Fantasylands

Lord of the Rings

J.R.R. Tolkien

Religion:
"I am a Christian, and indeed a Roman Catholic."

Religious Intent:
"A fundamentally religious and Catholic work. … The religious element is absorbed into the story and the symbolism."

Fans' Anxiety:
That new film version (opening Dec. 19) won't include Tolkien's wonderful details

Chronicles of Narnia

C.S. Lewis

Religion:
"Mere Christianity" (Lewis was Anglican)

Religious Intent:
"I am aiming at a sort of pre-baptism of the child's imagination."

Fans' Anxiety:
That new volumes commissioned by HarperCollins won't include Lewis's spirituality

Star Wars

George Lucas

Religion:
"I think there is a God. … What we know about God, I'm not sure."

Religious Intent:
"I [distill] all the issues that religion represents. … to awaken a certain kind of spirituality in young people."

Fans' Anxiety:
That new film (May 2002) will include crypto-Rasta Jar-Jar Binks

Related Elsewhere

In Christianity Today, Steve Rabey recently wrote on the new wave of Tolkienmania.

The Houghton Mifflin Lord of the Rings book site has great information on Tolkien, a character guide, and an interview on the history of the books with Houghton Mifflin's project director.

The official movie site has film information, photos, and a lot of multi-media including trailers and behind-the-scenes shorts.

The movie adaptation of the first book, Fellowship of the Rings, opens today and has received raving reviews. See Christianity Today'sFilm Forum to see what mainstream and Christian critics are saying.

Finding God in The Lord of the Rings by Kurt Bruner and Jim Ware and Tom Shippey's J.R.R. Tolkien: Author of the Century are also available at Christianbook.com.

The official Star Wars site has a great deal of information on May's Episode II: Attack of the Clones.

The Chronicle of Narnia Web site includes information on the creation of Narnia, details on all the characters, and a quiz to test your Narnia knowledge.

Earlier this month, Christianity Today's Weblog reported that a Narnia film will be released in 2004.