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Nomad
Forum Admin
Feb 23 2007, 2:59pm
Post #1 of 21
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Movie rant: Bridge to Terabithia (spoilers)
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OK last night was my (now) 6 year old son's birthday and we all (me, wife, 8 year old daughter and b-day boy) went out for pizza and a movie. After seeing the previews for "Bridge to Terabithia" we thought it would be a slam dunk as it has been marketed as a sort of "Lion, Witch and the Wardrobe" fantasy with 2 kids discovering a secret fantasy world.
Grrrrrrrrrrrr... It was a good movie. OK I will admit that. The acting was good (some cheese in parts) and the plot was a rather moving story about two kids and their blossoming friendship and the troubles young teens go through at home and at school. It wasn't technically a fantasy though since all the SFX shots were simply the 2 kids using their imaginations... so the movie as a movie wasn't bad.
However... *insert screeching car tires sound effect* The precious little girl who has captured the heart of the little boy AND the audience... drowns in a creek 3/4 of the way through. ARGGGGG!!! That wasn't the movie I wanted to bring my 6 year old to for his birthday. We wanted a fun fantasy feel good flick! Instead I had my wife quietly crying for the last 15 minutes... My daughter coming up with hopeful theories that the girl wasn't really dead, but found her way to the real Terabithia, and my son just being concerned that his Mom was crying. Cripes! Happy Birthday son... Well at least they enjoyed the pizza.
They did try to end on some form of happy note... the boy builds a wooden bridge over the creek at the end and invites his baby sister to join him in 'Terabithia' (FYI the girl who dies and the boy had previously crossed the creek on an old rope swing... and while the boy was at a museum, the girl was trying to cross the creek which was swollen with rain when the rope broke). But it was a very somber movie.
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septembrist
Registered User
Feb 23 2007, 3:40pm
Post #2 of 21
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The book is a bit of a downer and probably not a great birthday movie especially for the younger set.
The book is considered a children's classic and I'm glad to hear that it is a good movie. I was fearful that emphasis on FX would bury the actual story. I hope to see it soon.
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Scout
Ossiriand
Feb 23 2007, 3:51pm
Post #3 of 21
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I thought that was the theme (spoiler)
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I remember the book being a hit when it came out and reading that it was about learning to deal with death. I somehow knew that without a) being a child or b) ever reading it.
That being said, the movie trailers sell the movie as what you expected: fun fantasy. I'm sure you aren't the only parent who has been surprised by it.
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Aerlinn
Menegroth
Feb 23 2007, 3:53pm
Post #4 of 21
(621 views)
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Wow. I never read the book, and I thought the same as you - it looked like a lovely happy fantasy in the Narnia tradition.
I still want to see it - but this sort of hairpin turn in the plot is something I'll be glad to know about beforehand... poor kids. Poor Mrs. Nomad. Poor Nomad!
 | TheOneRing.net – where everybody knows your name!
And J.R.R. Tolkien’s middle names… and the name of his publisher’s son … and the name of Aragorn’s great-great-great- grandfather on his mother’s side… and what Frodo’s name almost was… |
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Magpie
Elvenhome
Feb 23 2007, 4:01pm
Post #5 of 21
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Have you seen this site? (post contains SPOILERS for Bridge to Terabithia)
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Screen It! <-That's a link.
Once I found it, I used it quite a few times to judge the appropriateness of a movie for my kids. I don't think this site is about warning you away from any movie or type of movie. They're only trying to give you as much information about whatever aspect concerns you so that *you* can decide (not the advertisers or promoters or ratings people) what's appropriate for your children. I've even used it to get more info on movies for myself that I think I might want to watch but I'm concerned about the type or level of violence. Of course, reading within the different categories will potentially spoil you on the plot. But, for me, if the movie was for the kids, I'd risk getting spoiled to insure the movie was appropriate for them: their age, maturity, special worries or fears, etc.
In the US, Bridge to Terebithia is rated PG and that is higher than G... I think we tend to think of PG here as 'good for kids' but it really means 'good for kids with some parental guidance involved in deciding for your kids'.
First, Screen It! provides a general assessment within certain categories (the following is for Bridge to Terabithia as an example):
- Alcohol/Drugs None
- Blood/Gore Mild
- Disrespectful/Bad Attitude Moderate
- Frightening/Tense Scenes *Moderate
- Guns/Weapons Mild
- Imitative Behavior Moderate
- Jump Scenes Minor
- Music (Scary/Tense) Heavy
- Music (Inappropriate) None
- Profanity Minor
- Sex/Nudity None
- Smoking None
- Tense Family Scenes Heavy
- Topics To Talk About Heavy
- Violence Mild
Each of those above assessments is elaborated upon further down the page.
Then they do a 'Quick Take' on the movie... a short paragraph... and a longer plot synopsis.
After a bit more information, they provide "OUR WORD TO PARENTS"
The following is a brief summary of the content found in this PG-rated drama. Profanity consists of a handful of minor expletives, while some colorful phrases are present. Violence includes a viewed and off-screen, kid to kid punch to the face, while some imagined fantasy type creatures battle and briefly try to attack some human kids in some action-based moments. Those scenes and other moments of potential peril might be unsettling or suspenseful to younger viewers, while a major child character dies toward the end of the film (not seen, but referenced, with plenty of related emotional aftermath). That obviously results in tense family material (while other unrelated bits also occur). Various characters have varying degrees of bad attitudes (including several bullies), while some behavior may be enticing for some kids to imitate. Finally, a bit of crude material (about bodily functions) is also present. Should you still be concerned about the film's appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home, you may want to look more closely at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content. For those prone to visually induced motion sickness, we see slow-motion shots of Jess and Leslie separately swinging on a rope swing (where they appear stationary and the background moves behind them).
I used this site until the kids well into my sons' teen years. I was personally mortified at the treatment of sexual themes in the Austen Powers movies and I wished I'd known more about this movie going in, for example. Occassionally the kids would want to see something rated higher than their age level and I would check out the site to see exactly what had warranted the rating and how I personally felt about that, or how I thought my kids would respond to it. When my son was 16, I wanted him to see Good Will Hunting. But I would have been very uncomfortable sitting next to him during an explicit sex scene of another type of R-rated movie. I would think that for quite young children... it might be worth checking out any PG movie just to see. Sites like Screen It provide us with the information we need for those decisions.
no longer just aMagpie... I'm now *the* Magpie
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Nomad
Forum Admin
Feb 23 2007, 4:28pm
Post #6 of 21
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Thanks for the link! (bookmarked) -NT
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Hobbitmomma
Nevrast
Feb 23 2007, 4:57pm
Post #7 of 21
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Thanks so much for the heads up! (HP Spoiler)
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We were considering taking our 6 and 8 year olds to see it. Now I will have to discuss it with my husband and warn the kids before making that decision. (After all, Charlotte dies, Bambi's mom dies, Sirius Black and Dumbledore die!) So, the death thing isn't new to kids' stories, but I do want to warn them. Thanks.
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dernwyn
Forum Admin
/ Moderator
Feb 23 2007, 5:27pm
Post #8 of 21
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Oh, no! I'm so sorry! This is one of my "books-that-everyone-should-read", although it always leaves me in tears. It's all about dealing with life - and death.
Local reviewers have been adding this at the end of their reviews: "If you haven't read the story, warning: bring kleenex." It's too bad something like that can't be placed at the end of previews.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Still 'round the corner there may wait
A new road, or a secret gate...
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Eventides
Dor-Lomin
Feb 23 2007, 5:37pm
Post #9 of 21
(597 views)
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*sigh*. Thanks for posting, anyway.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"I stepped out of my body to let God slide in; although I'm still dressed in flesh that I spiritually died in. Alive in Christ a new creation started breathin', Life exists and through this came completion. ... I'm not that person anymore (more!)! That's what blood was shed for! No longer a failure, livin' life more abundantly, therefore you'll never see me livin' less than victory."
John Reuben.
"Desperation, needing You; every last breath I scream for You. Shatter me into a million pieces, make me new. ... Break me, mold me, make me what You want me to be; I am Yours, for You to use, so take and replace me with You."
Family Force 5.
"Under a light in Bethlehem, I was sifting through the sand; the saline burned my eyes, I was looking for Your hand. I gave up on myself, and left my pride disarmed; I cried out 'I'm alone!' and found myself in Your arms. 'Rest in Me, oh, My love; I have loved you before the world began. Rest in Me, oh, My love; you'll never wander too far to reach My hand.'"
Showbread.
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grammaboodawg
Elvenhome
Feb 23 2007, 5:57pm
Post #10 of 21
(601 views)
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Oh geez... That's nasty. It reminds me of when Jurassic Park came out
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People thought it was another Spielberg ET movie and were horrified! I remember watching families with little kids standing in line waiting to go in and warning them it was a pretty graphic and terrifying flick!
Now you'll need to go and see something to counter the residual anxiety... or rent something funny.
 
Trust him... The Hobbit is coming!
"Barney Snow was here." ~Hug like a hobbit!~ "In my heaven..."
TORn's Observations Lists
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Idril Celebrindal
Dor-Lomin
Feb 23 2007, 6:04pm
Post #11 of 21
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What else would you expect? It's a Newberry Medalist book! (spoilers)
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There's a school of thought that children's literature should be like medicine: unpleasant but good for you. Lots of Newberry Medalist books have pretty grim themes. Here's a sample:
Bridge to Terebithia -- Best friend of main character dies in tragic accident
Out of the Dust -- Main character accidentally burns her mother and unborn brother to death. As if this story wasn't grim enough, it's set during the Great Depression.
The Giver -- Dystopia
The Slave Dancer -- Main character is shanghaid and forced to play the fife for captives on a slave ship
Island of the Blue Dolphins -- Main character is abandoned on an island for years and years; her brother is killed by wild dogs
Witch of Blackbird Pond -- Innocent old lady is caught up in witch hunt
Sounder -- Main character's father and beloved dog die
Old Yeller -- Main character's dog dies of rabies
Kira-Kira -- Older sister of main character dies of cancer
Across Five Aprils -- Brothers caught up in Civil War; father dies
Yes, these are all great books. But a steady diet of Newberry Medalist winners could trigger a major depressive episode. It's no wonder that kids read the cheerful Harry Potter series so enthusiastically. Since the last one is supposed to be pretty dark, I predict that it will be the only book in the series to win a Newberry award.
With caffeine, all things are possible.
The pity of Bilbo will screw up the fate of many.
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SandWitch King
Nargothrond
Feb 23 2007, 6:28pm
Post #12 of 21
(596 views)
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Well, at least it was like the book (minor spoilers)
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The marketing for the movie has done a real disservice to a coming-of-age tale about kids and death and life. The marketing department should be taken out back and be forced to watch "The Facts of Life" reruns until they learn the value of being honest.
For me the 'fantasy' marketing has made me NOT want to see the movie because I thought the essence of the great story must have been paved over to make way for a fantasy blockbuster.
Once upon a time I was MrCere. I still am but this name is for posting and being part of the community while that one is for official business. 8-)
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dernwyn
Forum Admin
/ Moderator
Feb 23 2007, 8:44pm
Post #13 of 21
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When I first saw the previews in the theater, I turned to my teen and asked, "Have you ever read the book?" She said, "No." I replied, "That's okay, it looks like whoever made the film hasn't, either."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Still 'round the corner there may wait
A new road, or a secret gate...
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Aunt Dora Baggins
Elvenhome
Feb 23 2007, 8:52pm
Post #14 of 21
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We went last night and I was so relieved.
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I've loved the book for decades, and when I saw the trailers, I was afraid they'd completely changed the story. I was so relieved that the movie was so like the book. Apparently one of the screenwriters is the son of the woman who wrote the book, and it was his childhood experience of having a friend die that inspired her. He was pretty bummed about what the marketing folks did too.
Several people in this thread have said they were expecting a happy ending. It *does* have a happy ending, one of the sweetest eucatastrophes in any story I've ever read. Please don't give up on it.
That said, be aware of the sad part before you take little kids. I wouldn't recommend this to my niece, who is nine and grieving for her grandfather (not my dad, her dad's dad), and only wants happy stories right now. And my grown daughter wasn't interested, because though she likes dark angsty stuff, realistic stories about death are still too much for her. But any kid who could handle Charlotte's Web could handle this.
I warned Uncle Baggins that he might need a hanky, and he was glad of the warning, because he said otherwise he would have had to use his sleeve. We both loved the movie. One of the main messages is that you can create your own fantasy world if you only have imagination; a great message for any of us who have longed to go through the wardrobe at one time or another.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"For DORA BAGGINS in memory of a LONG correspondence, with love from Bilbo; on a large wastebasket. Dora was Drogo's sister, and the eldest surviving female relative of Bilbo and Frodo; she was ninety-nine, and had written reams of good advice for more than half a century."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chance Meeting at Rivendell: a Tolkien Fanfic
and some other stuff I wrote...
leleni at hotmail dot com
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Aunt Dora Baggins
Elvenhome
Feb 23 2007, 9:02pm
Post #15 of 21
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One of the best eucatastrophe moments in any book or movie I know. I always bawl at the end of the book, and not because I'm sad.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"For DORA BAGGINS in memory of a LONG correspondence, with love from Bilbo; on a large wastebasket. Dora was Drogo's sister, and the eldest surviving female relative of Bilbo and Frodo; she was ninety-nine, and had written reams of good advice for more than half a century."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chance Meeting at Rivendell: a Tolkien Fanfic
and some other stuff I wrote...
leleni at hotmail dot com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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CAhobbit
Nargothrond
Feb 23 2007, 11:43pm
Post #16 of 21
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that had never dawned on me before but that's so very true. It's been a while (about 20 years) since I've read a newberry medalist book but what you've said rings so true. I remember many of those newberry books from my childhood and almost all involved death or horrific (for a young child that is). There was one that involved the drowning death of a friend early on in the story and his dealing and even covering up his friends death (at the beginning). Another's aim was trials and challenges of a family during the great depression (and no it wasn't "The Grapes of Wrath"). Not to say that such stories shouldn't be read by children (they should) but most of the most notible stories of my youth seem to involve death or tragedy.
The only book I can recall that was just happy (though the characters did go through much) was "The Incredible Journey". Such a good story.
Do not meddle in the affairs of hobbits for we can bite your kneecaps off!
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CAhobbit
Nargothrond
Feb 23 2007, 11:45pm
Post #17 of 21
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speaking of the book "Island of the Blue Dolphins" the real story is so much better than the book's story. But I suppose that's the case a lot of the time. 
Do not meddle in the affairs of hobbits for we can bite your kneecaps off!
CAhobbit's flickr page
CAhobbit's myspace
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Penthe
Mithlond
Feb 24 2007, 12:18am
Post #18 of 21
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I never thought of Island of the Blue Dolphins as sad, actually. Well, the bit about the brother, but not the rest of it. It was my fantasy to get away from my family to a deserted island and learn to survive by hunting, fishing and making stuff out of, well, other stuff.
But you make me glad I never read Out of the Dust.
Our Children's Book Council of Australia awards are the same. If it's not death it's incest, and if it's not incest it's the collapse of society. Fun for all the family.
But I don't necessarily find sad and unpleasant synonomous when it comes to children's books.
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Daughter of Nienna
Hithlum
Feb 25 2007, 1:50am
Post #19 of 21
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And I was greatfuly surprised that it had as much depth as it does. During the early fantasy episodes, I was afraid it would recede into cheap Holywood hocus-pocus. Once the story got going, I though tit was wonderful and of a very good quality.
I would recommend it to anyone. But it is not the sugar-coated throw-away crap that so often comes out of Hollywood these these days...and I am very gratefulit wasn't. The marketing does not do it justice and people like you were not properly prepared, while others are staying away because they are afraid it is cheap thow-away junk.
Too bad. It is a terrific movie, I am sorry you were disappointed, I am afraid that your expectations were toyed with sad results. It is apparent that you could not enjoy something finally worthy of enjoyment and appreciation.
Websites Directory, my drawings,Aloha & Mahalo
Nienna: “ those who hearken to her learn pity, and endurance in hope . . . All those who wait in Mandos cry to her, for she brings strength to the spirit and turns sorrow to wisdom." — Valaquenta
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Elven
Doriath
Feb 25 2007, 2:55am
Post #20 of 21
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I haven't read the book or seen the film ...
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But it reminded me immediately of one of the first books I was ever able to read by myself as a small child regarding 'death' ... and that book made an impression - I still have the book - and I still recall my reaction ... The book was 'The Little Match Girl' and (even as a 4 year old) I was very confused as to why I had been given this book as a gift for my Birthday - I thought it was telling me to be good or I would die.
I remember being a bit 'angry' because I thought I was a good girl  and thought that was a very 'mean' book.
I concluded many years later - much later - it had possibly been given to me as an 'explaination' of sorts - after the little girl across the road who I used to play with, had been killed in a tragic boating accident ... that she was with her Grandmother in Heaven ... everything was OK for her.
I still remained mystified as to why that book though.
For as a four year old, I already had thoughts about what happened when someone 'died' - and looking back, they were alot more grounded in my 4 yo reality of what life was then ...
The book freaked me out more than the death of my friend.
But I was only 4.
"Never wash your name in hot water Elvenesque - it shrinks!" said the Gaffer. "lucky it still fits if you be askin' me."
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Patty
Elvenhome
Feb 26 2007, 8:55pm
Post #21 of 21
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Can someone tell me (spoilers)
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What Janice was crying about in the bathroom, and what Leslie said to her ? I had to take GrandPatty2 for a potty break then, and we don't know what happened here to make Janice befriend Jess later.
Welcome to Rivendell, Patty Baggins
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