Ten on Tuesday: 10 favorite childhood movies

[link]

10 favorite movies from my childhood
I suspect there will be a lot of overlap across everyone's lists this time. Though I suppose a blogger who considers their childhood to be the 50s will have a different universe to choose from. Anyway, here are mine. My childhood ranged from about 1969 to 1982, I'd say. Before that, I was too young to notice. After that, I got too cool for my own good. These are in no particular order, by the way.

1. Mary Poppins. Best. Movie. Ever. I fell in love with Julie Andrews as a kid... mostly for Sound of Music, but also for Mary Poppins. What little boy wouldn't fall in love with her? Hell, if she were still that same young woman, I'd dump my wife and shack up with Julie in a heartbeat. (Guess who doesn't read my blog regularly?) Oh, it's a jolly holiday with Mary... And don't let the door hit you on the way out, dearie.
   
   
2. Tron. This movie rocked for a computer crazy geekhead juvenile male. I netflixed this for my boys about six months ago, and not only did they love it, but it still rocked. It's a good story, and they did well with mediocre special effects. I love that Bit just says yes or no...
   
   
3. Star Wars. Way before Jar-Jar Binks, George Lucas had us flying along on a rip-roaring saga complete with a stupid-haired princess and a young Harrison Ford. And the strange idea of laser swords. The vision in that movie at that time was simply awesome, and even though it's my kids' least favorite Star Wars episode, it remains my favorite. I suggest a new strategy, R2... let the wookie win.
   
   
4. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. You're sleek as a thoroughbred, your seats are a featherbed... When I was about eight years old, I watched this by myself one night. My mom had moved away three years earlier, and I missed her terribly. I love this movie, but that night it made me very sad.
   
   
5. Spaghetti Westerns. Pretty much any Clint Eastwood spaghetti western that played on the Four O'Clock Movie on channel 36. I forget the call letters, but this independent local station had probably the first virtual interactive online video game in "TV Pow!" They had two kids call in. Each had a screen of a simple version of Space Invaders, and each kid would yell "pow!" into their phone. This would allegedly cause their spaceship to shoot, and whoever scored the most points won some prize. It was totally hokey, but hell, it was the era of Atari 2600.
   
   
6. Monty Python and the Holy Grail. None shall pass! Oh, how many hours I spent with this one. My geeky friends and I even performed the witch trial during our high school's "Non-Talent Talent Show." So... if she weighs the same as a duck... she's made of wood!
   
   
7. The Pink Panther Strikes Again. Who can forget the German assassin lady with the enormous boobs and the poisoned spikes that come popping out of them? And the way Clouseau's pretzel saves him and gets stuck. Or the laughing gas scene. Or the that is not my dog innkeeper.
   
   
8. Logan's Run. There is no sanctuary! I must have watched this one on TV a hundred times, and if it came on tonight I'd watch it again. As cheesy and predictable as it is, I still love it.
   
   
   
9. The Blues Brothers. Are you the police? No ma'am, we're musicians. Even though we weren't musicians, that became our catch phrase for at least a year in high school. This movie has hands down the best car chase scene in film. Particularly the part when the Illinois Nazis (I hate Illinois Nazis) drive off the partial bridge and end up a mile above the city. Our other catch phrase was, of course, We're on a mission from God (pronounced gad).
   
   
10. The Muppet Movie. Myth! Myth! Yeth? "Lost? Have you tried Hare Krishna?" Should I be embarrassed to admit this was one of my favorite movies of all time? I loved the Muppets and watched the show every chance I got. It was a sad week when I had to miss it.
    

Honorable mention goes to any and all James Bond movies.

It's 106 miles to Chicago, we got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it's dark, and we're wearing sunglasses.
Hit it.