TV, Movies, and There
Affect On our Lives
By
Thomas Brooke
Movies As Literature Student Writer
In the past few months, I have been struck by the amount of references my siblings and I make to the movies and TV shows we watched while growing up. It seems inconceivable to be with my family and not reference the Princess Bride, Monty Python, or The Simpson's. My family has been molded to a degree by these shows in their entertainment and their educational value as well as their practical value in our daily lives.
You may think it’s not creative to copy and insert someone else’s lines into your own family conversation but the creativity is found in the timing and the repetition. Even while thinking about my dad, who has been in Tampa for the past ten days, I felt connected to Inigo in the Princess Bride when his famous line flashed through my mind, “I want my father back you….” Well, you know the line. Although the Princess Bride is not a book based on sports, its thrilling fights, wit and escapes encompassed many hours of my family’s time. But perhaps more time was spent in quoting and reminiscing then in the actual watching of the film.
While these movies were entertaining to our family, they were very educational too. From Monty Python, we learned that some systems of government are favored above others.
“Listen strange women, lyin' in ponds distributin' swords is no basis for a system of government. Supreme executive power derives from a mandate from the masses, not from some farcical aquatic ceremony.”
We learned it was possible to free climb a rope up a sheer cliff, have that rope cut and still manage to hang on and complete the climb. You can be “some dead” but not “all dead” and miracles can be bought. While you may have been taught to revere the legend of the Knights of the Round Table, for choosing right rather than might, you should know that Camelot is a silly place.
But it’s not only about the educational and entertaining value, it also provided ideas for staple meals. One of my favorite family dinners is fried chicken, mashed potatoes, corn on the cob and salad. This is Bob’s dinner from What about Bob?. We know the whole conversation during the meal and after when Leo is saved by Bob’s quick reaction, and the family’s encouragement, “higher, with your knee more!” (He lives; you looked worried.)
As you can see there are a few movies and shows that have affected my family, from what we eat to our views on proper authority, to simple entertainment. So the question I pose to you is this: name three movies/TV shows that have affected you growing up and how they still affect you today?
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