Product Description

Starring Joss Ackland and Claire Bloom. Winner of over a dozen prestigious awards including the International Emmy for Best Drama and two British Academy Awards.

He cried out, "Where is God when I really need him?" This film is about the agonizing spiritual crisis of C.S. Lewis when his wife died from cancer. The love, grief, pain, and sorrow were so shattering to Lewis that his basic Christian beliefs, magnificently communicated in his many books, were now called into serious doubt.

But he picked up the pieces and moved out of the depressing "shadowlands," realizing that "real life has not even begun yet."

Includes 90-minute television version and 73-minute abridged version.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #15906 in DVD
• Released on: 2004-08-06
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Color, DVD, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 73 minutes

Customer Reviews

A truly Illuminating "Shadowlands."
"Shadowlands" (or "Through The Shadowlands," as it's frequently called,) started as a stage play, became this extroidnary BBC production, then a severly edited American video, then an American theatrical feature starring Anthony Hopkins, and then a book. Obviously, this story's impact resinates and remains powerful through different interpretation and versions. This presentation stands above all of them, though.

This DVD includes BOTH the full length 90 minute BBC version, as well as a worthless 73 minute version, which was released on video in the states for "Christian" markets. Regretfully, that abridged 73 minute video is what most people in the US mistakenly think is the "original BBC" movie. That jumpy and truncated version was done without input or approval from the director, Norman Stone, and aparently exists solely because someone wanted all alcohol and smoking removed. Therefore, scenes of Lewis discussing his beliefs with skeptical Oxford dons are gone, because the professors are holding cigars and brandy. The Christmas Holiday scenes are also cut because there is wine on the dinner table, etc, depriving the viewer of significant and pivital elements of the tightly constructed story and character development. The releasing studio's "justification" for the chopped up version was that it could be used for church classes or discussion groups becuase it's shorter. However, it only saves 15 minutes, which certianly doesn't justify the tremendous loss to the narative.

Josh Ackland's portrayal of Lewis is relentlessly engaging to watch. Lewis' brilliance, confidence, and joy, with intellectual and spiritual pursuits is completely brought to the screen. Without it, his sense of loss, anger, questioning, and understanding could never of had the subsequent impact on the viewer.

Claire Bloom is also completely believable as the Jewish, intellectual, Christian, articulate, single mother who eventually melts Lewis' heart. However, when compared to the performance of Debra Winger in the theatrical version, Claire Bloom definately comes across as much more of an English woman than Debra Winger's portrayal, which actually sounds like a Jewish woman from New York, as she should.

Beyond the fresh, and possibly more accurate, performance by Debra Winger in the theatrical version, this BBC production is superior in almost every way. I say, "almost" because, as others have pointed out, the music in this production doesn't rise to the quality of every other aspect. Not only is the music fairly pedantic, but it's not mixed particularly well, either, and tends to stand out more than it should.

Rising HIGH above any shortcomings, this movie is one of my all-time favorites, and retains all of its' magic, brilliance, and wisdom, through repeated viewings. I can not praise this film highly enough, and I only hope that the recent success of the feature film "Narnia" will introduce new viewers to this masterwork.

Adding my voice to the consensus that this one is superior...
Anthony Hopkins did indeed "sleepwalk" his way through the American version. One got a sort of sanitized love story which was, as another reviewer said, oblivious to the identity or character of C.S. Lewis.

Having been profoundly moved by the BBC movie, when I went to see the Anthony Hopkins/Debra Winger thing I was disgusted. It's just a major studio going for the bucks, using the inherent pathos of the story, but not understanding it at all, or caring. The BBC version was much more focused on, and aware of, background, implications, details, etc... and it is quite likely that they actually knew who C.S. Lewis was.

And why on Earth would the Hollywood hotshots change the real story by reducing Joy's offspring to ONE son, when she had two?

They both appear in the BBC version. And so does a believable C.S. Lewis - unlike the Hollywood travesty.

A Portrait of Love and Loss
"C.S. Lewis Through the Shadowlands" is a beautiful love story and a sensitive portrayal of grief. In this BBC television special, we find American poet Joy Gresham (Claire Bloom) writing to C.S. Lewis in England. As they discuss ideas about mythical doors and poetry, her letters bring about an intellectual friendship. I love the part where Joy talks about wandering into the wrong houses as she is looking for a home.

When C.S. Lewis asks her if she thinks she has found a home, she says she thinks she has. It is very cute and sentimental. The story progresses from a winter of Joy's marriage dying to the full blossoming of her love with C.S. Lewis. The focus of this movie is on the relationship and nothing much is said about any of the books, except there are a few conversations where Joy shows she has a complete knowledge of the books he has written.

If you have read "A Grief Observed" or if you have an interest in finding out more about C.S. Lewis' personal life, then this will introduce you to the warmth of Joy and the caring nature of C.S. Lewis.

If you are looking for information on the life and work of C.S. Lewis, may I recommend "The Magic Never Ends." It is truly fascinating and includes a list of his 38 books and more information on books written about his life.

~The Rebecca Review