Three foundational films in my life.

In this blog I want to talk about three movies that absolutely changed my life. Now these films are ones that are very dear to my heart but are not my favorite films of all time. This are movies that as I watch today I am taken back to being a child watching them. I will probably do a blog later that looks at my all time favorite films but that is for another day. On to movies that changed my life.

These movies I probably saw every one of them within the same year period. I do not have a photographic memory and this goes back to probably between 1993 (I was 8 years old). During the course of this year I was introduced to these films. Two of them through VHS and one in the theaters.

Terminator 2: Judgement Day

This movie I distinctly remember having my parents (which were divorced) argue over whether I was old enough to watch it. My mom, who I went with in the divorce, thought there was no issue. My dad thought that it was inappropriate to watch. I do not remember the exact reasoning all I know is it made me want to see it all the more. Ultimately there would be nothing my dad could do to stop me from seeing it.

So on VHS I watched this movie, and all I can say is this absolutely changed my life. The special effects were so believable and the story was so crazy. I had not seen the first movie but the beauty of this film was that it was made to watch without seeing the first one. I remember quoting this movie SO much after, and I even went to school that Halloween as a Terminator, I spiked my hair, and put on a leather jacket and sunglasses and brought a fake gun to school (yes I know it was a more innocent time), and I stalked the playground.

To this day when I watch the film the small child in me just jumps with joy. The action, explosions, and the whimsy of childhood. Later in life I was an avid paintball player (only in the woods) and I invented a game off of this movie. The Terminator game was where one person was selected as John Conner (they are given no gun), and one person is the Terminator (invincible to everything except a shot in the hand) and every other person playing are defenders of John Conner, the game ends when either the Terminator is destroyed or when John Conner is Terminated. Of course in the inaugural game I played as the Terminator, running around in a manner that most woodsball players would never dream of doing, all manners of stealth or craftiness are out the window and I rumbled through the woods like a tank killing all who stood in my way. When I reached the John Conner I was finally hit in the hand (not an easy feat with a paintball gun). I suppose the Terminator can't win them all.

This movie is one of my all time favorite movies, it was the first DVD I ever owned and it is one that I can throw in anytime and enjoy.

Jurassic Park 

OH Jurassic Park what a perfect storm in my life. Terminator still an obsession this movie was released in theaters, and I literally was the target audience (8 years old). This is the age when I could say and spell most dinosaur names no matter how long or absurdly spelled they were, not to mention identify them. I had so many dinosaur books that I loved. Just the thought of these giant monsters is something that is the wonder of any young boy. 

Jurassic Park is the earliest film I remember seeing in theaters (not sure if any came earlier in my life), and I remember being absolutely breathless during this movie. I remember distinctly when the power goes out and the cars are in front of the T-Rex paddock. Then suddenly the ominous rumble as the camera shows the glass of water. I was unaware of the technological advances that had happened and that the DTS surround sound was making its debut with this film. All I know is I remember that rumbling being felt through my entire body, and the anticipation of seeing this majestic beast, I was excited and I was frightened. I of course related most to Timmy. This whole scene is one of the most powerful scenes I have seen in my life, between the big screen, the surround sound, and this monster trying to kill these people I was totally hooked. 

I remember this movie was the rage on the playground, every kid was playing Jurassic Park on the playground, re-enacting scenes, or making up our own dinosaur filled adventures. I remember distinctly being a raptor one day and killing the kid who was "being" John Hammond (Funny I had not read the book so this was just meant to happen I guess). Another thing that I remember being very shocked at is when this  came out on VHS my grandmother bought it for me for Christmas. The reason this sticks with me is that this Grandma was very conservative and the fact that she would buy me a rated PG-13 movie a day before I turned 13 (and even then) absolutely floored me. I had seen it a number of times but for her it was more about the principle. 

This movie is still one today that I watch and am pulled right in. This film is one that I really think should be made available in theaters every generation, so that every little boy can experience it. I have talked to younger kids who's first and only experiences with this movie has been on the small screen, and that is just a tragedy. In this age of revamping movies in theaters, I think they should put this one out. 

Star Wars

Now this movie is special for me. So very special, and this saga is probably the center of my entire life from age 8 when I saw it through to adulthood, culminating in Episode 3 in theaters. 

I remember this vividly. We lived in an apartment and I was out playing on the playground they had, and my step-dad called me into the house. He asked me if I wanted to watch a movie, and I said "Is it just a boring talking movie" (oh to be 8 again). He said no its a movie about robots and spaceships. I was sold. So he put the VHS in and right there in that apartment my life was changed forever. 

The thing about this is that Star Wars was in a virtual dark age, we were 4 years from the movies coming out for the remastered versions (1997), and 2 years removed from the Power of the Force action figures being released. So this was something that most kids my age were not really talking about, or knew about for all I know. 

I remember watching these movies so much that I believe the three VHS were nearly worn out. I had (and still do) virtually all the dialog memorized. I would be Darth Vader (Yes I am weird) with my invisible lightsaber (dang these kids and all their toys they have now), I would chase the rebels, and fight Luke and Obi-Wan. I remember 1995 when the Power of the Force action figures were released and I was in heaven now I could relive all the battles and even create my own (my step-dad was an avid collector so I usually had even the rarest ones). I remember getting a bunch of money for my birthday and buying the huge Millennium Falcon (which I still have somewhere with a grundle of figures). I remember when the 1997 re-releases came out and I saw every one the day they came out. I was not bothered by the changes in fact they were pretty cool for a young boy, I remember every single one I could point out then (down to the new drool added to Jabba). To see these films which I loved so much, on the big screen was huge moments in my life. 

When it comes to off the screen, these movies in retrospect were big because they really were one of the biggest things that finally bonded myself and my step-dad. I had a lot of difficulties emotionally with the divorce and the relationship I had with my step-dad was anything but ideal, but Star Wars was that thing that finally broke down my walls and allowed me to let him into my life. It was a special thing, he had enjoyed them all (I believe he was 7 when the first one came out) the original release and in the early 90's before the huge Star Wars rebirth and revival they helped me bond with the man who would ultimately see me through all of the big events in my life. 

I have a Star Wars Tattoo, I have read the books, I have all the DVD's, and I enjoyed the Prequels because each of them meant something to me, be it my transition into Junior High (TPM), or my transition into High School (AOTC), or adjusting to being an adult (ROTS). I know there are purists out there that hate them, but all of these movies mean a lot to me. My favorite Empire Strikes Back (remember I pretended to be Vader not Luke or Han). 

Overall Star Wars is probably the deepest rooted films in my life, just because these films really helped me cope with a lot in life, and helped me in so many ways beyond just enjoying movies but real life. There is nothing I love more than seeing young generations dressing up as Stormtroopers or Vader, or Boba Fett, or Han or Luke. I love the spirit of the Star Wars films.

So these are some of the most beloved films in my life. They are movies that I can watch anytime anywhere, and I believe that these films are crucial to my love of the art of Film. There are more movies that entered into my life at a later date that have meaning to me, but these three (or 5 if you count Star Wars as a trilogy) are some of the foundational  films of my life, and helped shape my love of Films and what they can be to someone beyond just entertainment.