Help, I'm Trapped in my Childhood!
So let's talk about movies we watched as children. I bring this up because recently I had a weird urge to watch Babe again. So I went about legally *ahemcough* acquiring a copy online for my viewing pleasure. I really just wanted to see the scene where the old farmer sings and dances to make the pig feel better, it brings a tear to my eye every time.
Re-watching Babe opened the metaphoric floodgates for me to go on a crusade to rediscover lost gems of my childhood. So now I present to you a short list of great childhood movies. A criterion if you will.
I don't actually expect people to read beyond this point so for the hell of it you can view most of these movies for free and legally (I think) on youtube.
FernGully:
FernGully was a movie released in 1992 with a not so hidden environmental protection message. Though it is obvious now, the message was either lost on me as a child or was subconsciously woven into my being. Perhaps I was just too busy being terrified by Tim Curry voicing a toxic pile of sludge. Shit was creepy. Honestly this movie didn't hold up too well, however, it starred Robin Williams as a lab tested bat...named Batty and Tim Curry is still scary as hell
All Dogs go to Heaven:
Ahh Don Bluth made some classic movies. He was Disney's main rival at the time and I feel most of his movies are darker, more cynical, and closer to the world then singing mermaids. I'm not saying talking dogs are closer to real life, I'm just saying he introduced the theme of death and the afterlife to kids. I'm not sure if that is some sort of moral high ground or low ground but nonetheless it starred Burt Reynolds and he attempted to sing. It is still really good even though the songs aren't nearly as catchy as what Disney was putting out.
Labyrinth:
This movie remains one of my favorite movies ever. It stars a young Jennifer Connelly and David Bowie's crotch. It has real people interacting with some of the best puppets Jim Henson ever crafted. I would say watch it because it is great. You remind me of the babe.
Rock-a-Doodle:
I would suggest watching all of Don Bluth's movies. He also did The Land Before Time, which may be more familiar, but this one is my favorites. I don't think Rock-a-Doodle is very well known but damn is it good. It starts with with a real boy getting turned into a cat. Weird, right? But there is the Grand Duke who is still terrifying to me now. It is hard to explain, and it may just be me, but the flow of everything mixed with a dark atmosphere just kinda clicked.
The Pagemaster:
Starring the talents of Christopher Lloyd, Whoopi Goldberg, Patrick Stuart, and Macaulay Culkin (when he was still marketable as a child actor.) It starts off in live action and moves to animation. The scene where this happens was pretty cool at the very least. It explores the adventure of reading which makes it topical to this class.
Every Disney Musical from 1989-Hercules: Too many to list here. The Hunchback of Notre Dame is my personal favorite.
This Criterion Collection can only be found on Royale with Cheese. By all means comment and add some great movies of your childhood.
Re-watching Babe opened the metaphoric floodgates for me to go on a crusade to rediscover lost gems of my childhood. So now I present to you a short list of great childhood movies. A criterion if you will.
I don't actually expect people to read beyond this point so for the hell of it you can view most of these movies for free and legally (I think) on youtube.
FernGully:
FernGully was a movie released in 1992 with a not so hidden environmental protection message. Though it is obvious now, the message was either lost on me as a child or was subconsciously woven into my being. Perhaps I was just too busy being terrified by Tim Curry voicing a toxic pile of sludge. Shit was creepy. Honestly this movie didn't hold up too well, however, it starred Robin Williams as a lab tested bat...named Batty and Tim Curry is still scary as hell
All Dogs go to Heaven:
Ahh Don Bluth made some classic movies. He was Disney's main rival at the time and I feel most of his movies are darker, more cynical, and closer to the world then singing mermaids. I'm not saying talking dogs are closer to real life, I'm just saying he introduced the theme of death and the afterlife to kids. I'm not sure if that is some sort of moral high ground or low ground but nonetheless it starred Burt Reynolds and he attempted to sing. It is still really good even though the songs aren't nearly as catchy as what Disney was putting out.
Labyrinth:
This movie remains one of my favorite movies ever. It stars a young Jennifer Connelly and David Bowie's crotch. It has real people interacting with some of the best puppets Jim Henson ever crafted. I would say watch it because it is great. You remind me of the babe.
Rock-a-Doodle:
I would suggest watching all of Don Bluth's movies. He also did The Land Before Time, which may be more familiar, but this one is my favorites. I don't think Rock-a-Doodle is very well known but damn is it good. It starts with with a real boy getting turned into a cat. Weird, right? But there is the Grand Duke who is still terrifying to me now. It is hard to explain, and it may just be me, but the flow of everything mixed with a dark atmosphere just kinda clicked.
The Pagemaster:
Starring the talents of Christopher Lloyd, Whoopi Goldberg, Patrick Stuart, and Macaulay Culkin (when he was still marketable as a child actor.) It starts off in live action and moves to animation. The scene where this happens was pretty cool at the very least. It explores the adventure of reading which makes it topical to this class.
Every Disney Musical from 1989-Hercules: Too many to list here. The Hunchback of Notre Dame is my personal favorite.
This Criterion Collection can only be found on Royale with Cheese. By all means comment and add some great movies of your childhood.
posted by A Underwood at
12:46 PM
4 Comments:
I watched all of these movies so many times as a child it isn't even funny. I would totally still love to watch Pagemaster again, I think.
Oh, and was I there when you were going on about watching "Babe?" I can't help but think I was. Hmm, late night, Krystle, loitering. Yeah, I think I was.
Anyway, I don't see how the list of movies is a criterion. Good use of the word, though.
Nice. All of these movies I saw as a kid as well. The interesting thing about them, or at least to me any way, is when you re-watch them, they often times suck. Not always, but definitely a lot.
For example, a few months ago I re-watched the movie Mystery Men. If you haven't ever seen it, its about a group of people with super powers trying to save their city.
All I remember of it from when I watched it as a kid was that I loved it. It was hilarious, awesome effects, good plot. It wasn't till I watched it again as an adult that I understood how easy it was to be entertained as a child. I mean honestly, that movie was crap. lol
(thanks for the memories, fun article)
Labyrinth is one of my favorite movies of all time. I don't know why but it just is. haha. I also always loved Johnny Tsunami, what a classic. I think that fim was the pinnacle of the Disney Channel movie genera. They need to release that movie on DVD.
I loved All Dogs go to Heaven and Rock-A-Doodle! It's been so long since I even heard of those movies. I'd practically forgotten about them. Haha yeah the Grand Duke really freaked me out as a kid though, I remember I'd usually fast forward through the parts with him.
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