Author Topic: Childhood nostalgia - Narnia and cartoons  (Read 6339 times)

Unblinking

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on: January 26, 2012, 02:28:36 PM
I'm now introducing my 7-year-old son to the Narnia Chronicles, which was my first real foray into fantasy. Listening to it again, there's so much stuff that I'm questioning and having a hard time with (A Horse and His Boy--really? All brown skinned folk are savages? Reeeeeeally?!). But for my boy, he is absolutely charmed and delighted and wants to hear more. I miss having that wonder sometimes.

Good stuff!  That was my first fantasy books, I think.  The Voyage of the Dawn Treader is by far my favorite (I was glad the movie franchise at least made it that far).  Prince Caspian my least favorite (the magical stuff is gone for too much of the story).

It certainly has its flaws.  But I like that it is at least upfront in the series about the overarching message, unlike His Dark Materials.



Gamercow

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Reply #1 on: January 26, 2012, 04:15:45 PM
I miss having that wonder sometimes.

::looks under her desk to see if there's a magic portal. Nope. Sigh.::

I had the same reaction when I went back and re-read the Narnia books.  I loved them as a kid, but now I'm very put off by them.  Childhood innocence truly can never be regained. 

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Reply #2 on: January 26, 2012, 05:20:42 PM
I miss having that wonder sometimes.

::looks under her desk to see if there's a magic portal. Nope. Sigh.::

I had the same reaction when I went back and re-read the Narnia books.  I loved them as a kid, but now I'm very put off by them.  Childhood innocence truly can never be regained. 

Re-watching childhood cartoons is even worse.  I've looked up old episodes of TMNT or Transformers, and they are really painful.



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Reply #3 on: January 26, 2012, 05:39:55 PM
I miss having that wonder sometimes.

::looks under her desk to see if there's a magic portal. Nope. Sigh.::

I had the same reaction when I went back and re-read the Narnia books.  I loved them as a kid, but now I'm very put off by them.  Childhood innocence truly can never be regained. 

Re-watching childhood cartoons is even worse.  I've looked up old episodes of TMNT or Transformers, and they are really painful.

I've been waiting to rewatch the Littles for years. YEARS. They finally had it on Netflix streaming and I could only tolerate two episodes. WHAT'S WRONG WITH ME?!?!

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Reply #4 on: January 27, 2012, 02:48:18 PM
I've been waiting to rewatch the Littles for years. YEARS. They finally had it on Netflix streaming and I could only tolerate two episodes. WHAT'S WRONG WITH ME?!?!

I hear you!  I haven't tried to rewatch the Littles, but I'm sure your reaction is pretty typical.

Before I looked up those old cartoons on YouTube, I had been ranting and raving for years about how much modern cartoons sucked compared to the cartoons of 20 years before (This was usually on Saturday morning, before the networks starting phasing those out)  After rewatching some old episodes, I had to consider the possibility that modern cartoons suck exactly as much as 80s cartoons, but I'm the only part of the equation that's changed.

There are still some good cartoons, though.  I've watched much Phineas and Ferb in the last couple years, and I still like that show.



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Reply #5 on: January 27, 2012, 03:54:58 PM
Also Avatar: The Last Airbender. 

I bought a set of Darkwing Duck a while back, and it and the Real Ghostbusters weren't particularly bad.  Not for adults, by any stretch, but they held up reasonably well.



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Reply #6 on: January 27, 2012, 04:21:50 PM
Ah, Darkwing Duck. And Duck Tails. I loved both of those. I'd kind of be curious to also check out the other Ghostbusters cartoon that came out right around when the Real Ghostbusters did. I remember enjoying it too.

I'm guessing Animaniacs still holds up? Pinky and the Brain and Goodfeathers...yeesh. I loved those in high school. Should try and check them out sometime.


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Reply #7 on: January 27, 2012, 05:16:43 PM
For me it was Speed Racer. I think I literally gagged.

And Star Trek: The Animated Series was less spectacular than I recall as well...



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Reply #8 on: January 27, 2012, 05:22:37 PM
I still like Duck Tales reasonably well, and Rescue Rangers.  I think that I'd still like Darkwing Duck too, but I haven't looked up any episodes to try that theory.

I guess my feelings aren't restricted to the cartoons.  I got a box set of season 1 of 3rd Rock From the Sun, and I found it really dull.  Same for Newsradio.  Maybe it's just because I'd already seen all the later episodes and so the character sets they were just trying to create in season 1 were already full established in my brain and so the introductory phase seemed boring?  Or maybe I just don't like older sitcoms?  Not sure.  As opposed to, say, Malcolm in the Middle, which is still funny to me.

Maybe it's just differences in the stages of TV show development.  It seemed like in the 80s, every sitcom had catchphrases which were absolutely vital to enjoying the show.  "Did Steve Urkel just say "Did I do that?" after predictably breaking something with his clumsiness?  Ha!  It is to laugh!"  I liked Family Matters when I was a kid, but looking back I don't understand why my younger self enjoyed it.  I guess it was kind of like a game, waiting for the inevitable to come, it's all about the anticipation and fulfillment of that anticipation, I guess...
« Last Edit: January 27, 2012, 05:26:48 PM by Unblinking »



kibitzer

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Reply #9 on: January 28, 2012, 06:03:17 AM
I had the same reaction when I went back and re-read the Narnia books.  I loved them as a kid, but now I'm very put off by them.  Childhood innocence truly can never be regained. 

Aww, man. I still love the Narnia chronicles. Sure, the first thrill of discovery is gone but I love the images, themes, characters. Still awesome stuff for me.


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Reply #10 on: January 28, 2012, 06:04:42 AM
I will never, ever tire of Loony Tunes -- Bugs, Daffy, Porky and the whole crew.


eytanz

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Reply #11 on: January 28, 2012, 09:43:39 AM
I had the same reaction when I went back and re-read the Narnia books.  I loved them as a kid, but now I'm very put off by them.  Childhood innocence truly can never be regained. 

Aww, man. I still love the Narnia chronicles. Sure, the first thrill of discovery is gone but I love the images, themes, characters. Still awesome stuff for me.

I can still very much appreciate the images and some of the characters. But the themes? I can't see how it's possible to read those books with a critical eye and not be repulsed.



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Reply #12 on: January 28, 2012, 10:52:29 AM
Say, instead, some of the themes.  Loyalty, charity, responsibility, etc. are also themes of the Narnia books, in addition to the fundamentalist Christian tropes, the unquestioned gender-normality, and the iffy racial implications.  The Silver Chair, for instance, has a pretty solid "Don't Be a Dick" theme.



kibitzer

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Reply #13 on: January 28, 2012, 11:07:23 AM
I can still very much appreciate the images and some of the characters. But the themes? I can't see how it's possible to read those books with a critical eye and not be repulsed.

Repulsed? Strong words, dude. I'm like to argue with you on that but that won't accomplish anything.


eytanz

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Reply #14 on: January 28, 2012, 11:49:48 AM
I can still very much appreciate the images and some of the characters. But the themes? I can't see how it's possible to read those books with a critical eye and not be repulsed.

Repulsed? Strong words, dude. I'm like to argue with you on that but that won't accomplish anything.

Well, first, I take Scattercat's point that not all of the themes are problematic, which is defintely true. But as far as the themes that are problematic, I find Narnia to be extremely unpalatable. But I certainly don't want the fact that I have a strong negative reaction to the series discourage debate or discussion.



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Reply #15 on: February 09, 2012, 03:08:54 AM
Cartoons:

My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic is really good. I've been watching the first season on teh YooToobz. Twilight Sparkle is my favorite (duh... the bookish introvert, who else could it be?)

Also loved Avatar: the Last Airbender and looking forward to The Legend of Korra.

Recently got done watching the early '90s X-Men series (watched a few early episodes back in the day), but it was a bit kiddie-fied for my liking (and they cheated by leaving Jean Grey alive at the end of the Dark Phoenix arc).
Started into X-Men: Evolution after that (only a few episodes in so far); it's better but I think Nightcrawler's holo-disguise is a cheap copout. And Kitty is annoying.

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