Newswise — After the success of Mel Gibson's film The Passion, a religious studies professor at Hamilton College says he is "not surprised that Hollywood has gone this direction" with the upcoming "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" (to be released Dec. 9, 2005). "Hollywood has discovered the market once again for movies directed at traditionally Christian audiences," says Professor Steve Humphries-Brooks.
Although advance screenings of the film were not available, Humphries-Brooks can comment immediately on Christian themes in Hollywood films.
Humphries-Brooks says "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" also will likely be popular due to "the huge success of the Harry Potter franchise. With Narnia," says Humphries-Brooks, "you have a similar appeal to the fantasy life of children and adolescents that is specifically Christian themed, unlike Harry Potter. And both are English, which now seems to lend an air of the traditional to films."
He adds, "The interesting thing about "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe," is that if the film sticks close to the book series, then we have here a very thoughtful and subtle theological substratum, not a direct appeal to flatfooted Evangelicals, but appealing to what used to be called mainstream Christians," Humphries-Brooks explains.
He is the author of the forthcoming book, "Cinematic Savior" (Greenwood Press), about how Jesus Christ is portrayed in films.
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