# When you were a kid, what was your favourite film?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-were-a-kid-what-was-your-favourite-film/520154>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [December 6, 2009, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-were-a-kid-what-was-your-favourite-film/520154 "2009-12-06T02:24:16Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\
**Post date:** [December 6, 2009, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-were-a-kid-what-was-your-favourite-film/520154/41 "2009-12-06T12:26:09Z")

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Something in the order of:

Lost Horizon  
The Maltese Falcon  
Singing in the Rain  
Cool Hand Luke  
The Godfather  
Badlands

up to age 21. The first 3 I saw on TV - Lost Horizon when I was very young the other 2 in my teens.

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**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:** [December 6, 2009, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-were-a-kid-what-was-your-favourite-film/520154/42 "2009-12-06T12:34:23Z")

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> [@AuntiePam](#):
>
> I was all set to whine that the OP could only be answered by kids who grew up with VCRs, but you reminded me of Gravesend Manor on WOI-TV (Ames, Iowa) on Saturday nights. We grew up watching the Universal classics – Frankenstein, The Wolf Man, Dracula, The Mummy, The Invisible Man, and all the Returns, Sons, Wives, and Daughters they spawned. Good times! My favorite was Frankenstein.

I was waiting for a fellow Monster Kid!

Here is was Nightmare Theater on WTTV-4 (Bloomington, IN) hosted by Sammy Terry. Of course, with all the Universals were the Hammers and the AIP-Vincent Price ones. Then the “bottom-of-the-barrells” from Italy, Spain, Mexico- which had some rare gems.

Above all, BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN reigned. Close after were Hammer’s Brides of Dracula and Vincent Price’s Masque of the Red Death. And the one foreign film in the bunch- Mario Bava’s Black Sunday starring Barbara Steele.

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**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:** [December 6, 2009, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-were-a-kid-what-was-your-favourite-film/520154/43 "2009-12-06T12:40:50Z")

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Outside the monster genre, but still in the realm of the fantastic, I might not have named this when I was a kid, but I’ve always had a special place in my heart for THE SEVEN FACES OF DR. LAO.

I got the DVD this summer and inflicted it on my 28-yr old jaded best friend (I’m 47). She tolerated it while I thoroughly enjoyed it, even while mocking the now-obvious holes. One of these days, I need to watch it back-to-back with SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES (I was in college when that came out).

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**Author:** ![LawMonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@LawMonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LawMonkey)\
**Post date:** [December 6, 2009, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-were-a-kid-what-was-your-favourite-film/520154/44 "2009-12-06T12:46:48Z")

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Wizard of Oz. Watched it to death as a little kid, then went through a period of being too cool for it as a teenager. I love it all over again now, and was disappointed to miss the hi-def theatre showings this summer–I went to the theatre with my mom only to find it sold out.

Disney’s Robin Hood was another biggie. I remember that I used to daydream about having adventures w/ Robin and the gang there in Sherwood Forest.

I think those were the big two, though Goonies, The Last Starfighter, and The Secret of NIMH all merit honorable mentions at least. (The Secret of NIMH remains one of my favorites to this day; I tend to get choked up watching it, 'cause I’m just a sap that way.)

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**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:** [December 6, 2009, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-were-a-kid-what-was-your-favourite-film/520154/45 "2009-12-06T12:49:22Z")

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For Auntie Pam, a blast from the past- [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uGZ4J4-XdU](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uGZ4J4-XdU)

And what I grew up on-

[http://www.youtube.com/user/SammyTerryWTTV43](http://www.youtube.com/user/SammyTerryWTTV43)

His real name is Bob Carter, he’s now 80 years old, and I saw him after many years on October of last year. He still does shows when his health permits. God bless him!

Sammy Terry made me the man I am today… and I never got around to punching him for it. (ba-da bing!)

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**Author:** ![Shadez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90ced4/32.png) [@Shadez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shadez)\
**Post date:** [December 6, 2009, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-were-a-kid-what-was-your-favourite-film/520154/46 "2009-12-06T12:52:33Z")

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[Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0107131/). I was 10.

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**Author:** ![drm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e57/32.png) [@drm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drm)\
**Post date:** [December 6, 2009, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-were-a-kid-what-was-your-favourite-film/520154/47 "2009-12-06T13:12:45Z")

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**Back to the Future  
Ghostbusters  
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade**

I saw these movies on my 7th birthday, when I was 8, and on my 12th birthday respectively.

I also loved a movie called [The Wraith](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0092240/), which even as a kid I knew it might be one of the worst movies ever made, but it did have a really cool car and that went a long way when I was 9. It also had Sherilyn Fenn’s breasts (I’m pretty sure, it may have been side boob, I haven’t seen it in a while and the only copy I have is a shitty VHS recording)

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**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\
**Post date:** [December 6, 2009, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-were-a-kid-what-was-your-favourite-film/520154/48 "2009-12-06T13:48:08Z")

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**The Great Race  
Forbidden Planet  
Mysterious Island  
The Blob**

Animated:

**Gulliver’s Travels  
Hoppity Goes To Town  
Pinnochio**

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**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\
**Post date:** [December 6, 2009, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-were-a-kid-what-was-your-favourite-film/520154/49 "2009-12-06T13:52:09Z")

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> [@JohnT](#):
>
> _Jaws_, which I saw at the theater when I was 8.
> 
> My daughter, Sophia, her favorite movies are _War of the Worlds_ (the “Scary Monster Alien Robot Movie”, or SMARM for short) and _The Lord of the Rings_, especially any scene with [Legolove](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=514628).

It’s Sophie Day at TNT: They’re showing all three _Rings_ movies, as well as WOTW tonight @ 7pm. Don’t tell my daughter - she needs to practice her piano! 😉

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**Author:** ![The\_Shroud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/439d5e/32.png) [@The\_Shroud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Shroud)\
**Post date:** [December 6, 2009, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-were-a-kid-what-was-your-favourite-film/520154/50 "2009-12-06T14:04:55Z")

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Before 10, _Back to the Future_. My family actually used to rent the movie AND the VCR from the video store, and that was the tape we rented a ridiculous number of times.

Between 10 and 15, I really got on an old movie kick, and the tape I wore out was\* Road to Morocco\*.

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**Author:** ![jali](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecae2f/32.png) [@jali](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jali)\
**Post date:** [December 6, 2009, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-were-a-kid-what-was-your-favourite-film/520154/51 "2009-12-06T14:37:05Z")

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Born in 1957.

“Mary Poppins” and “Alice in Wonderland” tied when I was little. I had the Alice soundtrack and played it and sang it every Saturday Morning.

As a young teen, I think it was “A Warm December” - a very sad, romantic story starring Sidney Poitier.

As an older teen “The Harder They Come” was important to me.  
My favorite movie right now is “Snatch”.

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**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\
**Post date:** [December 6, 2009, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-were-a-kid-what-was-your-favourite-film/520154/52 "2009-12-06T15:34:13Z")

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> [@FriarTed](#):
>
> For Auntie Pam, a blast from the past- [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uGZ4J4-XdU](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uGZ4J4-XdU) And what I grew up on-  
> [http://www.youtube.com/user/SammyTerryWTTV43](http://www.youtube.com/user/SammyTerryWTTV43)

Thanks for that! I’d forgotten about Claude – I remembered him as Igor but I must have been confusing him with the movie. Your show had color and an echo chamber – big budget compared to mine!

All the praise for the Disney’s Robin Hood – maybe I should get it for the grandkids.

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**Author:** ![El\_DeLuxo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_deluxo/32/9043_2.png) [@El\_DeLuxo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_DeLuxo)\
**Post date:** [December 9, 2009, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-were-a-kid-what-was-your-favourite-film/520154/53 "2009-12-09T01:14:24Z")

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> [@FriarTed](#):
>
> Outside the monster genre, but still in the realm of the fantastic, I might not have named this when I was a kid, but I’ve always had a special place in my heart for THE SEVEN FACES OF DR. LAO.

That was my _very favorite movie_ when I was a kid; I used to watch it every time it was on TV (it was in the pre-VCR, pre-HBO era – I’m freakin’ _old_ – and the only movie theatre for 50 miles was the drive-in over in the next county and my parents were too cheap and too dull to take me; so movies on TV were practically the only ones I ever got to see). This, in spite of the fact that there were two parts of that flick that _always_ made me cry, and probably still would.

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**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\
**Post date:** [December 9, 2009, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-were-a-kid-what-was-your-favourite-film/520154/54 "2009-12-09T13:43:38Z")

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I grew up before home video. When I was a kid, there were a few movies that my father would wake me up to watch with him, no matter the hour. If WUAB-43 was playing them at 3 a.m., then 3 a.m. would see us watching them. And if I didn’t feel like going to school the next day, then fuck it.

_Casablanca  
The African Queen  
From Here to Eternity  
The Night of the Hunter_

Says a lot about my childhood, doesn’t it?

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**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\
**Post date:** [December 9, 2009, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-were-a-kid-what-was-your-favourite-film/520154/55 "2009-12-09T14:42:26Z")

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> [@Larry\_Mudd](#):
>
> I was seven when _Star Wars_ came out. No question what my favourite movie was.

Same here.

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**Author:** ![slightly\_askew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d07c76/32.png) [@slightly\_askew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slightly_askew)\
**Post date:** [December 9, 2009, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-were-a-kid-what-was-your-favourite-film/520154/56 "2009-12-09T14:52:46Z")

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_Annie_ (1982), _Mary Poppins_, \*Bedknobs and Broomsticks \* – Guess I had a thing for musicals.

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**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\
**Post date:** [December 9, 2009, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-were-a-kid-what-was-your-favourite-film/520154/57 "2009-12-09T15:57:18Z")

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_Pirates of Penzance_. I knew exactly where it was located in a big movie rental place, far away from the kids/family section. Probably every other time we went I would wander off and return with the yellow plastic “VHS” tag\* for it, pleading to my mother to get it.

\*: Red was for Beta.

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**Author:** ![Jim\_s\_Son](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19adc/32.png) [@Jim\_s\_Son](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_s_Son)\
**Post date:** [December 9, 2009, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-were-a-kid-what-was-your-favourite-film/520154/58 "2009-12-09T20:11:25Z")

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I didn’t see many movies growing up so “favorite movie” is kind of a stretch. But I was in high school when “Patton” came out and me and my friends loved it. During the intermission we repeated all the obscenities in it (still quite rare in 1970). When it was broadcast on television in December, 1972 I recorded it on audio on two 90 minute 8 track tapes (CBS even kept in most of the four letter words, daying it was essential to Patton’s character. The "shovel #### in Louisiana in the opening monologue got left out).

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**Author:** ![wedgehed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8edcca/32.png) [@wedgehed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wedgehed)\
**Post date:** [December 9, 2009, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-were-a-kid-what-was-your-favourite-film/520154/59 "2009-12-09T20:16:36Z")

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_Jason and the Argonauts_.

Heck, I still like it.

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**Author:** ![Chum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3ab097/32.png) [@Chum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chum)\
**Post date:** [December 9, 2009, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-were-a-kid-what-was-your-favourite-film/520154/60 "2009-12-09T21:01:14Z")

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I’ll copy lissener:

Little kid: _Labyrinth_, _The Little Mermaid_, and _The Chipmunk Adventure_  
Medium kid: _Ace Ventura: Pet Detective_, _The Secret of Roan Inish_, and _Clueless_  
Tweener: _Newsies_ and _The Pest_  
High School: _Fight Club_, _Moulin Rouge_, and _Hedwig and the Angry Inch_

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