Issue 14 Whole Life PreachingBlog | God in the movies Fantasy and Fable
God in the movies Fantasy and Fable
Author: Andy PeckPost Date: 25.03.17
We never forget the stories which shape us in childhood. The characters and fantasy worlds we encounter at an early age, when our sense of self is still being formed and our imaginations are at their most vivid, stay with us for a lifetime. Many of us came of age alongside our fictional heroes, immersed in their adventures on the page and on the big screen.
T he phenomenal success of the Harry Potter series in the noughties revitalised the genre, reminding us of the power and resonance that so-called children’s stories can have. The decade’s three Narnia adaptations were arguably less successful, opting for a rather wooden take on CS Lewis’s magical allegories, and – crucially – failing to find the huge audience their budget demanded. The series stalled after The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (2010), though a belated version of The Silver Chair, with an all-new cast and creative team, is now in the works.
Both of these franchises are notable for their underpinning Christian symbolism. Even in a post-Christian culture, the stories which speak to audiences of all ages most profoundly are those which echo deeper spiritual themes.
