Today is “Koninginnedag” in the Netherlands (where everyone is celebrating the queen’s birtday), which means a day off work. For a lot of people it also means selling things they want to get rid off on the streets (one day in the year this is allowed), dressing up in orange clothes and of course drinking a lot. I don’t do any of those as I can’t stand the enormous crowds, but I will have a very relaxing day.
Despite the festivities I didn’t want to disappoint you, so this week the Monday question is actually me asking a bit of advice from you. When I was growing up there were classic movies which I absolutely love and as two of the kids are getting old enough (there are starting their teens) to start watching “normal” films instead of all the Disney and children’s fare I recently introduced them to some older movies. Time to educate them a bit I thought!
Today’s question is: Which classic movies should kids growing up be introduced to?
You might be wondering which movies I’ve shown them (mind you I only started recently). They were:
The Princess Bride, which they loved. I thought they might be scared with some bits, but the oldest one (11) made it clear that they weren’t small any more and that it wasn’t scary at all. Lesson learned!
The Back to the Future trilogy. They couldn’t get enough of this. After the first movie ended they immediately wanted to see the other parts, but of course I spread it out over a couple of days. They now want to go to the Universal Studios theme park in Orlando after I showed them pictures I had with me standing next to the DeLorean and the train from the movie (or at least made to look like them).
So now I’m looking for other ones they can check out. Started thinking about Gremlins and Indiana Jones, but these movies could scare them a bit (but then again, maybe I’m completely wrong about it). So any advice would be more than welcome!
Which classic movies should kids growing up be introduced to?
Wonderful selections. I’ve shown these to mine my kids. My advice would be to ask them about what ‘older’ films they might want to see (with you of course). You might be surprised and encouraged with what they might pick (or not). But it opens up the discussion to what may lead new directions for the both of you. Just a thought. Happy holiday.
I could ask them, but I should offer them a couple. I thought of Brewster’s Millions yesterday, so want to watch that one with them as well. Not a masterpiece, but it is very entertaining.
Thanks, it’s nice wheather today, so have just enjoyed a stroll through the park
“Old Yeller”
“E.T.”
Haven’t heard of Old Yeller. E.T. they saw a couple of years ago (and they thought it was a bit scary)
“Old Yeller” is a 1957 live action Disney film that packs the emotional punch of Bambi’s mother being killed. Looking up the original release date, I can’t believe it opened on Christmas Day.
It has been a long time since I have watched it, but my memory of it is that it is a great film. I would advise you watching it first to determine if your kids can handle it, and to prepare yourself for their questions and/or emotional response.
Alright, will try to see if I can find it somewhere and will watch it first. Usually try to do that, because the advised age is sometimes a bit weird. The other day we watched a Dutch kidsmovie and part of it took place on an adult fair where they were selling vibrators, which also was part of the story. I was quite shocked as you can imagine.
MY work, I haven’t seen Old YEller in years, what a classic. I would say E.T. for sure.
Hey, enjoy your day off Nostra. Good question, I guess I’d go with The Sound of Music? I was introduced to it as a little girl and I still love that to this day.
Thanks Ruth. Good one. I have actually never seen it myself (they might have with thier mother, but I’m not sure)
It’s one of those heartwarming movies you’ll remember forever I think. I still remember the songs even though I haven’t seen it in two decades 🙂
I know the songs as you’ll hear those a lot, but never checked it out 🙂
LABYRINTH!!! and of course Never Ending Story… then onto The Goonies and The Flight of the Navigator.
Another movie I’ve never seen. It has been noted down. Never Ending Story is a great one. Bought it a while ago and the oldest one loved it.
Yeah good choice on BTTF. I’m not surprised they loved it. I’d go straight for The Goonies next. Ghostbusters should be on there or do I remember you saying you already showed that? Yeah Labyrinth is a great one too. Have they seen Home Alone?
How could I have forgotten The Goonies, never saw it when I was young, but saw it maybe last year or the year before and quite anjoyed that. Ghostbusters another good one. They have not seen it yet. Home Alone they’ve watched during Christmas.
Excellent question! For me, it’s all the classic 80s films I grew up watching, Back to the Future, Gremlins (even though it’s a tad scary!), The Goonies, Stand by Me, Karate Kid, Ghostbusters, ET, Close Encounters, The Princess Bride, Labyrinth. Also, Jurassic Park – one of my all time favourite films from the 90s.
Great list! Just checked out Gremlins last week to see if it wasn’t too scary and I’ll wait a bit with that one. I think Stand By Me might be the same. As for the other ones, all great ones!
My initial thought was Jurassic Park; but I’ll agree with everyone else and say definitely Goonies, and surely Indy. I’m desperately racking my brains trying to think what I loved when I was a kid; clichéd I know but Star Wars was my favourite. Inner Space perhaps?
as?
Inner Space is another movie I’ve never seen, so will try to check that one out. Don’t know whether the girls would like Star Wars, but could try it of course.
Hi, Nostra and company:
Intriguing topic and question!
When my niece was of film viewing age (Between six and eight), I’d drop by so my sister and her husband could have a few nights out. After a long talk over pizza and Cokes, my next visit, I had ‘Old Yeller’ and ‘The Adventures of Robin Hood’ in hand. Followed through months by ‘Mister Smith Goes to Washington’, ‘Seven Brides for Seven Brothers’ and ‘Robin and Marian’.
With my benevolent meddling, I’ve obliquely created a young woman with a taste for classic Sci-Fi, ‘The Thing From Another World’, Noirs like ‘D.O.A’. Comedies like ‘Bringing Up Baby’
and ‘His Girl Friday’. Also a huge fan of Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Though not a fan of what passes for modern, contemporary Rom-Coms.
Wow, you are really educating them Jack! Nice to see 🙂
God, making me feel old when I realise films from my childhood l ike BTTF and The Goonies are old enough to genuinely be called classics. Agree with everyone who has said films like Indy, Goonies and Gremlins. One of the first films I remember seeing is The Wizard of Oz – the “magic” of the transformation from black and white to colour made me realise how amazing movies could be.
Yeah, I had that same feeling about feeling old 😉 I’ve got Wizard of Oz, but never showed it, have to dig that one up!
Back to the Future and the Princess Bride are excellent choices. Those are definitely ones I will be showing any future kids I may have.
Yeah, they are very enjoyable.
This is a conversation I’ve had loads of times with my mates, talking about films that we can’t wait to sit down with our kids and watch for the first time with them. Indy is always up there, as is Jurassic Park, Back to the Future but also Star Wars, particularly A New Hope.
I also like the idea that as they got older I’ll be able to witness them watch Die Hard or Dark Knight for the first time and (hopefully) be blown away!
Isn’t Jurassic Park too scary I wonder…it’s been years since I last saw it.
Yeah, I’m looking forward to when they are a bit older and I can watch any movie with them, like the ones you mention.
I watched it when I was about 8 years old I think?! I guess if you build up their immunity to it. My Mum had a trick of showing me “scary” films in the mroning and hope I forgot about them by the time I had to sleep that night!!!
That’s a nice trick…did it work? Or did you have some sleepless nights because you still was scared?
It didn’t work but it never really caused me sleepless nights either. I think the fact that I knew my Mum was trying to get me to forget meant that I was even more aware of it as I was falling asleep. The film I remember her doing this with was Predator, that one has always stuck in my mind!
Oh, this is a difficult question as I would probably be a bit more permissive with the movies my kids would watch (if I had any). I think your choices are right-on for their ages but then again, I’m bad being age-sensitive like I said. I would support the already recommended choices such as The Goonies or The Never Ending Story and add a film that could teach them a couple of things about adulthood and enjoying their childhood: Big.
Yeah, I found my copy of Big and wanted to show that, but it’s an import without Dutch subtitles, so a lot would be lost of them. Reorder is in place I think 🙂
I’m not sure about the age, but wha about Mary Poppins or Chitty Chitty Bang Bang or are they past that age already? But other than that A Christmas Story, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, the blockbusters of the 70s and 80s and even movies like Super 8 which are very nostalgic in feel and story.
Yeah, I guess they are past that age. I’ve shown them those movies a couple of years ago and they loved them. As for the other I think those are nice when they are just slightly older. Thanks for the tips!