Episode 73: ‘Dawn Treader’ Film Analysis, Part 1
Running time: 36:15
It is time to do what NarniaWebbers do best: Nit-pick! Beginning with this episode, the podcasters will go through The Voyage of the Dawn Treader film chronologically and share their thoughts. Rilian, Warrior, GymFan, and GlumPuddle start off by talking about the first few scenes. Further up and further in!
(For our Prince Caspian analysis, see episodes 33-42)
Podcast: Play in new window | Embed
I have been waiting long for this podcast
They are talking about the studio logos and credits. Riveting.
Cool.
cool!
This is awesome. very nice!
Ive already seen it 4 times
Everyone doing film analysi! 🙂
I've seen Rillian and Glumpuddle, it's nice to hear GymFan and Warrior as well. 😉 You guys are also like celebrities, my Narnian heroes.
Ah, but you see, that is the beauty of NarniaWeb! We'll discuss /any/ aspect of Narnia!
Great analysis, guys. I enjoyed every minute of it!
i was okay with the criticism until one of them said "maybe it was just a poor performance by skandar" lol that kinda brought me down
U watched it so many times!i want to watch,but it haven't come to my country yet…
What country are you in?
They were more mature in the books? Now in the case of Peter, I would agree. They way they redesigned his character in PC made me want to throw tomatoes at the screen. But, as for Edmund, am I the only one who remembers reading the multiple scenes in the book VDT where Edmund and Caspian butted heads over who was king? Even Lucy called them "bullying idiots." You can't argue with Lucy. 😛
In fact, when I first saw PC and they way Caspian and Peter were trying to out-swagger each other, my first thought was "Won't this make Edmund's issues with Caspian seem repetitive when they get around to making VDT?"
Lol for some reason I can imagine GlumPuddle rolling his eyes as you say that. XD
I agree with yous…about eustrace..the world war aspects..and the susan part..but i have to say why didn't they include anything about Peter in the film…nothing about his studies…or what he is doing…coz my friend hasn't read the books and lol she watched the film before me and she was dissapointed coz not much is said about Peter…but the adventures and eustrace's funny moments made up for it for her so yh….thanxs guys…as always 😉
That's a VERY good point. The thing is that that whole experience is Edmund's, which doesn't really surprise me and adding that to Peter seemed overboard. We know Caspian and Peter got along fine in the book. The fight at Deathwater Island was just a confirmation and I think it went good in the movie. I think Edmund didn't have a problem with authority in PC because Peter was there and he was used to helping Peter when he was around, but when Peter was gone he had the upper hand.
The reason the Deathwater scene is shocking in the book is that it is highly unusual for Edmund’s character.
If Aslan had not appeared right then, I think it's very possible someone would have been hurt. (In the movie, they cut Aslan out of this scene *facepalm*)
lol yeah i bet he would haha he's probably annoyed since im not focusing on their review of the film but on what they're saying about skandar lol
What I was annoyed about in the Deathwater scene was that it was all Edmund's fault. In the book, he is, of course, at fault in this scene, but Caspian is equally at fault. In VDT, they concentrate on the Pevensies' imperfections too much, and don't spend enough time on Caspian's imperfections. I mean, it's good to show that the Pevensies still have weaknesses,but it's really frustrating that Caspian is made out to be so competent. I loved Caspian's character development in the book, and then in the movie it was non-existent! Today, I wrote a 1500 word rant on why it should have been an essential to include Caspian's character development in the movie, because I was so disappointed they did not include his massive tantrum scene at the end. D:<
Oh, and I completely agree with what you said about wanting to throw tomatoes at the screen because of the way the filmmakers reinvented Peter's character. It meant I couldn't enjoy Edmund's character development in VDT because it was so copy-cat-ish.
Sorry if this is a bit all over the shop. My mind has been fried after all the math it had to go through yesterday, setting up and playing 'secret agent obstacle laser chess'. 😀
At the beginning credits they should have slowly shown us the casual, day-to-day lifestyle of the characters. Show us how they live in the our world. Just something casual, the problem is that they just rushed. Everything went to quick and they didn't gave us time to assimilate what is going on.
this is great
Japan!!!
VDT will come to japan on Feb.25.
But my family & I are catholic(a little bit unusual in Japan.)& I'd like to act Aravis,actually!
How about U?UK?
I live in America right now. I moved here to go to school, but I was born in Egypt. Aravis is my favorite character, too. It would be really amazing to have a pseudo-North African hero in an American movie. ;;)
I agree, it would be nice if Caspian had more depth.
I think it might have taken away from the flow of the story, if they showed him off with the professor. Even explaining it in dialogue would have been cumbersome. On the other hand, they could have shown him in America with Susan, maybe throwing a paper airplane at her while she's trying to write. 😛 It's not cannon, but at least it doesn't make it seem like they forgot Peter existed.
I wouldn't say it was shocking. In the book they also get into it when they're coming close to the end of the world, although that was more Caspian's fault. I felt that, in the movie, they turned it into a prolonged personal struggle for Edmund, rather that a sporadic interpersonal issue between Caspian and Edmund.
Lucia, i am Catholic too, and i think it's great that you live in Japan!
i hope you like the movie when you see it! 🙂
i would also love to be Aravis!
Can't wait for the Part 2! 🙂
Can't wait for Part 2! 🙂
sweet! i can't wait to listen. don't ask me why, but i love stuff like this. 🙂
thank you for this, and for everything else you do, it means a lot to me and to all of us, I'm sure. 😉
Great podcast guys! I totally agree about the tongue poking bit. It was soooo childish, I mean, a teen in the 1940's would NEVER have done that.
I'd love more than anything else to see this 'rant'. it sounds like it is pure genius. 😉
and yes, it would've been VERY refreshing to see Caspian throw a tantrum.
The book PC is very thin on character development, especially for Edmund and Susan. One logical explanation for Edmund's apparent lack of issues in PC, and then regression in VDT, is that he was quietly envious of Peter and Caspian, but with 2 other kings in the running, he didn't feel it was worth fighting over the power pie. Another, imo more likely, explanation is that his strong desire for empowerment is a new thing. It's related to the fact that he's into his teens and is getting closer to the age when he will no longer be a dependent.
I'll bet they were determined to cut Caspian's screen time as much as possible, as they considered PC a disapointment and didn't want to remind anyone of him. I however, was disappointed there was not ENOUGH of caspian.
thanks guys! we LOVE the podcasts! and keep going bit by bit , slowly and thougholy so that we get more podcasts!! also, how about going back and making us the LWW movie companion track you promised 2 years ago!!!! : )
The mindless rant is on my blog for anyone who is bored enough to read it… 😉
I agree with your commentary. I did think maybe the intro to the actual painting scene could maybe have been longer, but it was fine that they got right into it….it's the rest of the film they should have taken more time with to develop characterwise….the beginning made me long for things that didn't develop in later scenes. Such a promising start too, aside from Lucy's awkward "wanna be pretty" scene and Edmund trying to enlist which was a bit too much like Peter in PC.
Were you guys watching the movie as you did this analysis? Or just going by memory?
yes, it is! go podcasters!!
@Shelly: I hadn't thought of that. I got the impression that they were down-playing Caspian in the marketing for that reason, but it hadn't occurred to me that they would also ignore him in the movie.
This is a great commentary, especially since it's out of my theatre and I can't watch it again. I thought maybe a couple things they said were JUST comparing the movie to the book. I think it would be cool if there were someone who hasn't read the books who's now a fan of the movies, and get their synopsis of the movie with only the other movies to go on
I'm happy to hear that,both of U!
What kind of girl Aravis is in your minds?
In my imagination,she has black eyes & hair(long,a little bit weavy),Brave & beautiful,and noble!
What do U think?
(so sorry about my terrible English!I hope U will understand!!)
*Lucia*
I respect everyone's opinions, but after a while when everyone is critizising every little detail of VDT, it just gets annoying . Now I realize some things should be critisized, but not to level of every little bit of VDT is being complained about.
There is no point so much promotion, you know why?, because if the director does not make good movies, "because that's the point?, I just saw the Lord of the Rings, Narnia and now I see as very simple and that makes me sad, I can not believe that the lord of the rings with less than 100 million for each film the agan much better, and Narnia has 150 million.
There is no point so much promotion, you know why?, because if the director does not make good movies, “because that’s the point?, I just saw the Lord of the Rings, Narnia and now I see as very simple and that makes me sad, I can not believe that the lord of the rings with less than 100 million per movie’s made much better, and Narnia has 150 million.
———
sorry my english is not perfect
Ok. I agree with almost everything in this vid but Edmund. I think that sticking his tongue out right after talking about how mature he was supposed to be showed how bad the environment was at Harold and Alberta's. I mean, I am considered a mature person, but in bad situations I'll make faces at a jerk behind his back. I really got that impression from this part. It showed a little how Ed was regressing in the situation rather than rising above it. That set the flavor of the movie. Lucy and Ed were succumbing to the situations rather than seeking aid and rising above it.
One thing to remember about LOTR is that it was made on $100 million more than 10 years ago.. The current Hobbit movies are being made at $250 million for each part.
they were doing this from memory, they all have seen the movie multiple times, and one of them (I forget who) seems to be guiding the discussion by listing the scenes… the music that you hear is most likely from the sound track. I might be possible for a group to buy out a theater to do a private showing, but they wouldn't be able to pause, rewind etc… and all of them are in different parts of the world
Someone correct me if I'm wrong but I remember reading somewhere that the 3D conversion process (which was not done on LOTR, I only hope that the Hobbit is filmed in 3d not converted) cost $50 million of the total production cost? If they had left that off they probably would have their profit. Though the ticket prices would be cheaper hmm… where are the statistics on how many theatres actually showed it in 3d?
Wow, I really like what you said there, Shy Galadriel! 🙂
I do rather wish they'd made Caspian more at fault at Deathwater (and left Aslan in) but I didn't miss his tantrum at the end. Instead of understanding and emphasizing with his struggles, (like I do with Peter in the movie PC) it just makes me rather dislike Caspian. But then he was never my fave character…. Anyway, I need to go back and read VDT again. Fresh readings and perspectives are always good 🙂
Yeah, I thought they should have mentioned somehow where Peter was, too. Maybe you're supposed to get the idea he's in America with Susan from the scene where Lucy is Susan. Still, I like your idea of having him throw a paper airplane at Susan, Anhun 🙂
what's so shocking about it? remember what a little monster Edmund was in the first book? that was his underlying character- . so he was improved by his experience with aslan in LWW, but, like eustace, it's more of a process in your undragoning intread of an instant magical *poof*, your cured! i could easily see him progressing and regressing in his spiritual development, like anyone.
also, even if they weren't purposely downplaying caspian as a strategy, you don't have the time to develop every character in a movie, you have to focus on a couple just to have time to roundly develop SOMEONE. look how they dropped whole characters in the LOTR movies.
I do rather wish they'd stick to the book, PERIOD. : )
yes, i found both of those scenes derivative and clumsy.
it's not to tear it down, but it's an analysis on a technical and professional level. when you make movies, you have to make these small decisions which add up to the big picture, and any little thing can effect the ultimate outcome.
Wholeheartedly agree. VDT is a movie where the focus should have been on the emotional investment of the audience with the characters and REAL in-depth character development over special effects. 🙁
Thank you for your commentary. It's good to hear different views on parts of the film. Keep it up!
I know but after almost everyone complains about every litte bit of VDT, it gets annoying. I'm not saying they don't have the right to dis-like the movie, but when it just keeps being complained and nagged about, it gets irritating.