Product Details

• Actors: Tom Baker, Richard Henders, Ronald Pickup, Camilla Power, David Thwaites
• Directors: Alex Kirby
• Format: Color, Dolby, DVD, Full Screen, Original recording remastered, NTSC
• Language: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: Homevision
• DVD Release Date: March 27, 2007
• Run Time: 155 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (42 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B000LPS4J8
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #75,520 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

CHRONICLES OF NARNIA/SILVER CHAIR - DVD Movie

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Get out of the chair, January 27, 2007

By 

E. A Solinas "ea_solinas" (MD USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Chronicles of Narnia - Silver Chair (1990) (DVD)

Years before Walden Media debuted their big-budget version of "The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe," the BBC created their own Narnia Chronicles. Despite some goofy prosthetics and a shoestring budget, this is easily the best of the three movies, with excellent acting, pacing, and even some decent special effects.

The story opens at a trendy school that Eustace Scrubb attends. But a garden shed doorway leads Eustace and his bullied schoolmate Jill to Aslan's country. But after Eustace is almost killed because of Jill, the god-lion Aslan gives girl an assignment and four signs to follow. King Caspian is now an old, dying man with no heir to follow him, because his son was lured away by a strange serpentine temptress long ago.

Jill and Eustace team up with a gloomy Marshwiggle, Puddleglum, who serves as their guide as they go to north Narnia. Along the way they must deal with carnivorous giants, enormous bridges and bad weather. But the enigmatic signs that Aslan gave Jill are hard to follow -- and they soon find that the missing Prince is ensnared in a web of madness and magic.

Don't expect this to be a mere copy of the past two movies -- the Pevensies are nowhere to be seen, and old faves like Caspian, Aslan and Trumpkin only have cameos. Sure, they ride owls and hang out with giants. But this is a grimmer, darker story, with a cataclysmic finale and a tight, sometimes harrowing storyline.

The past two Narnia movies suffered from hokey special effects and some spotty acting. "The Silver Chair" cleans all that up, trimming the special effects edges and focusing on the more majestic sets, costumes and scripting. And for the most part, it's quite a success. Even the flashbacks to the queen's death and Rilian's disappearance are heartrending and quietly effective.

There are a few flaws -- for a paradise, Aslan's country looks pretty scrubby and brown. And the final battle with the Emerald Witch is downright silly, with a giant snake puppet twisting around on the floor. But the special effects are infinitely improved in this one, ranging from convincing giants to some genuinely harrowing moments on a giant bridge.

Lewis had become a bit less hamhanded with the allegory and Christian symbolism by this time. Instead, he gives jabs at anything-goes attitudes and nihilism. Additionally, he creates one of the most intense and outstanding scenes of the entire Chronicles, with the Witch playing elaborate brain games with Rilian and the kids, slowly convincing them that all they know and believe is a lie -- including the sun and the world above ground.

Thwaites and Power both give excellent, understated performances as two kids who bicker constantly, but really care about each other, and Tom Baker (of "Dr Who" fame) is glorious as the perpetually pessimistic Marshwiggle. Barbara Kellerman, alas, is still hamming it up, with lots of over-the-top laughter, screeching, cooing and snarling.

Despite Kellerman and some primitive CGI, "The Silver Chair" is probably the best of the three BBC Narnia movies, with its darker storyline and excellent lead acting.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Get out of the chair, October 15, 2005

By 

E. A Solinas "ea_solinas" (MD USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Chronicles of Narnia - The Silver Chair (DVD)

In the December, C.S. Lewis's "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" will follow in the footsteps of Lewis' pal Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings Trilogy," with a gleaming new big-screen adaptation, full of top-notch CGI, costumes and settings.

In the months before it's released, however, it might be time to dust off the 1990 BBC adaptation of "The Silver Chair," one of several sequels to that first book of Lewis's. Despite some goofy prosthetics and more hammy witches, this is easily the best of the three movies, with excellent acting, pacing, and even some decent special effects.

The story opens at a trendy school that Eustace Scrubb attends. But a garden shed doorway leads Eustace and his bullied schoolmate Jill to Aslan's country. But after Eustace is almost killed because of Jill, the god-lion Aslan gives girl an assignment and four signs to follow. King Caspian is now an old, dying man with no heir to follow him, because his son was lured away by a strange serpentine temptress long ago.

Jill and Eustace team up with a gloomy Marshwiggle, Puddleglum, who serves as their guide as they go to north Narnia. Along the way they must deal with carnivorous giants, enormous bridges and bad weather. But the enigmatic signs that Aslan gave Jill are hard to follow -- and they soon find that the missing Prince is ensnared in a web of madness and magic.

Don't expect this to be a mere copy of the past two movies -- the Pevensies are nowhere to be seen, and old faves like Caspian, Aslan and Trumpkin only have cameos. Sure, they ride owls and hang out with giants. But this is a grimmer, darker story, with a cataclysmic finale and a tight, sometimes harrowing storyline.

The past two Narnia movies suffered from hokey special effects and some spotty acting. "The Silver Chair" cleans all that up, trimming the special effects edges and focusing on the more majestic sets, costumes and scripting. And for the most part, it's quite a success. Even the flashbacks to the queen's death and Rilian's disappearance are heartrending and quietly effective.

There are a few flaws -- for a paradise, Aslan's country looks pretty scrubby and brown. And the final battle with the Emerald Witch is downright silly, with a giant snake puppet twisting around. But the special effects are infinitely improved in this one, ranging from convincing giants to some genuinely harrowing moments on a giant bridge.

Lewis had become a bit less hamhanded with the allegory and Christian symbolism by this time. Instead, he gives jabs at anything-goes attitudes and nihilism. Additionally, he creates one of the most intense and outstanding scenes of the entire Chronicles, with the Witch playing elaborate brain games with Rilian and the kids, slowly convincing them that all they know and believe is a lie -- including the sun and the world above ground.

Thwaites and Power are the stars here, and they both give excellent, understated performances as two kids who bicker constantly, but really care about each other. Richard Henders gives a good balance between overwrought madness and cool, calm nobility. Barbara Kellerman, alas, is still hamming it up as much as she did for the White Witch, with lots of over-the-top laughter, screeching, cooing and snarling.

Despite Kellerman and some primitive CGI, "The Silver Chair" is probably the best of the three BBC Narnia movies, with its darker storyline and excellent lead acting.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Verry Enjoyable Adaptation of One of My Favorite Books, May 28, 2003

By 

Meredith Burton "Bookworm" (Lynchburg, Tennessee) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Chronicles of Narnia - The Silver Chair [VHS] (VHS Tape)

"The Chronicles of Narnia," by C. S. Lewis, are truly superb books, and I believe that "The Silver Chair" is my favorite from the series. The beautifully conveyed morals are truly wonderful! This particular installment in the series is terrific, because it concerns the daring mission of two children, (Eustace Scrubb, and Jill Pole,) and a Marsh-Wiggle, (Puddleglum,) who are commanded by The Great Lion Aslan, to go in search for "The Lost Prince Rilian," who has been seduced and held captive by an unsurpassably evil force. They face many perils during their quest, and must use caution in order to discern between those whom they meet, in order to see whom they can trust. The BBC adaptation of this book is verry good, with the children turning in nice performances, (although Camilla Powers, who portrays Jill, is a little too whiny for my liking,) and the actor portraying Puddleglum does an exceptionally terrific job! A special compliment is needed for the performance of Barbara Kellerman, who portrays "The Emerald Lady." Her brilliant seductiveness, and ultimately her true sinister purpose is revealed, and she does a great job. Ronald Pickup, (the voice of Aslan,) does well at conveying his authority and love. The only minor complaints I would make is that the the director takes some liberties with a scene in which Jill, Eustace, and Puddle-Glum encounter a knight (who is more than what he seems.) This particular character is far too sinister in manner, quite contrary to the chearful character in the book. I realize the directors intention in doing this, but perhaps it was a little overdone. The only other complaint that I have is that the ending of the film differs greatly from the book, for the director took a sceen from "The Voyage of the Dawn Treader," and wove it into the plot, yet if anything it enhances the plot, and is no cause for distress in my opinion. All in all, a verry good adaptation, and truly worth your time. Take care, and happy viewing!