C. S. Lewis and Film
A special issue of Religions (ISSN 2077-1444).
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 June 2024) | Viewed by 1930
Special Issue Editor
Interests: C. S. Lewis; philosophy in film; ethics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
C. S. Lewis is one of the most important theologians and literary theorists of the last century (Flew, 4). His literary theories, found in such works as An Experiment in Criticism and The Personal Heresy, and theological insights have been used to read countless books (Schakel, 18), and their potential for interpreting and illuminating film is high. Moreover, Lewis’ life and novels (e.g., Narnia) have themselves become sources of high-budget films starting major Hollywood actors. For this Special Issue, we are seeking articles that use Lewis’ literary or theological insights to unpack films or to explore films of his own life (e.g., Shadowlands) or novels (e.g., The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe).
LITERARY THEORY
Lewis’ literary theory, though it lacks a formal name, asks audiences to “get themselves out of the way” to let the screenwriter and director speak for themselves. This method of “reading” a film is often perceived as naïve these days, but is it really? (Glover, 47)
THEOLOGY AND PHILOSOPHY IN FILM
How might Lewis’ metaphysical, epistemological, ethical and social vision be illuminated in, or help us to illuminate, films? How might Lewis’ philosophy or theology help us to critique, or appreciate more deeply, various films? (White, 75)
FILMS ON LEWIS OR LEWIS’ WORK
Biographical films are often the subject of critique from scholars for their faithfulness, or lack thereof, to historical fact. Shadowlands is no exception here. Is a good movie? Additionally, does its goodness require faithfulness to the man’s life? (Barkman, 325) In addition, Lewis never imagined his own novels as films; are the various versions of the Narnian films faithful to Lewis’s vision? Does it matter?
References
Barkman, Adam. C. S. Lewis & Philosophy as a Way of Life. New York: Zossima, 2008.
Flew, Anthony. There Is a God: How the World’s Most Notorious Atheist Changed His Mind. New York: HarperOne, 2007.
Glover, Donald. C. S. Lewis: The Art of Enchantment. Athens: University of Ohio Press, 1981.
Schakel, Peter. Imagination and the Arts in C. S. Lewis. Missouri: University of Missouri Press, 2002.
White, William Luther. The Image of Man in C. S. Lewis. Nashville: Abingdon, 1969.
Prof. Dr. Adam Barkman
Guest Editor
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Keywords
- C. S. Lewis
- film
- personal heresy, an experiment in criticism
- chronicles of Narnia
- theology
- Christian literary theory
- Shadowlands
- Disney
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