Churches given red-carpet treatment

Church leaders who helped Disney with ‘Narnia’ film receive allotment of tickets to early premiere.When it comes to landing a seat at a Hollywood premiere, sometimes the best bet is a prayer.

For those wanting to see “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and The Wardrobe,” there’s another way to score tickets: Try contacting a religious group.

At least two Orange County churches, including Harbor Trinity Church in Costa Mesa, are offering seats to a Dec. 8 showing of the Walt Disney Pictures movie based on C.S. Lewis’ fantasy book. The film opens in theaters on Dec. 9.

Disney contacted Ric Olsen, Harbor Trinity’s senior associate pastor, for assistance with a resource DVD that is intended to give pastors and other religious leaders talking points for sermons relating to the film.

Olsen traveled to the movie studio and shared his thoughts on tape about “Narnia’s” themes. He said from what he has heard, the filmmakers stayed true to Lewis’ story line.

“They are using the comments we are making,” Olsen said. “They are trying to scratch our backs, and they know we’ll help them in marketing the film. I have no problem helping out.”

In return, Olsen and others who are on the instructional DVD have received an allotment of tickets for the movie premieres, which are taking place at several theaters across Orange County.

Harbor Trinity booked a theater inside the Irvine Spectrum Center -- the largest of the premiere venues -- and is selling 600 tickets to the event. As of late Thursday, Olsen said he had sold about 200 of the seats.

Olsen said Disney is sending other educational tools to the church as a way of pitching the film to religious audiences. He is planning to use the material in a three-part lecture series, about the film and its religious relevance, that begins on Dec. 4 during Sunday service.

Olsen said the story of four siblings and their adventures in the land of Narnia can be used as a teaching tool.

“The film has had a great impact on people in our generation,” he said. “There are a lot of parallels in this story to our own gospel story.”

After the 2004 release of “The Passion of the Christ,” Olsen said he gave a similar series of lectures. The church also was involved in an early screening for that film.

“Hollywood is realizing there’s a market they haven’t touched,” Olsen said. “It’s becoming a trend, and we’re glad to be involved.”

Saddleback Church in Lake Forest has sold about 1/4 of its 20,000 tickets for the movie premiere. The congregation has booked 13 theaters for the showing, said Kim Rihovsky, a Saddleback Church congregant who is involved in the event planning.

She said the church has developed a three-week video curriculum and is planning seminars on the film.

“A lot of people grew up reading the C.S. Lewis books,” Rihovsky said. “He’s a great Christian writer. There’s a lot of symbolism in his writing. It’s a good evangelism tool.”

Olsen said the story isn’t one of great theology, but it makes important religious themes digestible for viewers.

“We are going to equip people to recognize moments that have deep theological implications,” Olsen said. “When they get back to the water cooler, they’ll be able to draw some parallels.”

* ELIA POWERS is the enterprise and general assignment reporter. He may be reached at (714) 966-4623 or by e-mail at [email protected].