Films children 'must' watch

johnny_ultimate

Here's an interesting list: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/film-news/9421251/Toy-Story-is-the-film-children-must-see-before-they-are-9.html Initially I read a report that this was a list crafted by child psychologists, but it was actually also taken to a public vote of parents on lovefilm, which slightly dims its level of scientific insight.

Looking at it, I think it's actually quite a troublesome list. Now the whole parenting thing is extremely subjective, and the list is aimed more at the 'morals' films teach children. However, that's an extremely short-sighted, simplistic view IMO, albeit one that will guarantee it a few newspaper headlines.

Not to say these are out and out bad choices. Seeing Toy Story at a young age was certainly an influential cinema trip for me. But such a study should have expanded their scope. The list is predictably America-centric, but international family titles (easily dubbed) such as Ghibli films or the Kirikou series have equally worthy 'lessons', while having the further benefit of introducing kids to different cultures and styles. Similarly, it's nice to see the Wizard of Oz in there, but I'd also expand it to include some of the great silent / black & white comedies - Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton and The Marx Brothers. Also films like A Wonderful Life. Why? Well, I think they retain a huge universal appeal. In a world where many film fans dismiss most films that aren't slick and modern, introducing kids to the most accessible, enduring examples of early cinema at a young age can only have a positive effect.

On the plus side, the results almost entirely excludes the sugar-rush and shallow family friendly fare that have come to cynically dominate mainstream cinema.

Anyway, as I said, the list is hardly the most rigorous scientific study. It's also a subject that couldn't be anymore subjective, and any educational / upbringing topics always need to be addressed carefully. But the findings are slightly troublesome, and curious to hear some other perspectives on the subject.

The Recliner

It certainly isn't a terrible list but as you mentioned could have been much broader and internations

Was surprised to see labyrinth on it, I am guessing that was more from the academics than the parents

Not looking at it from a moral perspective but from the perspective of movies I watched when younger that still bring me great joy but which the charms are lost on people who didn't see them at a young age (not a snappy headline) I would include The Princess Bride, The Goonies, The Great Escape, The Indiana Jones movies, Star Wars etc and lots of older movies that don't get shown much on tv these days, swords and sandals epics like Ben Hur and Spartacus, the Marx brothers movies, Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton hell even the keystone Cops

Sad Professor

I detest Mary Poppins. It gave me nightmares as a child, far worse than seeing Bambi's mother get shot. The best children's films are the dark ones.

CiaranMcDCFC

The Recliner wrote: »

It certainly isn't a terrible list but as you mentioned could have been much broader and internations

Was surprised to see labyrinth on it, I am guessing that was more from the academics than the parents

Not looking at it from a moral perspective but from the perspective of movies I watched when younger that still bring me great joy but which the charms are lost on people who didn't see them at a young age (not a snappy headline) I would include The Princess Bride, The Goonies, The Great Escape, The Indiana Jones movies, Star Wars etc and lots of older movies that don't get shown much on tv these days, swords and sandals epics like Ben Hur and Spartacus, the Marx brothers movies, Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton hell even the keystone Cops

Would agree with those you have listed and also throw in Stand By Me and that sounds like a fairly good childrens film list.

Sleepy

I'd agree to an extent: our kids are big Ghibli fans (our axolotyl is actually called Ponyo and there are a few stuffed Totoro characters around the house).

Try getting a small child that's used to Pixar films to watch anything black and white however and I think you'll struggle. Personally, I don't get much from most of the silent "greats" or "classics" from the 30's/40's myself. Sure, they're interesting as a time capsule of where cinema was at the time and/or of the social norms of the time but on a pure entertainment level, aside from the notable exceptions of the early Disney features (which are, of course, full colour), they don't really stand up to comparison with more modern fare imo. I'm probably waving a red rag to a bull in saying this on a forum full of cineastes, however!

There's great stuff for kids from most eras though: Dumbo (1941) abd Bambi (1942) are firm favourite of my daughter's, The Star Wars Trilogy and The Goonies (1985) would be regular watches of her brother (who's favourite movie is Jaws!) and, while I'm not a fan myself, the other half loves watching The Sound of Music (1965) with them alongside all of the more modern ones you might expect: the Toy Story Trilogy, Tangled, Up, Cars, Shrek etc.

Where I think the real value in dipping into the archives comes, however, is in Television. Most of the stuff on the kids channels these days is utter rubbish. To that end, I've gotten the original Thundercats, Cities of Gold and Prince Valiant for the 6 year old and stuff like Gummi Bears for the 3 year old.

Kinski

I don't think a child's early experiences of film are particularly important in shaping their future tastes. Of all the films I saw as a child, the Star Wars and Indiana Jones trilogies are the only ones I still hold any affection for, and even then I'm obviously much more conscious of their flaws, including their more cynical and cheap tricks (Ewoks, anyone?)

What I do think is significant are the kinds of films adolescents are exposed to. If you're still uncritically gobbling up Transformers by the time you're sixteen, there probably isn't much hope you'll ever develop a taste for anything more challenging. At about twelve, I stopped reading children's books and picked up Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness; at around the same time, I watched Kubrick's 2001, and a little later Taxi Driver. Of course, I couldn't appreciate these things in any great depth at that age, but they ushered me into the adult world, and I've never looked back.

None of which is to say that they're aren't some fine fictions created with children in mind. From the magical realm of Carroll's Alice to that of Miyazaki's Spirited Away, the question for me is not so much what films or stories children should be exposed to, but what childlike worlds adults should take the time to visit.

johnny_ultimate

I'd certainly agree with the assessment that adolescence is a particularly influential period. The four hit combo of Spirited Away / Donnie Darko / Lost in Translation / Eternal Sunshine were certainly majorly influential in my late teens. I also agree adults should be far less opposed to visit quote childish unquote worlds - children's storytelling has provided many of the darkest, most insightful pieces of allegorical art.

I'd counter childhood influences are almost entirely moot, though. I think the problem is that a vast majority of children tend to experience a very limited palette at a young age. This is for any number of reasons, many logical and valid (plus some slightly more insidious commercial ones). I can't see expanding a child's palette to include a wider range to be a bad thing - making children comfortable with a variety of cinematic voices potentially instills a level of familiarity with styles they can further explore at an older age. Yet if they just grow up with Transformers and Disney, it could be argued that the potential for breaking out of that cycle is diminished (although certainly not an impossibility, as many of us could lay testament to).

That said, this is all vague conjecture, and it would be nice to see an actual scientific study on the subject rather than a general poll :pac:

Kinski

johnny_ultimate wrote: »

I also agree adults should be far less opposed to visit quote childish unquote worlds - children's storytelling has provided many of the darkest, most insightful pieces of allegorical art.

I said "childlike," not "childish."

johnny_ultimate

Kinski wrote: »

I said "childlike," not "childish."

Not quoting you, but rather a phrase that is tossed around all too regularly

Bobby Baccala

Swiss Family robinson is a film every child should see at a young age, i fúckin loved it when i first saw it at the age of about 6, brilliant film.

Tinie

Sad Professor wrote: »

I detest Mary Poppins. It gave me nightmares as a child, far worse than seeing Bambi's mother get shot. The best children's films are the dark ones.

relevant

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2T5_0AGdFic

geuro

the goonies

RoryMurphyJnr

+1 for the Goonies

The Princess Bride should be in there as well

Mickeroo

Absolutely should have both The Goonies and The Princess Bride on that list, both those movies were huge factors in my childhood. Would also throw in Indiana Jonesd and Star Wars into that pile too. If i'm honest, Transformers The Movie was also a big favourite, and i've watched it a few times since for nostalgia. I think its actually quite watchable still.

I have extremely vivd memories of both Ewoks movies (Caravan of Courage & Battle for Endor). I think I might even have seen them before the original Trilogy. I have avoided watching them ever since because I keep hearing how bad they are. In my head they're still awesome

I would remove Home Alone and replace it with The Incredibles, much better film about family imo. I'd chuck Mary Poppins out of the list completely, even though I liked it as a kid, Bedknobs and Broom Sticks is much better anyway.

There's a glaring lack of Ghibli films in the list alright, I think you could easily have Nausicaa: The Valley of the Wind or Princess Mononoke in there to teach kids about the importance of looking after the environment and what not.

I didn't really start watching "classics" and such until I was in my late teens/early twenties. Though I had started to get into foreign cinema during my teens, it started with early John Woo, Jackie Chan and Bruce Lee films and gradually moved into more grown up stuff. My favourite film when I was 16/17 was La Haine I think (& Fight Club). I also remember staying up late to watch the three colours trilogy on RTE. For my 16th birthday (I think) I got my mum to take me to the cinema to see Dancer in the Dark

I went through a phase when I started college of going out of my way to watch so called classics, as I had seen very few at that stage. Back then you could rent just about any film you could think of from Xtra-Vision so I quickly started watching the likes of Taxi Driver, The Godfather Trilogy, Scarface, Apocalypse Now, 2001 etc. I remember thinking Xtra-Vision was like a veritable El Dorado of cinema for me because I grew up in the middle of nowhere reading about films but never getting to watch 90% of them. A trip to the cinema was a twice a year thing maybe if I was lucky until I started driving. Good times!!

GAAman

Gremlins!!!

Fishooks12

Had an Aunt that showed me Saving Private Ryan when I was 9, the year after it came out. Really freaked me out!

So not that!

cannonballer

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang !!

Mickeroo

Oh I never mentioned The Last Unicorn, it scared the living crap out of me. Re-watched it recently on Netflix and it holds up reasonably well still.

Sleepy

Mickeroo wrote: »

Oh I never mentioned The Last Unicorn, it scared the living crap out of me. Re-watched it recently on Netflix and it holds up reasonably well still.

Got that one for the 3 year old as it had been Mammy's favourite as a little girl, she enjoyed it but hasn't asked for it more than once or twice since.

Goldstein

Wall-e should be top of that list.

Cruel Sun

This has probably been already mentioned, but I really would recommend "The Human Centipede". It's a fun family film for people of all ages.

Tombo2001

Ratatouille is class. Brilliant movie.

johnny_ultimate

On a related note, I just accidentally stumbled across an alternative list, as proposed by the BFI. It's old, so you may have seen it before, but to me this is a much healthier, more varied selection of films than the ones in the study linked to in the OP:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BFI_list_of_the_50_films_you_should_see_by_the_age_of_14

There's a few admirably liberal albeit unusual choices - Show Me Love and Walkabout are not exactly the kind of films my own parents would have recommended at 13 :pac: - in there, but overall I think it's a more interesting collection of films to be introducing to kids. That said, it's clearly designed by cinephiles (and arguably for cinephiles), so it might be a little removed from the reality of contemporary child psychology.

Sad Professor

That's a great list. If I ever have kids I will totally show them Walkabout and The 400 Blows.

mike65

Can't remember the first adult/"kinky" film I saw as a teen (as distinct from a cheesy horror flick) - probably Barberella or The Man Who Fell To Earth but I was 15 or 16 by then (this was just before VHS and "57 sat/cable channels and nothing on" I hasten to add).

The BFI full list is a good one, though I'd swap Playtime for Mon Uncle, the former is way too long and obtuse.

Oh no list is complete without something from Powell/Pressburger - so A Matter of Life and Death, definitely one for
a teenager to see. Surprised its not on there really - a lesson about the important things in life.

starviewadams

To Kill a Mockingbird.

Tipsy McSwagger

I wouldn't pick any of the films on the list as they are all just a bunch of simple fun family films with no moral message. Are they must watch films of kids? I would say no. Every kid should watch films like To Kill a Mockingbird, 12 Angry Men, Schindlers List, The Magdelene Sisters and documentaries about how greed, war, pollution and religion have destroyed our planet.

Marty McFly

Tipsy McSwagger wrote: »

I wouldn't pick any of the films on the list as they are all just a bunch of simple fun family films with no moral message. Are they must watch films of kids? I would say no. Every kid should watch films like To Kill a Mockingbird, 12 Angry Men, Schindlers List, The Magdelene Sisters and documentaries about how greed, war, pollution and religion have destroyed our planet.

Some very good films there alright but at what age would it be appropiate to show a child To Kiill a Mockingbird or Schindlers List? I didnt see To Kill a Mockingbird until my teens after reading the book in school.

My own childhood was full of Macaulay Culkin films, Teenage Mutnant Ninja Turtles, Hook, Jurassic Park and Disney films etc, it wasnt until I was 11 or 12 were I remember visiting an Uncle who had a huge collection of dvds that my eyes were opened he had films of all sorts and made me want to broaden my own horizons starting off with Schwarzenegger films which I still love to this day but still not exactly what would be considered high brow by any means but I can still remember sitting in his watching Red Heat that an an aunt showing me The Poltergeist as a kid I cant even remember how old I was a scaring the crap out of me. But it did open my eyes to more adult themed films.

But it was a start, its wasnt until my late teens or early twentys did I even begin to think outsie of Hollywood for films, City of God and Ong Bak (terrible film but amazing action sequences) being the catalyst for that and opening my eyes to a whole other world of movies to which ive never looked back.

CL7

Marty McFly wrote: »

Some very good films there alright but at what age would it be appropiate to show a child To Kiill a Mockingbird or Schindlers List?

Child: "A person who has not yet reached puberty" Is this the definition we are all using?

If so no one in their right mind would show a child Schindlers List or The Magdalene Sisters. They are unsuitable for children. Age ratings are there for a reason.

Turpentine

GAAman wrote: »

Gremlins!!!

All very well, except for the Santa in the chimney monologue.

Marty McFly

CL7 wrote: »

Child: "A person who has not yet reached puberty" Is this the definition we are all using?

If so no one in their right mind would show a child Schindlers List or The Magdalene Sisters. They are unsuitable for children. Age ratings are there for a reason.

Well yeh thats what I was thinking myself, films like Schindlers list shouldnt be seen until at least the teenage years and how early would depend on the teenager really.

Turpentine

Jaws.

I hate having to go to the beach, so let's nip that in the bud shall we

gaelicred

Loved Watership Down still do also The Secret Garden and Black Beauty

Herb Powell

I'm going to add Mrs. Doubtfire.

Saw it recently, still hilarious.

johnny_ultimate

A.O. Scott making a convincing, simple and brief case for The Red Balloon. Now there's a film of such innocence, imagination and insight that it will appeal to every generation - from infants to cinephiles. Plus, the special balloon effects are still fascinating to behold - more magical than any number of expensive computer generated excesses.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYxIPhjDcf8