watching 'Star Wars' with a 6 year old (1 Viewer)

[Aaron Reynolds]

Aaron, just great GREAT posts. I love stories like that, not just about how Star Wars can capture a child's imagination, but any film. Lovely thread.

Thanks! And just so you guys know I'm not just rotting his mind with Star Wars, he finally watched the tape of The Adventures of Robin Hood (the Errol Flynn one) that I gave to him for his birthday last year, and loved it. Now he's looking forward to more "swordfighting" movies, so I'm going to try to get him into The Sea Hawk, which I've loved ever since I was eight or so.

How old do you guys think kids need to be to see Raiders of the Lost Ark? I don't want to scare the willies out of him. I think I was nine or so when I saw it.

Lately I've been really excited about the films I loved when I was younger.

 

[Travis D]

Show that kid "Raiders" as soon as possible. I never remember the first time I saw Raiders, it has always just "been" there in my head. Indiana Jones needs to be engrained into that boy's head before it's too late to do otherwise.
Temple might be a little more than he is used too, but that was half the fun of it when I saw it.

 

[aldamon]

Hmmm, the final scene of Raiders was pretty scary for me in the movie theater, but I was four. You might want to wait until the year the new Indy movie comes out (2005??).

 

[Brian Bowles]

Sorry to start another Star Wars and son thread but I just had some things I have been wanting to say...... I felt a lot of people have already read that thread and would not go back to it. I just though it is a little different. I guess I should have posted in the other thread I just went brain dead. Sorry

I am 36 years old. I remember when Star Wars came out. My dad used to take me to the movies every Sunday. We lived in Dallas Texas and he would open up the paper and say, "What movie do you want to go to today?" Usually I would pick those Doug McClure (spelled wrong) movies. You know things like The Land that Time Forgot.... and others. We also went to see the Sinbad movies. I was ten years old and I thought they were cool. At one of these movies I remember seeing a preview for Star Wars. I remember being at the movie and turning to my dad with a glowing smile and saying, "I want to see that!” Well when Star Wars finally came out, my dad said, "That Star Wars movie is out you want to go see that today?” I was really excited. We went to the North Park Theater and to my horror the line looked long. As we got closer I noticed that it went all the way around the theater!!!! I thought for sure I would not get to see it that day. Somehow we got in. Back then the theaters were a lot larger. I guess it was showing in the largest theater or in more than one. I really do not know. I waited until the movie started before eating my buttered popcorn. During the movie I was mesmerized. I remember looking down at my watch at the part when Obi Won gives Luke his light saber. I did not want the movie to end. I remember leaving the movie and all I could think about was Star Wars. To me this is how I grade movies. Forget all the technical stuff. If I leave the theater and the movie is in my mind for a long time. Then it is a good movie. It is something I keep thinking about. Later I would go to see Star Wars several times again. Once my friend and I even sat through two showings.

I remember going to see The Empire Strikes Back. It made me crave more Star Wars at the end. Later Return of the Jedi added closure to a great story. I did not see those movies as much as the first but they were all great. To me the best were the first two.

Eventually Star Wars sank out of my mind. I did not think of it as much. I kind of thought it was over. I bought the movies when they came out on VHS. I watched them again and really enjoyed them. The Phantom Menace came out. I know a lot of you did not like the movie, but I am a Star Wars fan. I enjoyed it. Was it as good as the original three? No it was not, but it was a Star Wars movie. My son was two when it came out so he was too little for it. But when he turned four something happened. I turned on one of the Star Wars movies for him and he loved it. He watched the original three over and over. When the Phantom Menace came out on DVD he watched that too but not as much as the original three. Star Wars was in the my mind again. My son is five years old now and he is a Star Wars freak like me. He has about 15 of the 12" figures. I had to buy them on ebay and Brian's Toys because most are no longer available. He has several light sabers and we are making a metal one now. We even bought a Don Post Darth Vader helmet. It is made from the same mold as the original. My son waited with anticipation for the new Star Wars movie to come out. At five ones understanding of time is not that good. I would just tell him it was going to be after winter when it comes out..... Finally the day came and the whole family piled in the car to go see it. I teach school and we went on the opening day for the 4:30 show. We all had a really good time. Was it as good as the original? No it was not, but once again it was fun. The older movies seem so much simpler. They are not as busy as the new ones. Maybe it is just me but the original movies seem to be more exciting with less in them.

You know what was even more fun? Seeing the glow in my son's eyes as he waited for the movie to start and seeing his excitement during the movie reminded me of myself when I first saw Star Wars. He brought his light saber to the show and sat with it. I got him coke and buttered popcorn just like my dad had done for me. It brought back a lot of memories.

Shortly after we had seen the movie I decided to break out the original three again for viewing. I only have a 27" television just as I had several years ago when my son first watched these movies. Although this time things were different. I know have a home theater system. I have two SVS CS+ subs. The house rocks during the movie. Actually it probably sounds better than when I saw Star Wars for the first time. Home theaters with the sounds and bass re-create the theater atmosphere. This time I watched Star wars with the big sound and more importantly I watched it with my son, who is a Star Wars fan like me. Star Wars gives me goose bumps at the end while the Rebels are attacking the Death Star. The greatest part is when I hear Darth Vader say, "I'm on the leader!" and then to hear Ben say, "Use the force Luke, trust your feelings let go". When all hope is lost unrepentantly Hans Solo saves the day! We watched The Empire Strikes Back today. The long awaited duel between Darth Vader and Luke was just as exciting today as it was the first time. Hearing "Luke I am your father", is still great to hear. After all these years Star Wars is back in my head again. It has brought so much joy and happiness to me and my son. I look forward to introducing it to my other son who is only five weeks old. Maybe he will want to be a Jedi too.

 

[MichaelAW]

My favourite SW-related "adults acting like children" was when I saw TPM on opening day in '99. The theatre, of course, was full, and many were in costume. One guy was dressed as Darth Maul, featuring pretty well-done makeup and a double-bladed lightsaber.
As the theatre filled and the lights dimmed, before the trailers began, an usher walked down the aisles with one of those big red flashlights that look like the kid Jedi lightsabers in AOTC. As he walked toward the screen, the guy dressed as Darth Maul shouted out "Mine's bigger than yours!" Of course, the whole theatre erupted in laughter.
No 6 year olds in the story, sorry. Well, I guess I was, even though I was 26 at the time, I sure felt like I was 6 again.

 

[Eric F]

I mean, I watched the three films of the OT back-to-back at my bachelor party,

That quote pretty much stands alone. Lol.

 

[Aaron Reynolds]

That quote pretty much stands alone. Lol.

Heh, you ain't seen nuthin' yet -- here's a post describing the festivities:
http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htfo...060#post729060

 

[JeremySt]

My 7 year old brother had seen Ep 1, liked it, seen AOTC, loved it, and had never seen the OT. I have repsectable home theater, but decided for this special occasion, I'd bring my Definitive LDs and LD player down to my workplace, and treat him to Star Wars on a 134" screen, Runco DLP projector, and about 300k worth of audio. He now constantly reminds me, that it was the "coolest thing ever"

Now he tells me, he has never seen any of the Indian Jones.

 

[Christopher R]

Reading all these posts about seeing Star Wars for the first time is giving me goose bumps, bringing back lots of memories.
I was about 8 when the first one came out. I remember that admission for me was $.75, because when the movie was over, we went home, and I got three quarters from my piggy bank. I gave them to my Mom and told her I wanted to pay her back for the movie: it was just sooo cool that I thought it was only appropriate to pay for it myself.
Now I have a 9-month-old daughter. Definitely looking forward to the indoctrination process.
Chris

 

[Dome Vongvises]

Sorry to bust the nice party going here, but I wonder if there's ever going to be a "I hate Star Wars" thread going? To be honest, I'd like to see what those people have to say.

 

[Yee-Ming]

I was about 8 when the first one came out.

brings make memories, this. so was I, my dad brought the family to see it, together with my (then) best friend and his older brother, who had already seen it (but was obviously happy to get another round). I still remember to this day, his brother told me just as R5-D4 trundled forward with C-3PO to join Luke, "his head's going to blow off". although apart from that, he didn't drop any other spoilers.
as a sad epilogue, my friend's brother died a few years ago, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma IIRC, leaving a widow and infant son.

 

[Aaron Reynolds]

Now I have a 9-month-old daughter. Definitely looking forward to the indoctrination process.

Yeah! My wife and I are trying for our first right now. I'm sort of using Luka as a guinea pig for how I'll introduce my own kids.
I visited my parents house the other day and found my ratty, faded Empire Strikes Back beach towel! I remember insisting on using it and no other towel for ages.

 

[Aaron Reynolds]

I got him coke and buttered popcorn just like my dad had done for me. It brought back a lot of memories.

Brian, you've totally nailed what I was feeling, showing these films to someone who is the age I was when I first saw them. It's almost like reliving your own childhood. It has really rejuvinated my love of Star Wars.
Thanks for sharing such a fantastic story.
This thread rules!

 

[Dome Vongvises]

Dome, why not start that thread rather than injecting negativity into this one? Could I possibly convince you to delete your post?

Sheesh sorry. I was just trying to speculate what people who didn't like Star Wars would say. You always hear these magical stories about people falling in love with Star Wars, but you never hear about those "others" who simply turned their noses at the movies.

 

[Chet_F]

Great thread and even better.....the movies!!!
I brought my cousin to see TPM when is was in the theaters.....he fell asleep :frowning:. But fortunately he was hooked after AOTC. When I get the original three on DVD, I will have to have a showing for him.

 

[Scott Beaver]

My parents never let me forget what I said after seeing ANH for the first time at age 4:

That guy with the heater in his mouth is a baaaad man.

 

[Dome Vongvises]

That guy with the heater in his mouth is a baaaad man.

The oldest Star Wars memory I have is remembering being in front of a television with a Bespin playset and somebody popping in Star Wars in the VCR for me. Needless to say, I'm close to $1000 poorer because Star Wars. I wish I hadn't dropped Yoda's cane down the A/C shaft.
I hope that Aaron Reynolds guy is not mad at me.

 

[Yee-Ming]

Needless to say, I'm close to $1000 poorer because Star Wars.

ouch. same thing, I wonder just how much I've spent on the books and the comics -- my only indulgence BTW, I've never collected any of the toys or games. I have just about all the books and comics, although I don't bother with duplicates (to keep one set mint and all that).

 

[nousername]

Aaron Reynolds,
This is a great story! It just proves that Lucas has lost his touch and should have hired others to write the scripts and do the directing for TPM and AOTC.
I was about the perfect age (almost 11) when Star Wars first opened in 1977 (and no, the words "Episode IV: A New Hope" did not appear in the original opening crawl as many have insisted!) Like millions of others, I was blown away with the movie and the two sequels that followed it.
Until I read your story, I was of the opinion that today's young movie-goers have not embraced TPM and AOTC as young people did with the OT simply because they have become jaded by all the great special effects that are now available.
But it's clear by your post that it's the story that matters most, not all the fancy CGI effects. The OT had great stories and characters you could care about; the newer prequels do not. Even young children like Luka are able to detect that! And yes, like Sam Davatchi noted, I find this ironical because TPM and AOTC were supposed to be geared towards children.
I just hope Lucas can get his act together in time for Episode III. *Sigh*...

 

[MikeRS]

Allan Mack:
I care.
And from my experience........
I've seen at least 3 showings of AOTC during matinee hours (Tons of kids!), and they were MAD for the flick. Lifting their hands in the air, shaking with excitement when the Jedi came out with their lightsabres. Feeling sad/scared for Anakin when he infiltrated the tusken settlement to find his mother. Just about jumping for joy whenever Jango would aim his gun. And I can still hear them screaming for the heroes after the arena monsters were set loose. And did I mention the Clones! And the asteroid field! And Yoda! And dare I say it.....Jar Jar!
I think Lucas STILL has them.
I must say, experiencing these kids getting into the film brought warm feelings to my heart.