Bridge to Terabithia (1985)

Jess Aarons and new girl Leslie Burke create a world of their own and call it Terabithia and pretend to be the king and queen. They return to their magical kingdom every day after school.

Director:

Eric Till

Writers:

Katherine Paterson (novel), Nancy Sackett

Stars:

Annette O'Toole, Julian Coutts, Julie Beaulieu

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Annette O'Toole	...	Miss Edmunds
Julian Coutts	...	Jesse Oliver Aarons Jr.
Julie Beaulieu	...	Leslie Burke
Gloria Carlin	...	Mrs. Aarons
Tom Heaton	...	Jesse Oliver Aarons Sr.
Peter Dvorsky	...	Mr. Bill Burke
Darlene Bradley	...	Mrs. Judy Burke
Sharon Alexander	...	Brenda Aarons (as Sharon Holownia)
Jennifer Matichuk	...	May Belle Aarons
Tyler Popp	...	Gary Fulcher
Bridget Ryan	...	Janice Avery
Asaph Fipke	...	Earle Watson
Paul McGaffey	...	Mr. Turner
Cathy Wenschlag	...	Puppy Girl
Anthony Mandler	...	Puppy Boy

Storyline

Jess Aarons and new girl Leslie Burke create a world of their own and call it Terabithia and pretend to be the king and queen. They return to their magical kingdom every day after school.

---

Plot Keywords:

girl | school | fifth grader | puppy | music class | 

---

Genres:

Drama | Family | Fantasy

---

Details

Country:

Canada

Language:

English

Release Date:

4 February 1985 (USA)

Also Known As:

Ponte para Terabítia

Filming Locations:

Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Company Credits

Production Co:

Wonderworks, Twenty Minute Productions, Alarcom

Technical Specs

Runtime:

49 min (DVD)

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

David Paterson, who was the real-life inspiration for the character of Jess Aarons, the son of Katherine Paterson (author of the original book), and producer and screenwriter for the remake Bridge to Terabithia (2007), referred to this version as being "like the crazy cousin that nobody talks about" and went on to say that "no one on our side was either involved with it or happy with the final product".

---

Quotes

[first lines]
Jesse Oliver Aarons, Jr.: On your mark. Get set. Go!

---

Alternate Versions

The two DVD releases represent an original and an alternate version of this feature. The 2003 release by Bonneville Worldwide Entertainment has a total running time of 57:31 (including 02:21 of production clips) and is the original version broadcast on the PBS series "Wonderworks", including the Wonderworks opening and closing production clips. The 2007 release by Allumination Filmworks has a total running time of 50:03 (including 00:30 of production clips) and was probably shortened for release on commercial television in an hour long time slot. Both DVDs list a running time of "approximately 60 minutes". The Allumination version was created by cutting 05:51 out of the Bonneville feature; the longest cut (02:42) begins in the "Twinkie" scene when Jess promises May Belle that he will get even with Janice Avery for eating May Belle's Twinkie, continuing through Leslie and Jess forging a letter to Janice from Willard Hughes, through Jess putting the letter in Janice's desk, through Jess seeing puppies being given away for free, through Leslie telling Jess that Janice is in the bathroom crying, and stopping just before Leslie tells Jess why Janice is crying. The shortest of the 13 cuts is 4 seconds. Noticeable cuts include: (after May Belle tells Jess she followed him and Leslie) Jess threatening May Belle ("I catch you following me and your life ain't worth nothin'." and "I'll tell Billie Jean Edwards you still wet your bed."); after Jess enters Miss Edmunds' red sports car and Miss Edmunds says "I'm so glad your mom let you come today", Jess' response, "Oh! I forgot to call ... oh, never mind"; Jess and Miss Edmunds looking at abstract paintings in the art museum; (while Jess is at the museum with Miss Edmunds) Bill telling Leslie they could go to town for dinner and a show in the evening; (after Mr. Aarons catches Jess in his arms) the exchange [Jess] "I hate her. I hate her. I wish I'd never seen her in my whole life." [Mr. Aarons] It's not your fault. [Jess] "It's all my fault. I was supposed to meet her and I didn't. It wouldn't have happened, Leslie would still be ... [Mr. Aarons] "Hey, Jess -- you can't blame yourself. It's not your fault. [Jess] But I hurt so bad inside, Daddy." [Mr. Aarons] "I know -- I hurt too."; (later) [Jess] "I didn't mean that about hating her." [Mr. Aarons] "I know you didn't, Son."; and (after May Belle says "Boys ain't supposed to cry, are they Mommy?") [Mrs. Aarons] "Shut up, both of you, and get out now. [to Jess] Don't you pay any attention to them, just finish eating."

---

Connections

Referenced in The Simpsons: Penny-Wiseguys (2012)

User Reviews

Remembering the Impact of the Story as a Child

I'm posting in regards to the memory of viewing "Bridge to Terabithia" (1985) when it was released.

I'm 31 years old now, but I remember reading and viewing the film and felt that it was a great story. I have asked other people if they have ever read or watched the film. None of who I had asked ever even heard of the title. I felt disappointed in that because I think the story had a great connecting bond between the two characters and the kingdom they had was similar what I had as a kid growing up in the mid-west. We (as a child in grade school) had to read and watch the film. At the time the film wasn't all that "bad" in acting from what I remember. Twenty years later I was looking up the film to see if I could find it. To my surprise I see that Hollywood is in development for a remake in 2006 which I feel is a very good thing. Kids of today don't really know good story anymore and I hope that some kids that view the remake will help them appreciate the story in todays time.

I would just like to tell the kids out there that this story impacted me when I was in grade school and hope that it touches them in the same way.