I don’t know how to talk about a film without spoiling at least some of the mystery, so I thought I’d play it safe by putting up a warning flag or two. But I am not going to give away the ending.
First let me say, the film was well-acted, well-directed, and just in general very well put together. But the film was nothing like how the previews portrayed it. Watching the previews, I got the distinct impression the movie was about a boy and a girl who enter a magical kingdom and have adventuries. Well let me you, it’s not.
There are very few scenes that have any magical creatures on screen for more than a few seconds, and the creatures are never “real,” even within the context of fantasy. The kids just make up stuff in their little treehouse and sometimes their fantasies appear on screen. Terabithia is not a “place” in the sense that Narnia is a place. The kids don’t go anywhere magical and they don’t meet anyone magical. And again, the scenes where we do see their imaginary creatures are few and far between. Most of the film takes place at their homes or at school. Basically we just watch the main characters interact with their parents, siblings, bullies, strict teachers, cool teachers, and each other.
The book is probably better. Haven’t seen the movie, but I remember the book. One of my favorites as a kid. And your description sounds fairly representative of the atmosphere of the book. It was more about them dealing with teachers and bullies than about their “magical world”, which was mostly them hanging out in the woods across the stream…at least that’s how I remember it. It definitely doesn’t have the same kind of quality as the Narnia world, but that wasn’t the purpose of it.
I’m curious about the movie now! And I should probably reread the book. But I just finished reading HP7, so I’m feeling a little delirious.
Understood. And I’m not saying it was a bad movie. I’m just peeved that the marketing was so completely dishonest. I mean, people know that previews are going to flavor up the movie. That’s understandable. But you also expect previews to give you at least a vague idea of what the movie is about. The previews for this film clearly mislead the viewer into believing that Terabithia is indeed some kind of Narnia. As you said, “Terabithia” is just a small part of the story and is little more than a couple of kids playing wizard. Deliberately misrepresenting films should be a felony…a felony whose punishment entails forcing the evildoers to watch every Kevin Costner movie ever made. I’m only kidding of course…that would be cruel and unusual.
I think it just depends on what your expectations were.
I agree, Gao bo han, the movie was not the CGI-laden, special effects bonanza that the previews seemed to promise. The book was totally about the children’s relationship and how they dealt with bullies, their interactions with their parents, and beginning to figure out who they were. :bravo: I was really delighted to see that the film stayed true to the book in spirit and in its carrying out, as this was in fact my favorite book. (My best friend and I would, as children, run into my bamboo-filled backyard and call it our Terabithia. Trivia: The name Terabithia itself is a subconscious reference by the author to a place in the Narnia series.)
But back to the topic at hand.
Here’s what I found on Wikipedia:
The filmmakers have disavowed the advertisement campaign for the film saying that the advertising is deliberately misleading; making the film seem to be about or occurring in a fantasy world like that of Harry Potter or Chronicles of Narnia[3]. David L. Paterson in the SCI FI Wire article was surprised by the trailer but understood the marketing reasoning behind it saying:
“Although there is a generation that is very familiar with the book, if you are over 40, then you probably haven’t, and we need to reach them. […] Everyone who read the book and sees the trailer says, ‘What is this? This is nothing like the book. What are you doing, Dave?’ And I say, ‘You know what you’re seeing is 15 seconds of a 90-minute film. Give me a little leeway and respect. Go see it, and then tell me what you think.’”[3]
Personally, I think that’s kind of a copout, but if it did bring anyone into the fold of that book, I have to admit that I am not against it. I think there is an argument to be made for the imagination and how to market the scope of that. Truthfully, it might have come out as too Hallmark and ridiculous had they done the whole “and together, they find a world beyond their own in which to dwell” treatment without any effects, but just some kid doing that fluffy spinning around in a glen while staring up at the sky while being shot from an aerial camera deal. (I hope that made sense.) It’s also not a book or movie that lends itself to the smartass, movie trailer-ready comments all too typical in kids’ movies today, and it wouldn’t have been in the spirit of the kids to make them out to be anything like that.
How strange. I’m over 40 and I have seen the trailers in the MRT. Giant fucking walking TREES for chrissakes, and stupid wee bloody fairies flying around. How in the name of the wee man is that supposed to attract people over 40? That bloke is talking out a big flapping hole in his anus.
Godalmighty, Americans are officially the weirdest fuckers on this entire PLANET!
I like your phraseology here. Snobbish and elitist, of course, but in fairly subtle form. Better than, “Those bien-pensant, with their CGI and their warty faces! Give me the theatre! Give me art!”
So you’re all for fraudulent marketing? Kind of dishonest, no?
Snobbish and elitist. Hmph. :snooty: And hmph again!
Would it make you feel better if I said that I don’t know what bien-pensant means?
Perhaps I am up for fraudulent marketing when it comes to this book. I think I’ve made it clear that I am ruthless in my quest to sing the praises of this story in whatever way it’s expressed. :yay:
I think there is an argument to be made for the imagination and how to market the scope of that. Truthfully, it might have come out as too Hallmark and ridiculous had they done the whole “and together, they find a world beyond their own in which to dwell” treatment without any effects, but just some kid doing that fluffy spinning around in a glen while staring up at the sky while being shot from an aerial camera deal. (I hope that made sense.) It’s also not a book or movie that lends itself to the smartass, movie trailer-ready comments all too typical in kids’ movies today, and it wouldn’t have been in the spirit of the kids to make them out to be anything like that.