"The Lion, the Witch, & the Wardrobe" (1988) TV series

Seasons:

1

Release Date:

13 November 1988 (UK)

Genre:

Adventure | Family | Fantasy

Plot:

4 kids travel to the magical land of Narnia where they must battle an evil queen with the direction of the Lion, Aslan.

Plot Keywords:

Narnia | Battle | Winter | Christmas | Queen

Awards:

Nominated for Primetime Emmy. Another 1 win & 4 nominations

Cast

Richard Dempsey	...	Peter Pevensie (6 episodes, 1988)
Sophie Cook	...	Susan Pevensie (6 episodes, 1988)
Jonathan R. Scott	...	Edmund Pevensie (6 episodes, 1988)
Sophie Wilcox	...	Lucy Pevensie (6 episodes, 1988)
Barbara Kellerman	...	The White Witch (6 episodes, 1988)
Kerry Shale	...	Mr. Beaver (5 episodes, 1988)
Lesley Nicol	...	Mrs. Beaver (5 episodes, 1988)
Big Mick	...	Ginaarbrik (5 episodes, 1988)
Ailsa Berk	...	Aslan (4 episodes, 1988)
Martin Stone	...	Maugrim (4 episodes, 1988)
William Todd-Jones	...	Aslan (4 episodes, 1988)
Keith Hodiak	...	Aslan's Satyr / ... (4 episodes, 1988)
Garfield Brown	...	Aslan's Satyr / ... (4 episodes, 1988)
Ronald Pickup	...	Aslan (3 episodes, 1988)
Irene Marot	...	Hag (3 episodes, 1988)
Kairen Kemp	...	Hag (3 episodes, 1988)
Jeffrey S. Perry	...	Mr. Tumnus (3 episodes, 1988)
Michael Aldridge	...	Professor Digory Kirke (3 episodes, 1988)

Series Directed by
Marilyn Fox		(6 episodes, 1988)

Series Writing credits
C.S. Lewis		(6 episodes, 1988)
Alan Seymour		(5 episodes, 1988)

Series Produced by
Colin Shindler	....	executive producer: WonderWorks / executive producer: Wonderworks (6 episodes, 1988)
Paul Stone	....	producer (6 episodes, 1988)
Ellen Freyer	....	coordinating producer (unknown episodes)

Series Original Music by
Geoffrey Burgon		(6 episodes, 1988)

Series Cinematography by
John Mason		(1 episode, 1988)
Chris Townsend		(1 episode, 1988)

Series Film Editing by
Stephen Newnham		(6 episodes, 1988)

Series Production Design by
Alan Spalding		(6 episodes, 1988)
Sarah Greenwood		(2 episodes, 1988)

Series Costume Design by
Judy Pepperdine		(6 episodes, 1988)
Ros Little		(2 episodes, 1988)

Series Makeup Department
Sylvia Thornton	....	makeup designer (6 episodes, 1988)
Petrona Winton	....	makeup artist / makeup designer (2 episodes, 1988)

Series Production Management
Philip Lewis	....	production manager (6 episodes, 1988)
Cliff Pinnock	....	production manager (6 episodes, 1988)

Series Art Department
Andrew James Clark	....	properties buyer / property buyer (6 episodes, 1988)
Michael Graham-Smith	....	graphic designer (6 episodes, 1988)
Vin Burnham	....	designer: Aslan (2 episodes, 1988)

Series Sound Department
John Hartshorn	....	sound: studio / studio sound (6 episodes, 1988)
Bill Whiston	....	o.b. sound (6 episodes, 1988)

Series Special Effects by
Evan Green-Hughes	....	special effects: snow (6 episodes, 1988)
Paul Mann	....	special effects technician (6 episodes, 1988)
Dale Bell	....	executive producer: WonderWorks (unknown episodes)
Jay Rayvid	....	senior executive producer: WonderWorks (unknown episodes)

Series Visual Effects by
Robin Lobb	....	video effects designer (6 episodes, 1988)
Andy McVean	....	visual effects designer (6 episodes, 1988)
Paul Mann	....	visual effects designer (2 episodes, 1988)

Series Stunts
Peter Brayham	....	stunt coordinator (2 episodes, 1988)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Chris Townsend	....	studio lighting director / studio lighting (6 episodes, 1988)
Paul Kay	....	studio camera supervisor (5 episodes, 1988)
John Mason	....	o.b. lighting director (5 episodes, 1988)
Paul Harding	....	ob camera / o.b. camera operator (3 episodes, 1988)
Trevor Wimlett	....	o.b. camera operator (3 episodes, 1988)

Series Animation Department
Jimmy T. Murakami	....	animation director (2 episodes, 1988)
Manjit Jhita	....	animator (unknown episodes)

Series Casting Department
John Mason	....	outside broadcasting lighting director (unknown episodes)

Series Editorial Department
Mary Kellehar	....	vision mixer (6 episodes, 1988)

Series Other crew
Clare Bradley	....	assistant floor manager (6 episodes, 1988)
Ralph Cameron	....	assistant floor manager (6 episodes, 1988)
Mike Chislett	....	studio technical coordinator (6 episodes, 1988)
Susan Dunford	....	production assistant (6 episodes, 1988)
Stephen Garwood	....	assistant floor manager (6 episodes, 1988)
Brian Roberts	....	production associate (6 episodes, 1988)
Mark Uttley	....	operations manager: TVi Limited (6 episodes, 1988)
Pat Baker	....	dog trainer (3 episodes, 1988)
John Baker	....	dog trainer (2 episodes, 1988)
George Wagland	....	o.b. vision supervisor (2 episodes, 1988)
Wayne Docksey	....	animal master (unknown episodes)
Mark Shelley	....	weapons armorer (unknown episodes)

Production Companies

• British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)
• TVC London (animation)
• WonderWorks

Distributors

• 2 Entertain Video (2003) (UK) (DVD)
• Home Vision Entertainment (HVE) (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Home Vision Entertainment (HVE) (2002) (USA) (VHS)
• Morningstar Entertainment (2004) (Canada) (DVD)
• Video Bridgestone Group

Special Effects

• Animation City

Also Known As:

Runtime:

171 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:G | Finland:S | UK:U | USA:Unrated | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Crowcombe Heathfield station, West Somerset Railway, Somerset, England, UK

Company:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Goofs:

Continuity: When Peter is mad at Edmund for lying about being in Narnia before, his hair is moving free in the wind. In the next scene, that is at the same time period, his hair is gelled down and styled.

Quotes:

Lucy:Oh, Aslan! You're not dead, Aslan!
Aslan:Do I look dead?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Ugly Betty: The Lyin', the Watch and the Wardrobe (#1.5)" (2006)

Is a low-budget masterpiece an oxymoron?

Disney's upcoming movie is certainly an exciting prospect; I know it will be excellent since WETA is involved. (They did all of the Lord of the Rings props and costumes and more.) Many of us who look forward to the 2005 film fondly remember growing up with the BBC "WonderWorks" version from 1988. The best way to watch this movie is: not after Lord of the Rings. I mean it. You are spoiling it for yourself if you go into it expecting too much.

The worst thing about this film is definitely the effects. Most of them you can move beyond if you try to have a pre-Toy-Story-revolutionized-world attitude. The worst thing for me was the green-screen flying sequence. Even with an open mind, that one's tough.

Aslan actually looks pretty lion-ey until he talks, then you have to try to concentrate anywhere but his mouth. Anyone remember "Wishbone," the PBS beagle-mutt who took us all on adventures in classic literature? His mouth didn't move at all, and by the third or fourth episode, you believed it without a problem. If you have patience, Aslan gets better as the movie progresses. He falls a little short of "majestic," but the Stone Table scene had me in tears even when I was past the cry-in-Free-Willy age. (The Beavers also take a little imagination -- but come on, it was 1988... how else do you do a Beaver who talks and acts?

Those few less-than-stellar aspects aside, this movie was fantastically done. The acting was definitely the strongest point. The Professor was hands-down the best character as far as performance goes, though he was in it little, but the others were all good too. Barbara Kellerman as the White Witch was excellent as well; I think that of all the comparisons between this film and the upcoming version, the White Witch will be the hardest for me to accept. I mean sure, they can beat the all technical stuff without any effort at all, but can the new White Witch be quite as regally evil? We'll see. The four children are very naturally good, they act just like four young British children who come upon such and adventure would act. (Which is a much bigger accomplishment than it sounds, and not all that common. Can anyone say nine-year-old Anakin Skywalker?)

Also, the script is taken from the book nearly verbatim, which gives is much credibility. Anyone who feels the need to improve upon C.S. Lewis loses a few points in my book.

Long story short, if you have the ability to forget you've seen computer-animated creatures interact flawlessly with live action, and you can use your imagination a little, then you will enjoy this beautifully crafted tale. Although, I do recommend trying to see it BEFORE you catch Disney's in December. :-D