Childhood movies

[inuvik]

I thought it might be fun to talk about our favorite movies as children.

My absolute favorite was "The Neverending Story". Just the original, not the lame sequels. I have it and still watch it. I still love it!

All the metaphors ring so true--the swamps of despair being the one that comes to mind. If you don't think positive thoughts you'll sink. The positive message of the movie, self esteem and self concept, the promotion of reading, everything is wonderful.

I love the journey itself, a common theme in literature and especially useful to represent growing up.

I still cry when I see this movie!

[Chocky]

I loved The Pirate Movie - a movie version of the musical The Pirates of Penzance. My sister and I knew all the words and songs. I was also a big fan of the original Star Wars trilogy. We lived in Indonesia and the only English TV we had access to was a few videos so maybe that's why we loved them - no other choice! However, I still enjoy the Star Wars movies (original ones).

[Duchess of Lashes]

Great thread Inuvik and I loved The Never Ending Story too, although I saw that one as an adult! (of course, it didn't hurt that the movie had a fabulous theme song by the same name, sung by Limahl. It used to be a very requested song at most of the dance clubs I frequented in my hay days in Toronto!)

The only issue I have with this thread is that if I name my favorite childhood movie, to a great number of Board members, it will seem like something that is worthy of being shown on AMC! But, I'll spill!

I loved Oliver! Released in 1968, with Mark Lester as Oliver ("Please sir, I want some more!"), Jack Wilde as the Artful Dodger, Ron Moody as Fagin, Oliver Reed as Bill Sikes, it followed Dicken's Oliver Twist to a certain degree.

I remember that the music and dancing were wonderful - I can still hum Food, Wonderful, Food, I'd Do Anything and I actually remember some of the words to Consider Yourself at Home.

A good musical is one of my favorite kind of movies and Oliver! ranks right up there, my second favorite of all time.

[Deleted]

The Sound of Music (it was then that I really thought I wanted to be a nun - alright, I left myself open for all of you; I'm ready...)
The Flying Nun, though it was a tv show, 'twas my favorite - are we seeing a pattern here?
Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang!
Cinderella
Fantasia

there's more, be right back.

Inuvik? Dare I ask your age? LOLOL!!!!

[rducasey]

divinemrse said:

The Sound of Music (it was then that I really thought I wanted to be a nun -

Oh Barbara, you a nun, now I am really laughing. I never saw a nun wear 7 inch high heels and sunglasses on her head.

[Deleted]

rducasey said:

divinemrse said:

The Sound of Music (it was then that I really thought I wanted to be a nun -

Oh Barbara, you a nun, now I am really laughing. I never saw a nun wear 7 inch high heels and sunglasses on her head.

It's the Most Holy Order of Manolo Blahnik.

[maggiethecat]

divinemrse said:

It's the Most Holy Order of Manolo Blahnik.

Karma for the genuine laugh, bebe. ;D

Me? I was a Hayley Mills kind o' gal, all the way. The original Pollyanna (Begone, Lindsay Lohan, thou cream-faced loon!) was my favorite childhood movie of all time. I first saw it when I was eight. When Pollyanna fell out of that tree I gasped and leaned forward in the movie theatre, knocking my front tooth against the metal seat back in the row in front of me. (The slight chip is still there.) Pollyanna's "rainbow makers" began my lifelong love of prisms, and I learned how to make a four-layer frosted chocolate cake like the one her cook took to the bazaar. (It's in the old Duncan Hines cookbook -- should we start a new baking thread before the holidays?) Let me tell you, that movie made a huge impression on my life.

And speaking of nuns, bebe . . . how about The Trouble With Angels? Hayley's adventures in the New Trears convent boarding school, the Mother Superior of which was the divine Rosalind (a.k.a. Mame Dennis, a.k.a. Mrs. Beauregard Jackson Pickett Burnside) Russell. My oldest friends and I still get a giggle out of using Hayley's fabulous line from that one: "I've just had the most scathingly brilliant idea." ;D

Hayley Mills was the best.

[Eyphur]

divinemrse said:

The Sound of Music (it was then that I really thought I wanted to be a nun

I was the same way as a little kid, I love the Sound of Music, it is still my favorite movie and I still know all of the words to the songs, i n fact the soundtrack is on my mp3 player. From watching that movie I knew that when I grew up I wanted to be either a musician or a nun. I was so disappointed when my Mom told me I couldn't be a nun because we weren't the right religion (we are united methodist), but I did grow up to play in band from 5th grade until, well, I'm still playing in the band at school.
When I would visit my Grandma's house I would sometimes play with a big beaded purse that she probably got at a year sale. I would use that and another bag and swing them around like Maria does on the way to the Trapp residence while singing "I have confidence".

[anna]

I loved Pollyanna, too. It's the only children's movie that I remember seeing as a child. My father loved late-night horror movies on television, so that's mostly what I remember. He would lie on his side on the sofa, and I would sit in that little space behind his bent knees, scared of the movie, but unwilling to look away.

Now, I can't stand horror movies. On the rare occasion that I go to one - like 28 Days - I spend most of my time peering between my fingers or taking off my glasses so that I get only an impressionistic image of what's happening on the screen. Yeah, I'm a lot of fun at horror movies.

[bjobsessed]

I have so many it's hard to chose. Like alot of you, I loved the Sound of Music and still do. I went to an Easter Seals camp every summer for two weeks and we always put on a play. One year we did the Sound of Music and I played the Reverend Mother!

I also liked/like:

Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1973)--not the remake
Oliver
The Wizard of Oz
The Navigator (Disney)

I know there's more, but that's a start.

[inuvik]

divinemrse said:

Inuvik? Dare I ask your age? LOLOL!!!!

Sure, you can ask. Let's just say that "The Neverending Story" came out in 1984, and I did see it as a child in the theatre.

[hoosier]

One of my favs was the Wizard of Oz. We would go to my grandparents house and when the wicked witch of the west appeared I would hide behind the chair,peaking around because I didn't want to miss a thing!

Another was Peter Pan with Mary Martin that they used to show yearly on TV. Had to clap like the dickens to save Tinkerbelle but it worked every time

[maggiethecat]

anna said:

My father loved late-night horror movies on television, so that's mostly what I remember. He would lie on his side on the sofa, and I would sit in that little space behind his bent knees, scared of the movie, but unwilling to look away.

Ah, anna, the memories you sparked! My father was an airplane nut, so of course reverent silence was observed any time The Spirit of St. Louis or The Flight of the Phoenix was on, and we had to watch with him -- that was a given. On one glorious occasion my brother and I got to stay up late (and miss school the next day!) because an obscure PBS station was running The Dam Busters, which is still to this day a great favorite. But, basically, Dad was a huge fan of any movie about WWII. By the time I was twelve I had Mister Roberts memorized ("Fulminate of mercury -- bam!"). Dad had been in the Navy and that was his war, sailing "from tedium to apathy and back again." I still am compelled to watch it any time it's on, to honor and remember.

Oh Jeez, I'm getting all verklempt here!

[housemouse]

We used to go to the drive-in and see all those Disney movies with Kurt Russell. I remember The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes, The World's Greatest Athlete, etc. Come to think of it, all of my childhood movies were from Disney, The Shaggy DA, The Shaggy Dog, Herbie the Love Bug. Oddly enough, we never saw any animated Disney films, interesting.

[hoosier]

anna said:

I loved Pollyanna, too. It's the only children's movie that I remember seeing as a child. My father loved late-night horror movies on television, so that's mostly what I remember. He would lie on his side on the sofa, and I would sit in that little space behind his bent knees, scared of the movie, but unwilling to look away.

Now, I can't stand horror movies. On the rare occasion that I go to one - like 28 Days - I spend most of my time peering between my fingers or taking off my glasses so that I get only an impressionistic image of what's happening on the screen. Yeah, I'm a lot of fun at horror movies.

Anna, I have to agree with Maggie but in my case it was westerns especially John Wayne. When the Duke had a new movie come out, that was one thing he would be sure to take us to see.

And Maggie, we also watched war movies, any kind. One he did take my mother to see in the big city (Terre Haute) was Patton because he served under him. We had to wait until it came to town!