• About Me
  • Home
  • Short Story Achievements

Finding Faeries

~ My continuing mission to explore … magic

Finding Faeries

Category Archives: movie

A Wrinkle in Time: The Healing Child-Me Needs

26 Monday Mar 2018

Posted by Kathleen Palm in movie, Thoughts

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

A Wrinkle in Time, accepting yourself, gaining your power, healing, healing the child in us, movie, thoughts

When I heard a movie was being made from one of my favorite childhood books, I nearly died of joy. The book A Wrinkle in Time changed my view of books, not just a story but an emotional experience, a book of wonderful ideas and a creepy darkness. As I’ve gotten older and moved here and there, a few books have accompanied me on that journey from childhood to…well, now. A Wrinkle in Time is one of those special books.

There it is…creased and loved and held together with contact paper. I can’t remember where I got it, but I’ve had it forever.

I love this cover more than the fancy new one.

My daughter and I went to see the movie yesterday. I know it’s not been a favorite. The reviews aren’t good. I was told not to go see it. But I needed to see it. I needed to see someone’s vision of the book.

The movie was a feast for my heart and soul. I am Meg. I have always been Meg. Not just pre-teen-me, but present-me.

The movie follows the book pretty darn good, though that wasn’t a priority for me. Tessering from one place to another…the constant search for Meg’s missing father. Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Who, and Mrs. Which are portrayed a bit differently than the book, but it didn’t bother me. Everyone has a vision and everyone has a right to let that shine. I love to see others’ interpretations! When the books and movies differ that adds a whole new wonderful experience.

Costumes. Make-up. Effects. Acting. Writing. I didn’t spend time analyzing any of it. I watched the movie and enjoyed the movie. I went on the adventure. The only thing that bothered me was Mrs. Who, her character felt a bit flat.

I took child-me to see this movie. I let child-me experience it…though present-me was more than willing. This is based on a middle grade book. A fantasy. A way for Meg to gain her power, to love herself. So, this is a kid movie. An escape. That’s what I let it be.

Meg faces the dark within herself. A girl with beautiful curly hair, who hates her hair. A girl who won’t let anyone close to her because she isn’t worth it. A girl who won’t ask the questions because she fears the answers. A girl who isn’t good enough.

This was…well, still is me.

The power of this movie exists in Meg’s journey, how she grows, how she starts out hiding from the world, not believing in herself, to learning to fight for her life and holding her head up high because of who she is. Because the universe came together over so much time, so much energy to create her.

So much of this movie hit the perfect emotional notes for me. Meg doesn’t believe in herself. She doesn’t like herself. When asked if she would like to return as someone else, she says yes. How many kids feel like this? How many adults?

As the adventure continues, Meg goes because her little brother means so much to her and he keeps running off into the fray. The more she discovers, the more she realizes her power. In the end, when her father, the adult, the one who is supposed to fix everything, when he cuts his losses and runs, Meg stays. She fights. She can’t see the consequences, what she might lose, only what she has to do. She saves her little brother, she saves herself by embracing her faults as strengths, by seeing only what she can see. It’s magical.

And the IT. The darkness that invades the universe. Meg learns to see it. Not just in herself, but in everyone. That mean girl at school is hurting just as much. That self-doubt can be defeated with the light let in through the pain.

The love of Meg for her adoptive little brother is wonderful. The new friendship she makes with Calvin gives her strength.

Love conquers all. Love of family, of friends, of self. The movie left me crying happy tears, left child-me wrapped up in a warm embrace. My heart and soul drank in the light of this movie. So many don’t believe in themselves, suffer from the black of the IT. But we all have the light within us to defeat it and the light grows when we let in others.

All the time, all the energy the Universe used to create us…what a marvelous thought. Everyone has a place. Everyone has a worth. Everyone is important.

A Wrinkle in Time is light in the dark.

#SpookyAllYear

23 Wednesday Dec 2015

Posted by Kathleen Palm in Just for fun, movie, Spooky All Year

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

#SpookyAllYear, Christmas, Gremlins, scary

I’m hooking up with Faith McKay and The Midnight Society to keep scary alive all year! Go visit and add your own post!

Spooky-All-Year-banner-3

Seems strange to post the day before Christmas Eve, a season of light and joy and giving, but if you remember my last #SpookyAllYear post… Christmas has its own creepy.

I did have a nightmare last night… there were zombie-like things that were attacking my house and other people. I don’t remember enough to give a good story, just the end, when a monster came at me and I curled up in a ball waiting to die…

except I didn’t. I opened my eyes and was a monster. Then I woke up and thought, “Cool.”

Anyway…

Today I want to give a shout out to one of my favorite Christmas horror movies.

gremlins

The 1984 film “Gremlins”.

Where something creepy might lurk in the Christmas tree…

Gremlinintree

Where your machines might go a bit wonky and go from this…

gremlins-elevator-o

To this…

gremlins-outthewindow

Where the cookies are eaten, but not by you…

gremlins7

Where the carol singers bring fear and not joy…

gremlinssinging-o

Beware this Christmas…if things go wrong it might not be Santa’s happy elves…

Remember:

Don’t get them wet.

Don’t feed them after midnight.

If things go awry… sunlight can kill them.

Merry Christmas!

 

Spooky All Year… Krampus

09 Wednesday Dec 2015

Posted by Kathleen Palm in Just for fun, movie

≈ 9 Comments

Tags

#SpookyAllYear, Christmas, horror movie, Krampus

Time for…

Spooky-All-Year

Brought to you by Faith McKay at The Midnight Society to celebrate scary all year! And all my non-horror friends run away… NO COME BACK!

Yesterday, I took myself to see the new movie Krampus.

AND I LOVED IT! I had no idea what to expect and feared that it would be all effects and scares and no story. But no!

There was a story, characters that I liked and some I grew to like, a message, a few laughs, and lots of weird, crazy wrongness. The kind of wrong that made me cringe and want more.

The opening scene of crazy Christmas shoppers, of crying kids, and poor trampled sales persons all set to one of my favorite carols hooked me. This show had something to say. And I’ll never hear Bing Crosby’s version of It’s Beginning to Look a lot Like Christmas without thinking of this movie.

Krampus has roots in German lore…the opposite of Santa Claus, the hairy, horned demon sent to punish the naughty. This movie gave him more dimension than a mere punisher.

For all those who hate the holidays, who fight their way through shopping and focusing on sales, who want more more more, who dread the coming of relatives, for the lost magic when belief in Santa dies… when hope is lost, Krampus will come. And Christmas will eat you alive.

Killer jack-in-the-boxes, teddy bears, and angels. Oh, the wrongness! Creepy snowmen. Images left forever in my brain. Living, giggling gingerbread men with a nail gun. Okay, that made me chuckle.

And one boy and his family, fighting for their lives, learning to be a family and have hope.

And Krampus. Dude. Whoever created this guy… I LOVED HIM!

And the end? I kinda didn’t see that coming and it was fabulous. I left the theater not knowing whether to be disturbed or smile. So I did both.

Visit The Midnight Society for more #SpookyAllYear, go to all the other blogs participating, then write your own post and add the link!

Rediscovering Childhood Joy… Part 8 “The Last Starfighter”

13 Monday Apr 2015

Posted by Kathleen Palm in Just for fun, movie

≈ 8 Comments

Tags

80's movies, childhood memories, movie, opportunities, sci-fi, The Last Starfighter

I have reached the final post of my trip down movie-memory lane, of my endeavor to share all these fabulous tales with you.

Don’t cry. It’ll be okay.

BigherosixBaymax-Hiro-87506

Again, a movie I watched so many times, I lost count, heck I never started counting.

laststarfightercover

The Last Starfighter directed by Nick Castle and released in 1984.

last_starfighter_6

Meet Alex Rogan. He dreams of going to college to escape life in a nowhere trailer park where he lives with his mom and little brother Louis.

laststarfighterlouis

And his girlfriend Maggie lives with her Granny in the same park.

laststarfightermags

When Alex’s mom announces that he didn’t get the money he needs to go to school, he is upset. He’ll be stuck going to the local community college and trapped in he trailer park, forever jumping when anyone needs anything fixed or moved.

Last-Starfighter-Louis-Friend-0

Maggie wants to know what’s so bad about staying there. Alex wants more. So he goes to his usual place to cool off… escape. Up at the park’s office is a video game.

laststarfighterplayinggame

One Alex plays pretty well.

Okay. REALLY WELL.

He breaks the high score!

And the trailer park crowd goes wild! Seriously, this is the highlight of their week.

But this is no mere video game. A stranger appears in a very unique car and takes a confused Alex for a ride to explain why he’s there.

Centauri. Quite a smooth talker.

laststarfightercentauri

laststarfightercentauricar

The Starfighter game is a test. And Alex has passed. The game’s story is true. The Frontier must be defended against Xur and the Ko-Dan armada. If it falls to the enemy, even Earth will be in danger.

As they drive, the car turns into a spaceship. Welcome to Rylos and the Starfighter Base.

lastStarfighter_Command

So Alex can train to join the Starfighters to defend the galaxy. He gets a helmet and uniform all the while suffering from shock.

laststarfightergettingsuit

Don’t worry about his family and friends… an android named Beta is posing as him, having transformed to look and sound just like Alex.

laststrfighterbetatransforming

Alex joins the group and takes a seat among all sorts of aliens.

last-starfighter

And listens to the briefing. The Rylan Star League is at war with Ko-Dan armada, who have the means to get past the Frontier, an array of satellites creating a protective force field. The only option is to attack. The Gunstars are being readied for the fight.

laststarfighterGunstar_hangar

However, the presentation is interrupted by a holographic message from Xur, the enemy’s evil leader.

laststarfighterbadguy

Who threatens them all. Join him, stand down… or die. I know. A bit cliché.

Well, Alex has had it. He stomps out of the meeting, looking for Centauri, who he is certain will take him home. He’s no warrior. In his search he meets Grig a navigator.

laststarfighter-stillmeetgrig

And they find Centauri, who is flabbergasted that Alex doesn’t want to be a Starfighter! And Grig is appalled that poor Alex had not been given a choice. Centauri reluctantly takes Alex home, muttering the whole way about the boy who doesn’t want to be a Starfighter, even though the boy had scored higher than anyone!

Centauri leaves Alex on Earth with a communications device just in case he changes his mind.

Going home, he finds someone who looks just like him in his bed. Beta rubs his eyes and asks why Alex is back. Because… war. Hello. And Beta is slightly relieved… he has not had such a great time dealing with humans, especially Maggie.

They use the device to contact Centauri to take Beta home, but there is a problem. Xur is making plans with Lord Kril. They want ALL Starfighters dead.

last-starfighterKrilandXur

laststarfighterZando-Zan_disguised_as_a_human

The enemy knows about Alex and sends an assassin a Zando-Zan… who really looks like this…

laststarfighterzandozanlp2

Yeah, cool, isn’t he? Centauri shows up just in time and kills the Zando-Zan, but gets injured in the fight.

laststarfightercentaurifight

Xur has destroyed the Starfighter base and will continue to try to kill Alex, to ensure no one will be able to stop him. Alex is the last Starfighter and the only chance for saving the universe.

But what about his family and friends? No worry, much to Beta’s delight, he will be there to keep the bad guys occupied and the humans safe.

So Alex rides back with Centauri, who dies soon after they land.

Luckily, Grig is still there, alive because he was in a separate part of the base checking on a prototype Gunstar, the last one.

Alex’s training begins.

And Beta has his own problems.

last-starfighter-beta_528_poster

Louis is getting suspicious. And Maggie is confused and upset. When Maggie and Beta come across a Zando-Zan spaceship, which is relaying info to Xur. He convinces Maggie that he isn’t Alex, which involves showing a bit of inner circuitry, and together they plan on taking out the aliens. To save Alex.

They steal Maggie’s friend’s truck and head towards the ship. Maggie jumps to safety as Beta drives the truck into the base, destroying it and himself.

Leaving Maggie hoping Alex is okay.

And he’s not. He’s freaking out. But Grig is positive, they can do it.

laststarfightergrigyea

With no time to lose, Alex and Grig attack the Ko-Dan armada. Flying and firing, Alex does okay, until the weapons are depleted. The enemy ships approach. So this is the end, right?

No! This is a prototype Gunstar with an untested weapon, Death Blossom. When all the enemy fighters are in range Alex hits the button…

laststarfighterdeathblossom

And kerplowie! No more enemy ships.

Slightly upset, Lord Kril orders Xur executed, but the slippery little devil escapes. Their guidance system, hit in battle, fails, sending them crashing into Rylos’ moon.

Alex returns to what is left of the Starfighter base to applause. And Centauri, who wasn’t dead just in a healing stasis.

They need Alex to stay, to help them rebuild. And he wants to! Here’s his chance to be something more than a trailer park fix-it man, but… Maggie. She had been worried about him going away to college, scared that he’d never come back. He always told her he’d return.

So he does.

laststarfighterhome1

To a shocked group, who listens to his tale as they stare at the spaceship and his alien friend.

He pulls Maggie aside. Begging her to come with him. They could have a life together. He has to return, for he has found where he belongs, what he is meant to do. But she’s scared. Leave home? Her Granny? Leave everything she knows?

No. She can’t go.

Disappointed, he accepts her answer, tells his mom and Louis good-bye, and heads back to the ship.

But Maggie isn’t happy, watching him ride the platform up to the ship. Finally her Granny tells her to go, to live her life and be happy… and maybe call or whatever they do up there every once in a while.

She runs at the ship, calling and waving.

She has to go, her place is with him.

laststarfighterend

And together they fly up into the stars.

And Louis races to start playing the Starfighter game.

Is the story all that? No. It’s simple. Everyone knows what’s going to happen.

So why watch it over and over again? The effects were pretty darn cool… for the time. But more than that… it’s about growing up, finding a place in the universe by stepping away from what is comfortable, from what is easy. We must keep our mind open to all the possibilities and be prepared to just say yes when opportunities arrive.

SAY YES!

drwhoyes

And this ends my movie round-up.

And I have been reminded of The Flight of the Navigator and Enemy Mine. I did love those, but didn’t watch them a bajillion times. And there is always TRON!

What is it about stories? They speak to us. They teach us. They take up a part of our brains forever, shaping who we are. Maybe this is why I tell stories. Maybe.

What movies spoke to you as a kid? Or even now? Which ones do you watch over and over again?

 

 

 

 

 

Rediscovering Childhood Joy… Part 7 “Willow”

09 Thursday Apr 2015

Posted by Kathleen Palm in Just for fun, movie

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

80's movies, anything is possible, believe in yourself, childhood joy, faith, fantasy, hope, memories, movies, Val Kilmer, Warwick Davis, Willow

willowcover

Released in 1988, story by George Lucas and directed by Ron Howard, this movie is one of my all time favorites. It has everything. Humor. Sword fights. A great cast of characters. A fantasy world. A powerful message. And magic.

And it begins with a prophecy. That a child will bring the downfall of the evil Queen Bavmorda, who lives in Nockmaar Castle.

 

So, as all bad guys do, she has her daughter Sorsha and General Kael to round up all the pregnant women and search each child for the mark so she can banish it to the Nether realm where it can’t take her power.

willowQueen-Bavmorda-willow-the-movie-23812403-200-200

The child is born and ordered to be brought to the queen. But the nurse smuggles the baby out. When the evil army finds her, she sets the baby afloat on a river.

willowElora-Danan-willow-the-movie-23815242-200-200

 

Where she is found by two children.

Willow-hiskids

 

And taken in by a Nelwyn (a race of little people) farmer Willow Ufgood and his family, who live in a small village. Willow has his reservations. First of all, she’s a Daikini (a race of big people, as they call them). Second, the next day is a big one. He will go to the festival and try to become the apprentice to the High Aldwin, a sorcerer.

willowhighaldrin

But he does not succeed… he doubts himself. Amidst the fun, dogs from Nockmaar attack and it seems they are looking for a baby.

willowdogsdqj

Fearing for his family, Willow brings the found baby to the council, who decides it’s best to be rid of it.

A small group of Nelwyns set out to give her to her own kind at the Daikini crossroads.

willowgroup

Willow says good-bye to his wife Kiya… promising to be careful and to return.

Willowandkiya

willow6

And the reach the crossroads.

willowdiakinicrossroads

 

Where they meet Madmartigan (Val Kilmer) locked in a cage.

"Give me water, peck, or you die!"

“Give me water, peck, or you die!”

Well, that’s enough for most of the group. They vote to give the baby to him and leave. Willow and his good friend Meegosh aren’t convinced, so they stay overnight. But every Daikini that passes ignores them. The King’s army passes, but refuses to help saying they have to battle Bavmorda’s forces. So Madmartigan makes his plea. Free him, he’ll take the baby. He’ll care for as if she were his own…

willowmadmartiganwillowthemov

willowandmeegosh

He seems like he would take care of her… maybe. They could leave her with him… The idea of going home sounds pretty darn good.

So they set Madmartigan free, give him the baby, and head home. They’ll be heroes! Just as they start celebrating a bird flies over them with a crying baby in its grip. A small voice yells, “I stole the baby!”

And Willow calls, “Hey, that’s my baby!”

They follow the bird and are trapped by the Brownies.

willow5-the-brownies-captured-willow

 

And taken to see the fairies and their queen Cherlindrea.

willowandfairy2

willowfairyqueen

Who gives Willow a mission. The baby Elora Danen is a princess and needs to survive. With the fairy queen’s wand, Willow must find the sorceress Fin Razel and then travel to Tir Asleen where a good king and queen will protect her. So he sends Meegosh home and sets out to save Elora because he loves her.

Two Brownies Franjean and Rool are his guides. I love these guys. I shall put them in my pocket so they can amuse me all day.

willowbrownies1312008786387694

 

After traveling for a while and needing to get out of the rain and find some food, they stop at a tavern.

"Beer!"

“Beer!”

Where they find Madmartigan. “Not you!” Willow cries.

willow-boobs

 

Madmartigan grabs Elora to pretend to be a woman to trick the husband of a woman he had been sleeping with. Bavmorda’s daughter Sorsha shows up with the guard searching for the baby… chaos follows. Willow, the Brownies, Madmartigan with Elora in tow take off in a horse-pulled wagon.

Chasing. Fighting. But they get away. Madmartigan agrees to go with them to find the sorceress. They arrive at the island where she has been trapped… Madmartigan waves good-bye. But we all know he’s starting to care. Yup.

Willow finds Razel… but she’s not very intimidating.

"Bavmorda transformed me."

“Bavmorda transformed me.”

She’ll need a bit of magical help to get back to true form, and it’s up to Willow, who admits that he’s not quite a sorcerer. Oh dear.

But that’s the least of their problems, for here comes Sorsha and the guards with Madmartigan in chains. Captured, they will be taken to Bavmorda. The Brownies left behind. Madmartigan meets Fin Razel, which doesn’t thrill him. And finds a new hatred for Sorsha.

willowsorshawhatstaringat

willowmadmartiganbreakleg

The fuzzy sorceress tries to teach Willow magic as they travel so he can transform her, which he tries as they sit in a cage when the army sets up camp.

willowtryingtochangerazel

 

Unfortunately, he changes her into a bird. But the Brownies arrive to pick the lock and set them free!

willowbrowniespicklock

 

However, Madmartigan gets hit with the fairy dust of broken hearts, which puts him in a daze. They sneak into Sorsha’s tent to steal Elora back, but the dust causes Madmartigan to fall in love with Sorsha.

willowsorshammlovedust

 

Which confuses, but possibly excites her. Madmatigan, having proclaimed himself a great swordsman, gets his hands on a sword and they fight their way free.

Willowmadmardiganfall

 

Grabbing Sorsha as a hostage, they head out on horseback to Tir Asleen.

MSDWILL EC010

 

The fairy dust spell wears off, but maybe Madmartigan and Sorsha are attracted to each other…

On the way, Sorsha escapes, and the rest arrive at Tir Asleen only to find the place under Bavmorda’s spell. Madmartigan finds an armory and starts fortifying the castle and himself.

willowmmarmor

 

Willow tries magic again to transform Razel, who ends up as a goat. But there’s no time to worry about that, Bavmorda’s troops are on the way. In trying to help with preparations, Willow runs into trolls.

willowtroll

 

He uses the wand, transforming one troll into… well, ew and kicks it into the water where it grows into a monster, adding another element of fun to the fight.

Trolls…

willow_fights_troll

 

A two headed beast…

Willow-willow-1988-23794326-274-184

 

and Bavmorda’s army lead by General Kael…

WillowKaelimages7TC4Y1QE

 

There is a very funny scene where Madmartigan does his war cry as the monster erupts from the water behind him. The bad guys run away. Madmartigan thinks he’s awesome until he notices the thing behind him and flees, ending up in the midst of the evil army.

willowimages8Y8RQAHJ

 

Anyway! To fighting!

willow-1

 

The Brownies return with help… the King’s army we met before! Madmartigan fights everyone, protecting Willow and Elora, rushing to his friend’s rescue when the soldiers attack, and kills the beast.

willowmmtofigthbeast

 

All the while, Sorsha watches. Intrigued by his willingness to fight for love instead of for approval like she has done, trying to make her evil mother love her.

willow-the-movie-sorsha

 

Madmartigan falls to the ground finding Sorsha’s blade pointed at him, yet in a swift move she pulls him to his feet and…

willowkiss

 

Oh dear. Kissing. And she joins the crew, who wouldn’t? Bleeding, Willow stumbles out crying for Elora, for General Kael has taken the baby. They don’t give up, riding to Nockmaar Castle, with their new army.

willowatNockmaarcastle

 

Bavmorda is preparing for the ritual to banish Elora, when the army arrives. She is not impressed and turns them into pigs.

willowturntopig3635224_std

Razel (the goat) and Willow use the wand to protect themselves from the spell. But now… NOW is the time for Willow to change her back… it takes a lot of effort…

willowchangingrazel

She changes from one animal to another, but eventually he succeeds! And together they return their friends to human. And form a plan.

The next morning, Razel and Willow stand at the gate.

willowfinrazel

Busy with her spell…

willowbavspell

Bavmorda sends Kael and her forces to kill them.

But the King’s army isn’t gone, just hidden in large holes under the tents. As soon as the gate is open, they attack, driving their way into the castle. Madmartigan, Sorsha, Willow, and Razel race to save Elora.

Sorsha pleads with her mother, who throws her daughter across the room.

willowBavmordaend

While Razel and Bavmorda have an epic sorceress dual, Madmartigan kills Kael in a bloody battle.

Willow sneaks into the room to take Elora as Razel falls. Bavmorda turns to him, unafraid and unimpressed as he declares himself to be a great sorcerer. Using slight of hand, he makes the queen believe he has sent Elora to a dimension where evil can’t touch her. Shocked, Bavmorda stumbles into her own spell and is destroyed in a swirl of red smoke.

Razel crawls from the rubble, pleased when Willow pulls Elora from her hiding spot.

Madmartigan and Sorsha go to Tir Alseen, now released from Bavmorda’s spell, to stay and look after Elora. Willow says good-bye and prepares to go home.

willowgoodbyemadmartiganimagesXZHFEJBF

Where he is welcomed as a hero.

willowcomeshome

And as the sweeping score plays, beautiful music by James Horner, I sigh.

Evil has been defeated. In all honesty, it always beats itself, doesn’t it? If Bavmorda hadn’t been so bent on that prophecy… if she hadn’t been so focused on Elora… who knows?

But it isn’t about her. It’s about Willow. A Nelwyn farmer who dreamed of being something else. It took a great journey to show him who he truly is. For all we need is to believe in ourselves.

As the High Aldwin says… “Power to control the universe is in which finger?”

YOURS.

 

 

Rediscovery of Childhood Joy… Part 6 “The NeverEnding Story”

26 Thursday Mar 2015

Posted by Kathleen Palm in Just for fun, movie

≈ 10 Comments

Tags

Believe, book, dreaming, fantasy, movie, The Neverending Story, wish

Neverendingstorymoviecover

The NeverEnding Story, a German film directed by Wolfgang Petersen and distributed in the USA by Warner Bros in 1984. Based on the book by Micheal Ende.

Neverendingstorybookcover

The movie covers about the first half of the book, which is really great, so if you love this movie, read the book.

Once again, I don’t remember where or when I first experienced the magic of this story. All I know is that it changed my world.

We meet Bastian and his dad on a normal morning, before work and school.

neverendignstorydapper-dad

Having lost his mother, Bastian is having problems and his father is trying to tell him to grow up. But Bastian doesn’t want to let go of the magic of believing.

neverendingstorybastiantheywereunicorns

His dad gives him a great speech about the blah blah real world… blah blah and sends the kid to school. Where we meet more of Bastian’s problems…

neverendingstoryBastian-beat-up

Bullies. Fabulous. Bastian escapes and jumps into a dumpster to hide. When he decides the coast is clear he climbs out and brushes himself off and continues to school. But the boys reappear. Bastian ducks into a book store.

The grumpy bookseller gives him a hard time, expressing that if kids would read instead of playing those video games maybe they would be better off. *cue eyeroll* Bastian proclaims that he loves books.

“Safe books,” the old man counters.

Bastian eyes the curious book the old man holds in his hands.

neverendingstorybook

“That book isn’t safe?”

The shop owner chuckles and tells him to forget it.

Books can’t be dangerous, but the boy is intrigued. So when the man turns his back, he takes the book and runs, leaving a note that he’ll return it.

At school, the bell has rung… kids huddle over their desks engrossed in a test. No fun. Bastian sneaks up to the school attic and begins to read The NeverEnding Story.

neverendingstorybastianreading

We are transported to the land of Fantasia a place created of dreams and wishes. But it is in trouble, threatened by The Nothing, the lack of dreams that has come to destroy the land.

The ruler, the Childlike Empress is ill. Her advisor calls for Atreyu, the bravest warrior of the Plains People.

neverendingstoryatreyu

Cute, right? I had such a crush on him as a girl.

He travels to the Ivory Tower to learn why he is summoned.

neverendingstoryivorytower

neverendingstoryhall

They give him the task of finding a cure for the Empress. He is given the Auryn, the symbol of their land to help him.

neverendingstoryauryn

However, The Nothing doesn’t plan on losing, so sends out the Gmork to kill Atreyu.

Atreyu rides off on his horse Artax in search of Morla a wise one, hoping he will know how to cure the Empress.

neverendingstoryatreyuandartax

He meets a few strange, but wonderful denizens of Fantasia along the way. The man and his racing snail.

NeverEndingStorymanandracingsnail

The sleepy bat and his friend.

neverendingstorymanwithbat

And a Rock Biter, who you guessed it eats rocks…

Neverendingstoryrockbiter

They are all going to the Ivory Tower to spread the word of The Nothing’s devastation. Atreyu wishes them luck, as he sets off with new knowledge of this evil and with a stronger desire to help.

Morla lives in the Swamps of Sadness, where the marsh will claim any who let the sadness overtake their minds. As they struggle through, not sure if they can even find him, Artax gives up.

neverending-storyartaxswamps

Atreyu can’t save his horse, his best friend. And is left in tears and alone. I cry too! But he continues and finds Morla.

NeverEnding-Story-Morla

Yup. A giant turtle, who sneezes all over him.

“For we are allergic… ah, ah… to… ah, ah… YOU! CHOO!”

Ew.

In the end, Morla can’t help, but says that “if it matters” he can go ask the Southern Oracle.

Which is 10,000 miles away.

Atreyu has lost his horse and has failed on his quest and loses hope, nearly sinking into the swamp. As he blacks out, a something swoops out of the sky and pulls him free.

Atreyu wakes in a strange place next to a sleeping creature.

neverendingstorywakeupwithfalkor

Falkor, a luckdragon,

neverendingstorygood-luck

who has carried him almost the entire way to the Southern Oracle.

And finds more friends. Two gnomes.

neverendingstorygnomes

The little man shows him the Oracle, warning the boy of the trials he will face.

NeverEnding-Storyspyingonoracle

He watches as a brave looking knight in armor rides up to the statues. The statues’ eyes open and blast the knight, killing him. For they see into the hearts of men, any self-doubt makes a person unworthy to pass.

Atreyu, eager to finish his quest, rushes to face the test, leaving the poor little man screaming warnings about the second gate.

NeverEndingstoryoraclefirstgate

Atreyu’s confidence wavers as he passes the guards, watching their eyes to see if they will open. And they do! *holds breath*

Yet he doesn’t let fear freeze him, he gathers his courage and runs, successfully clearing the first trial and going on to face the second. A mirror.

neverendingstorymirror

One that shows his true self. In this mirror Atreyu sees Bastian, a boy reading a book.

neverendingstorybastianshocked

Bastian can’t believe it! He throws the book across the room. How can it be? How can he be IN the book? But even though he is afraid, the story draws him back, his desire to see Fantasia saved grows. And Atreyu passes through the mirror gate to find the great Oracle.

Neverendingstoryfirst-gate-of-the-southern-oracle

The gigantic statues tell him he can save the Empress by giving her a new name.

“Is that all? I can give her any name she wants!”

The name must come from a human child, which he can find beyond the boundaries of Fantasia.

The Nothing grows stronger and the statues crumble under its power, telling Atreyu that he must hurry.

Atreyu flies through the air on Falkor’s back intent on reaching the boundaries of their world. But The Nothing is everywhere and attacks. Atreyu falls from the luckdragon, landing in the Sea of Possibilites and losing the Auryn.

He crawls onto the beach, devastated, and finds a cave with pictures drawn on the rock walls, images of him, of his journey, coming finally to a picture he doesn’t know… a black wolf creature.

Neverendingstorygmorkpic

Turning he comes face to face with the creature from the picture. The Gmork.

neverendingstorygmorkface

The wolf growls, happy to have a last kill before he is lost. For he failed and The Nothing will finish him.

Atreyu asks what The Nothing is.

It is the loss of dreams. It is the apathy and cynicism eating away at humanity’s imagination. And there was only one person who could have stopped it and the Gmork had been tasked with killing that person… Atreyu.

Atreyu draws his stone knife, a bit of fight left. “Then come for me, Gmork. I am Atreyu!”

neverending-story-atreyu

The boy stabs the creature and kills it.

Falkor finds the Auryn and returns it to Atreyu. Together they fly into the sky, only to find Fantasia gone.

NeverendingstoryfantasiagoneYet the Auryn guides them to the Ivory Tower, still standing. He meets the Empress, where, through tears, he admits, “I failed.”

“No, you didn’t…” She explains that the human child is there with them that Atreyu brought him, “listening to every word we say.”

“Then why didn’t he show himself?”

“Because he doesn’t know it’s him.”

neverendingstoryatreyu

“Then we will disappear.”

Of course, Bastian is freaking out. It’s just a book. How can this be happening?

The Empress pleads with him.

neverendingstorydream

“Say my name!”

Bastian struggles. He needs to grow up, but he wants to believe. Finally, he decides and throws open a window. Into the storm raging outside, he screams…

Neverendingstorycallingname

Now, as a kid, I never understood what he said. I figured that meant I could add what ever name I wanted, that we all could. I have learned that he calls “Moon Child”, so that works too. And he finds himself in the dark with the Empress.

The-Neverending-Story-picture

He asks what happened to Fantasia. She tells him it’s gone.

A tiny light shines in her hand and asks what it is. It is all that’s left of Fantasia.

But he can save it. It can be reborn through his wishes and dreams.

Neverendingstorygrainofsand“What are you going to wish for,” she asks.

“I don’t know.”

“Then Fantasia will be no more.”

Bastian gazes at the glowing light. “How many wishes do I get?”

“As many as you want.”

“Then for my first wish…”

neverendingstoryridingfalkor

And the sweeping music plays! And I laugh and cry and feel generally awesome.

Of course there are those bullies…

the_neverending_story_23371

neverendingstorybulliesscream

Who end up in the dumpster.

Cue cheering as Bastian flies over Fantasia, everything back to how it was. He waves to Atreyu riding on Artax over the plains.

*happy sigh* And then I sing the end song, which they would play on the radio and I did a spectacular lip sync version for my friends. Not my finest hour, but that song spoke to me.

The entire movie did. Who wants to be told they have to stop believing in magic? No one. Who wants to be told who to be and what to think? No one. This movie showed me that I didn’t have to “grow up”. And so far, I have done a pretty darn good job at holding onto my dreams and wishes.

This is why I write YA, because somewhere in teenage-dom a change happens. The magic fades. If I can write something that keeps the magic alive for just one person, then I will be happy.

So… what do you want to wish for?

I have two movies left. Two more movies that became a part of me. But next week I will be on vacation. No blogging. It’s spring break and we are doing the rounds, visiting all the family. I’ll be busy chatting with my mom, dad, sisters, and nieces. And after we leave there, I will be sadly without wifi at my in-laws. I’m bringing books.

Until I return. Happy wishing!

Rediscovering Childhood Joy… Part 5 “Krull”

23 Monday Mar 2015

Posted by Kathleen Palm in Just for fun, movie

≈ 8 Comments

Tags

adventure, Black Fortress, childhood movies, fantasy, Krull, love, memories, prophecy, The Beast, weapon

Another movie from my childhood. One I watched A LOT! One I haven’t seen in a long time because I own it on VHS tape and we no longer have a working VCR.

I shall have to fix this soon. Moving on!

TA-DA…

Krullcover

Krull directed by Peter Yates and released by Columbia Pictures in 1983.

A girl of ancient name shall become queen and choose a king. Together they will rule their world, and their son shall rule the galaxy.

A prophecy. A hero. A fabled weapon. A powerful evil. A great love. And of course rescuing the princess.

Seriously, Kathy? Well… yup.

We meet Prince Colwyn and Princess Lyssa on their wedding day. They will unite to bring together the kingdoms of the world of Krull and form a stronger force to defeat The Beast, who has invaded with his army of Slayers.

krull-wedding1

The fun begins when the wedding is interrupted by the Slayers, who devastate the castle, kill the Kings, and kidnap the princess.

krullweddinginvasion

Corwyn survives, saved by the Old One Ynyr. Poor Princey… there is crying. My home! My father! AND LYYYYYSSSSAAAAA!

Krull032

Until Ynyr tells him to suck it up. They can save Lyssa and defeat The Beast.

How?

There is a weapon. The Glaive.

Krull 2

Up the mountain he goes in his spandex pants… ew… to find this weapon.

krullspandex

In a cave, he sees a shape. He thrusts his hand into molten lava (which doesn’t hurt HIM because *cough*chosen one *cough*!) and pulls out a black five pointed star.

krullglaivestufffalloff

The blackened crust falls away revealing a shiny star and with a flick of the wrist… or a thought… or something, who knows…

Blam-O

Krullglaive

The Glaive.

Triumphant he skips down the rocky slopes, returning to Ynyr, who gives him the bad news.

The Beast’s lair the Black Fortress isn’t easy to find for each day at sunrise it transports itself to a different location.

krullfortresssnow

Perhaps Ynyr knows who can help them.

Let the journey begin! Along the way they meet Ergo “the Magnificent” an inept magician, who just wants a gooseberry pie.

krull-ergo

But ends up turning himself into a goose…

krullergogoose

Sensing that maybe they could use his powers, and because he has nowhere else to go, Ergo joins them. They also meet a band of fugitives.

krullfugitives

Colwyn asks for their help to defeat The Beast. Why would they help him? Because he can grant them freedom, a pardon. But only the King can do that!

“I am the King,” Corwyn says. So they decide to accompany him on his quest.

They travel to the blind Emerald Seer. His aide, a boy named Titch, ushers Colwyn and Ynyr to see the Seer and ask him to discover where the Fortress will appear next, but The Beast is powerful. As the blind Seer’s emerald spins, a clawed hand crushes the stone.

krullblindseer

But don’t give up hope! They can go to the swamp where the Seer’s power will be stronger than The Beast’s. But the Slayers attack (seriously, people, I love these guys, they’re so cool!).

Krull-1

krullslayers2

Losing a couple of their number to the attack and the swamp, the group drives the Slayers back, then stop for a rest. The Beast takes another’s form and tries to tempt Colwyn to give up the quest, and, when that fails, kills the Seer, takes his form and attempts to kill the Prince.

krullseer

But before The Beast can complete his task, the form he possesses is struck and killed by a Cyclops Rell, who has been following our band of misfits. And without the Seer poor Titch has no one, so they take him too.

krullmeetrell

But with no Seer how will they find out where the Fortress will be?

Ynyr has a plan and sneaks off to visit the Widow of the Web. A woman with the power to see kept locked away in a giant web for her crime of killing her child (her and Ynyr’s child).

Krull Spider

She helps them, because her name is Lyssa the same as the princess imprisoned by The Beast. She looks into the future and tells him where the Fortress will appear.

Krull-widowofweb-1

But Ynyr will never be able to leave and give the Prince the information. The spiders who guard the web will kill him. So the Widow gives him the sands of her hourglass, the sand of her life, so he can escape the web. Leaving her to die.

krullspiderofweb

krull_Ynyrspiderwebclimb

Speaking of Lyssa, she’s not having much fun. Inside The Fortress is crazy. One of my favorite things was the weirdness she encounters as running through the halls, or whatever they are.

Krulllyssatrapped

krull5

Krullinsidelair

The Beast asks her to stay with him, but she holds onto her love for Corwyn. He will save her.

Back to our troop. Because now they know where the Fortress will appear. But it’s really far away. They’ll never make it.

krull2

Yes, they will.

Rell suggests they capture the Fire Mares, horses that can run at great speeds. I love these animals! They run so fast that fire blazes under their feet and they don’t need ground when they run on flames! They can travel leagues in a day. Getting a rope around these fabulous creatures’ necks proves interesting, a bit of comic relief, but they succeed.

krullfaremares

krull-horses

And make it to the Black Fortress. Where our group gets smaller again when Slayers fire at them as they scramble to climb inside the Fortress before it moves again. Rell gives his life to hold the door open just long enough before it crushes him.

krullholddoor

*sniff* It’s okay, he knew he would die. Cyclops are born knowing when their lives will end. Crazy.

Now our questers try to navigate the strange Fortress, getting split into a few different groups. The boy Titch and Ergo end up facing Slayers, where Ergo turns into a tiger to save the boy. A few of our fugitives become trapped in a room where giant spikes come out of the walls, growing closer and closer.

But Colwyn finds Lyssa.

Krullbeastlair

And The Beast.

krullbeast

Meaning it’s time for that fabled weapon he’s been carrying.

Krull-1983

He throws The Glaive. Over and over it strikes the Beast, bouncing off the walls, always returning to Colwyn. Finally, he sets the spinning blades to hover before The Beast and attacks. The Glaive hits the creature, and will not return.

krullScreen-Shot-2013-04-25-at-8_19_25-PM

Now what?

Lyssa has the answer. Together they can use their love to destroy it. She calls the flame from the wedding ritual that had been left incomplete.

krullweddingfire

Colwyn hold the fire their hands, sending it to burn the evil that has invaded their world.

krullbeatthebeast

As soon as The Beast is gone, all the people trapped in the Fortress are freed and the few who remain run from the structure as it trembles and falls to pieces.

krull 10

From a field they watch as the Black Fortress is sucked into the sky.

krullend

Together they ride off. And we are reminded of the prophecy that a girl with an ancient name will become queen, choose a king, and together they will rule their world, and their son will rule the galaxy.

Okay, I know. The story isn’t anything fabulous. A prophecy. A hero that in all honesty is a bit whiny and cocky. A princess, who I thought was a much stronger character, but our prince needed a brisk slap across the face to give him humility. We had a rag-tag bunch on a quest, and, of course, most of them die.

But the music by James Horner was fantastic!

And I was a huge high fantasy fan. And this gave me all the stuff I loved. A creepy evil with a cool army. Fights with swords. Magic (Ergo turns into a goose, puppy, pig, and tiger). In the end, the good wins. The hero learns about sacrifice and he’s not as awesome as he thinks he is. The princess doesn’t sit in a corner and cry, waiting to be rescued. She faces The Beast, searches for a way out, always sure she would win.

Overall, this movie took me somewhere far away. It made me laugh and gasp in awe of the neat images. It left me smiling. It set my mind spinning with otherworldly ideas. Sometimes that’s enough.

A few movies left to do. What could they be? Will you know them? Have you known the ones I have shared?

 

 

 

 

 

Rediscovery of Childhood Joy… Part 4 “Legend”

19 Thursday Mar 2015

Posted by Kathleen Palm in Just for fun, movie

≈ 9 Comments

Tags

childhood memories, dwarves, elf, fairies, fantasy, Legend, movie, Tim Curry, Tom Cruise, unicorns

As a kid, this movie enchanted me time and time again.

logolegend

Legend… release in 1985, directed by Ridley Scott

This one is a bit darker than my previous movies. See, I even liked creepy way back then. And this movie has real people… no Muppets… no cartoons.

I can’t tell you where I first saw Legend. All I do know is that I watched it a bajillion times. I bought the soundtrack and would belt out the final song “Loved by the Sun” with gusto. I own this on VHS tape… which is a problem, since we no longer own a working VCR. There is much sadness.

drwhodisappointment

So I rely here on my expert memory.

We begin our tale with Jack. Yes, that would be Tom Cruise.

legendjack

As he meets with his love Lili and teaches her to talk to the forest animals.

legendliliandjack

Yet he has more to show her this day. He takes her to see the unicorns, magical creatures, sacred to all of the forest.

legendunicorns

Lili can’t resist. Against Jack’s warning, she goes to touch one.

Legend

Enter the goblins, Blix and his crew, who shoot one of the pair of unicorns with a poison dart, for the Lord of Darkness wants their power, which resides in their horns.

legendblix6

The animals flee and Jack berates Lili for her actions, but she laughs, saying all is well, then distracts him with her ring and a promise to marry whoever finds it… and tosses it.

MSDLEGE EC002

Jack chases the ring, diving into a pool to get it, but as he searches the world changes. The pond freezes and Lili, scared at what is happening, runs away. She hides in a cottage, where she spies on the goblins with the unicorn’s horn and overhears them talking of how they had taken down the unicorn because “’tis beauty held the beast at bay.”

LEGENDblixand horn

Knowing she messed up, Lili follows them to make things right, ending up captured by the Lord of Darkness (Tim Curry, who is FABULOUS!).

LegendDarkness+Seduces+Lili+(1985)+HD+-+YouTube

He falls in love with her. Tempts her. And I have to say the scene where he offers her jewels and a very cool dress freaked me out as a kid. She dances with the dress, lured by its magic…

legenddressdance

Then accepts it.

legenddarklili

Now Jack finally fights his way out of the frozen pond and searches for Lili. But finds the unicorns, one dead the other scared.

legendunicorns_by_battousaiblade7-d68umjc

Through tears, he apologizes for his wrong doing and promises to save them.

He meets a group of fae… and my child heart GOES WILD! Gump an elf. Two dwarves Brown Tom and Screwball, who like to drink Elderberry wine. And Oona a fairy, who is a flickering light.

Legendmeetinggump

They know the world’s magic has been thrown into chaos and learn that Jack knows why. Together they set off on a quest for weapons to bring down the Lord of Darkness, to keep the unicorn safe. To save the world.

A cave full of weapons means that our simple forest-boy Jack gets a make-over.

legendarmor

They journey to the Lord of Darkness’ home.

legendjackgumptravel

Meeting Meg Mucklebones, who wants to eat them.

Legendfae

Jack’s first test. Taking his newly acquired sword he kills her. Maybe he can be a hero.

But they get caught and are thrown into the Dark Lord’s dungeon. If only they can get the key…

Legend-1985-crewincageGump turns to Oona. She can get it. How? Jack asks, she’s so small. Here Oona shows she is no mere ball of light and transforms into a girl.

legendgumpoonajack

Then she turns on Jack, trying to tempt him. She’ll get the key if he kisses her and even uses her fairy glamour to change into Lili. But what Jack feels isn’t love and won’t…

Legendfairy

She does get the key and frees them. They group sneaks off and finds Lili and the Lord of Darkness… it seems Lili is on his side, begs to be the one to kill the last unicorn. Jack is devastated, but they learn that light can kill the Lord of Darkness. Sunlight is his destroyer.

They set to work placing gold plates in just the right spots to reflect light into the deepest dark of the Lord’s domain. They send Screwball up the shaft to set the final plate.

legendscrewball

They wait, watching the Lord and Lili as they prepare to slay the unicorn, hoping Screwball makes it in time.

Jack trains an arrow on his love, ready to kill her to save the unicorn. But he can’t… “I trust you, Lili.”

legendpreparingtokill

And Lili hasn’t been swayed to the dark side… for as she goes to kill the unicorn, she strikes the chain that holds it and sets it free.

legendlili

The Lord of Darkness strikes her, sending her flying to the ground and Jack leaps in clad in his golden armor and wielding his sword.

He doesn’t stand much of a chance against the brute…”What have we here,” Lord Dark spits, “a little boy?”

Legendevillaugh

Yet just as hope seems lost, Screwball sets the last plate, catching the final rays of the sun. The beam of light bounces off each carefully placed plate striking the Lord in the chest. Gump lets loose his arrow and Jack stabs the evil-doer.

legend_film_jack_defeats_darkness

But as the Lord of Darkness’ life drains away he reminds us that he lives in everyone, for…

legendlightwodark

Yet the evil is destroyed. And our heroes pick up the pieces.

Jack finds Lili’s ring, his challenge, and brings it back to her, which revives her.

They take the horn back to the unicorn and heal him.

Light beats the dark. Love conquers evil.

All well-known plots, good plots. Good feels. And as a kid I loved that, but this movie wasn’t as much about the feels for me. It was the world. The way it brought to life a land I wanted to see so badly.

The magic. Unicorns. Fairies. Dwarves. Goblins. The terrible Lord of Darkness.

The message that darkness might live in us, but we can choose the light.

“Legends can be now and forever, loved by the sun…”

legendend

 

 

Rediscovery of Childhood Joy… part 3 “The Last Unicorn”

12 Thursday Mar 2015

Posted by Kathleen Palm in Just for fun, movie

≈ 12 Comments

Tags

be happy, Believe, fantasy, fear, journeys, magic, movie, the big scary world, The Last Unicorn

“Unicorns? I thought they only existed in fairy tales?”

“I tell you, there is at least one unicorn left in the world…

Good luck to you! For you are the last!”

And from in the forest the beautiful Unicorn wonders… “Am I the last?”

lastunicornquote

OMG! This movie.

Lastunicornlogo

“The Last Unicorn”, by Rankin and Bass Productions in 1982. Based on the book “The Last Unicorn” by Peter S. Beagle… the screenplay written by him as well, so the movie is pretty much the same, but buy the book anyway! Gorgeous songs written by “America”.

One summer while visiting my grandma up in St. Paul, Minnesota, my sisters and I befriended the neighbor girl, whose parents had rented this movie. I think during our stay I must have watched it a bajillion times. Something about it.

Magic. Beautiful, wondrous, fantastical magic. For as Molly says, “If you have been waiting to see a unicorn for as long as I have…”

The Unicorn longs to discovery what has happened to the other unicorns and asks a passing butterfly, who finally tells her to listen, that she can find them if she is brave… that the Red Bull has chased them, covering their footprints.

lastunicornbutterfly

 

So she journeys out into the world, for her friends might need her help. But as we all discover when we leave our homes and enter the world, we don’t know as much as we think. We face fear, doubt, danger.

Men can’t see the Unicorn for what she is… they don’t believe, not anymore. WHICH IS THE SPOT IN THE MOVIE WHERE I CRY OUT… “I BELIEVE IN YOU!!!!!”

A witch finds her, sees her true form and captures her. Mommy Fortuna and her traveling show. Cages are filled with animals magicked to look like fantastical creatures, but the unicorn is real, but so others will believe, the witch gives her a false horn.

lastunicornMommy-FortunaExcept there is another who sees her. Schmendrick the Magician, though not a very talented one.

LastUnicornherandwizard

He helps her escape because she is true magic, something he desires to have. They meet a band of robbers, use magic to get away from them, and add Molly to their number.

lastunicornmolly

Together they travel to find the other unicorns at the castle of King Haggard and the Red Bull.

lastunicornCastle

Because quests are better with friends, with support.

But as they reach the castle, the Red Bull senses the unicorn’s presence and attacks. to save the unicorn, Schmendrick magically changes her into a woman, a form she can use to search for the answers, to complete her quest.

LastUnicornladyamalthea

She becomes the Lady Amalthea. However, a being a unicorn trapped in a human body isn’t good.

She begins to forget as she falls in love with Prince Lir. Molly and Schmendrick keep her focused, reminding her of who she is, of why she is there.

lastunicornlove-300x230

The Red Bull. Save the other unicorns. But how?

When the wine drinks itself. When the skull speaks. When the clock strikes the right time. Then will they find the Bull. Then they can save the others.

lastunicornskull

And the King knows, guessing what she is… enjoying the fact that she is within his reach.

lastunicornKing-Haggard

“There they are. They are mine. They belong to me.”

The Red Bull drove the unicorns into the sea.

last-unicorn-2

For the King. For he had to have them all, because they made him happy.

She must choose. Forget, be human, and leave her kind trapped. Or fight.

They discover the entrance to the cave of the Red Bull. Yet Lady Amalthea barely remembers who she is… why she is there. If she remains human, she can escape the Red Bull, she can stay with her Prince.

But her Prince is a hero and heroes don’t let the quest fade and die. Happy endings only come at the end.

Yet Schmendrick says, “There are no happy endings, because nothing ends.”

They come face to face with the Bull, who now recognizes Amalthea for what she truly is. Schmendrick transforms her back into a unicorn. And the Bull chases her to the sea, to fulfill his purpose.

Now it’s up to her, to choose.

And she fights, finding her strength to free the unicorns, and drives the Red Bull into the sea. Once again, unicorns roam the world. And there is one, who regrets, who keeps a bit of what it is to be human, to love, tucked in her soul, forever changed.

lastunicornredbull

LastUnicornsea

Life is tricky. We set out on our journey. We hold onto dreams. Yet, things happen. Life happens, we’ve all said it or thought it. Eventually, we face choices. Each decision adds to who we are, either pain or joy, fear or excitement. We question. We doubt. Our dreams change. We change.

Sometimes we let what is easy distract us from what we want.

Never let fear keep you from listening to where dreams will lead. Never fear a new journey. The quest for who we are, for who we want to be doesn’t ever end.

“Unicorns are in the world again. No sorrow will live in me as long as that joy.”

 

LastUnicorn2

All we can do is try to be happy with where the paths have taken us.

Rediscovering Childhood Joy… part 2 “The Dark Crystal”

26 Thursday Feb 2015

Posted by Kathleen Palm in movie, Thoughts

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

childhood, doing the impossible, Jim Henson, magic, memories, movie, never giving up, other worlds, self-discovery, The Dark Crystal

“Another world. Another time, in an age of wonder…”

These fabulous words open this movie, one I know by heart, one that left its images, ideas, and feelings etched lovingly on my soul.

The Dark Crystal… Jim Henson and his amazing crew, 1982.

dark-crystal-the-three-geniuses-behind-the-dark-crystal-storyDarkcrystal

Jen, a Gelfling, the last of his kind, leaves his home on a great journey to heal the crystal, to save his world.darkcrystaljen

Once again Henson genius gives us marvelous characters and creatures wrapped in a wondrous world. And we all know how much I LOVE other worlds. The creativity. The magic.

darkcrystalworldScared and unsure, Jen embarks on his quest without a clue as to what to do. Yet finds friends along the way.

darkcrystalaughra

Aughra gives him the crystal shard, what he needs to complete his mission and explains of the Great Conjuction, the meeting of the three suns when the world will end… or begin. For 1000 years ago the crystal cracked, spiraling the world into darkness. The Skeksis appeared, taking over the Castle of the Crystal, using the power for their own selfish purposes.

darkcrystalkira

darkcrystalfizzgig2

Kira… WAIT, Jen isn’t the last of his kind!… and her fuzzy pet Fizzgig join Jen on his journey to heal the crystal before the suns meet in the sky. As Jen was raised by the kind-hearted, knowledgeable (and a bit hippie-ish) Mystics,

darkcrystalmystichome

she grew up in the care of the fun-loving (simple-minded) Podlings.

darkcrystalpodlings1For the race of Gelflings had been destroyed, taken by the Skeksis, their essence drained, granting immortality to the evil race.

darkcrystalskeksis2

Now they want Jen and Kira, but not just for their essence… because of the prophecy.

I know, there’s always a prophecy. The Skeksis’ power will end by Gelfling hand.

The scheming Skeksis send their henchmen the Garthim to capture the two travelers.

darkcrystalgarthimOur two heroes head out on their journey, facing the danger, running from the Garthim, and learning the truth of their race.  darkcrystalJenkiradarkcrystalworld2darkcrystalstrider2And finally arrive at the Castle of the Crystal.

DarkCrystalcastle

Even thought Kira is captured, Jen continues, desiring the end of the mission and finds the Chamber of the Crystal.

darkcrystalchamber

Kira fights her way to freedom and meets him there. Jen jumps onto the top of the crystal, but loses the shard, the missing piece of the crystal. Thinking only of saving the world and defeating the Skeksis, Kira braves the danger, retrieves the shard, and tosses it to him.

darkcrystalkiraenddarkcrystalhealing

But the Skeksis will not give up so easily. They grab Kira, threatening her life. When Jen heals the crystal, they kill Kira.

The Mystics arrive, knowing the time of the Conjunction is near.

darkcrystalmystics

The crystal, now returned to its true form, merges the good with the evil into a new whole, returning the world to its former glory.

darkcrystaljoining

And breathing life back into Kira, so she and Jen can begin to rebuild the Gelfling people.

darkcrystalsavingKira

“We leave you the Crystal of Truth. Make your world in its light.”

DarkcrystalCastle_of_the_Crystal_new-_Pure

This is the first movie I ever owned, receiving the VHS tape for my birthday when I was a kid. Of course, now I own it on DVD. The music, the visual effects, the story trapped my heart and imagination and never let go.

Jen leaves his home, the only place he’s ever known and enters the world, a big place full of the unknown. Like we all do. He finds friends and love. He finds himself, completing a task he thought too great for a simple Gelfling to accomplish. He faces the shadows, learning of the evil in the world, and does not give up.

And saves the world.

Maybe in our lives we can’t save the world, but we can save OUR world.

For when things go wrong and life seems to shatter into a million shards, we can put the pieces together.

Darkcrystallightbeingsdarkcrystalaughramadeone

Until next time, for part three of this wonderful trip down memory lane, sharing all the movies that touched my heart… “The Last Unicorn”.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

← Older posts

Sharing my search for magic in everything.

Follow me on Twitter

My Tweets

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 10,366 other followers

Archives

  • January 2021 (1)
  • November 2020 (1)
  • October 2020 (2)
  • August 2020 (1)
  • October 2019 (1)
  • September 2019 (1)
  • July 2019 (2)
  • June 2019 (1)
  • March 2019 (2)
  • December 2018 (1)
  • October 2018 (2)
  • August 2018 (3)
  • July 2018 (2)
  • June 2018 (5)
  • May 2018 (3)
  • April 2018 (3)
  • March 2018 (3)
  • February 2018 (4)
  • January 2018 (5)
  • December 2017 (2)
  • November 2017 (3)
  • October 2017 (4)
  • September 2017 (13)
  • August 2017 (3)
  • June 2017 (3)
  • May 2017 (4)
  • April 2017 (5)
  • March 2017 (6)
  • February 2017 (17)
  • January 2017 (5)
  • December 2016 (8)
  • November 2016 (4)
  • October 2016 (9)
  • September 2016 (17)
  • August 2016 (9)
  • July 2016 (7)
  • June 2016 (6)
  • May 2016 (9)
  • April 2016 (3)
  • March 2016 (8)
  • February 2016 (9)
  • January 2016 (8)
  • December 2015 (12)
  • November 2015 (9)
  • October 2015 (7)
  • September 2015 (10)
  • August 2015 (9)
  • July 2015 (9)
  • June 2015 (10)
  • May 2015 (9)
  • April 2015 (8)
  • March 2015 (9)
  • February 2015 (11)
  • January 2015 (10)
  • December 2014 (8)
  • November 2014 (7)
  • October 2014 (28)
  • September 2014 (9)
  • August 2014 (10)
  • July 2014 (7)
  • June 2014 (9)
  • May 2014 (7)
  • April 2014 (7)
  • March 2014 (10)
  • February 2014 (8)

Goodreads

Kathleen Palm, Author

Kathleen Palm, Author

Blog at WordPress.com.

Cancel
Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy