Movies influence and play a massive part in everyones childhood, and as a kid growing up (admittedly not THAT long ago) there were several movies that I think in many ways really shaped my life into what it is today. Here are some of them that really did influence me in some way:
Well, I couldn't pick just ONE Disney movie now could I? Disney was practically the embodiment of my childhood! Classics such as: 'Snow White', 'Aladdin', 'Beauty And The Beast', 'The Lion King', 'Fantasia', 'The Jungle Book', 'Robin Hood', 'The Great Mouse Detective (an underated Classic)', 'Bambi', 'Dumbo', 'Sleeping Beauty (the only sissy girls movie I liked as a kid)', 'Pinocchio' and of course 'Peter Pan' made me burst with laughter and cry at the same time. I weeped at the death of Bambi's mother, cheered as the evil witch fell off the cliff and laughed as the crocodile tried to bite Hook for the umteenth time! I would rewatch them all fifteen times over on VHS, and laughed just as loud each time. To be honest it wasn't the hero's that really appealed to me, I actually liked the Villains alot more. Everyone loves a good bad guy right? Well thats Disney's speciality! I love them all but my personal favourites are Jafar, Scar, Maleficent, Rattigan and that awful Queen from 'Snow White'. Notice how I didn't include Captain Hook? He doesn't really count as a Villain I think because lets face it: Peter Pan was an ASSHOLE to that poor guy! Cutting off his right hand just because he thought it was fun! Not to mention humiliating him day in, day out! Heck if I was him I'd bloody rip that guy to pieces with my musket (Here's a tip: SHOOT THE BUGGER BEFORE HE CAN FLY AWAY!)! But aside from Hook, the rest of the bunch were some evil little %$&@! that you hated but LOVED to hate them. I would say they're the best thing about Disney movies. Sure, all those pretty faced heros saving the poor unfortunate princess' locked in their towers were fun but COME ON ARE THOSE DISNEY PRINCESS' BRATS! KILL EM ALL, I SAY!!! I mean come on Jasmine, you're living the life of a PRINCESS, WHAT MORE COULD YOU WANT? ALADDIN DOESN'T DESERVE YOU! HECK HE'D BE BETTER OFF DATING CINDERELLA!
This is a movie RENOWNED for being an underrated classic. Director Brad Bird (famous for 'The Simpsons', 'The Incredibles' and 'Rataouille') just knocked it out of the park for this one. This movie succeeds in making a 50 foot robot killing machine seem human, and then just tear your heart out at the end. Want to know what that feels like? Imagine the emotional feeling at the end of Toy Story 3 but instead of a happy ending Woody and Co were all burned to a sinder instead! A real gem of 90's that ranks as the best of animated movies. I remember watching this a dozen times a kid. Heck even thinking about this movie makes me want to cry! God, why are kids movies (or animated movies for that matter) constantly trying to make us cry?
Kind of a 'MUST PUT' really. I'll be damned if there's a kid out their today that hasn't seen at least ONE Star Wars movie! Although the Prequels aren't cinematic masterpieces by any stretch of the word, the original Trilogy is by far the biggest thing to come out of any entertainment medium EVER. Scenes like 'Luke, I am your Father' or 'Experience the FULL power of the Dark Side!' are just cinematic gold that will stick in my memory forever. These films are just ones that every generation sees young, and it clearly has a lasting imprint on all of us. I wanted a lighsaber SOOO badly as a kid, and I was a bit disapointed by the fact that my one didn't actually slice furniture up, in fact all it did was light up. Oh well... Stars Wars is really the ultimate tale of the Good vs Evil theme. I loved Darth Vader as a kid. So cool looking. NOW HE WAS A BADASS! The Emperor was one evil dude as well, heck being evil turned him on! Seriously, look back at that scene where he was electrocuting Luke Skywalker and tell me he wasn't enjoying it. Evil was like a drug to him! Bit of a sidetrack here but we never did find out alot about that character did we? What made him so evil in the first place? My first memory of Star Wars was Dad bringing back that Special Edition VHS boxset that had Darth Vaders head on it:
It would slide out all cool-like with the different names of the films emblossomed with GOLD. As a kid I was like: 'Oooh Shiny!' True classic's, no kid should be without Star Wars.
The Indiana Jones Theme music is more known than the films themselves. Whenever I think of Indiana Jones, I think of THAT theme tune. Probably the movies that I watched the most in my childhood (aside from Peter Pan), the Indiana Jones films are again MUST SEE movies for anyone growing up. I watched 'The Temple Of Doom' aged four and it scared the crap outta me! That heart ripping scene sure is a kicker! I still freak my brother out whenever I do that 'Kali marnnnn, Kali marnnnn!' thing. When those guys like melt in 'The Raiders Of The Lost Ark' it was just the COOLEST thing ever. Damn those Nazi's had it baaad! The new Indiana Jones movie admittedly doesn't capture the same magic as the previous three but it was just cool to see Indy back. Alot of people said that the Aliens didn't really fit in with the supernatural/religious artifact element of the Series and to be honest thats just bullcrap. The Aliens were a religious figure to the mayan civilisation and can therefore be classed as a 'holy' artifact or whatever. Anyway they're all really awesome movies in my opinion. As to which one is my favourite I'm a bit torn between 'The Last Crusade' and 'The Temple Of Doom'. I think the third one wins because of all the humour with Indy's Dad. The action scene in the 2nd movie were they're on the minecart is still a classic. Every action movie should take note on Indy films.
Come on, who can't get enough of Indiana Jones?
So maybe its a little bit too much for a four year old, but I had watched all three of these films by the time I was eight and has (so far) not suffered any mental issues because of it. The scene that really got to me was that giant spider trying to suck on Frodo, YEUCH! This is probably my Dad's favourite trilogy of all time, and there is undeniably some epic filmmaking going on here. Massive battles full of Orcs, the journey to that great big Volcano and middle earth itself just grabs you from the get go and sucks you in. They're definitely best watched as a whole rather than individually, each film getting better, and more epic until that heart stopping climax at the end of the third one. I suppose seen as Indiana Jones and Star Wars are no longer Trilogys now technically this is the best trilogy of all time! And full credit to Mr. Peter Jackson, turning (what I thought) to be really boring books into the spectacle that it is now. He's currently working on an adaptation of the Hobbit, so lets hope that he's still got that magic touch and by the time 2013 hits we'll see the Return of Middle Earth! CAN'T WAIT!
I remember sneaking into the Theatre at six years old with my Dad, just so I could see that ONE movie that I had been waiting to see all year. We were supposed to have been watching 'The Wild Thornberrys movie' at the time but we watched Pirates instead. And I can safely say that I made the right choice! It was the best movie ever, it had Zombies, pirates and Capn' Jack Sparrow! I even remember nagging my Mum to get it on VHS when it came out. Although technically a Quadrilogy now, the first three films are wrapped up so tightly that its almost impossible to see the fourth film as a continuation of this Trilogys Story. The problem is that the last film tied up the bow neatly. Sure Captain Jack is back with Barbossa, though it kinda feels like a Spin-off movie to me. The Second and Third movies felt epic, but the original is still by FAR the best out of all of them. Davy Jones is still one of the best looking characters ever created though.
Aaah Pixar. The difference between the movies that I watched as a kid and Pixar movies boils down to one thing: I still enjoy them just as much as I did when I was seven years old. You just CAN'T go wrong with Pixar, they continue to make not only great movies but FANTASTIC movies. Of course the two Toy Story movies were the first ones I remember seeing, but sitting in the theatre at Plymouth watching Finding Nemo was one of single greatest experiences I've ever had watching a movie. I loved watching Bugs Life as well, not to mention 'The Incredibles' and 'Monsters Inc'. All of them are original and simply godsmackingly adorable. And watching 'Up' last year it was still difficult for me to contain the tears and joy (BEST MONTAGE EVER. PERIOD). It makes you smile even more knowing that the guys behind the scenes making these incredible movies are like some gigantic family. Heck, I WANT to work at Pixar, they make the place seem so friendly on those DVD documentarys. As good as Pixar was, I have to admit they really are hitting their stride now with Ratatouille, Wall-E, Up and Toy Story 3 each getting better than the one before. Pixar is just...remarkable in its quality and the love of the people behind it really shines through. They are proof of Walt Disneys motto:
'With every laugh, should come a tear...'
Now excuse me while I go hug Pixar.
Peter Pan. Man did I love this as a kid, in fact I STILL love it!
My first ever experience with Peter Pan was when I was two (or three, I can't remember the exact age but I hadn't really learnt to talk yet) and it was on my first trip to Disney Land Paris with my family (I think you were there Louise). Of course I didn't know who Captain Hook was at the time but the image of a guy amongst a crowd brandishing a Hook has been burnt into my memory forever. I think its my earliest memory as well, so its relatively to say safe to say that it was THIS moment where I fell in love with Peter Pan...and Neverland. Neverland was, for a kid like me all of my dreams wielded into one: it has Pirates, Mermaids, Indians, Fairies, Volcanoes, Tree houses, Crocodiles and you can even fly! Who DOESN'T want to go to this place? Its probably best known as the animated Disney movie, but it actually started out as a play which was then turned into a Book (Peter Pan and Wendy) and then adapted into a movie. The animated movie was the first version of it I ever saw but really I'd say that the best version of the Story was the 2003 movie 'Peter Pan'. It took the magic from the Disney movie, the tone from the book and the spectacle of the play. And Jason Issacs just ROCKED as Captain Hook. He was so brutal and menancing, eliminating any sympathy or humour that you had for the character from the Disney version. This was evident the moment after he had shot the fourth member of his crew! The action scenes were the best as well, Hook would really go after Pan in some sort of revenge filled frenzy! Which is quite understandable seen as Peter had cut his hand off! As far as other versions of Peter Pan, Steven Spielberg's 'Hook' will always be in my heart, and Dustin Hoffman was the 'best' Hook since I saw the 2003 version. His version was a much older Hook, just as ruthless as Jason Issacs portyal but with more sympathy and character. Actually looking back at Dustin Hoffmans portrayal is making me change my mind...The theatre productions were again just as good, though were always focused on the comedy aspect of the Story like the Disney version.
So out of all the movies I watched as a kid, whether they made me cry, exited, longing for a sequel or just plain happy, Peter Pan influenced me the most. I wonder how different my life would be if I hadn't met Captain Hook at Disney Land on that fateful day? I think every kid has that 'ONE' movie that really spoke to him and defined him, or at least influenced him in one form or another. Peter Pan (whatever version of the story) influenced me the most...
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