Schoolhouse Rock

Posted on June 28, 2008 at 8:00 am

Just after the Children’s Television Workshop realized that if children could memorize advertising jingles they could learn the alphabet and numbers and other important lessons through lively short films for PBS, a group of advertisers and educators got together to create “Schoolhouse Rock,” a series of fifty-two short films with irresistibly catchy songs about history, grammar, math, science, and economics shown on ABC in the 70’s and 80’s.

Schoolhouse Rock was discontinued because for technical reasons it did not count toward the network’s obligation for educational programming. But the films are delightful and the content is valuable. They are available today on DVD and YouTube. Here is one to help children understand why we celebrate Independence Day.

Families will also enjoy Schoolhouse Rock! Rocks with covers of “Schoolhouse Rock” songs by indie all-stars like Blind Melon, Moby, and Daniel Johnston.

Prince Edward Island and Anne of Green Gables

Posted on June 26, 2008 at 8:00 am

This week we are visiting Canada’s Prince Edward Island, well known to fans of classic children’s books as the home of Anne of Green Gables and the author who created her, L. M. (Lucy Maud) Montgomery. When I was in 6th and 7th grade I was a huge fan of the series about the red-headed orphan with a big imagination and an even bigger heart who held on so tightly to the “e” at the end of her name. I loved the way each book’s title indicated the widening of her physical and emotional world as she went from Green Gables, Avonlea, the Island. I also read some of Montgomery’s other books, including Tales of Avonlea and More Tales of Avonlea, which reflected more deeply Montgomery’s views on spirituality and sacrifice. And I believe that the miniseries is one of the finest book-to-movie adaptations ever put on film. Every detail and performance is everything Ms. Montgomery and Anne could have wished for. I am looking forward to touring Anne’s community with my family and if I take any good pictures, I’ll post them.

Project Gutenberg’s online version of Anne of Green Gables.

AFI Salutes Warren Beatty

Posted on June 25, 2008 at 8:00 am

The American Film Institute’s Lifetime Achievement Award ceremony for Warren Beatty will be broadcast tonight at 9 pm EST on the USA Network. Beatty’s notorious romantic life and political activism has sometimes distracted the media from his achievements as an actor, writer, and director. (Expect some jokes about his appearance in two of the biggest money-losers of all time, the not-as-horrible-as-its-reputation “Ishtar” and the even-worse-than-you-can-imagine Town and Country).

Watch him in the final scenes of his very first film, Splendor in the Grass, a pioneering exploration of sexuality and repression. Beatty and co-stars Natalie Wood and Zohra Lampert are heart wrenching as each must confront the compromises necessary for achieving maturity.

His most family-friendly performance is in Heaven Can Wait, the remake of Here Comes Mr. Jordan. It is the sweet romantic comedy about a football player whose soul is mistakenly taken up to heaven by an over-eager angel and who therefore must find a new body to complete his life journey.

Mature audiences should see the classic (but very violent) Bonnie and Clyde, 70’s thriller The Parallax View, and the historical epic about writer/communist activist Reds .

The Sword in the Stone

Posted on June 23, 2008 at 4:55 pm

A-

Lowest Recommended Age:	All Ages
MPAA Rating:	G
Profanity:	None
Alcohol/ Drugs:	None
Violence/ Scariness:	Cartoon violence
Diversity Issues:	Class issues
Date Released to Theaters:	1963
Date Released to DVD:	June 17, 2008
Amazon.com ASIN:	B0015XWU9U

Based on the book by T.H. White, this is the story of the early years of King Arthur. Nicknamed “Wart,” the future King Arthur is squire to a knight when he meets Merlin the magician, who promises to take on his education. Merlin turns him into a fish, a bird, and a squirrel to teach him lessons like the importance of brains over brawn. He gets to see this in action when Madame Mim, Merlin’s enemy, challenges Merlin to a duel by magic, and, though she cheats, Merlin is able to defeat her.

Wart still has his duties as a squire, and, having forgotten the sword for a jousting match, he runs to get it. He sees a sword stuck in a stone and pulls it out, not knowing the legend that whoever will pull the sword out of the stone will be the rightful king. He becomes King Arthur, and listens when Merlin reminds him that knowledge is the real power.

Discussion: The Arthur legend has fascinated people for centuries, and this story about Arthur’s childhood as special appeal for children. Aside from the fun of seeing what it is like to be a bird, a squirrel, or a fish, and from having your very own wizard as a teacher, there is the highly satisfying aspect of having one’s worth, unappreciated by everyone, affirmed so unequivocally.

Questions for Kids:

Â· What made Arthur the one who could pull the sword out of the stone?

Â· What did he learn from his adventures with Merlin?

Â· How will what he learned help him to be a good king?

Â· How did Madame Mim cheat?

Â· How did Merlin fight back when she did?

Connections: Older kids may like to see “Camelot,” the musical by Lerner and Lowe (of “My Fair Lady”), to find out some of what happened to Arthur later (WARNING: the focus of that movie is on Guinevere’s infidelity with Lancelot). Mature teenagers might like the rather gory “Excalibur,” which has some stunning images.

Movies about Values

Posted on June 19, 2008 at 7:46 am

Beliefnet has posted my gallery of movies that illustrate important values like integrity, courage, courtesy, learning, and peace.
Movies are our sagas, our myths, our touchstones, and our collective cultural heritage. They are also one way that we teach ourselves and our children about values. Of course, kids get their most important lessons from the behavior of their parents. But movies give us a chance to explain and expand on those lessons through a modern form of parables or Aesop’s Fables. And like parables, stories in movies have the advantage of distance–it can be easier for kids to talk to parents about what’s happening on screen than to talk about what’s going on inside them. Those discussions are a powerful way for families to connect and communicate. I’ve selected 10 terrific movies in which characters show qualities like responsibility, integrity, compassion, and courage. Each is popcorn-worthy entertainment for families to share and a great way to begin conversations about the way that our values affect our choices and their consequences.
Check out the movies on my list and let me know which movies your family thinks illustrates important values.