BBC Production vs. Movie Version


Here are my personal comparisons between the 1988-1989 BBC productions and the 2000s major theatrical productions. 1979 animated not included as it loses on every point.

Peter: BBC version clear winner. Peter should be no older than 12. This Peter looks and acts just right and is written closer to the book. Just what's with the scene of Peter in the 2005 film berating Edmund for being selfish? There is a nearly identical scene of Cyril (also an actor too old for the role--Cyril, like Peter, should be no older than 12--) berating Robert (who was the best Robert of the several versions, though the movie was awful) in the 2004 Five Children and It. No such scene appears in either book. Someone is ripping somebody off here.
Susan: Well, the film version is closer in some ways as Susan has dark brown to black hair. When I read the books I pictured Susan with medium brown hair. Other than that the BBC Susan is perfect, very much as I would envision from the books and around the right age. Susan should be 10 or 11 years old. Movie Susan way too old and doesn't fit my vision of Susan at all.
Edmund: Both play the role well, but BBC Edmund has the advantage of being closer to the right age. Edmund should be no older than 9. BBC Edmund is maybe two years too old and the same size as Peter, while movie Edmund is smaller than Peter, who as I state is way too old, but still movie Edmund is at least three to four years too old if not older.
Lucy: Neither fits the book description, but movie Lucy is the clear winner here. Appealing and close to the right age. As for BBC Lucy, I'll post some links below because there's no way to explain why she is virtually unwatchable without things getting rather brutal pretty fast, and some posts are willing to "go there" more than I am.
Tumnus: Movie is the clear winner. Better costume, better mannerisms, better voice, better face, and real goat legs! When his little hoofies clacked shaking off the snow the entire audience broke up.
Beavers: Obviously the movie beavers beat the BBC beavers. Heck, even the cartoon beavers were probably better.
White Witch: I'm gonna go with movie here. The BBC witch was too over the top.
Aslan's creatures: Movie outdoes BBC.
Witch's creatures: Movie outdoes BBC.
Aslan: BBC was impressive in some ways considering what they had to work with. His eyes and expression were especially good. His roar was wimpy though. Movie Aslan wins.
Prince Caspian: BBC version wins. Prince Caspian at the beginning of the book of that title was, without checking the book, maybe around 10. The movie deliberately made him older so he could have a silly romance with Susan who was also too old. I also liked the older Prince Caspian in Voyage of the Dawn Treader better in the BBC than the movie version.
Reepicheep: I really have to go with the BBC version here. It was an actor in a costume, but what a great costume! And Warwick Davis gave it his all, really giving Reepicheep attitude and personality. Beats the CGI version.
Eustace: both good and not too old for the role. Probably a tie here.

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