Hear Aslan Speak!

See Update Below

Hat Tip to Burr in the Burgh for directing us to the second preview for The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe.

Click Aslan's pic to go check out the trailer.

As if we needed another reason to literally tremble with anticipation.

Wendy and I are both huge C.S. Lewis fans, and having read the first few of the Chronicles of Narnia to our kids this past summer, it's safe to say that the whole family is absolutely giddy to see this movie.

If they get it right, this will be a movie to treasure. Of course, Lewis fans know that getting it right means doing absolutely nothing to tone down, diminish, or otherwise alter the book's unmistakable Christian allegory.

There's a lot of concern among some Christians (including this one) that Disney won't get it right. It's hard not to worry that they'll somehow try to cut the Christian heart out of the movie in an effort to make it play better with those who just can't be bothered with salvation.

I can only hope that the massive commercial success of The Passion of The Christ was enough to convince Hollywood that Christians do go to movies, that we do want to see Christian stories and morals in the movies, and that we are, for want of a better word, a marketable demographic.

I've actually seen some other bloggers say that they hope that Disney toned down or entirely removed the Christian themes from the film. All I can say to them is this: The Chronicles of Narnia were written by a Christian, for Christians, and for Christian families. Those of us who share the faith and have loved the books for years deserve a movie that we can cherish. If a story about sacrifice, redemption, resurrection and the triumph of good over evil isn't your cup of tea, then stay home and watch Star Wars on DVD.

Otherwise, you should (hopefully) be prepared for an unavoidably Christian story. Aslan, after all, is not a tame lion.

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Also read:

Chronicles of Narnia Blog

153: Aslan and Allegory

Ethos: Narnia - Deep Magic

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Update

Alright, this is promising, but in a way that I have to qualify...

There is one of those Music Inspired By The Motion Picture soundtracks for The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe coming out. Typically, I see that as a marketing gimic, and this is no exception. What makes me hopeful about this aspect of the marketing of the movie is that this set of music features prominent "contemporary Christian" artists, like Jars of Clay, Steven Curtis Chapman, Delirious?, Jeremy Camp, and others.

Here's the qualifier: I absolutely, totally dislike "contemporary Christian" music. I can name only two Christian rock albums that I like: POD's "Satellite" and the amazing King's X album "Faith Hope Love." For the most part, the stuff strikes me as really weak, neither quite contemporary, nor really Christian. When it comes to Christian music, gimme the stuff we sing at Mass. Mercy Me? No thanks.

What makes me happy about this album, then? It's at least ostensibly Christian. That's a good sign.

  ¶ 8:16 AM