Dragons, giants, dangerous swamps, dark forbidding castles, creepy characters and a deep, threatening river of death. No, not elements of a new Harry Potter novel but features of a 17thCentury classic English novel.
John Bunyan’s, The Pilgrims Progress contains all this and more beside. Published in 1678, and written while Bunyan was in prison for “illegal preaching” the book has long been regarded as one of the greatest work of literature and has now been brought vividly to life in a new animated from version Herald Entertain studios and Revelation Media, which will be shown in selected cinemas this autumn.
The story is simple. A man named Christian is living in the ‘City of Destruction’ and realizes that he needs to get out before it’s too late. However no one else will listen to him including his own wife and children. Meeting a character called ‘Evangelist” he sets off on a path which he is told will lead him to ‘The Celestial city’. The journey turns out to be more dangerous than Christian could imagine. His route takes him via the cross of Jesus, through Vanity Fair, down into the ‘Valley of Humiliation’ and eventually to that foreboding river of death.
The film has a lovely score and among a host of actors lending their voices to the animation is John Rhys-Davies, best known for his roles in Lord of the Rings and Raiders of the lost Ark.
This new version is a colourful, spectacular, wonderful retelling of the story which families will be able to enjoy watching together. The film is being released in 3d in some cinemas and is well worth seeing, if only to see a classic brought to life. You can almost feel the clinging mud as Christian falls into the slough of despond, you can sense the hatred of the enemy to him, and you very quickly get drawn into this world of dark valleys, palaces and weird and wonderful characters. Each section of the story is drawn slightly differently to the last one and you feel as if you really are entering different environments along with our heroes.
Bunyan’s Christian message does come across clearly but the film is well worth seeing regardless of your convictions. Eventually it will be available on disk and down load but do try and see it on the big screen because it looks and sounds wonderful and is an immensely rewarding experience. I am sure John Bunyan would approve!
Look out for this coming to a cinema near you and do make the effort to go and see it. Recommended.