Hey folks, Harry here - the video linked below was something that appeared on Narnia.Com a couple of days ago, but I wasn't a fan of the video format they had there. I prefer something I can download once and save to show friends and family. I understand the need and desire to track how many times it is seen, but frankly virally spreading the word to me has always been the stronger format to share one's film promotions with. For every trailer that I personally download, every set report or behind the scenes diary - I archive them and beyond alerting you good folks to them - Friends and family and anyone that happens upon my lair - if interested gets an eyeful and I'm a geek which means few people ever visit me... ahem. Meanwhile, this is a very nice behind the scenes focusing on the different LOCATIONS used for the making of this first NARNIA film. Now - I know I said this with the DIRECTOR b-t-s, and while I love the locations - I know that personally the biggest questions I have, tend to focus on A) The Adaptation Process / Screenwriters. B) How a single dramatic scene is handled. I know these are tougher features to encapsulate in a behind the scenes feature - but for me, the biggest question that just continually is raised in my mind focuses on Andrew Adamson. That his IMDB profile has Visual Effects Supervisor for BATMAN FOREVER and BATMAN & ROBIN - puts the willy nillys in me. And that his directing experience focuses on SHREK & SHREK 2 - both of which were entertaining diversions - but nothing in his background that we can see or read really communicates that he can handle the very real need for this film and it's characters to be emotionally complex and dramatic. It certainly "Looks" pretty, but what sort of adaptation has been done here in terms of being true to C.S. Lewis while also servicing the needs of a film narrative. Of the known writers that worked on this - Andrew Adamson (Shrek 2 screenplay) and Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely (screenwriters on LIFE & DEATH OF PETER SELLERS) - well tonally as writers they tend to exhibit an ability to poke fun at every aspect of life. It's only Ann Peacock - screenwriter on John Boorman's IN MY COUNTRY that shows the chops to render emotionally powerful work.

Having said all of that, at the Austin Premiere of SAHARA - I had a great talk with Cary Granat, one of the founders of WALDEN MEDIA FILM which are behind this film. He really and truly is passionate about the project and communicated a strong faith that they had done right by the source material. In particular, he just couldn't stop enthusing about the child actors in the film... and how he can't wait for folks to see how wonderful their performances are. I certainly hope so. I've carried the world of Narnia in my skull for nearly as long as I've carried STAR WARS, LORD OF THE RINGS, Burroughs' works and all those MARVEL & DC stories. I love seeing this locations piece, if only to give me a glimpse at that world - but honestly - I'm just dying to see some of the movie itself. I want an amazing first trailer for this... something that goes miles past just being a teaser. Here's the new b-t-s....

QuickTime:

Smaller Version

Bigger Version!!!