the novel, that cannot be stated by the characters, is well implied. This TV special is probably the only version that could possibly work as well as it did. The voices fit the actions as dead on as perfection, and the dark moments are not taken too seriously. This make for a good animated adaptation!

I love the book so much I watch this movie afterwords. Almost has the same flow as the book, except with some slight changes that made it inferior towards the book.

The adoptions made after this one were actually better to watch. Cause the successors were much more faithful to the original story.

Not saying that this one was terrible, it just felt like seeing an altered version of the book in animated form. And the story was so perfect that leaving out some of the key points wouldn't do justice to die hard Narnia fans like me.

The animation shows it's age, and can tell it was low budget. If an animated version of the book were made today it would look a little smoother. I love 2-D animation as well as live action for when it comes to book adoptions.

If you're a fan of the book, you might check this movie out. Except don't expect it to be a magnificent as it's successors.

This charming animated film is great for stirring up the imaginations in children. I first saw The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe when I was 7 years old, and have loved it ever since. We had it on tape when I was a kid and watched it over and over. But after I grew up a little I forgot about it. Then when I was 17 I read the book for the first time and searched for the animated movie again. It was not only nostalgic to hear the familiar, old dialogues and music and to see my favorite characters again, but I realized how true to the book the cartoon movie really is. I was also old enough to recognize and appreciate the message that the story delivers in such a clever way.

The animation sometimes looks inconsistent (maybe the artists got tired, or took shifts drawing!) but the drawing style is so unique and unforgettable. Some scenes and sounds really are funny, too, if you're paying attention. I really do like the actors' voices, also; they all did a great job. They sound kinda British? The music is really cool, too! I wish the score was available on CD.

I give The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe a 10/10 for originality and overall charm. It's not an obnoxious Disney cartoon. Nor is it a musical with drawn-out songs that take time away from the story.

The children are badly animated blue-eyed zombies, Aslan has all the fierce majesty of a Hanna-Barbera animal-clown, and Narnia is a sloppily drawn, garish seventies water-color mess. This awkward attempt to create an animated version of Lewis's classic illustrates why the author was so reluctant to have his many-layered "children's" books given the film treatment. He believed no film maker could adequately portray the rich world of Narnia or particularly the awe-inspiring nature of Aslan. Melendez,of Charlie Brown fame,attempted to oversee the work of international contributors to this crude Saturday morning cartoon version of a great book and the result is flat and an aesthetic disaster. Of course, in fairness it should not be compared to the later, more successful advanced technique Disney version, which might have pleased Lewis, but even comparison to earlier animated versions of classic tales, makes it clear Melendez and crew didn't have a clue as to the real power of the story or try create a moving or even slightly eye-pleasing film. Perhaps they excused their carelessness by considering it just a kid's story. They certainly show little respect for children or C.S. Lewis's fine work that has enchanted children and fascinated adults for generations. That Melendez and his crew did not understand the story or their responsibility to children is obvious in the self-congratulatory voice-over comments offered on the DVD.

I was 7 when this film came on television so I was able to watch it when it first aired. I recall falling deeply in love with this fantasy story as a child and was given the entire 7 book collection as a gift. Needless to say, I read the entire collection because of my love for this made-for-TV Movie. I do not personally have the books but the are still in the family.

This old TV film is a good watch but I will admit that it is not perfect yet it is a good classic TV film for kids and adults alike.

If you liked the older animated dramas like "The Hobbit (TV Movie 1977)", "The Black Cauldron", "The Secret of NIMH" or "The Last Unicorn" then you might like this TV movie classic The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe (1979).

9/10

C.S. Lewis' "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" will forever remain one of the most timeless allegories, and stories in fiction, and lessons ever written. It was inevitable that this gem of a story be done for the sake of media, and no better a way to have been done as so in 1979. Featuring the voices of unknowns, this animated version, done by the "Peanuts" gang, put together drawn sequences, and still frames to piece together a wonderfully told version.

The story revolves around young Lucy, who enters the land of Narnia through an old wardrobe at the house of a professor which they are staying at during the war. Naturally, she shows this world to her siblings, exciting and dangerous adventures follow. Great story kids are able to follow but even more fun for older people as well. The story is told to perfection, as most every line is directly from the book, and given in such realism, it is hard to believe you are watching a small television program, and not something more. The action scenes are just right for the kiddies and the exposition scenes are full of enough intellect for adults to boot.

Music score is beautiful, and full of life, like "Narnia." I am an adult and I still love this film, cannot get enough of it. Great especially for film buffs or those like myself who enjoy talking about films to that level.

10/10

To the reviewer who argued that this animated feature does not capture the essence of the novel, I must say I am astounded at such a claim. I must say I have never seen a better translation of spirit from page to screen, and it is a shame this film was not theatrically released, and more well-known. When I saw the BBC production, I was horrified. Not because of the production value (I rather prefer lower-budget, more theatrical presentations), but due to the poor and often outright terrible acting, as well as the very bad choices in handling the material.

Case in point was the six-foot tall man, and five-foot tall woman, in beaver costumes with the faces cut out! Why not be more realistic by having actual beavers in the shots? I am not saying they should have pulled a "Mr. Ed" and inserted footage of animals eating, with looped dialogue, but just to show the real animals, and have their voices spoken almost by telepathy would be much preferred, if not more faithful to the novel's depictions. I must say as it was, I could not help but be half-disgusted, half rolling in the floor laughing at that choice of production design.

Also, why did the filmmakers go out on a limb to invent new scenes for the film that were not in the novel? Those additions only served to water down the source material, and give it a plodding, dull feeling. Did the screenwriter really feel it necessary to take an hour-and-a-half long story, and double it to three hours running length? That must have been a mandate from the BBC, just so they could use up an extra hour-and-a-half worth of airtime they know would be heavily watched. And as for the lack of Christian allegory the other reviewer mentioned, I must say again I am shocked. In my opinion the BBC version was the one that glossed over this aspect, while the animated one almost hits you over the head with it. Not that I am complaining, because I find this particular allegory the best ever produced in a narrative form, excepting maybe The Green Mile, but I am just arguing that due to the inflections of speech, compositions of shots, et cetera, this animated film definitely delivered allegorically. Even at the age of 10 when I first viewed this, I could not miss this point. I hope that everyone looking to give this story a try in screen form will look to the animated version first and foremost. The BBC versions are a curiosity at best. Now, if only the 1960's television version would surface somewhere...

This was a great adaption of CS Lewis's book. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe is my absolute favorite book, and I was glad that this animated version stayed pretty faithfull to the novel. There is talk that they are now making a live action theatrical version of the film. I hope that it is as good as this animated version. Before it comes out, see this version. It is great!!!

When I first saw this on *film* at our church in 1979/80 (were VCRs around back then?) soon after it was released, I was amazed at how well it was done.

Bill Melendez was the one who pushed for Linus to tell the story of Jesus' Birth in the Charlie Brown Christmas, so it's no surprise that he directed such an inspired production. It may also be from that upbringing with the Peanuts artists that he understood that simple animation draws the audience to the story and plot. And true to that Peanuts addive, the music is magnificent.

It is interesting that he chose to have Aslan deliver the gifts to the children instead of Father Christmas. Perhaps a religious statement that all our provisions for battlement come from Christ alone, and not some dead saint. To answer another question that was brought up, C.S. Lewis changed the name of the Witch's cheif of secret police from Maugrim in the UK to Fenris Ulf in the US published release.

This is one of the most spiritted productions short of the book itself that I have seen from nearly any children's literature. This is one classic that has been viewed in our house at least twice a year since we got it nearly ten years ago. Great for easter!

In this age of cgi animation, it might be easy to overlook the 1979 hand-drawn version. But behind its deceptively simple cartoonish style lies the best version of CS Lewis's fantasy tale ever made. For this movie has what the others lack...heart and soul. From the realistic expressions of the children, the wonderful voices of the British cast, and the truly spellbinding music, this is a charming and genuinely moving movie. I remember watching this in 1980 on the BBC, and it still does not disappoint so many years later. Don't be fooled by the way it looks. This is a great film made by the same people who brought you Charlie Brown. A classic. (For collectors, the British voiced version is now available with an updated cover - it came out in 2005 from Optimum Home Entertainment)

If you appreciate the Narnia books, you should find a way to see this movie. Though very stylized, it is a solid adaptation of the classic story.

In fact, this movie is only genuinely unfaithful to the book in one (inexplicable!) place: the "Father Christmas" scene is mostly omitted. Maybe they didn't have a clear idea of the look they should go for with him, who knows? At least they cover it well, later in the movie.

Special note must be given to the sound in this film: the voice work (at least in the English version!) is quite good, with the exception of Lucy's crying, which is really, really terrible. And definitely pay attention to the musical score--it is one of the best I've ever heard in an animated film.

If you can find it, give it a watch you won't be disappointed.

This cartoon adaptation of CS's work is quality for it's time and stands up rather well, just watched it again. I look forward to the live action films since this story is brilliant and should connect with many children. Even the inner child of many adults!

THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE, in my opinion, is an excellent film adaptation of C.S. Lewis' novel that was made for TV. One of the things I liked most about it was the setting, especially Narnia. If you ask me, it was touching when Lucy (voice of Rachel Warren) visited Mr. Tumnus (voice of Leslie Phillips). If you want to know why, you'll have to see the movie. Also, I though that everyone's performances were top-notch, the casting was terrific, and the scenery was beautiful. Before I wrap this up, I'd like to say that Bill Melendez did a superb job. In conclusion, I highly recommend this excellent animated adaptation of C.S. Lewis' novel that was made for TV to all of you who have read it.

While certainly the animation is a little dated, this is a wonderful version of the C.S. Lewis classic. My sister and I watched this over and over as kids on our Betamax, and I recently purchased it on DVD and watched it again with my four-year old. She was mesmerized by the trip to Narnia through the wardrobe and all of the adventures with "dear Mr. Tumnus", the White Witch and Aslan. And I must say that I, too, loved seeing it again for the first time in probably 20 years. The actress and actor who lent their voices to the White Witch and Aslan did a phenomenal job. And the action/battle scenes are intense enough to keep even the most squirmy child (or adult) on the edge of their seat but not so scary as to be unsuitable for young children. This movie has been playing almost non-stop in my house since Christmas Day, and I must say that I have enjoyed every showing. An absolute treasure.

I first watched this probably in 1980 and I have watched out for this every year since. Christmas isn't Christmas unless I get to put my feet up with a box of Turkish delight and watch this. This is an absolute timeless classic.

In the 1979 rendition of "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe," details normally overlooked by today's movie makers are masterfully transfered to film. C. S. Lewis's intricate dialog is flawlessly adapted with wonderful voice actors and added to greatly by Michael J. Lewis's gorgeous score. At a time before computer effects, The music played a key role in making the story come to life. Unfortunately, the new live action version greatly suffered an unmemorable score. Another advantage of the 1979 is that it, unlike the Disney version isn't another horrible attempt to copy Peter Jackson's rendition of "The Lord of the Rings." This one follows the book, doesn't concede to today's tasteless standards, and has perfectly appropriate music.

Many applaud the efforts of the BBC in Narnia, and while they are admirable they do not approach the perfection with this animated classic. Only through animation can the wonder of this story be told. You are not distracted by actors in suits or morphing technology. This film is far more encompassing of Lewis's story and is not hindered by the budget limitations the BBC faced with live action.

If only they could have done the complete series!!!

I absolutely love this film; it makes me cry every time. The voices, music and animation are wonderful. The film really brings this story to life and has an incredible heart running through it.

I reluctantly knocked one star off, as I do realise that some may find the animation quite basic, although I personally love it. If you watch this film, please don't hinge your rating on the animation, this was after all, made in 1979. Instead, let yourself fall into the magic, if you do, I am sure it will touch your heart. as it does mine.