My Kiddie Flick Christmas Shopping List
Family entertainment was not what any studio did at that time -- only Disney made that kind of movie and they were going through their Herbie Goes Bananas phase. And so, E.T: The Extra-Terrestrial was something new. Phenomenally successful, it single-handedly revived children's sci-fi/fantasy films. It was also the first movie I remember seeing in a theater. Like almost every kid who filed out of the cinema that day, man, I was bawling. Oh, how we would all miss Elliot's gentle golf-club headed friend!
An Alternative To: The less kid-friendly but similar themed, The Day the Earth Stood Still
Premise: When a group of aliens visit Earth, one of them is lost and left stranded. The alien is found and befriended by a little boy named Elliot who tries to help it find its way home.
Why Kids Will Love It: This movie is so easy to relate to because it is shot from a kid's point of view, through Elliot's eyes. For example, as a child, I was deeply frightened by all those mysterious men in the funny suits who were wrapping plastic all over the furniture in Elliot's house. But then, I realized that Elliot was just as confused and scared as I was, since he himself was hearing only fragments of their grown-up dialogue.
Why Adults Will Love It: Cute, fuzzy aliens, spaceships, and all other fantastical elements aside, the appeal is in its purely human, universal emotions. When Spielberg was directing Henry Thomas (Elliot) for the climactic farewell scene how did he get the 10-year-old child to weep on cue? No, there wasn't any whacking involved (see The Wizard of Oz on Page 4). Spielberg asked Thomas if he had any pets. It turned out that Thomas had a dog who had just been put down. One second thinking about that dog and that was all she wrote -- Henry Thomas was crying like a baby. This movie is about the love and friendship with that dead pet you once had.
Did You Know That: E.T's face was modeled after poet, Carl Sandburg and Albert Einstein?
Ideal Format For Purchase: It is absolutely necessary to buy a widescreen edition of E.T if only to see the flying bicycle scene in its original 1:85:1 ratio. If you can find it, that is. Spielberg is likely holding off on further video distributions in order to ensure a huge box-office draw when it is re-released to the theaters in 2002.
Even though almost every child on this planet probably owns a copy of the Star Wars Trilogy, I knew that if I didn't include this in the list, my head would end up sitting on a chopping block. What is there to say about Star Wars that hasn't been said already? Since there are so many people out there who could wax enthusiastic about the power of Star Wars with greater expertise than I ever could, I will keep this one simple.
Premise: A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away... uh, I think you can fill in the rest. No self-respecting genre fan can not know the plot to Star Wars.
An Alternative To: The Hidden Fortress, the less accessible Japanese film that inspired it.
Why Kids Will Love It: They have heroes to cheer for... and they fight with lightsabers! They have a beautiful princess to fall in love with or want to be just like, and villains in funky helmets that they can boo and hiss at when they are onscreen.
Why Adults Will Love It: More than any movie, Star Wars is for the child in all of us. Most adults love it simply because they loved it as a kid.
Did You Know That: Charles Martin Smith (Terry the Toad from American Graffiti) was considered to play Luke Skywalker?
Ideal Format For Purchase: Much like E.T., George Lucas has taken the special edition of the Star Wars Trilogy off the current market. I imagine he will soon release them all on DVD, in pan and scan. Then, after everyone goes out to buy that collection, he will release them in widescreen format. Then, after everyone goes out and buys that collection, another version, with heaps of supplementary material will be released and everyone will end up buying these movies again, probably for the 15th and final time in their lives because they have been milked dry of cash.
