The PBS Version Vs. the Disney Version

Bridge to Terabithia has been adapted into two movies, though most people probably don't know it. I saw the Disney version when it came out in the theater and didn't feel the need to see it again, so today I saw the 1985 TV movie, a forgotten classic. I hadn't seen this since it ran on Wonderworks, and I didn't see all of it then. It was very touching and made me cry. It is superior in almost every way to the flashy Disney remake. First, the actors. 1985 Jess is such a better actor than 2007 Jess it sincerely isn't even funny. They are close to the same age, but 1985 Jess comes across as somehow younger, which is good as the book characters were only ten. Both girls were good enough actors, but 1985 Leslie fit the character perfectly while 2007 Leslie was very different in looks and personality from book Leslie. The Disney film is one hour and 36 minutes while the TV film is only one hour, so the Disney film has more time to expand on the story, but the 1985 film manages to perfectly dramatize almost the entire book. I appreciate the Disney film for not race swapping the characters for once, and for not cutting out the religious elements as they did in their remake of A Wrinkle in Time. It's sad that these days we have to thank Disney for not doing bad things to the original material. The 1985 film contains only a scene of swearing on the Bible. It does not get into Leslie's lack of religion as the Disney film and book do. In the 1985 film, Jess has a Minnie Mouse lamp, perhaps a foreshadowing of things to come. The Disney film is closer to the book in one respect, that is in having the bridge be a rope. In the 1985 film the bridge is a fallen tree, also the Disney film doesn't deviate too wildly from the plot. Otherwise I'd say the 1985 film beats the 2007 in almost all respects. To me it had much more the feel of the book and didn't try to make it into a special effects fantasy extravaganza. The music is beautiful. The main theme is reminiscent of the music known variously as "Cotton's Dream," "Theme From the Young and the Restless," and "Nadia's Theme."