In our recent discussion about the dubious heroism of Columbus, Lincoln, and Joel Hodgson (well, somebody should have said Joel), The Jerk did his job as peacemaker, and poured soothing oils on the stormy waters of our dialogue by bringing up the subject of fluoridation.
For readers who are not familiar with The Jerk, he is this guy who writes for my blog, and he is a jerk. What’s the matter, The Jerk — sick and tired of having a friendly chat with strangers online about vaccines, maybe, or circumcision?
I had actually completely forgotten that people get upset about fluoride. But now that I remember, I can’t stop thinking about Dr. Strangelove, and how I wish my kids were old enough to watch it.
It got me to thinking about other movies that I’d like to show my kids, and which I think they would mostly enjoy — but there’s just a few scenes in there (or maybe more than a few) that make these movies out of the question for another couple of years. Here’s the rest of the list:
–2–
I’m halfway afraid that they won’t be terrified by this movie. And that they won’t recognize the perfect story arc. And that they won’t get the big deal about this scene:
–3–
I campaign for this one regularly, and my husband always nixes it with this simple argument: “Simmy, it’s one long d**k joke!” Humph. If I had known he was such a prude, I never would have — oh, never mind.
Well, it turns out he actually said that about
–4–
Young Frankenstein, another of my favorites.
Super dooper! I don’t mean to lean too heavily on Mel Brooks, but I do feel that my children are only living partial lives until they understand what we mean by “Nice hopping.”
–5–
For a change of pace, how about Unbreakable?
This is one of my favorite movies of the decade — it’s so much more than a comic book movie. Where Watchmen seethes with ludicrous self-importance, Unbreakable tells a plain and strange story of good and evil. I wish people would give this movie a second look–it’s so delicately, movingly, and thrillingly done, and is full of hidden symbols.
–6–
Oh, wait, here we go: The Mummy
Here is the movie for which the word “awesome” was invented. I can’t quite get myself to use this word in public yet, but I have to admit, this movie is indisputably awesome.
Besides being terrifying and genuinely funny, this is one of the very few action movies with an appealing heroine (and impeccable casting in general). I didn’t realize how good Rachel Weisz is as Evy until we saw part 3 (The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor), which, among its many grave problems, had a different actress in the role – and it really wasn’t worth watching.
–7–
And of course my children’s cultural education won’t be complete until they see Army of Darkness
Everything’s cool! I said the words. I did!
Well, what’s on your list of cinematic genius that you’re dying to bequeath to the next generation? Leave your list in the comment box, or do your own Seven Quick Takes (doesn’t have to be movies — most people just list seven random tidbits, which I find much harder than making a list), and leave a link to yours at Conversion Diary, where Jen hosts lists of links every Friday. Don’t forget to link back to Jen if you do your own Seven Quick Takes.
Happy Friday!
(Cross-posted at I have to sit down.)
Is it terrible that I grew up watching Dr. Strangelove and Young Frankenstein (not to mention most other Peter Sellers and Mel Brooks comedies)…
the mummy 3 has grave problems? the first grave problem is people who keep getting out of them.
sorry , it’s been a long week and i needed a laugh.
Enjoyed reading your post on the movies. Your selections of Jaws and Young Frankenstein were right on! My kids are adults now but it was great fun introducing them to the movies I loved. How to Steal a Million with Audrey Hepburn and Peter O’Toole introduced them to funny and clean and style. No one has more style then Audrey. My daughters still love it and watch it without me now. The Great Race with Jack Lemmon, Tony Curtis, and Natalie Wood was another favorite from my childhood. It was so wonderful to grow up and be able to purchase this on DVD. My kids loved it. Again funny and clean. There were so many things they were exposed too that were neither funny or clean. I also introduced them to my love of the old B&W movies. My Favorite Wife with Cary Grant and Irene Dunne is probably my favorite movie ever. All three of my kids loved it and we quote it often. My youngest daughter recently came home for her college class and couldn’t wait to tell me that she was the only one in her class who new who Cary Grant was. That made me happy and sad at the same time. Happy she was proud of knowing and sad for all the other students who are missing so much in those old classics. I also couldn’t wait to introduce my kids to my favorite Christmas movies – The Bishop’s Wife, Scrooge with Albert Finney and the one with Alister Simm, Holiday Inn, and White Christmas. It was pleasing to know my oldest daughter bought several of those for herself for Christmas. Another favorite was Meet Me in St. Louis. A classic. I guess I should go do my own list of Seven Quick Takes. Ann
Hmm.
Personally, I don’t believe that kids purity of essence would be damaged by any of these, and certainly not Unbreakable.
As for Jaws, well if they can’t watch it on a fairly large screen, in the dark, with no possibilities for interruption, that is, like a movie is supposed to be seen, then it might provoke a yawn. And, like many Steven Spielberg movies, it does have a couple of really annoying characters. If they don’t get or appreciate the Robert Shaw speech, that’s fine, they’ll get it when they get older.
(Same with Alien — its GOTTA be seen on a large screen, in the dark, no interruptions. Need to lull them into a false sense of everything’s fine for THE scene.)
I’d be more curious about whether they get Mel Brooks style of humor, which is straight from the 50-70s.
The question is — have they seen The Holy Grail? And speaking of The Jerk, that too.
The original Nutty Professor is comic genius.
Everyone should be well-versed in John Wayne.
There are also a trio of classic Charleton Heston 70s movies –
Planet of the Apes
Soylent Green
Omega Man
It’s not for everyone, but Slaughterhouse-Five had a profound effect on me.
Our daughter recently enjoyed watching Roman Holiday with me. Not only was I happy that she liked a movie with Audrey Hepburn but she liked a movie in black and white. When she was little she watched Funny Face with me-my favorite Audrey Hepburn movie-but she doesn;t remember it. I am going to have to dig out our DVD again one of these days.
I know that this is about movies that our kids are *not quite* ready to watch, but I’ll follow the lead of zmama above.
I was thrilled when my daugher (14-yrs-old) liked Arsenic and Old Lace. She laughed and couldn’t wait to have her friends over so they could watch it.
We watch old movies all the time now – especially Cary Grant stuff – and she recognizes that 1) black-and-white does not equal boring and 2) movies don’t need vulgar language/sex scenes/explosions to be interesting. In fact, she recognizes the brilliance of making movies that don’t rely on those things.
In the real of ‘classics’, not for everyone, perhaps (my dear wife, for example, can’t see the attraction, oddly), but the Marx Brothers are great and my children love those movies. “Duck Soup”, “Night at the Opera”, “Animal Crackers” — true classics. And yes, “Young Frankenstein” as well. “Jaws” is a masterpiece but my younger ones are a bit too sensitive I think for some of it.
RM
Margaret E. Perry said:
“Is it terrible that I grew up watching Dr. Strangelove and Young Frankenstein (not to mention most other Peter Sellers and Mel Brooks comedies)…”
Margaret, I did too, which is why I may be over-cautious about when to introduce my own kids to them!
EXCELLENT call on “Unbreakable”
I’ve always felt it was the best Shamalyan movie by far (“Signs” a close 2nd). That film was totally underrated and overlooked.
If I may add two films that should be required viewing:
1) The Blues Brothers. Just straight up hilarious. Great appreciation for good music throughout, and the best movie car chase….EVER. And who doesn’t hate Illinios Nazis?
2) Animal House. THE prototype college frat movie, but brilliantly done.
Agreeing with you and Trump on “Unbreakable” – that is a beautiful film.
What!? No John Wayne!? What are you people, Democrats? Harrumph! And, to paraphrase Wodehouse’s Bertie Wooster, I meant for that “Harrumph!” to sting.
Simcha
I, too, love “Unbreakable”, but you mentioned something about it being full of hidden symbols. I really stink at being able to figure out things like that, and wondered if you could elaborate a bit on that because I’d love to know!
My children are adults now but when they were young and we were young parents, we watched Mel Brook’s “Space Balls” together–we were big Star Wars fans and this was supposed to be (and is) a satire. We didn’t realize how “blue” the language was going to be….but it was and the kids (of course?!) loved it.
Since we were a military family we moved frequently and a game we played to keep everyone awake and occupied with thinking about something other than “are we there yet?” was to quote a line from a movie and then the next person would be required to quote the next line and so on until the family as a whole couldn’t remember next line….amazingly (really?) “Space Balls” was one of the most often quoted and dutifully recited….because of course as kids they were “allowed” to use the blue language—to be accurate, of course….(yes, we were suckered…ah, well…the most favorite quote had to do with being surrounded by a*****es….and yes, we still play this silly game though the grandchildren (all under 12) have YET to be allowed to see this flick (wonder why?! Must be better parenting in the second generation LOL).
Movies…
I recently made my son (14) watch The Blues Brothers, just because I got tired of him not catching the joke when I said something like “Lots of room in this mall.” He loved it!
Other movies we made him watch. Zulu… long time favorite and excellent story about courage under fire, A Bridge to Far, not just a story about grace under pressure, but a story about how when people don’t do their job, others suffer for it… I think the part about the staff officers “going along to get along” and how it causes the disaster at Arnhem is vital to someone’s moral education. Goodbye Lenin… a very funny and yet poignant story about the fall of the Berlin Wall. It explains how someone can be sentimental for East Germany, and thusly taught me something about people. The Narnia Movies, Rear Window, even numbered Star Trek movies.
The Road Warrior