The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe (1979) (TV)

User Rating:

6.8/10   

Director:

Bill Melendez

Writers:

David D. Connell (story)
C.S. Lewis (written by)
(more)

Release Date:

1 April 1979 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Family | Animation | Fantasy

Plot:

Four kids travel through a wardrobe to the land of Narnia and learn of their destiny to free it with the guidance of a lion messiah.

Plot Keywords:

Narnia | Wardrobe | Lion | Christmas | Animal In Title

Awards:

Won Primetime Emmy. Another 1 nomination

Cast

Simon Adams	...	Edmund (voice)
Nicholas Barnes	...	Edmund (voice)
Sheila Hancock	...	Jadis - The White Witch (voice: English version)
Arthur Lowe	...	Mr. Beaver (voice: English version)
Leo McKern	...	Professor (voice: English version)
Don Parker	...	Mr. Beaver (voice)
Leslie Phillips	...	Mr. Tumnus (voice: English version)
Beth Porter	...	Jadis, The White Witch (voice)
Liz Proud	...	Mrs. Beaver (voice)
Susan Sokol	...	Susan (voice)
Victor Spinetti	...	Mr. Tumnus (voice)
Stephen Thorne	...	Aslan (voice)
Dick Vosburgh	...	Professor (voice)
Rachel Warren	...	Lucy (voice)
June Whitfield	...	Mrs. Beaver (voice: English version)
Reg Williams	...	Peter (voice)

Directed by
Bill Melendez

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
David D. Connell		story adaptation
C.S. Lewis		written by
Bill Melendez		story adaptation

Produced by
David D. Connell	....	executive producer
Steven Cuitlahuac Melendez	....	producer

Original Music by
Michael J. Lewis

Film Editing by
Michael Crane
Mick Manning		(as Mike Manning)
José Pallejá

Production Design by
Alan Shean

Production Management
John Coates	....	production supervisor
Luis García	....	production supervisor
Graeme Spurway	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jim Duffy	....	assistant director
Carol Leith	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Doug E. Turner	....	dubbing mixer (as Doug Turner)

Camera and Electrical Department
Nick Boisson	....	camera operator
Chris King	....	camera operator
Gary Knowelden	....	camera operator (as Gary Knowldon)
Elvira Leon	....	camera operator
Peter Turner	....	camera operator

Animation Department
Alan Andrews	....	trace and paint artist
Eva Arpi	....	trace and paint artist
Hilary Audus	....	animator
Rodolfo Azaro	....	color artist
Vicente Badenes	....	color artist
Tancy Baran	....	animator
Vincent Bassols	....	animator (as Vicente Bassols)
Isabel Belio	....	animator
Concha Belzunegui	....	trace and paint artist (as Conchita Pelzunegui)
Ruth Beni	....	checking
Beatrice Blot	....	trace and paint artist (as Betrice Blot)
Bob Carlson	....	animator
Chris Caunter	....	animator
Bobby Clennell	....	animator (as Bobby Clennel)
Ian Cook	....	trace and paint artist
Melanie Davies	....	trace and paint artist
Valentín Domenech	....	animator
Chris Evans	....	animator
Maite Garcia	....	trace and paint artist
Craig Goldie	....	animator
Galma Grosby	....	trace and paint artist
Joanna Harrison	....	animator (as Joanna Fryer)
Lee Hill	....	checking
Sandy Houston	....	checking
Arthur Humberstone	....	animator
Ángel Izquierdo	....	animator
George Jackson	....	animator
Doug Jensen	....	animator
Angela Kovacs	....	trace and paint artist (as Angela Covacs)
Maruja León	....	trace and paint artist
Jordie Maseras	....	trace and paint artist
Dave McFall	....	trace and paint artist
John Miller	....	animator (as Jonathan Miller)
Nieves Miró	....	trace and paint artist
Carmen Moliné	....	checking
Chrissy Morgan	....	trace and paint artist
Lynn Newman	....	trace and paint artist
Pepita Pardell	....	animator
Ted Percival	....	animator
David Perez Dolz	....	trace and paint artist
Ricardo Perez Dolz	....	trace and paint artist
John Perkins	....	animator
Mike Pocock	....	layout artist
Robert Poulter	....	trace and paint artist
Miquel Pujol	....	color artist (as Miguel Pujol)
Isabel Radage	....	trace and paint artist (as Isobel Radage)
Chris Randall	....	layout artist
Alma Sachs	....	trace and paint artist
Ian Sachs	....	trace and paint artist
Anna Saura	....	trace and paint artist
June Scott	....	trace and paint artist
Christina Simo	....	trace and paint artist
Alan Simpson	....	animator
José Solís	....	layout artist
April Spencer	....	animator
Dean Spille	....	color artist
Bridget Sweeney	....	trace and paint artist
Gary Sycamore	....	color artist
Marie Szmichowska	....	animator
Barbara Todeschini	....	trace and paint artist
José Luis Torres	....	animator
Carolina Vidal	....	trace and paint artist
Rosemary Welch	....	animator

Music Department
Michael J. Lewis	....	conductor

Other crew
Robert Balser	....	sequence director
Sandy Claxton Arnold	....	production assistant (as Sandy Claxton-Arnold)
Michael Hayes	....	production coordinator
Corona Maher	....	production coordinator
Edric Radage	....	sequence director
Lora Sackett	....	production assistant (as Lora Sacket)
Nicholas Spargo	....	sequence director
Victor Spinetti	....	voice director
Julio Taltavull	....	production coordinator
Wendy Ward	....	production assistant

Production Companies

• Bill Melendez Productions
• Children's Television Workshop (CTW)
• Episcopal Radio-TV Foundation
• Pegbar Productions
• TV Cartoons

Distributors

• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS)
• Future Film (2006) (Finland) (DVD)
• Public Media (video)
• Republic Pictures (II) (198?) (USA) (video)
• Vestron Video (video)

Other Companies

• Studio Film Laboratories Ltd.  processing (as Studio Film Labs)
• Delta Sound Services  dubbing

Also Known As:

The First Book of the Chronicles of Narnia (UK) (subtitle)

Runtime:

95 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Certification:

Australia:G | Iceland:L | Finland:K-7 (2006) | UK:U

Company:

Bill Melendez Productions

Quotes:

Peter: Aslan, we've come.
Aslan: WELCOME Peter, son of Adam! Welcome Susan and Lucy, daughters of Eve! Welcome He-beaver and She-beaver! But where is the fourth?
Mr. Beaver: He has betrayed us, oh Aslan.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: Jack Frost (#9.13)" (1997)

Excellent movie that is true to the book

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.