As an avid film lover‚ but less moviegoer lately, due to the minimization of leisure time‚ I cannot help but acknowledge that it’s a kind of bequest that stems straight from my childhood. My parents themselves were particularly fond of the big screen, so they willingly enriched our out-of-school curriculum with some exciting and entertaining choices during the weekends.
The first and most memorable movie experience ever was watching the film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, by Steven Spielberg (1982). My sister and I were deeply touched by the benevolent alien’s wanderings on planet Earth. Of course the progressive visual effects had a lot to do with it. What followed this marvelous cinematic experience was a little tragedy back home in the next days and weeks, since I was so overwhelmed by Spielberg’s vision that every time I opened the closet I did expect to find E.T. waving back at me. And of course in every trivial disagreement with my mother, she had to read between the screenplay lines and understand why: Grown-ups can’t see him. Only little kids can see him!
The next landmark that shook my cinema world was the film The Bear (1988), by Jean-Jacques Annaud. I must say that the scenes including animal violence were horrifying for the childish soul and I was particularly relieved to read the conclusive note that no animals were harmed in the making of the film. Let’s face it, as a grown up how comforting can that statement be after the fact?
The best family present ever was a video player from my uncle that fulfilled all this movie craziness. My parents selected video tapes for us to watch and then came the film weekends indoors that I will never forget. Many hours of spectacle and excitement, beautiful times, and memories that led to a genuine appeal for the motion picture world.
So thanks, Mum and Dad, I owe you (big time!) for every single thrill of the big screen….
-Magda Repouskou
Junior Girl
Girl Museum Inc.