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Would 60's & 70's Kids TV & Movies be popular today? (1 Viewer)

JamesSmith

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Dear Guys:


I've been doing research on "older" children's tv and films that came out in the 60's and 70's. Some of these ran under the ABC Afternoon Specials or NBC's Special Treats.


One of these was For the Love of Fred, a bittersweet tale involving the Ritts Family puppets about a caterpiller who's having trouble changing into a butterfly. Another one is "Papa and Me," about an Italian young boy, who's losing his beloved grandfather, who he shares a special relationship with.


Believe it or not, Joseph Mascolo, aka Stephano Dimeara from Days of Our Lives is in it.


Than there's the late sixties tv version of The Enormous Egg, that I have vague memories of.


What my question is, do you think today's modern kids audiences who are used to a more fast paced action adventure, heavily laced with humor, would care to warch these somewhat more slower paced, more straightward typies of shows? I don't know. I guess I'm just being somewhat similar. But when I watch certain networks: The Disney Channel, Nick at Nite, The Family Channel--they keep rerunning the same programming over and over again. It would be nice if they showed some older material with a bit more variety.



James
 

younger1968

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i don't think they would reach today's audience, because they relate to different time and era. Kids today like the iPhone, xbox, ps3, mp3, cell phone etc. The old shows touch a chord to what was happening at the time. The afterschool special were very good, because they focus on different issues of the day. This generation of kids are different in many aspects and they are less physically active, more techie savvy, etc. So, you would need to have shows that touch on things they relate too now.


I was born in 1968 and i have two neices: 1. 21 years old and 1 15 years old. Both of them are more interested in facebook, chatting, cell phone, etc. They are no interested in sports. In fact, the order one is more into beer pong, which is like game called caps that i played when i was her age. So, how do you reach this generation and that is by their cell phone, social networking sites, etc. They are not that interested in dated shows, because laugh at the clothes, hair styles, cars, etc. This is similar to how my generation view our parents. The only difference is that physical activity was instill in me and my friends.
 

Steve Tannehill

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There might be a sentimental reason for me to see some of the ABC After School Specials (I grew up watching them), but I doubt there would be much of an audience from today's children. They are too busy watching movies past their age range on cable/satellite TV.
 

derosa

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Originally Posted by younger1968

I was born in 1968 and i have two neices: 1. 21 years old and 1 15 years old. Both of them are more interested in facebook, chatting, cell phone, etc. They are no interested in sports. In fact, the order one is more into beer pong, which is like game called caps that i played when i was her age. So, how do you reach this generation and that is by their cell phone, social networking sites, etc. They are not that interested in dated shows, because laugh at the clothes, hair styles, cars, etc. This is similar to how my generation view our parents. The only difference is that physical activity was instill in me and my friends.
I was born in the same year. But think those girls are older then what they were aiming for with the 'after school special'.

I'd say 9-13 was the age range for most of those shows. Most of the "issues" of growing up have not changed,

according to my opinion. If anything, the social networking media have made some of them more apparent,

just look at the bullying issues in the news this school year.


Coming of age is a universal experience. It just seemed like they talked about it more

back in the 60's and 70's, now some of us expect more from our kids, but really, they don't

develop any differently physically, emotionally, and intellectually than they ever have.

Every generation wants to think of themselves are an original one, different than any that

came before. But in reality, not of lot of things change (except for the size of the cel phones)

and I think many kids could learn and relate to well done television from another time.
 

Tory

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Put it on for them and they will watch. Some may complain a little bit but in generally, I have found them receptive, particulary to older educational programming and comedy.
 

JamesSmith

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Bump!


Does anybody else have any comments? I have to say, maybe this isn't so much for the "young un's," but for ourselves, who originally saw the specials when we were kids.


I wish the Family Channel, and a few other cable systems would consider showing those shows. They keep showing the same ones over and over again. A bit more variety would be appreciated.


James
 

younger1968

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I think the old walt disney and after school special still have some value. The issues are similar today, like bullying, environmental, atheletics, crime, etc. So, you maybe able to show them in that light. However, i still think the kids now are growing up with different pressures and the computer/internet is ruling some of these households. The kids now generation are less active then what it was like back in 1960s/1970s/1980s. I was raised with a different set of values that kids today seem to have or understand.
 

DeWilson

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I think if the remade these - updated and dapted for today's kids but keeping the heart,soul and core of the original, they would do well.


Take "High School Musical" - who would have thought today's kids would latch onto a MUSICAL - a genre of film that has fallen by the wayside these last few years. A good story kids to relate to,a good script and music,and well cast.


So I think done the right way, those great Afternoon Specials could be adapted for the modern youth.
 

darkrock17

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Do cartoons count?


If they do then...


Rocky & Bullwinkle could work if it was related to events from the last decade.


The Perils of Penelope Pitstop, just because
 

JamesSmith

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I guess I was referring to programs that were more "rare" and not so well known as some cartoons as Rocky and Bullwinkle. Most of us are aware of the series, even if some weren't even born when the show was orignally telecast.


The shows I mentioned were only presented once, maybe twice, before being "lost" in some studio vaults. Maybe they wouldn't be so popular today as for the rest of us, who were around before VCR's, DVD players and only 3 networks.


A truly primative time.


Is part of its charm, nostaligia or real quality? That's what I was asking.


James
 

ThatDonGuy

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I know at least one After School Special would be out of place: "Rookie of the Year", starring Jodie Foster as a girl who plays on a Little League team back in the days when this was not allowed (and I mean "not allowed" as in "if a league was caught having any girls playing, that league lost its spot in the World Series tournament"). It has been at least 30 years since that ban was lifted (and I remember one TV program - an Emmy Awards, I think - where, while she didn't come right out and say it, Foster implied that her show had something to do with it), and kids would wonder what they were talking about when they said that girls couldn't play. ("Charlie Brown's All-Stars" has the same problem, although they could edit it to make it sound like the only problem was that Snoopy was on the team.)


A number of them, however would still work. Was "One Too Many" an After School Special?


-- Don
 

derosa

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Originally Posted by ThatDonGuy

I know at least one After School Special would be out of place: "Rookie of the Year", starring Jodie Foster as a girl who plays on a Little League team back in the days when this was not allowed (and I mean "not allowed" as in "if a league was caught having any girls playing, that league lost its spot in the World Series tournament"). It has been at least 30 years since that ban was lifted (and I remember one TV program - an Emmy Awards, I think - where, while she didn't come right out and say it, Foster implied that her show had something to do with it), and kids would wonder what they were talking about when they said that girls couldn't play.

-- Don

I'm not sure why you think it would be "out of place" for kids to learn about a time that once girls were not allowed to play on Little League teams.

Sounds like a great thing for kids to see.
 

Tory

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Originally Posted by derosa




I'm not sure why you think it would be "out of place" for kids to learn about a time that once girls were not allowed to play on Little League teams.

Sounds like a great thing for kids to see.

Agreed, it is important to remember where we came from and it was well portrayed and can still have some relevance, there some boys that still have sexist attitudes toward girls though it should be noted that there are plenty of girls that have sexist attitudes toward boys and assume an heir of superiority. This is an issue that should have been dealt with then and should be dealt with in any new media.


Regardless of this, some boys could probably identify with our heroine as well as the exclusion, while based on gender here, can apply to a different sort and the idea of cliques.


If you showed this to some age appropriate girls interested in sports they would like it and may likely be more encouraged to try to play in one of those leagues.
 

younger1968

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If you look at the list then you will see issues that are relevant today, like divorce, bullying, dealing with different people, challenges faced by kids, I would agree that many of these issues are still relevant today.



1. The divorce rate is very high, so kids are more likely to be separated from their parents now. In 1970s/1980s divorce rarely happen to extent it does now


2. Bullying has not change, except how it happens now, like cyber bullying


3. Competitive aspect of sports has not changed either, especially the will to win and/or become a professional


4. Cultural integration - This another area that is becoming bigger and bigger, especially around cultural diversity


5. Attraction to opposite sex - Kids still to this day are always looking at ways to impress the opposite sex.



So, i think there is an opportunity to look at these classic and maybe re-introduce them to this generation of kids. The old saying is that those deem to forget history are then deemed to repeat it!! Life has its challenges and shows like this show kids that anything is possible and that is one of the message that these shows would still related to kids of today.




 

JamesSmith

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Going back to this old topic, because I find myself still wishing The Enormous Egg and a few other specials would show up on DVD, do any of you wish that ABC's Family Channel would should some of these rather than the current blech? Ah. . . . nostalgia, things of the past are great until you actually see them. James
 

Ethan Riley

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younger1968 said:
i don't think they would reach today's audience, because they relate to different time and era. Kids today like the iPhone, xbox, ps3, mp3, cell phone etc. The old shows touch a chord to what was happening at the time. The afterschool special were very good, because they focus on different issues of the day. This generation of kids are different in many aspects and they are less physically active, more techie savvy, etc. So, you would need to have shows that touch on things they relate too now.


I was born in 1968 and i have two neices: 1. 21 years old and 1 15 years old. Both of them are more interested in facebook, chatting, cell phone, etc. They are no interested in sports. In fact, the order one is more into beer pong, which is like game called caps that i played when i was her age. So, how do you reach this generation and that is by their cell phone, social networking sites, etc. They are not that interested in dated shows, because laugh at the clothes, hair styles, cars, etc. This is similar to how my generation view our parents. The only difference is that physical activity was instill in me and my friends.
Are you sure? The kids I see outside today dress and wear their hair exactly the way we kids did in the 70s!
 

smithb

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My daughters are only 4 and 8 so we will see what happens when they get older, but right now we enjoy watching shows together before bed time, such as: Lassie, Fury, Black Beauty, Dennis the Menace, Flipper, and Father Murphy to name a few. Other than that the only TV channel they watch is Nick Jr. (previously Noggin).
 

valerielouise

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Yes I wish many of the after school specials would come back. I had to write because one show you mentioned has stayed with me all these years........I was ten and watching saturday cartoons and around one in the afternoon a little show came on about a catterpiller named Fred. I only watched it once but it left me feeling a few emotions that never left me. I can recall that he had no memory of the people who helped him become a beautiful butterfly. He was sick while going through the change and it was sad. He needed help and they played that song, what the world needs now is Love sweet Love.. I must say it really shook me up! Most cartoons on now don't have that impact. I always looked for the show so I could of let my daughter watch it but never got to see it or find it again. It was well written and gets the point about life across in a beautiful way. I wanted Fred to remember those that helped him but when he became the butterfly he was new and started fresh. I guess at ten it is harder to understand those things. Has it only been me or are there others who found the show to be hauntingly beautiful . I wonder if I at my age now would feel as I did when I was so young and unblemished? Why do things get shelved that really would be great to see when there is so much crap on TV? Great subject and thanks for the memories. Sincerely Yours Valerie Vierra Rhode Island.
 

dhammer

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My children enjoyed watching certain older movies and tv shows. I have always been curious what interest them or turns them off about old shows/movies. I think one of the problems is that over time, shows have become faster, louder, more sexual and violent. It is almost like a drug. People get used to certain things and need a continuing bigger fix to be satisfied. They need cartoons to be faster and action shows to be more violent. Children today have less capacity to tolerate story development. And forget black and white. Approximately 80% of what I watch is retro television. I have an enormous library of shows, cartoons, movies mainly from the 60's and 70's. I can't tolerate many new shows. I find them immoral and obnoxious, with few exceptions. Plus, I am tired of modern shows and movies being a mere disguise to conceal a message or an agenda.
 

JamesSmith

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Thanks DHammer. I have been thinking that many kids/childrent today want their entertainment faster paced, with quicker editing, faster action, and such. I sort of appreciate the days when films/tv had more structure. They had an intro, a set-up, a slow build up to the action or plot and such. In the past twenty years, everything has become faster, faster, and I think there has become a loss of patience with this. James
 

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