Monday, August 26, 2013

EEK --THOSE MONSTER FILMS



Visions for kids who will grow up to be the vision creators for your kids' kids, and their children.

Have you seen Up, Toy Story 2, Toy Story 3, Monsters Inc., Tangled, The Incredibles,  Chicken Little, Ice Age 1, 2, 3, Shrek2 & 3 & 4? Or  Finding Nemo, Cars & Cars 2, Horton Hears a Who, Despicable  Me, How to Train Your Dragon? What about The Ant Bully, Antz, Meet the Robinsons, Bee  Movie? Surely you've  seen Kung Fu Panda, Madagascar  and ... on, on and on goes the list.

I wrote about Shrek. He reminds me of nasal sprays -- the repulsive congregation of Mucinex cold germs ho-ho-ing, cavorting, proudly beating their chests,

Just the other day I blinked, gulped, laughed, and cringed at the fabulously awful monsters in "Monsters University." I know kids and their parents love them -- parents are probably proud of their kid's delight in most of the ugly e jokes -- it shows that their offspring are smart, sharp and very possibly on their way to being winners when they get out in the world and take over running the country.

Oh no!  Oh yes -- these kids will go on to become another generation of artists like the brilliantly creative artists who create blockbuster films for Pixar, Disney, and DreamWorks. And the kids will become even more expert with toilet humor, farts, curses, crude "up yours," and down-playing, of tenderness, love, respect kindness, innocence... and, and ...

I can't help remember Olive Beaupre Miller's books,  that my oldest sister had in her attic room.



Six precious books ...

I could only "read"  on special occasions when my sister was present, making sure I wasn't going to  wrinkle or dog-ear any pages. 

The pages, and pages of illustrations  filled my mind ... still fill my mind -- kings, queens. princesses, beggars, witches, goblins, animals, bats, birds, lions, forests, mountains, skies, castles, so many wondrous visions ...

Oh sure, I looked at comics  -- liked the "Dragon Lady," "Smiling Jack," and "Little Orphan Annie," but when I draw, or write, in my mind I see those illustrations ... that castle.

I climbed, and climb and search, and keep finding more marvelous doors and windows in that castle ...

Hey some of the things in those super popular, nifty-jazzy Disney, Pixar, DreamWorks flicks are incredibly fantastic, truly funny, mind boggling,  amazing.

After you take a look and fall in love with this hippy-dippy furball monster, please -- please find a way to  show the kids the castle.

4 comments:

Stan said...

I love the animation and technology used to make these movies but I'm old fashion I guess. I like to see real tears, real emotions from the human face. These animated movie are loved by kids and some adults I know, but there's nothing more intriguing than the expressions on the human face.

Carola said...

Oh yes, those My Bookhouse books were incredible. I still remember some of the illustrations. Do you remember the picture of the giant Aga stove that appeared in one of the Scandinavian (or German) stories.

Anonymous said...

I enjoy these monster kid movies. I have seen some of them and they are cute and clever. I think they are a positive point for this generation and are so much better than the violent films. Thanks for sharing and making me smile. kam

Unknown said...

I ("Pawpawdude") took my 5 1/2 ( oh lordy, don't EVER forget the "1/2'!) to the last Monsters and much of it was WAY over her head. I think my "Sweet Pea" is reasonably advanced in her thinking, as most grandparents do of their grandchildren. But,much of the punch of the "moral of the story" was not easily grasped. I too question if much/some/all of the wondrous "free imagining" and "free thinking" IS lost within all the dazzle of truly grandiose imagineering? "Imagineering"- there's an interesting word/concept for you Em.