Hey, everyone. ”Moriarty” here.
If you haven’t read the book this film is based on, there are some fairly sizeable things that can be spoiled for you when discussing the film. I’ll try to tread lightly and warn you if I’m going to cross a line.
Katherine Paterson’s book is well-known to a generation of kids, and it was a Newberry Award winner when published. It was based in part on the experiences of her own son, David. David’s a writer/producer now, and he adapted the novel himself for this new production, something that should give fans of the book some hope that the intent remains pure.
I know some of our earlier talkbacks and some of your e-mails to me indicate that you’re worried by the fantastic imagery you’ve been seeing in the trailers. It seems that the private world of Terabithia that existed between two characters in the book has been externalized in the movie. Now we get to see what they’re imagining as they play together. At no point are the visions of Terabithia “real,” but they’re definitely brought to life.
Gabor Csupo is an excellent choice for the material, making his directorial debut with the film. He’s a producer, part of the Klasky-Csupo company that’s been so successful with RUGRATS, THE WILD THORNBERRYS, DUCKMAN, and, in the very early days of the show, THE SIMPSONS. It’s not obvious that he’d be the right guy to direct this sometimes sweet but mostly dark film about dealing with pain and disappointment. His work in animation gives him a fairly nimble imagination when bringing the bits and pieces of Terabithia to life.
Here’s some of the production art created as he worked on his vision of things:
You don't see a lot of these guys in the movie, and they don't quite look like this.
This thing, though, pretty much looks exactly like this in the movie, and it's a pretty good creature overall.
Nice design. Scary. And the scenes with these in the film are suitably menacing.
More design work on the teeny tiny magic guards, like that first picture.
This is a design from the very end of the film, and it's pretty much exactly what it looks like when it shows up in the movie. Nicely executed.
I’ll have an actual review of the film a little closer to release. For now, this is a nice primer on what to expect if you see it.
Drew McWeeny, Los Angeles
Drew McWeeny, Los Angeles
