Saturday, December 10, 2005
Tradition and Tradition, or Religion and Ethnicity
Last night I went to see Chronicles of Narnia. I was expecting it to be totally "Disney-ed" and be an insipid story about "following your heart." I was actually surprized to find they hadn't changed the story or ideas much. In fact, they started out almost verbatim in the dialog. The story was adjusted in non-critical ways to make it more exciting. Unfortunately, by making danger closer and more often, it showed the danger was less powerful. And I think they messed up when they had Edmund save the day by defying Peter's orders toward the end. Didn't he just take initiative, rather than second guess the captain of the army?
I need to read the book again to see if they rendered Magic correctly, but it didn't sound like they paganized it too much. (Magic as it appears in the original should be up for debate anyway).
After I came home I look up what the news said about the movie and Christianity. It seems that just by following the book, they were able to create a movie that most people thought could be Christian and still sell to the secular market. They presented it to the public in two ways: to the Christians they sold it as a Christian movie, likened the Passion of Christ, with churches buying out theaters. Then to the rest of the populace, it was passed off as a good story, based on a classic children's book. It seems to have been a winning strategy, that will fill the coffers of our new friends in the multimedia business.
After finding out what the popular opinion seemed to be, I am taking up the argument that we need to be careful what they try to pass off as a Christian movie. You don't have to change much to make an allegory about Jesus into a story about a trancedent lion. I don't remember them mentioning that Aslan was the son of the Emperor beyond the sea. Maybe that comes later. Or maybe they "forgot" to make him divine, settling for just pretty cool. The Matrix has themes that were obviously borrowed from Christianity, but does that make it a Christian film? No, I think probably Post-Postmodern would be a better description. [request for comment from those who know] We should be careful, Chronicles of Narnia could be a wolf, masquerading as C.S. Lewis.
Today I went to Lindsborg, the local manifestation of Sweden. They were having a Christmas festival, so a group from church went up to eat ethnic food and look at the local arts, crafts and festivities. The symbol of the town is brightly painted wooden Dala horses. There was also glass, and pottery and paintings and more things out of wood --like bowls and boxes lathed from multiple colors of wood, glued together. There were people playing fiddles and similar instruments, and people dancing. Your good old folk-dancing style. And then they crowned the "Lucia" of the year, in honor of St. Lucia.
New to me:
Lingonberry: A small red berry, reminiscent of a gooseberry. I ate it as a topping on Swedish cream as well as in an oatmeal bar.
Pecan skorpor: a hard, sweet bread ---like sugar cookies, baked in a loaf, and then sliced and toasted until brittle.
It was a good time, and interesting to get new ideas in culture as well as art, crafts, and architecture.
I need to read the book again to see if they rendered Magic correctly, but it didn't sound like they paganized it too much. (Magic as it appears in the original should be up for debate anyway).
After I came home I look up what the news said about the movie and Christianity. It seems that just by following the book, they were able to create a movie that most people thought could be Christian and still sell to the secular market. They presented it to the public in two ways: to the Christians they sold it as a Christian movie, likened the Passion of Christ, with churches buying out theaters. Then to the rest of the populace, it was passed off as a good story, based on a classic children's book. It seems to have been a winning strategy, that will fill the coffers of our new friends in the multimedia business.
After finding out what the popular opinion seemed to be, I am taking up the argument that we need to be careful what they try to pass off as a Christian movie. You don't have to change much to make an allegory about Jesus into a story about a trancedent lion. I don't remember them mentioning that Aslan was the son of the Emperor beyond the sea. Maybe that comes later. Or maybe they "forgot" to make him divine, settling for just pretty cool. The Matrix has themes that were obviously borrowed from Christianity, but does that make it a Christian film? No, I think probably Post-Postmodern would be a better description. [request for comment from those who know] We should be careful, Chronicles of Narnia could be a wolf, masquerading as C.S. Lewis.
Today I went to Lindsborg, the local manifestation of Sweden. They were having a Christmas festival, so a group from church went up to eat ethnic food and look at the local arts, crafts and festivities. The symbol of the town is brightly painted wooden Dala horses. There was also glass, and pottery and paintings and more things out of wood --like bowls and boxes lathed from multiple colors of wood, glued together. There were people playing fiddles and similar instruments, and people dancing. Your good old folk-dancing style. And then they crowned the "Lucia" of the year, in honor of St. Lucia.
New to me:
Lingonberry: A small red berry, reminiscent of a gooseberry. I ate it as a topping on Swedish cream as well as in an oatmeal bar.
Pecan skorpor: a hard, sweet bread ---like sugar cookies, baked in a loaf, and then sliced and toasted until brittle.
It was a good time, and interesting to get new ideas in culture as well as art, crafts, and architecture.
Comments:
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I saw it last night (Sat) and was reasonably pleased. But like you I've got my fair share of doubts.
To someone who's never read the book, I seriously doubt they'll catch the full significance of Aslan and his sacrifice.
If they do all seven, then maybe people will have time to build up a better idea of Narnia and Aslan and start making some connections.
To someone who's never read the book, I seriously doubt they'll catch the full significance of Aslan and his sacrifice.
If they do all seven, then maybe people will have time to build up a better idea of Narnia and Aslan and start making some connections.
I would describe The Matrix as modern, since there *is* some kind of meaning to life (Neo is The One), but Neo has to discover it for himself. No revelation (Morpheus telling him he is The One) can replace what he has to discover for himself.
Postmodern would point to *no* ultimate meaning whatsoever in the universe. See also: most anything by the Coen brothers.
Postmodern would point to *no* ultimate meaning whatsoever in the universe. See also: most anything by the Coen brothers.
# posted by 
: 2:40 AM, December 12, 2005
: 2:40 AM, December 12, 2005
i would agree with the aspects of modernity in the matrix regarding neo discovering truth.
however, the matrix has some post-modernic themes in how it deals with ultimate reality. they call in to question what reality really is, and if what we call reality is really what we think it is. i'd consider that post-modern.
however, i like your use of post-postmodern. perhaps we'll have to coin that for something. maybe it will have to do with my reunification of the holy roman empire.
however, the matrix has some post-modernic themes in how it deals with ultimate reality. they call in to question what reality really is, and if what we call reality is really what we think it is. i'd consider that post-modern.
however, i like your use of post-postmodern. perhaps we'll have to coin that for something. maybe it will have to do with my reunification of the holy roman empire.
I guess "The Man Who Wasn't There" was pretty post-modern. Actually some redemptive themes could be drawn from it anyway...
I think that Post-postmodernism already has a name and definition, I just don't have skills in that area. I don't think it is Neo-Catholisism, however. If you try to resurrect the papal church, be sure to emphasize the good parts, and not the bad parts, like killing reformer, the crusades, and selling indulgences (believe me, it is a bad idea)
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I think that Post-postmodernism already has a name and definition, I just don't have skills in that area. I don't think it is Neo-Catholisism, however. If you try to resurrect the papal church, be sure to emphasize the good parts, and not the bad parts, like killing reformer, the crusades, and selling indulgences (believe me, it is a bad idea)
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