This brings us to dark world of The Fairy Tale. 17th Century authors such as Charles Perrault (Sleeping Beauty), The Brothers Grimm (Snow White) and Hans Christian Anderson (The Little Mermaid), who are probably the earliest pioneers of the horror genre, wrote some pretty sick morality tales during their careers. Yet most of what children know of classic fairy tales come from, you guessed it -- Disney cartoons -- which have pretty much obscured the names of these authors with their own sanitary, watered down versions. Despite the fact that fairy tales have served us well through the years, today's parents and educators are afraid to frighten their kids. Yet, the whole point of them is precisely that -- to frighten children! Most of Hollywood would not touch the real versions of fairy tales with a three-foot barge pole. But every once in a while, an innovative variation slips through.
E.T may have been the first movie I saw in a movie theater, but Time Bandits was the first movie to give me nightmares. This was at least partly the intent of the film's director, Terry Gilliam. He belief is that in fairy tales, children must encounter terrifying nightmarish situations. Why? So that the conclusion is all the more significant and worth it when the child make it out at the end. Fairy tales aren't all about romance -- they're about danger. You take that away, and a kid won't be exercised for all the complications in real life.
Premise: Six dwarves steal a map from The Supreme Being which shows all the holes in the space-time continuum that exist in the universe. Joined by a clever young boy named Kevin, the group fends off The Evil Genius (who also pursues the coveted map by using his treacherous magical powers) by jumping from one historical time to another.
An Alternative To: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Why Kids Will Love It: Because the parents get blown up in the end! The final message of this crazy film? Parents, if you don't listen to your kids, you die! The adventure and fantasy overflows in Time Bandits. It may be surreal and scary at times, but it is certainly never boring and it never speaks down to the intelligence of a child. Like E.T before it, it is also shot entirely from Kevin's level. With dwarves as his friends, he is even constantly surrounded by people his own size!
Why Adults Will Love It: Some might say, "You can't blow up parents at the end of a children's film!!!" but really, that's the whole point! It's never been done before. In fact, there are so many things visual, inventive ideas in this movie that you will never have seen done before. Parents will be pleased that the is also quite historically accurate, with a few Monty Pythonesque bits of humour thrown in for good measure.
Did You Know That: The closing song, written by George Harrison, contains critical, scathing lyrics directed towards Terry Gilliam?
Ideal Format For Purchase: The Criterion Edition of Time Bandits has just been released on DVD. Supplementary material includes: great commentary by director Terry Gilliam, co-writer and actor Michael Palin, and actors John Cleese, David Warner and Craig Warnock, a theatrical trailer and a Time Bandits Scrapbook.
Easily my favourite film growing up. I think I watched it at least five times a week and never tired of its humour or its charismatic cast of characters. Forget Harrison Ford's Han Solo, man... I fell deeply in love with Cary Elwes all the way through my formative years.
Premise: A fairy tale romance about true love and miracles involving (in this general order): two separated lovers, a smarmy prince, a man with six fingers, a weasely henchman, a vengeance-seeking Spaniard, a dopey giant, the mysterious Dread Pirate Roberts, and rodents of unusual size.
An Alternative To: North, another Rob Reiner kid flick
Why Kids Will Love It: Even though the Grandfather reads The Princess Bride to a young boy in this movie, this movie has the best of both worlds, from romantic ("As you wish") melodrama for the little girls to scenes of torture and revenge. There is something in this movie for absolutely everyone.
Why Adults Will Love It: The kids may not pick up on the self-conscious, satirical storytelling which is going on, nor some of the hilarious (and extremely quotable) bits of dialogue, but adults certainly will. If you aren't going to show it to the youngsters, it also serves as a wonderful date movie.
Did You Know That: The hat that (director) Rob Reiner wore in This Is Spinal Tap can be seen hanging in the kid's bedroom?
Ideal Format For Purchase: Videocassette seems to be the only option, unless you've got a laserdisc player and hundreds of dollars to spare for the Criterion LD.
