February 19, 2007

Terabithia

A few months ago, my wife & oldest son Ethan, 9, read the book Bridge to Terabithia. We knew that a movie based on the book was coming out, and when a movie based on a book is coming out, we (my sons included) enjoy reading the book first. Sometimes the movie is a good as the book (like Holes). Sometimes it isn't (like Eragon).

I did not read Terabithia myself. The previews showed some giant trolls and other creatures, and Ethan said the movie might be too scary for Tristan, who's 5. However, the creatures didn't look too scary to me. I figured the movie was more along the lines of The Chronicles of Narnia, which Tristan did see when it came out, and not nearly so scary as Harry Potter, which he did not.

Well, Tristan was fine during the movie. I, on the other hand, was blown away. It's a very powerful movie. (If you've read the book, then I guess you know what I'm talking about.) By coincidence, on the drive home, I was listening to NPR, and heard an interview with the author and her son, who wrote the screenplay. They mentioned that many adults have a problem with the book, and different groups have even tried to have it banned from schools. It's that powerful.

I had no problems with it. It had both intelligence and depth (which, I guess, is what scares some people.) I thought it was absolutely amazing and wonderful. But, having not read the book, it caught me by such surprise. 24 hours later, it's still all I can think about.


4 comments:

Oubipaws said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Guido said...

I like Katherine Patterson as an author. I remember 27 years ago, reading Bridge to Teribetha and about ten years ago, I picked it up and read it again. I am a little concerned about the marketing of the film, because what I see on the screen is nothing of what I found that movie to really about. The fantasy part was hardly moving to me, but the story of these two friends was.

Guido said...

Scratch that last part of the comment. "What I see on screen is nothing of what I found in the book. The fantasy part was hardly moving to me in the book, but the story of these two friends was."

trigger Happy,
guido

Anonymous said...

This is like the first time Dylan and I read all the way through the Narnia books, when he was about 10. We were both so invested in the books (they are looong when you read all 7 in a row, outloud at bedtime!) ... I had only read 1 or 2 as a kid, and when we got to the very last chapter of the very last book ... and I realized what happened to the kids ... I was devistated. (I know, I'm an emotional weenie!) I started crying and crying and sobbing and was SO embarassed, as I couldn't even read outloud what I had skimmed ahead and knew was coming. I finally had to get Kevin to come in and read, as poor Dylan thought I'd lost my mind and had no idea why I was a basket-case!
Nah ... kid's stories have no depth ... HA! I beg to differ!