September 28, 2004
I got a wild hair the other day when some of the kids in my class didn't catch a movie reference I made. This happens all the time cause I'm old and they're young, but this time it didn't sit right. The reference was from "The Dark Crystal" which to me is a classic that everyone should see.
This movie was made by Jim Henson, and when it first came out, everyone thought it was just another muppet movie. Its more like what a muppet movie would be if it were peyote induced. I remember watching it and being sad and then scared and then just going 'wow.' The surreallity of the scene was compounded by the fact that I was watching it on a Beta player in one of those country craft stores.
It is definitely a nature-based, good-evil duality kind of movie, and it got a lot of backlash from the Christian community because of that. Very parallel to the Harry Potter thing of today.
Anyway, I got these kids to sit down and see how the movie had held up. At first it came across as a little dated. Its hard to watch actual puppets when we have gotten so used to CG characters. After a while, we got into it though, and started digging the clever use of those crazy things. Then one of the guys remarked about how all the stuff looked just like my drawings. It struck me that he was right, though I had not noticed it til then. It was like a buried memory, only more abstract. It was a very strange revelation to have.
I'm sure there have been other influences that have been as big or bigger in the type of stuff I turn out, but I would like to say thanks to Jim Henson and Brian Froud for making that movie. They saw things differently, and then showed it to everyone else.
That's the very essence of art.
That was a bizarre movie. Unlike my cousins, I was never really into the whole fantasy/fairy/elf scene. When we first moved to Vicksburg, we lived with Shannon and her family for a few weeks until my parents found a house. I remember, one night, Uncle John telling us some fantasy story like that. I've seen "The Dark Crystal" a time or two, but it isn't anything that made me go "Wow." Give me good, ol' science fiction any day. "Live long and prosper."
Posted by: Joey Wolfe at September 28, 2004 10:42 PMDad used to tell us the Tolkein stories before bedtime. It made for some crazy dreams as a kindergardener! I remember the first time I watched The Dark Crystal was at YOUR house Joey!! That and Bedknobs and Broomsticks, and Escape from Witch Mountain. Remember?
Posted by: Shannon at September 29, 2004 08:09 AMI do remember "Bedknobs and Broomsticks" and "Escape from Witch Mountain." Laura had a canopy bed but took down the canopy, and the finials from the canopy were put in the posts when the canopy wasn't in use. I remember imagining that Laura's bed could fly, as in "Bedknobs and Broomsticks," and that we would have to remove one of the finials (or bedknobs) to keep the bed from being used by anyone else.
I also remember pretending that our pool loungers were boats, but that's a different story...
Posted by: Joey Wolfe at September 29, 2004 12:56 PMWhile we are taking that trip down memory lane, the only thing I recall going on in the pool was a WHOLE lotta baptizing. Eric thinks that is so funny that we used to pretend baptize each other in that pool.
Posted by: Ashley at September 29, 2004 02:12 PMAshley, I thought of that as I was writing about the pool loungers. Do you remember how we used to all start walking in one direction to create a whirlpool? We couldn't go too fast, or we would collapse the pool!
"And now I baptize you, my sister, in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Buried with Christ in baptism, raised to walk in newness of life."
Posted by: Joey Wolfe at September 29, 2004 10:16 PMNow I can get in on this one! I loved making the whirlpools. That was the best part. And of course the baptism!
Posted by: Rhonda at September 30, 2004 08:16 AMAnd don't forget the "in and out bucket" as well. Should you forget to dip your feet in that bucket before getting in the pool (to get off the grass and whatnot), your butt was toast. Serious no-no.
Posted by: Shannon at September 30, 2004 08:30 AMAh, those were the days...
Posted by: Joey Wolfe at September 30, 2004 12:38 PMSo you all liked the dark crystal huh? Focus people!
Posted by: Patrick at September 30, 2004 02:47 PMlol... I loved it, Patrick... it's one of my all-time favorite classics, too...
and did anybody besides me just adore Fraggle Rock?
Posted by: Aunt Vickie at September 30, 2004 04:18 PM