Will This ‘Lion’ Roar?

The LA Times rolls out another bit of Narnia news in this story, focusing on the pressures of directing the multimillion dollar masterpiece, one month and three days from its release (at press time). New details revealed about the travails of choosing forms of fake snow, Walden’s pursuit of film rights, working with young actors, blending half-man-half-beasts in CG and negotiating movie rights with Disney, whose higher-ups, the writer states, are hoping for their company’s own corporate “resurrection.” Other confirmations: the beavers do wisecrack more, Father Christmas doesn’t tell women not to fight, Susan shoots at least one arrow (non-lethal), and evidently, regarding that two-page spread in the Perry Moore book showing the White Witch’s troops on fire — perhaps lit up by the dive-bombing flaming-out Phoenix? It has been trimmed for the PG rating. From Dr. Elwin Ransom.