Seeing this DVD cover brings back so many memories. Let me take you back to the summer of 1963.. I was a counselor at a YMCA day camp.. many of the 12 year old boys that I "counseled" were taller and bigger than me.. I was pretty thin back then. Most of my responsibilities revolved around organizing activities, games and sports to engage the boys. It was a fun summer job.. didn't make much money but I did have fun and worked at two different camps that summer.One rainy day our camp leader (he was a teacher the rest of the year) got cheap tickets to the local movie theater where we saw "King Kong vs Godzilla". All I can really remember from that day was how we howled with laughter as Godzilla kicked Kong over and Kong got up beating his chest.. it was so much fun!
I grew up on movie monsters. I loved "Might Joe Young" the most.. that story was so heartwarming. Joe, King Kong, Godzilla and Rodan were so much a part of my childhood movie watching. Later on the term "movie monster" would take on a whole new meaning with the advent of monsters like Jaws and that one in Alien (that I have never seen). Horror flicks introduced us to the likes of Freddie Krueger and Jason (have not seen those either) and in "Jurassic Park" we became acquainted with Raptors.. nasty beings that they were.
I watched the latest Peter Jackson movie version of "King Kong" a few years ago and was really surprised at how much I enjoyed it. Also watched the newest release of Godzilla a number of years ago.. it was okay but not that great. Still.. I don't think there will ever be another time like those when I was young.. when Joe, King Kong, Godzilla and Rodan were larger than life.. scary and exciting.. and so much fun to watch.
What was your favorite movie monster.. and what was your first monster movie?
Mine would be either King Kong or Godzilla. I watched a lot of Saturday afternoon Godzilla movies. I didn't enjoy Peter Jackson's King Kong as much as I thought I would though I've enjoyed the bits I've seen on TV here and there since my first viewing. Maybe I'll watch it again.
ReplyDeleteThe great thing about those two franchises is that they make you feel sympathetic towards the "monsters".
I'll admit, my favorite movie monsters of all time are the aliens in Alien and it's sequels. The first movie is pure Hithcockian suspense, the 2nd is just terrifying. "Motion sensor beep" is all I need to say and fans will know what I speak of. ;-)
They could have done Jurassic Park without a plot (I think they did the third one without a plot actually) and I would have loved it. I've always loved dinosaurs.
Guess I'm a wimp but I never could cozy up to movie monsters. Actually we never went to the movies much. I can see now that their was sympathy and good fun in the old movies but then they were just scary.
ReplyDeleteThe horror stuff...no thanks...I don't like that stuff in my mind.