Ben recently went to see Charlotte's Web with his pre-school class. When I first heard that they were going to see the play. feelings of childhood angst came rushing back. The 1970's version of the movie was really my first introduction to loss. I talked to him before the show and tried to prepare him for the sad ending. "Mama, I'll stay happy even when it's sad." he bravely assured me. And after the show he was just fine. I guess it was just me projecting my memory of how the story made me feel.
I had seen the movie way back when and remember sobbing in the dark in the theater when Charlotte died. Not even hundreds of her baby spiders with optimistic cheery voices meant to assuage our grief could make me feel better. Besides that ....hundreds of baby spiders? ** Eeessh shudder **
(Wow - 1970's movie trailers were long...)
Charlotte wasn't my only indelibly sad childhood movie memory.
Can I say one word? Bambi.
My grandmother used to share how my dad teared up in the theater when it first came out. Well of course he did! Who didn't? I think the scene where the shadowy stoic cold and impersonal stag comes out and says. "Your mother can't be with you anymore." has been the cause of childhood trauma for generations now.
In fact, we were just watching the trailers before the Toy Story 3 dvd the other night and lo and behold Bambi is coming out on Blu-Ray. Now the next generation can be traumatized (in color restored high definition. )
Another movie worthy of mention that I just can never ever watch again -Old Yeller. Nuff said.Can't do it .
