Episode 1: Not A Fairy At All

www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6tjBUP6pJk

Episode 2: Daydreaming

www.youtube.com/watch?v=TB4OjmvmBwU

Episode 3: Recognize Your Delusion

www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Yv1VLHoNQI

Episode 4: No One Else Will Help Me

www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzMZGLu3z40

Episode 5: Not Exactly

www.youtube.com/watch?v=UoaNvgmpgJ8

Episode 6: We’re Going Now

www.youtube.com/watch?v=R66wu8I1tIA

Episode 7: A Danger To Herself And Others

www.youtube.com/watch?v=puO8nWqyozk

Zenya: A Fairy Tale, the full-length web serial, is online and will so be available for purchase on DVD.  Subscribe to youtube.com/tangoflix for updates on Zenya as well as future projects.  You can also find out more about Zenya and Tangent Horizons on IMDB, Facebook, and Twitter!

Zenya: A Fairy Tale is a web serial produced by Tangent Horizons. It was written and directed by Chuck Fowler.

‘Zenya: A Fairy Tale’, the full-length web serial, is coming soon. Subscribe to this channel or go to zenya.tangoflix.com for updates.

‘Zenya: A Fairy Tale’ is a web serial produced by Tangent Horizons. It was written and directed by Chuck Fowler.

Overall, Walden Media’s Voyage of the Dawn Treader is a resounding success. It is beautifully shot and directed. The production design (props, sets, costuming, makeup, and locations) is outstanding. Bringing the iconic Dawn Treader to life is a stunning feat. The CGI (computer-generated imagery) is also masterful. Reepicheep and Dragon-Eustace are beautifully animated and really capture the essence of both of those characters from the book. (The scene where Eustace is crying on the beach and Reepicheep tries to comfort him is my favorite scene in the film.)

The acting is stronger in this film than the previous two, with a few exceptions. Will Poulter as Eustace is a perfect casting choice–maybe too perfect. Simon Pegg does a better job with Reepicheep than the previous film’s Eddie Izzard. Both Skandar Keynes (Edmund) and Ben Barnes (Caspian) appear to have matured as actors. Georgie Henley (Lucy) does an excellent job for most of the film, but there are one or two moments where she comes across as unconvincing. Still, she does an excellent job or portraying the character. Tilda Swinton as the White Witch is chilling. (I hope they make The Magician’s Nephew just so I can see her in the role!)

I’m probably going to surprise people with what I say next. Of the three Narnia films so far made, Voyage of the Dawn Treader seems to be the most faithful to the tone of the original book. (Notice I said “tone”, not “plot.”) Both The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe and Prince Caspian seemed to be trying very hard to reproduce the epic scale of The Lord of the Rings film trilogy. Narnia is wonderful and magical and mystical–but it’s not quite epic in the same way that Middle-earth is epic. Michael Apted’s Dawn Treader captures the “Narnian” feel of the book more clearly than Andrew Adamson’s previous two movies. (Although I have a great deal of good to say about them too.)

While some online bloggers have complained that the Narnia films have somehow de-Christianized the stories, anyone who is familiar with the books and watches the films critically will know that this is not true. In The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, if anything Walden Media over-exaggerates elements of the latent Christianity in the book. (The line in which Caspian says, “Think of all the lost souls we’re here to save,” is such a blatant double-entendre that I laughed out-loud when I first heard it.) The truth is that the Voyage of the Dawn Treader film retains the essential themes of the book: facing temptation, chivalry and honor, finding redemption.

Along with my positive comments, I have a few critiques. First, as I implied earlier, I feel that the overemphasis on the theme of temptation occasionally causes the film to veer into the pedantic. It also obscures some of the books other themes–such as the joy and adventure of discovery for discovery’s sake.

Second, the “darkness” through-line added to unify and add drive to the screenplay seems arbitrary and unimaginative. I’m not opposed to altering the story in order to make it more cinematic. I know that the art and rules of screenwriting dictate certain necessities, but I would have liked to see a more imaginative solution. It also obscured the book’s focus on the value of discovery for its own sake.

Third, after the invention of a Caspian/Susan romance in the Prince Caspian film, it seems like a major lost opportunity for the filmmakers to almost entirely ignore the Caspian/Lilliandil romance. (Seriously, the two of them actually marry in the book!) It also seems to have certain consequences for the making of The Silver Chair (but this probably is not the place to discuss that).

Bottom line: Go see the film! It’s a well-crafted piece of cinema that is suitable for the whole family. It is fun and beautiful film that also shares many themes that were important to C.S. Lewis: the value of chivalry, the importance of fighting evil within and without, and the Christian promise of redemption.

The film tells the story of Alvin (Austin Mace), a male nurse working in a mental institution who develops a close bond with Zenya (Kelsey Carroll), a female patient who believes she is an elf.  The film also stars Al Fritz and Christie Taylor, and will feature a music score composed by Luke Gauthier.  A teaser trailer and other promotional materials will be released in the next month.

Thanks to all of you who came out for the auditions for “Zenya: A Fairy Tale”!  You are a talented group–which made my casting decisions really difficult.  Give yourselves a pat on the back!

The final selection for the cast has been made:

• Alvin: Austin Mace
• Zenya: Kelsey Carroll
• Sally: Christie Taylor

For those of you who were not cast, I want you to know that I really appreciated your time and effort coming out for the casting session.  If you indicated that you would like to be involved as an extra or a crew member for “Zenya,” we will be in touch with you in the near future.  If you expressed interest in being involved in future projects, your contact information will be added to Tangent Horizon’s database for future casting notices.

Thank you all for your involvement!

Chuck Fowler
Tangent Horizons

In order to be considered, submit a head shot and an acting resume via the E-mail address listed with this ad. If you fit the role, we will contact you to schedule an audition.

4 roles: 2 female, 2 male

ZENYA: Early-20s female; a patient in a mental hospital who is convinced that she is an elf maiden.

ALVIN: 20-something male; a nurse in a mental hospital; deeply compassionate, impulsive, and naive.

SALLY: Head nurse at a mental hospital; mother of two; has a major attitude, but is a caring person.

DR. KNIGHT: 40s-50s male; psychiatrist; has a penetrating intellect and a drive for answers; is keeping a secret.