making your kids watch Star Wars
Agent_M
lost in the speed forcePosts: 353MI6 Agent
O.k. here's the story, over the weekend my brother and I got into a big debate about the original trilogy vs the new with regards to kids. John and his wife had twins last year so now they're reaching the 18 month mark we've both started with the subliminal Indoctrination, playing the tim burton Batman theme at night to get them off to sleep, I always wear some kid of logo t-shirt whenever I go round to visit ect. So this weekend John told me that he's going to start sitting the kids down to watch the Star Wars films in numerical order. Well I told him that he should only let them watch the original trilogy untill they're older (say 35) so that it doesn't tarnish how great the original three are.
Any thoughts?
Any thoughts?
Comments
I'm completely with you. Although Revenge of the Sith is pretty good, and Attack of the Clones isn't so bad, I would first introduce them to the original trilogy, and only allow them to watch the prequels when they are much older. The first three are so great (even Return of the Jedi), the kids should be able to enjoy them for years to come.
So, what other films/series will you (or your brother) be introducing the kids to?
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With regard to Star Wars, its been my experience that little kids love the prequel trilogy; their young and innocent eyes just don't see Jar Jar the way the rest of us do. As such, I'd be inclined to show them the movies in chronological order, start with Episode I and go from there, but that's just my opinion.
The original Star Trek is always a good thing; I learned to speak English watching that show when I was 5 years old and it introduced me to science, computers and astronomy, interests that remain with me to this day. Besides, it's still the coolest incarnation of that show.
As to comics fare, would it be heresy to suggest the Adam West Batman movie from 1966 before loosing Keaton and Bale on them? I don't want to get pelted with stones or anything but that might be a good way to get them into Batman before introducing the darker stuff some years down the road. And it goes without saying that they never get anywhere near the Clooney movie unless they've been very very bad.
And Dan, for God's sake, wait a few more years before foisting Arnold Schwarzenegger's thespian masterworks on your niece. All right?
Make sure to emphasise the true title is not "the new hope", but STAR WARS.
Don't mention "prequels" at all. They'll thank you for it later.
I also agree with Tony's comment that programming them to like what we like. Especially at 18 months, is just a tad premature.
I have a three year old niece. We watch her favorite movie multiple times. (Chicken Run) She also likes The Three Stooges and the original King Kong.
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My brother is already doing it, although not with cinema. When he got married, his wife announced at the wedding that she was going to start supporting his favourite Australian football team. For his upcoming birthday he's asked for an Australian football (for my niece) and he also got my grandmother to knit a beanie in the colours of his team for my niece. I have no doubt that no matter what she does in her life, she will barrack for Carlton; he'll accept nothing else.
When I was younger, I loved the show and one of my happiest memories was watching the film.
Nonetheless, I very much will be introducing her to Arnie. His films are so important to me that I'm not going to pass up any opportunity to introduce Tali to his masterpieces (of which he had many). My big three are the first two Terminator films and Total Recall, however I might hold off on them due to the violence (in Total Recall and T2) and also because the first Terminator film may not be as fast-paced as the films she's used to (and is a little scary at times). I will also hold off on my fouth and fifth favourite Arnie films; Predator and Commando because the former is quite scary and the latter is extremely violent (as is Predator to a lesser extent). I might start off with Conan the Barbarian (my sixth favourite Arnie film), Red Heat (a top-10 Arnie film), True Lies (flawed but still a top-10 Arnie film), Twins (a top-10 Arnie film) or perhaps even Eraser (a top-10 Arnie film).
Of course it all depends on whether or not her parents care about her watching violent films at a young age (they might not), in which case, I might start off with the higher ranked films, rather than the mid-ranked films. (Although it might be good to lead up to the higher-ranked films.)
Agent M - I would show the original Star Wars and see if he/she liked it. If they do, it would be natural that they would want to see the next two. Also, I would argue that the Sean Connery Bond films in the 60's were much more sexual than the recent Bond films.
Tony - Just curious, were your first words, "Captain I got no power".
Dan - Tony is right, Arnold should wait for awhile. Probably not a good idea to sit a two year old down to watch End of Days
As for Batman, I first discovered Batman watching the 60"s televison show. "Is it curtains for Batman?, how will he escape this fiendish plot?, tune in tomorrow, same Bat time, same Bat channel". Loved it, so I agree that Adam West's Batman movie would be good.
Lastly, don't be surprised if the child you are mentoring doesn't like what you think is great, happens to me all the time. None of my kids understand what is so great about Casablanca. Of course, I couldn't understand what they liked about Zoolander. In the end, it is important that they develop an opinion of their own and not be swayed by Uncle Dan.
Yes, but I said them in Italian.
Just for the record Barry, some of my earliest childhood memories after coming to America involve Star Trek. I even remember the first time I ever saw it - in the fall of 1970, at the age of 5, a few weeks after our arrival; and the episode - The Doomsday Machine. Of course, I didn't figure out the title until much later as I still didn't speak English so I didn't understand everything that was happening, but the imagery on screen indelibly burned itself into my mind and I was hooked right then and there. Pretty rare that you can point to such a defining moment with such precision and clarity.
So based on my own experiences I take this kind of "subliminal indoctrination" stuff as Agent _M called it pretty seriously. Just keep the kiddies away from those rotten Twilight movies and they'll be OK.
As for Arnold, I wouldn't let a 40 year old watch End of Days. Sorry Dan. {:)
Very nice memory Tony, must have been quite the experience to come to a new country and assimilate into a new culture. Also, quite amazing you can remember the name of the episode you saw, must of really had an impact.
As for Star Wars, I do have to agree with the earlier sentiments about seeing the original trilogy before the prequels. I recently watched the originals with the DVD commentary, giving me some newfound insight into their making. Once I heard that the series was originally intended to immerse the viewer by tossing them into the deep end of the pool early on, I found that this concept made a whole lot more sense.
Sure, I love everything Star Wars; my first SW experience was seeing Episode I, but seeing them in chronological order was not as satisfying as I had long hoped for. Considering that it was intentional that we see "EPISODE IV" scrolling along the title sequence, making us think we "missed" something, seeing the prequels beforehand negates this effect. That is why seeing the old trilogy first is the viewing order I would suggest.
...Put simply, I am a film purist: I think that the movie shown should match the director's vision. Yes, this means I do not disapprove of Lucas endlessly editing them: he's changing the films to match his vision... As long as he's editing them to better match his original vision, I don't mind. The day someone else at 20th Century Fox starts editing them to match their vision, I will then join you all at the picket lines... Just don't stone me until then!
Dan, young girls shouldn't be watching Arnold movies! Give her some Smurfs or Care Bears for pete's sake.
With a Scot accent?
My sentiments exactly. My parents never foisted their stuff on me. Let a kid choose his own path. It'll be worth more to them if they discover it on their own. Like we did.
"Care Bears," eh? I remember them... they're right next to "My Little Pony" on the shelf farthest back in my mind.
Those psychedelic rainbow theme sequences are what I have yet to recover from.
oops perhaps I should have put more smilies in my original post. Dont worry guys, the single most important lesson my parents taught my brother and I was to walk our own path and never follow anyone blindly. Obviously when I get round to starting a family this will also be one of the first things I pass on. I'd be delighted if my kid(s) end up into comics and martial arts as much as I am but if not thats fine.
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Tony, while I don't appreciate your continous digs at Arnie, :v I have to admitt that End of Days, whilst enjoyable, is really a lesser Arnie and won't be a priority until she's seen all of the essential Arnie films.
Alex, why can't young girls watch Arnie films?
Guys, I should note that Agent_M and I weren't completely serious.
I couldn't have said it better, myself. While I have yet to even find a potential wife, I always have imagined what it would be like to raise children, to lead them in the right direction of the better things in life. In my experience with my father, he always showed me what he liked best and I ended up with very similar tastes. I remember there were always oldies on the radio in my house as a child. The family car was always filled with the sounds of Diana Ross, the Beatles, Rolling Stones, etc.; as a result, I'm not too fond of much of today's Top-40 Popular Music. I even play a Hammond organ and he plays the guitar, to strictly classic rock and oldies. "Today's music ain't got the same soul..."
Albeit, there are differences--I can't get him to watch a Pixar film for the life of me--but we accept those differences. Neither of us force our differences in tastes upon each other. Still, even with the slight differences, it seems to me that children grow to like what their parents like. At least in my experience, anyway.
My boys are Beatles fans, classic rock 'n roll fans. They're discovering Alfred Hitchcock and Francis Ford Coppola. Just tonight, they saw Forrest Gump for the first time. I'm cherishing this time---before they grow beyond my own tastes...but hopefully not beyond my influence
I love being a father.
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
Just today, he threw his small blanket which got caught up on the desk - and said "I use the force" and deftly got it back again.... I nearly cried with laughter.....
That's my boy!
(however, he's gone to bed as Darth Vader..... not quite 'got it' yet - but, the influence is there!)
The moment is equally as good simply based on Luke's reaction...IMO it works both ways...
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
Vader's mysterious, sinister presence will be reduced to zero.
Prequels. Bah.
I'm really disappointed that Lucas chose to spend so much time on the events between Episode II and Episode III; his proposed live action series that takes place between Episodes III and IV seems equally hamstrung by the necessities of canon. I would have much preferred he give us a show that took place hundreds or thousands of years earlier, when the Republic was at the height of its power, and Sith were plentiful, with new and fresh characters who's final fates haven't already been mapped out so completely. The Knights of the Old Republic videogames were entertaining for precisely that reason; they had all the trappings of Star Wars but setting them 5000 years in the past freed them of all the baggage.
*I don't know when.
found this on slash film.com
http://www.slashfilm.com/lol-talk-kids-star-wars/#more-92999
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