Twenty years ago VCR’s were a fairly new medium and the Blonde and I were adding to our collections of movies. The challenge was to find a movie that worked for adults but was appropriate viewing for the kids.
Along came The Princess Bride
We all love that movie. The kids, even the youngest who wasn’t yet born when the movie came out, know all the dialogue by heart. Especially the youngest, it’s one of her favorite movies. Today it’s a classic (I need to by it on DVD… the tape’s completely worn out).
Hang out with the McElroy’s long enough and you’re likely to hear certain quotes from the movie. I’ve been known to occasionally tell my children, “Sleep well. I’ll most likely kill you in the morning.” Other phrases you may hear include:
“Inconceivable”
“I do not thing it means what you think it means”
“Never get involved in a land war in Asia”
“You rush a miracle man, you get rotten miracles.”
“Mawage. Mawage is wot bwings us togeder tooday. Mawage, that bwessed awangment, that dweam wifin a dweam…”
My kids are older now. I’ve lost touch. What are the favorite family movies now? What does your whole family watch that is destined to be a classic in 20 years?
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Oh yeah, The Princess Bride! I really need to pull that out for my kids. It was the first movie on DVD I owned. Our most-used quote from the movie is, “Have fun storming the castle!”
As far as family movies now . . . we like Finding Nemo (“Just keep swimming, just keep swimming . . . “). I think The Incredibles would fit the bill, although I was unimpressed with the movie (just a matter of personal taste). From what I’ve heard on the blogosphere, the newest Pixar creation, Cars, might also be destined for family classic status.
I’m drawing a blank on non-animated qualifiers.
I have the DVD and it’s a favourite in our house.
I haven’t seen Nemo. The Incredibles is a favorite of one of my colleagues; he claims there are many good family therapy metaphors in the movie.
My neice named her yellow lab…Princess Buttercup…Need I say more!
I tell my everyone as they leave, “Have fun storming the castle.” Some laugh, some look at my like I’m crazy.
As for family movies, Scooby Doo is good. Star Wars (episodes 4-6 are good and family friendly, Episodes 1-3 i need to watch a bit more. 1 I think would probalby work as well.)
I dig Wallace & Gromit. And Finding Nemo. And the Princess Bride…I’m pretty sure that one will be a classic in our house.
My oldest daughter is 21, yet we still find ourselves sometimes spouting some of “The Princess Bride” lines. I don’t think there will ever be another one like this.
Bowden,
Kadie and I watched this recently with our daughters (10 and 7) for the first time. I was sweating their reaction, but they LOVED it. I was quite pleased. Kadie and I saw it while we were courting and it has long had a great deal of meaning for us.
The only other one I’d put on the list for us is A Christmas Story which is one of our favorite family films.
Great post!
Taran,
Loved A Christmas Story the first 200 or 300 times I saw it. Now, it’s a little worn.
I love A Christmas Story and the Princess Bride (although I don’t know any lines, I haven’t seen it since I was a kid).
My daughters 3 and 1 are into Dora the Explorer and Cinderella.
I’ll have to go out and buy the Princess Bride, I think the 3 year old will love it, since she is a princess herself.
I stole “your” line as I kissed my girls to sleep tonight. “Sleep well. I’ll most likely…”. They loved it. Ohh the parenting tips I’m picking up on the internet.