# Movies you thought were awesome when you were a kid but now cringe at **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 6, 2009, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-you-thought-were-awesome-when-you-were-a-kid-but-now-cringe-at/492123 "2009-04-06T13:24:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2009, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-you-thought-were-awesome-when-you-were-a-kid-but-now-cringe-at/492123/41 "2009-04-06T17:52:39Z")
> [@Linty\_Fresh](#): > > ABOMINATION!! > > Nahhh, I’m just messing with you. I’ve gotta ask, though, had you already listened to the actual albums Sgt. Pepper’s and Abbey Road, or was this your first exposure to the music? For me, that made all the difference with this movie. Well, that and Steve Martin’s dance number. This shows the extent of my depravity at the time… I’d been a Beatles fan for about four years. I just checked IMDB (partly to make sure what year it came out- 1978) and it has thirteen pages of comments. On the first page, over half the commenters acknowledge that it’s one of their guilty pleasures. When I get the guts to finally watch it again, it’ll probably be one of mine also. ---
**Author:** ![Pyper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Pyper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pyper)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2009, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-you-thought-were-awesome-when-you-were-a-kid-but-now-cringe-at/492123/42 "2009-04-06T17:56:18Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > Short Circuit. > > Sigh. > > Especially after Wall-E came out. I loved Short Circuit but now I can’t even watch it. Neverending Story is getting up there too. These are the two I came in to mention. As a kid, Short Circuit was my _favorite_ movie. I watched it over and over again. As an adult, I can see the badness, but it still holds fond memories. Neverending Story still has some good themes, but the special effects are totally cringeworthy. I hear it is being remade? ---
**Author:** ![Small\_Hen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ad7895/32.png) [@Small\_Hen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Small_Hen)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2009, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-you-thought-were-awesome-when-you-were-a-kid-but-now-cringe-at/492123/43 "2009-04-06T18:00:30Z")
**The Land Before Time.** I remember practically watching that film on a loop during my childhood. A few years ago, a friend said she’d never seen it, so I suggested kicking back with some popcorn. We turned it off halfway, and I apologised. I guess the dinosaurs weren’t as annoying when I was little. Shut up, Big Mouth! Shut up, Petrie! Stop whining, Littlefoot! Cera, you’re a racist bitch! Spike - you’re okay. keep that silent thing up. I also liked the \*\*Phantom Menace \*\*when I was 13. I now know it’s terrible, but I still have a place for it in my heart - it introduced me to Ewan McGregor, who, through many, many photoshoots on the internet, introduced me to masturbation. ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2009, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-you-thought-were-awesome-when-you-were-a-kid-but-now-cringe-at/492123/44 "2009-04-06T18:05:15Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > Holy crap, Sho Kosugi. There’s a name I haven’t even thought of in close to twenty years. And yet, “It has Sho Kosugi in it!” used to be all the reason I needed to rent a movie. This reminds me… When I was 14-ish, I saw a double-feature of **Red Dawn** and **American Ninja**. To my young eyes, cinema would never get better than that 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![The\_Superhero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/73ab20/32.png) [@The\_Superhero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Superhero)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2009, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-you-thought-were-awesome-when-you-were-a-kid-but-now-cringe-at/492123/45 "2009-04-06T18:24:45Z")
> [@Southern\_Yankee](#): > > _Clash of the Titans_. I thought the Special FX were awesome! The FX are awesome, if you’re not looking for “Wow, that looks real, as if they were actually fighting real Gorgons and Krakens and giant scorpions!” As a movie, yeah, it’s cheezey as hell, but singling out the effects as the problem in a movie cast entirely with aging scenery-chewers and pretty young mannequins is wrong. As an example of a special effects and stop-motion puppetry pioneer at the top of his game, “Clash of the Titans” remains as awesome as ever. Ray Harryhausen is an artist who created something special and unique that a million computer-wielding ILM technicians can’t duplicate. “Clash of the Titans” is his masterpiece. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2009, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-you-thought-were-awesome-when-you-were-a-kid-but-now-cringe-at/492123/46 "2009-04-06T18:27:29Z")
> [@delphica](#): > > Yes, Clash of the Titans for sure. > > Also, The Beast Master, featuring a barbarian who talks to the animals. > > My brother and I would watch these over and over, slaw-jawed with amazement the entire time. When they were on HBO, of course. Beast Master had Tanya Roberts’ boobies in their prime. Still holds up. So to speak. > [@MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](#): > > When I was a kid, I really thought “Stripes” was up there with “Caddyshack” or “Animal House” as far as great comedy classics went… > > While it still has several lines that are favorites, the movie as a whole is pretty weak compared to how much I used to love it. It has a unique place in my heart. The first part was filmed in Fort Knox. I ran on that obstacle course. The room they bring the new recruits into was the room they really brought us into. > [@Pyper](#): > > Neverending Story still has some good themes, but the special effects are totally cringeworthy. I hear it is being remade? Of course it is being remade. Jeez, what part of Neverending Story didn’t you understand? ---
**Author:** ![SaharaTea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@SaharaTea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SaharaTea)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2009, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-you-thought-were-awesome-when-you-were-a-kid-but-now-cringe-at/492123/47 "2009-04-06T19:06:38Z")
\*The Neverending Story \*is one of the movies I loved so fiercely as a kid that no remake will live up to it, no matter how superior the special effects or acting are. Sometimes the crappy effects are what make it memorable in the first place, and that goes for _Clash of the Titans_ too. I’ll see the remake only if it includes the original “Neverending Story” song by Limahl. Otherwise it’s dead to me. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Woodhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/838e76/32.png) [@Miss\_Woodhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Woodhouse)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2009, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-you-thought-were-awesome-when-you-were-a-kid-but-now-cringe-at/492123/48 "2009-04-06T21:30:01Z")
Obviously, those of you who loved The Neverending Story didn’t read the book first. I was young enough to be target audience but I could not get past how much the plot was mangled and how cheesey it all was compared to what was in my imagination. I used to adore _My Fair Lady_ as a girl. It’s still a good musical but it’s lost the shine for me. I’ve seen much better Audrey Hepburn movies since then and it doesn’t help to learn all the negative backstory stuff that happened behind the scenes. Not a good movie for her. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2009, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-you-thought-were-awesome-when-you-were-a-kid-but-now-cringe-at/492123/49 "2009-04-06T21:40:21Z")
_Swamp Thing_. (It had a lot to do with Adrienne Barbeau’s boobs, and having met Reggie Batts, who played Jude.) ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2009, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-you-thought-were-awesome-when-you-were-a-kid-but-now-cringe-at/492123/50 "2009-04-06T21:50:49Z")
> [@Miss\_Woodhouse](#): > > I used to adore _My Fair Lady_ as a girl. It’s still a good musical but it’s lost the shine for me. I’ve seen much better Audrey Hepburn movies since then and it doesn’t help to learn all the negative backstory stuff that happened behind the scenes. Not a good movie for her. ☹ Like the fact that Julie Andrews should have gotten the role? ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2009, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-you-thought-were-awesome-when-you-were-a-kid-but-now-cringe-at/492123/51 "2009-04-06T22:00:30Z")
> [@The\_Superhero](#): > > The FX are awesome, if you’re not looking for “Wow, that looks real, as if they were actually fighting real Gorgons and Krakens and giant scorpions!” As a movie, yeah, it’s cheezey as hell, but singling out the effects as the problem in a movie cast entirely with aging scenery-chewers and pretty young mannequins is wrong. > > As an example of a special effects and stop-motion puppetry pioneer at the top of his game, “Clash of the Titans” remains as awesome as ever. Ray Harryhausen is an artist who created something special and unique that a million computer-wielding ILM technicians can’t duplicate. “Clash of the Titans” is his masterpiece. Damn straight. Harryhausen wasn’t a special effects artist-he was a master magician. The character and emotion he gave his work continues to take my breath away. ---
**Author:** ![Superfluous\_Parentheses](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8edcca/32.png) [@Superfluous\_Parentheses](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superfluous_Parentheses)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2009, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-you-thought-were-awesome-when-you-were-a-kid-but-now-cringe-at/492123/52 "2009-04-06T22:51:11Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > I’ll have to think about movies and get back to you. The TV shows pop right into my head. Battlestar Galactica. Buck Rogers. Six Million Dollar Man. Dukes of Hazard. Two words: **Galactica 1980**. Those flying motorcycles where _awesome_. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![caveman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/caveman/32/7242_2.png) [@caveman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/caveman)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2009, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-you-thought-were-awesome-when-you-were-a-kid-but-now-cringe-at/492123/53 "2009-04-06T23:11:22Z")
Ditto _Short Circuit_. Also, _Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend_. I typed that title from memory, folks. I saw it in theaters at least three times, and several more on VHS. Got it from Netflix a few years back to share the glory with the Cavelady, and was appalled at how poorly it aged. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2009, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-you-thought-were-awesome-when-you-were-a-kid-but-now-cringe-at/492123/54 "2009-04-06T23:20:04Z")
Rankin Bass The Hobbit The voice acting, especially Gandalf, holds up very well. But the quality of the art and animation is terrible. ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2009, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-you-thought-were-awesome-when-you-were-a-kid-but-now-cringe-at/492123/55 "2009-04-06T23:23:43Z")
> [@FriarTed](#): > > I don’t exactly cringe, but last time I watched it, Mel Brooks’ original “The Producers” just didn’t hold up. Huh. Mr. S and I just watched it again last night and laughed our asses off as usual. De gustibus, etc. (For some reason, the line “Oh, the Kraut!” had been in my head and cracking me up all week. My favorite line is still “I am ze auzzor. You are ze audience. I OUTRANK you!”) ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2009, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-you-thought-were-awesome-when-you-were-a-kid-but-now-cringe-at/492123/56 "2009-04-06T23:31:52Z")
> [@PharmBoy](#): > > The Blues Brothers. When I was 18, I thought it was really funny. But, I watched a few years ago and could not believe how bad it was… THis is one of those films where the longer cut is worse. The problem is the only cut available on DVD is the longer, worse cut. Brevity truly is the soul of comedy. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2009, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-you-thought-were-awesome-when-you-were-a-kid-but-now-cringe-at/492123/57 "2009-04-06T23:37:15Z")
> [@MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](#): > > When I was a kid, I really thought “Stripes” was up there with “Caddyshack” or “Animal House” as far as great comedy classics went… > > While it still has several lines that are favorites, the movie as a whole is pretty weak compared to how much I used to love it. It falls apart due to the supposed need for a 3rd act. If you turn the film off when they leave boot camp, it’s a comedy classic. I still use lines from it often, mainly from Murrey’s inspirational speech to the men: Our forefathers were kicked out of every decent country on Earth! We _are_ the “wretched refuse”! ---
**Author:** ![Invisible\_Chimp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/f05b48/32.png) [@Invisible\_Chimp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Invisible_Chimp)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2009, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-you-thought-were-awesome-when-you-were-a-kid-but-now-cringe-at/492123/58 "2009-04-07T00:04:52Z")
Liars! You are all a bunch of good for nothing liars. Of course, I haven’t seen most of these movies in years, so I could be wrong. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MPB_in_Salt_Lake)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2009, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-you-thought-were-awesome-when-you-were-a-kid-but-now-cringe-at/492123/59 "2009-04-07T00:39:51Z")
> [@gaffa](#): > > It falls apart due to the supposed need for a 3rd act. If you turn the film off when they leave boot camp, it’s a comedy classic. I still use lines from it often, mainly from Murrey’s inspirational speech to the men: > > Our forefathers were kicked out of every decent country on Earth! We _are_ the “wretched refuse”! “I wanna party with you, cowboy”… ---
**Author:** ![VarlosZ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d78d45/32.png) [@VarlosZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VarlosZ)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2009, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-you-thought-were-awesome-when-you-were-a-kid-but-now-cringe-at/492123/60 "2009-04-07T00:44:29Z")
**Spaceballs** – watched it over and over when I was 9, then stumbled across it on cable a few years ago and realized why my parents rolled their eyes whenever I insisted on renting it again. A few good gags, but, for the most part, painfully unfunny for adults. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-you-thought-were-awesome-when-you-were-a-kid-but-now-cringe-at/492123.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-you-thought-were-awesome-when-you-were-a-kid-but-now-cringe-at/492123.md?page=4)