In the spirit of Danny Peary’s recent appearance with Dan Fisher on the podcast “Let’s Talk Ten,” I’ll share my own “top ten” childhood favorite movies, and then a list of runners-up.

First I’ll note — my age will show here! I was born in 1974, and all of the titles I list below were watched before I turned 12. As I was crafting this post, I was reflecting on how much movie watching has changed over the decades since Peary was born in 1949. Differences are evident even in his conversation with Fisher, which led me to think about how tastes will continue to evolve as we head into the future.

The movies I list below as childhood favorites were viewed in a combination of: a) going out to see them in the theater, either in original release or revival (back when this was much more common); or b) watching them on T.V. during special annual airings. Video tapes and cable TV (i.e., TBS, TNT, and the AMC channel) weren’t part of my earliest childhood, though as soon as those became commonplace, my viewing habits changed dramatically. (These changes in the 1980s also directly spurred Peary’s interest in writing GFTFF.)

Thankfully, we’re now in yet another new and exciting era for classic film, with many titles available as beautifully remastered Blu-Rays (often with interesting commentary tracks), and/or streaming through various online sources. I’ve noted numerous times on my blog over the past few years that this is actually a golden age for film fanatics, given that it’s easier than ever to find nearly every title you may want to watch, all from the practical comfort of your home.

But with even more overall viewing content available than ever, will people choose classic movies? If so, why — and what can we (classic movie lovers) do to help encourage this?

All of these thoughts were in my mind as I prepared my notes for the following list. Here, in chronological order, here are my “top ten childhood classic movies” — that is, movies which were formative to me as a kid as I was just beginning to discover my love of film.

[Note: I’m trying to trouble-shoot a bug within WordPress which is turning most images into Large, regardless of whether I’m inserting them as Thumbnails or Medium-sized images. Sorry about this. It will take a while to figure out how to fix this, so I decided just to publish my post anyway. You will be faced with LARGE versions of most of the posters below!]

The Wizard of Oz (1939)
The OG childhood classic! Yes, the flying monkeys were scary — and Margaret Hamilton will never not be evil personified in my eyes. This fantasy epic led to my lifelong love of Judy Garland, who was my “gateway actress” into the classics — I watched any and all of her other movies whenever they would show up on television, with the top two I remember being Easter Parade (1948) (naturally, it would air on or near Easter) and The Harvey Girls (1946). I kept a scrapbook of Judy Garland photos, movie stills, and articles, and had posters up in my bedroom. I played Dorothy in my Girl Scout troop’s staged rendition of the play, and dressed as Hollywood’s version of her for Halloween. Thankfully, this film retains its status as one of the most beloved cinema classics — a rare gem which remains enjoyable for children and adults equally.

Pinocchio (1940)
Pinocchio is the first movie I remember going out to see in the theater (with my Mom), which makes sense since it was theatrically re-released in 1978 when I was four. Everything about the experience felt — appropriately — big! I was terrified seeing Pinocchio so easily led astray, boys being turned into donkeys on Pleasure Island, and Geppetto swallowed up by Monstro the whale. [As a side note, I could easily include many other classic Disney animated features on this list, since I’m pretty sure I went to see each of them as they were re-released in theaters: One Hundred and One Dalmations (1961) and Sleeping Beauty (1959) were both re-screened in 1979, Lady and the Tramp (1955) in 1980, Cinderella (1950) in 1981, Bambi (1942) and Peter Pan (1953) in 1982, and Snow White (1937) in 1983.]

The Parent Trap (1961)
Like so many others my age, I was obsessed with this film (and story) as a child! I’ve shared my thoughts on its charm in my review, where I noted that it portrays “the universally appealing notion that we may have an identical doppelganger out in the world, someone we know nothing about, but who we may run into by chance, and who will quickly become our closest confidante and companion.” As a child, I watched The Parent Trap every time it came on television, and thanks to “fantastic double-exposure special effects,” I distinctly remember not knowing Mills didn’t have an identical twin for quite a while.

The Sound of Music (1965)
Like The Wizard of Oz (1939), this musical classic was a must-see annual favorite in our household on television — though for many years I couldn’t stay up long enough to watch the second lengthy half. The songs, sets, costumes, and storyline all still hold tremendous nostalgia — and I’m not alone in this sentiment; the FB fan group has 2.4 million followers. Julie Andrews herself remains a beloved icon; as with Judy Garland, I tried watching as many of her other films as I could. Recently, I enjoyed listening to her narrating both her memoirs: Home: A Memoir of My Early Years (2008) and Home Work: A Memoir of My Hollywood Years (2019).

Fiddler on the Roof (1971)
This Oscar-winning musical was another annual TV-viewing tradition. The songs were infectious, and the storyline universal: all children can relate to worries associated with launching from their homes, and potentially bucking parental (and societal) traditions. As I wrote in my review, I happen to have a personal history with this musical extending beyond its initial childhood stamp: back in 1999 “I was the pianist for a local community theater kids’ production of [this play]… and thus got to know each and every one of the songs (and most of the dialogue) quite intimately.” I’m not surprised a remake is in the works.

Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971)
Pah to the remake with Johnny Depp! This OG adaptation of Roald Dahl’s children’s classic is the one to watch. The songs, sets, and storyline are all oh-so-memorable — though, as I wrote in my review, “I remember finding the film rather nightmarish as a child, given the frightening fates met by the naughty children.” It took me many years to accept Gene Wilder as anyone other than a creepy, wide-eyed, unpredictable, colorfully-dressed candy-man and miracle-maker ready to dispense hideous punishment to misbehaving children with a sweet tooth (meaning — all of us).

Murder by Death (1976)
One day I’ll have to ask Peary why he didn’t include this cult classic in his book, given how many people (including me) watched it again and again on endless TV re-airings (and it was a big hit upon its theatrical release). Most importantly, it introduced me to cinematic greats like Alec Guinness, Peter Falk, Maggie Smith, David Niven, Elsa Lanchester, and Peter Sellers, and piqued my interest in “old dark house” murder mysteries. Plus, it’s a complete hoot: this paeon to cinematic classics is anything but stodgy and dry!

Annie (1982)
This is one of the first movies I remember being excited to go see in the theater, and can actually remember the full experience of (rather than just the film itself and my impressions). Something about rags-to-riches stories hold eternal appeal, and Annie is no exception. Carol Burnett’s performance as the creepily boozy Ms. Hannigan seared my brain: as the person meant to care for Annie (yet who oh-so-clearly didn’t), she represented a child’s worst nightmares of deceptive maternal abandonment. A bit of trivia: I obsessively learned to play several of the key songs on the piano, and was later hired as the pianist for the (spectacularly unmemorable) sequel “Annie Warbucks” when it was staged by the San Diego Junior Theatre in 2000.

Back to the Future (1985)
I was 11 years old when this sci-fi/fantasy classic was released, and thus was squarely in its target demographic. Michael J. Fox was already a childhood icon from his role as Alex P. Keaton in “Family Ties” (1982-1989), adding to his overall appeal. Peary’s review of this film in GFTFF shows clear generational gaps: he wished the film’s storyline had stayed back in the 1950s to watch the evolution of rock ‘n roll, while I was relieved to see Marty McFly return to my familiar home turf of the 1980s (at least for a while).

The Breakfast Club (1985)
Molly Ringwald was another icon of the 1980s; all her films with director John Hughes likely hold a special spot in the memories of my generation. This particular movie — thanks in part to its unforgettable theme song, Simple Minds’ “Don’t You (Forget About Me)”, and in part to featuring The Brat Pack — has only grown in popularity since its release, and maintains a solid cult fan base. What’s not to love about a ragtag group of misfits coming together and bonding unexpectedly? I’ve seen it countless times.

The Goonies (1985)
This action-adventure film hasn’t held up particularly well, but was indisputably a favorite for many kids my age (again: what’s not to love about a ragtag group of misfits coming together and bonding unexpectedly?). As I wrote in my review, “What kid among us wouldn’t wish to make new friends and go searching for buried treasure behind their house? How could creepy villains, booby-trapped caves, and the possibility of endless gold coins fail to excite?” I distinctly remember going to see this on the weekend with my fifth grade teacher and a few schoolmates as a prize for good behavior, thus adding to its special spot in my memory. I also remember getting meta in my reflection on the original movie poster, which showed a “scene” NOT directly from the movie itself; my 11-year-old self wondered why this choice had been made.

So, those are my top ten choices for childhood classics! But, here are some more runners-up:

• Mary Poppins (1964)

– This enduring Julie Andrews favorite — though not held nearly as high in estimation as The Sound of Music — was magical simply by dint of bringing a classic children’s novel to light, turning its stern and often cross protagonist into a no-nonsense force of light and beauty. I wanted a nanny like Julie Andrews, and I loved the song “Chim Chim Cher-ee.”

• Carrie (1976)

– I debated whether to include this title or not, given that I never actually watched it as a child — but accidentally catching a glimpse of it on television one night (as Carrie’s mother stands in the hallway waiting for her) led to a years-long fear of closets and abhorrence of all things horror-movie-related. I eventually got over this (thanks in large part to GFTFF) and can now see Carrie for the classic it is — but it played an outsized role in my cinematic childhood as a negative case example of what I DIDN’T want to be watching.

• Freaky Friday (1976)

– Like The Parent Trap, this similarly mind-bending scenario — of a mother and teenage daughter swapping bodies for a day — was utterly appealing and intriguing to young me. Jodie Foster and Barbara Harris brought the original novel’s protagonists to vivid and unforgettable life, and I remember being eager to see both these actresses in other films later — hence fueling my film fanaticism through another easy “gateway” movie.

• The Black Stallion (1979)

– As I watched this beautiful boy-and-his-animal film in the theater, everything about it felt larger-than-life — starting with the rollicking storms on the ship, and leading to gorgeous scenes of wild equine beauty on beaches. It, too, was an adaptation of a novel, which was always a hook for me; I read approximately a book a day as a kid, and seeing the film versions was an added bonus.

• The Muppet Movie (1979)

– What’s not to love about the Muppets? I remember it being authentically exciting to see these TV-sized characters on the big screen: I feared for Kermit’s life as his legs were being contemplated for dinner (beloved Kermie!), and adored seeing him bicycling around, unconstrained by the strictures of a television set.

• E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial (1982)

– While I’m no longer a fan of this Spielberg classic, it sure was impactful as a kid; I was clearly a target demographic. I remember heading to Universal Studios later that year and being incredibly excited to purchase Reese’s Pieces.

• A Christmas Story (1983)

– I went with my friend and her family to see this now-cult-favorite when it was first released, and I was instantly enamored; I related to the flashback nature of the tale given that I was nostalgic about holidays even as a kid (which perhaps plays a part in my love for classic movies, come to think of it — I’m an old soul and always have been).

• Testament (1983)

– This apocalyptic movie was originally produced for the PBS series American Playhouse before securing a theatrical release, but did later air on television, which is how I saw it — and boy, did it have an impact. It was deadly serious, and all of us were (appropriately) freaked out.

• Zelig (1983)

– This Woody Allen film was one of the first movies we rented once we had a VCR (we watched it several times – what a novelty!), and it holds special memory as my gateway into Allen’s oeuvre. It’s particularly relevant as a meta-film-fanatic movie given its seamless weaving of cinematic “reality” throughout Zelig’s travails.

• Amadeus (1984)

– I loved classical music as a child (I was a pianist), and remember being super excited that a film was coming out about Mozart. While I was annoyed by his childishness as portrayed by Tom Hulce (stupid boys with their poop and fart jokes!), I got caught up in the tense drama of his rivalry with Salieri, and his premature death.

• The Karate Kid (1984)

– This cult classic has endured for many more viewers than just me — as evidenced by recent iterations and spin-offs continuing to crop up. “Wax on, wax off” seemed like such simple advice. We all wanted sweet, handsome young Maccio to succeed against his bully, and we wondered how Mr. Miyagi could work his magic capturing a fly with chopsticks.

• Superman (1984)

– I was literally swept away by this superhero flick, which prompted a lifelong crush on Christopher Reeve (and devastation when his accident and subsequent death occurred). I didn’t think of myself at the time as someone who liked action-adventure flicks, so I was pleasantly surprised to get so caught up in it. The sequel — opening with the return of three baddies — had me seriously spooked.

• Desperately Seeking Susan (1985)

– Madonna was all the craze when I was a child, so seeing her in a movie was formative – plus, Rosanna Arquette grew up in the same spiritual group as me, so she felt like extended family. Everything about this film made 11-year-old-me reflect on the “coolness” (yeah, right) to come in adolescence.

• Pee Wee’s Big Adventure (1985)

– Ah, Pee Wee. We watched this in my 6th grade classroom and I remember being blown away by his larger than life adventures being allowed in our stuffy class. A rewatch years later showed me the enduring brilliance of Paul Reubens’ vision.

So… Those are just a few additional childhood-era movies which stand out as formative and/or especially memorable.

I actually had a mixed relationship with movies as a child, given that I was taken by a neighbor to an extreme Baptist church each Sunday which forbade movie-going (in theaters) as sinful — this would represent giving money to Satan himself; however, my mom didn’t care, so I was continously negotiating with myself about what was appropriate (or not) to engage with. Once I let go of this particular facet of my religious upbringing, I was finally liberated to indulge in the art form I’d been enjoying more hesitantly until then. Pretty quickly, I became a full-blown film fanatic.

To that end, another entire list could be made of formative films during my earliest years as a teenage film fanatic — some of which I still appreciate, and others of which no longer resonate; however, I’ll save that for another post. I’ll also share in a different post about the variety of classic television shows I watched regularly as a child, which I’m sure had a deep impact on my love for classic films.

Until then — happy nostalgic vibes as you reflect on your own personal childhood movie favorites! How did they impact you? Do you still enjoy them now?