Hollywood hasn’t given up on adapting the works of C.S. Lewis just yet. Even as the future of the “Narnia” francise remains in limbo, a movie production company, Beloved Pictures, has announced plans to develop C’S’ Lewis’ “The Great Divorce” for the big screen.
Christians have long been drawn to the challenge of adapting this fantasy – I have watched several attempts at mounting the story for stage production -and this time there might be the right comboinatin fo peope involved to make a film version work.
As is much of Lewis’s work, “The Great Divorce” is straightforward allegory of souls in limbo. The story centers around a man on a bus which travels from hell to the foothills of heaven with a group of others also in need of redemption. For some that redemption is possible, for others it is not.The book is a deeply pyschological book as well,not heavy on action, and therefore, I can see some problems with translating to the screen.
Yet , I am still curious to find out more about this production because David L. Cunningham (“To End All Wars” and son of YWAM founder Loren Cunningham) is directing the film and he is a Christian talent who I have been waiting to see find the right vehicle to really shine. I think he has the spiritual as well as technical sensibility to make this story work.
I also think that as special effects and CGI technology has progressed, “The Great Divorce” could actually at long last capture the unusally setting of this fantasy.
Maybe this announcement will also do something to move along the film production of ‘The Screwtape Letters” – which some consider a companion to “The Great Divorce” -
which seems to have faltered of late. That would be one spiritual double bill tough to beat.
posted October 6, 2009 at 11:02 am
“Even as the future of the “Narnia” francise [sic] remains in limbo,”
Huh? Are you unaware that the next installment, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader is currently being filmed? Plus, Walden Media has repeatedly voiced their commitment to adapting all the books as long as people keep supporting the films.
What a strange lead for your story.
posted October 6, 2009 at 1:51 pm
The very best version of the Screwtape Letters is on audio, with the fabulous John Cleese reading. I doubt this could be topped.
Rather than trying to work visual images for something as “heady” and wordy as “The Great Divorce”, I would think there are better Lewis works to film. The very visual Space Trilogy would be amazing – and the theological implications are fascinating. Surely this would be marketable beyond the Christian film audience. Look what Lion, Witch / Wardrobe accomplished!
I am indeed looking forward to “Dawn Treader”, my favorite of the Narnian saga.
posted October 6, 2009 at 7:11 pm
I love “The Voyage of the Dawn Treader,” jestrfyl. The story of Eustace rocks, and the book has one of the best opening lines in the history of literature “There once was a boy called Eustace Clarence Scrubb, and he almost deserved it.” Priceless. Who’s playing Eustace?
I can’t see “The Great Divorce” making a good book. Too preachy, in my opinion. Saw a good theatrical version of “Screwtape” last year.
I also love “The Silver Chair” mainly because of Puddleglum.
posted October 8, 2009 at 12:15 pm
Cunningham is a great guy. He optioned and has begun development on my series of novels called “Lion of War” about King David’s Mighty Men. The press release for that will be arriving soon. I couldn’t me more excited about his involvement in “The Great Divorce.”