Classic Films for 8 year old!
May 25, 2019 6:44 AM Subscribe
We had great success last weekend with "Born Free", a great hit with our eight year old boy. I thought he'd find it lacklustre but he lapped it up. It made me realise he's more than happy with the simple pleasures of 1966 (doesn't have to be from 1966 obviously!!). The previous week on movie night I'd tried him on the 2016 Spielberg BFG film and he'd ask to abandon it a third of the way through as he found the mean giants too scary. So if that gives you an idea of where we're at!
Any other tips?!
Hits:-
Dick Proenneeke
Elf
The Lion King
Finding Nemo
Planet Earth series (although he now refuses these, sadly!)
Polar Express
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Nanny McPhee
Toy Story
Honey I shrunk the kids
Mary Poppins
Paddington
Babe
Disney Robin Hood
The Red Balloon
Mr Bean
Howl's moving castle
My neighbour Tortoro
etc
Things we/he feel he's probably too young or timid for
Jumanji
Harry Potter?? Don't know. 1st one may be OK?
The Goonies
Hunger Games
Mrs Doubtfire
ET
etc
Thank you!
Any other tips?!
Hits:-
Dick Proenneeke
Elf
The Lion King
Finding Nemo
Planet Earth series (although he now refuses these, sadly!)
Polar Express
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Nanny McPhee
Toy Story
Honey I shrunk the kids
Mary Poppins
Paddington
Babe
Disney Robin Hood
The Red Balloon
Mr Bean
Howl's moving castle
My neighbour Tortoro
etc
Things we/he feel he's probably too young or timid for
Jumanji
Harry Potter?? Don't know. 1st one may be OK?
The Goonies
Hunger Games
Mrs Doubtfire
ET
etc
Thank you!
He might be too young for ET but there is a real power to seeing it when you’re still young and very impressionable. I saw it at about his age and i still remember that feeling of wonder and awe.
I’d add The Wizard of Oz and The Sound of Music to your list.
posted by sallybrown at 6:56 AM on May 25, 2019 [3 favorites]
I’d add The Wizard of Oz and The Sound of Music to your list.
posted by sallybrown at 6:56 AM on May 25, 2019 [3 favorites]
Dunno if you know that Paddington and Nanny McPhee both have sequels.
Also, the documentary Babies. And the first Cars movie. And The Princess Bride!!
posted by BlahLaLa at 7:04 AM on May 25, 2019 [1 favorite]
Also, the documentary Babies. And the first Cars movie. And The Princess Bride!!
posted by BlahLaLa at 7:04 AM on May 25, 2019 [1 favorite]
The Incredible Journey - maybe let him know it's all ok when the cat falls in the river, if he's nervous about anyone coming to harm.
I love love love Bolt, although maybe that's because I had such a bonding family experience watching it with my kids when it first came out. But it's so good.
posted by rd45 at 7:14 AM on May 25, 2019 [2 favorites]
I love love love Bolt, although maybe that's because I had such a bonding family experience watching it with my kids when it first came out. But it's so good.
posted by rd45 at 7:14 AM on May 25, 2019 [2 favorites]
Bedknobs and Broomsticks, if he liked Mary Poppins.
posted by jquinby at 7:25 AM on May 25, 2019 [2 favorites]
posted by jquinby at 7:25 AM on May 25, 2019 [2 favorites]
Fantastic Mr. Fox
The Black Stallion
National Velvet
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (the old one)
shorts:
The Sweater
Hedgehog in the Fog
posted by TheGoodBlood at 7:32 AM on May 25, 2019 [3 favorites]
The Black Stallion
National Velvet
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (the old one)
shorts:
The Sweater
Hedgehog in the Fog
posted by TheGoodBlood at 7:32 AM on May 25, 2019 [3 favorites]
We just got a bunch of mileage out of Yellow Submarine.
posted by vunder at 7:36 AM on May 25, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by vunder at 7:36 AM on May 25, 2019 [1 favorite]
If he liked "Howl's Moving Castle" and "My Neighbour Totoro", then he might enjoy some of Miyazaki's younger-skewing movies as well. In particular, check out Ponyo and Kiki's Delivery Service.
posted by Johnny Assay at 7:36 AM on May 25, 2019 [6 favorites]
posted by Johnny Assay at 7:36 AM on May 25, 2019 [6 favorites]
My kid has the same temperament (one of the reasons he prefers Star Trek to Star Wars--the campiness of Trek keeps it from ever getting too scary) and we've had recent success with the old Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (the old one, obvs) and James and the Giant Peach (we've been reading the books then watching the movies).
posted by soren_lorensen at 7:40 AM on May 25, 2019
posted by soren_lorensen at 7:40 AM on May 25, 2019
The Muppet Movie, maybe?
posted by vunder at 7:45 AM on May 25, 2019 [6 favorites]
posted by vunder at 7:45 AM on May 25, 2019 [6 favorites]
Bringing Up Baby
posted by _Mona_ at 7:57 AM on May 25, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by _Mona_ at 7:57 AM on May 25, 2019 [1 favorite]
When I was that age, I loved Bringing Up Baby, The Music Man, Yellow Submarine, and Some Like It Hot, and most Charlie Chaplin especially Modern Times. You could try the Marx Brothers too.
posted by blnkfrnk at 8:31 AM on May 25, 2019 [5 favorites]
posted by blnkfrnk at 8:31 AM on May 25, 2019 [5 favorites]
The original Doctor Doolittle probably fits into that Mary Poppins, Bednobs and Broomsticks, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang aesthetic.
I know you've got the Disney version of Robin Hood on there, but the Errol Flynn version is also worth putting on the list. If that works, maybe try some Tyrone Power (Zorro, The Black Swan).
There is a sequel to Born Free.
posted by sardonyx at 8:45 AM on May 25, 2019 [1 favorite]
I know you've got the Disney version of Robin Hood on there, but the Errol Flynn version is also worth putting on the list. If that works, maybe try some Tyrone Power (Zorro, The Black Swan).
There is a sequel to Born Free.
posted by sardonyx at 8:45 AM on May 25, 2019 [1 favorite]
The Indian in the Cupboard
posted by SLC Mom at 8:56 AM on May 25, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by SLC Mom at 8:56 AM on May 25, 2019 [1 favorite]
Harry and The Hendersons
Kiki's Delivery Service
The Muppet Movie!!! And the 8 year old (now 9 year old) loves old episodes of The Muppet Show (especially the Harry Belafonte one).
posted by brookeb at 9:07 AM on May 25, 2019 [1 favorite]
Kiki's Delivery Service
The Muppet Movie!!! And the 8 year old (now 9 year old) loves old episodes of The Muppet Show (especially the Harry Belafonte one).
posted by brookeb at 9:07 AM on May 25, 2019 [1 favorite]
Swallows and Amazons (This is a link to the 1974 version; there was a more recent adaptation but I haven't seen it)
The Railway Children
posted by girlpublisher at 9:19 AM on May 25, 2019
The Railway Children
posted by girlpublisher at 9:19 AM on May 25, 2019
Don’t know how easy it is to get, but my daughter loved That Darn Cat.
The Trouble with Angels is very good, but it’s set in a Catholic girl’s boarding school so may lead to religious discussions, so it depends on how you feel about that. Spoiler: one of the girls decides to become a nun at the end.
The musical 1776 is fun, but there’s some sexual innuendo.
There are many, many silly Disney movies from the 60s that I loved as a kid. Some that come to mind are The Absent-Minded Professor, Son of Flubber, The Reluctant Astronaut, The Ugly Dachsund, and The Love Bug. Search for movies with Dean Jones, Don Knotts, and Tommy Kirk.
posted by FencingGal at 9:41 AM on May 25, 2019 [3 favorites]
The Trouble with Angels is very good, but it’s set in a Catholic girl’s boarding school so may lead to religious discussions, so it depends on how you feel about that. Spoiler: one of the girls decides to become a nun at the end.
The musical 1776 is fun, but there’s some sexual innuendo.
There are many, many silly Disney movies from the 60s that I loved as a kid. Some that come to mind are The Absent-Minded Professor, Son of Flubber, The Reluctant Astronaut, The Ugly Dachsund, and The Love Bug. Search for movies with Dean Jones, Don Knotts, and Tommy Kirk.
posted by FencingGal at 9:41 AM on May 25, 2019 [3 favorites]
The Aristocats (1970, voiced by Eva Gabor) is great and not scary.
posted by msbubbaclees at 9:42 AM on May 25, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by msbubbaclees at 9:42 AM on May 25, 2019 [1 favorite]
may like the tv series Flipper or Gentle Ben
posted by cda at 9:53 AM on May 25, 2019 [2 favorites]
posted by cda at 9:53 AM on May 25, 2019 [2 favorites]
Charlotte's Web, maybe? There is a spider, but she is smart and gentle and rescues the pig.
posted by Too-Ticky at 10:03 AM on May 25, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by Too-Ticky at 10:03 AM on May 25, 2019 [1 favorite]
The dog Who Stopped the War, The Never Ending Story, Flight of The Navigator. Seconding looking for some classic TV shows too. There are some real cheeses but fun older series even on YouTube. My 8 year old loves some
I’d consider too campy to watch.
posted by Northbysomewhatcrazy at 10:30 AM on May 25, 2019 [1 favorite]
I’d consider too campy to watch.
posted by Northbysomewhatcrazy at 10:30 AM on May 25, 2019 [1 favorite]
From a similar era as Born Free, he might enjoy another movie about animals: Ring of Bright Water. That was a huge favorite of mine. I LOVED watching the otters, and the Scottish landscape of the film is beautiful.
posted by primate moon at 11:06 AM on May 25, 2019 [2 favorites]
posted by primate moon at 11:06 AM on May 25, 2019 [2 favorites]
The Princess Bride.
posted by RedEmma at 11:18 AM on May 25, 2019 [2 favorites]
posted by RedEmma at 11:18 AM on May 25, 2019 [2 favorites]
Hmm, thinking back to older stuff, he might like an old Disney movie Miracle of the White Stallions.
Also, The Point, which should be available online.
Finally, have you all see the movie/musical version of Newsies?
posted by gudrun at 12:55 PM on May 25, 2019 [1 favorite]
Also, The Point, which should be available online.
Finally, have you all see the movie/musical version of Newsies?
posted by gudrun at 12:55 PM on May 25, 2019 [1 favorite]
Seconding Disney's The Aristocats and adding Disney's animated The Jungle Book (1967). Also, Batman (1966). And "the old Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" is Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971).
posted by bryon at 1:12 PM on May 25, 2019 [2 favorites]
posted by bryon at 1:12 PM on May 25, 2019 [2 favorites]
Isn't the Aristocrats where you see one dog being led off to be put to sleep? I saw it as a kid in the 70s and still tear up about it.
posted by biggreenplant at 2:20 PM on May 25, 2019
posted by biggreenplant at 2:20 PM on May 25, 2019
Eight might be a tiny bit young--ten might be better--but the James Garner "Support" movies might be an option. Support Your Local Sheriff is the better of the two, but if he likes that, there's always Support Your Local Gunfighter. They are comedies where the main hero out thinks the bad guys more than out guns then (even though he can shoot). I can't remember the age when I first saw them, but I was definitely young. They've been a part of my movie history for almost as long as Disney movies have if that's any kind of guide.
posted by sardonyx at 3:02 PM on May 25, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by sardonyx at 3:02 PM on May 25, 2019 [1 favorite]
Just watched Paper Moon the other day, which was great. Takes place during the Great Depression, and featured a 10 year old kid.
Around that age, I really enjoyed The Journey of Natty Gann and Parent Trap.
posted by hydra77 at 4:04 PM on May 25, 2019 [1 favorite]
Around that age, I really enjoyed The Journey of Natty Gann and Parent Trap.
posted by hydra77 at 4:04 PM on May 25, 2019 [1 favorite]
The 2005 version of Lassie (Peter O Toole, Samantha Morton) is set in gritty 1930s Yorkshire and while it has the thrilling escape to get home for Christmas, there is a sad scene with Peter Dinklage that might be upsetting. I know I cried. The b/w Roddy McDowell (1943) version might be a safer bet.
posted by TWinbrook8 at 5:01 PM on May 25, 2019
posted by TWinbrook8 at 5:01 PM on May 25, 2019
Also, the Ernest movies! I’m not sure how they’ve aged, though.
posted by blnkfrnk at 5:47 PM on May 25, 2019
posted by blnkfrnk at 5:47 PM on May 25, 2019
the muppets take manhattan, the great muppet caper, muppet show episodes! and of course ... Fraggles!!!!!
posted by elgee at 7:12 PM on May 25, 2019 [4 favorites]
posted by elgee at 7:12 PM on May 25, 2019 [4 favorites]
biggreenplant, I don't recall such a scene in The Aristocats. The cats are drugged for a trip out into the country, but that's it.
posted by bryon at 8:51 PM on May 25, 2019
posted by bryon at 8:51 PM on May 25, 2019
I watched the first few Ernest movies with my daughter when she was 7-8 (and recently turned 9). She LOVED them and they were not too problematic. I won't be showing her Ernest Goes To Africa, which I can only imagine isn't great.
posted by look busy at 2:33 PM on May 28, 2019
posted by look busy at 2:33 PM on May 28, 2019
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posted by SaltySalticid at 6:50 AM on May 25, 2019 [1 favorite]