A Wrinkle in Time: The Healing Child-Me Needs

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.

Rediscovering Childhood Joy… Part 8 “The Last Starfighter”

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.

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

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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…

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.

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.

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!

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?

 

 

 

 

 

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

Tags

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

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.

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.

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.

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…

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.

“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.

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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

The sleepy bat and his friend.

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

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.

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.

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.

Falkor, a luckdragon,

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

And finds more friends. Two gnomes.

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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!”

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.

Yet 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.”

“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.

“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…

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.

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.

“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…”

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

Of course there are those bullies…

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!

Rediscovery of Childhood Joy… Part 4 “Legend”

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.

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.

So I rely here on my expert memory.

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

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

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

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

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.

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.

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.”

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

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…

Then accepts it.

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

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.

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.

They journey to the Lord of Darkness’ home.

Meeting Meg Mucklebones, who wants to eat them.

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…

Gump 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.

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…

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.

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.”

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.

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?”

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.

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

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…”

 

 

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

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?”

OMG! This movie.

“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.

 

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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

The Red Bull drove the unicorns into the sea.

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.

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.”

 

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

Rediscovering Childhood Joy… part 2 “The Dark Crystal”

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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,

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

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

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rediscovering Childhood Joy… part 1 “Labyrinth”

Tags

adventure, goblins, Jim Henson, Labyrinth, magic, movie, wishes

My Twitter header picture is a bunch of goblins, from a movie I love, yet a movie I don’t expect a lot of people to know. When a few people commented on it, saying they love that movie too, my little heart leapt with joy.

People DO know this movie, but what of my other childhood favorites? So I tweeted pictures from those.

Lo and behold, people not only know them, they love them. So I want to share three movies that forever changed my life in a blog series. Three movies that I owned on VHS and now own on DVD. Three movies that I discovered have touched others’ lives as well.

Movie magic, people. Magic.

Today, I want to share…

Labyrinth (Jim Henson and George Lucas… 1986)

Fifteen-year-old Sarah (Jennifer Connelly) wants to live in a fairytale, where no one can tell her what to do, where to go, or who she has to be.

She desires adventure, but the only excitement her life holds is babysitting her little brother, who won’t stop crying. So she makes a wish, that’s all it takes. The goblins scamper into the room and take Toby.

But Sarah isn’t exactly happy. I mean, who really thinks the Goblin King’s minions will actually grant a wish? Jareth, the Goblin King, (the fabulous David Bowie) comes to her… expecting gratitude, he saved her after all, but she demands her brother back.

Okay, sure. No problem. All she has to do is solve a labyrinth by a certain time… and she can have her brother back. *gulp*

So Sarah journeys into the maze to get her brother, solving riddles and meeting friends. Jim Henson’s genius shines in this movie. The puppets. The characters.

Sir Didymus on his trusty steed Ambrosius, Sarah, Ludo, and Hoggle. Aren’t they great?

Well, there is a bit of creepy weirdness. The Fireys… well, scare me.

As Sarah battles her way to the center of the labyrinth, Toby is having a grand time with Jareth and the Goblins.

And, of course, there is music… hello, David Bowie. I own the soundtrack. *hums*

But Jareth worries… what if Sarah can solve the riddles and make it to the center of the maze? So he tries to throw her off, trapping her in an oubliette, making her think she is home, and luring her into a ball.

But, in the end…

She finds herself at the center, facing Jareth, finally deciding what her life will be, what is important. To get her brother back. To save her family. Even though the Goblin King tried to help her, to give her what she desired, she won’t give up her brother’s life, his choices, for her own selfish wish.

Sarah takes control of her life, stops blaming the outside world for all her troubles. Something we all do now and then.

If only the Universe would stop being cruel…

If only so-and-so would get their act together…

If only…

There are things in life we can’t control. But one HUGE thing we can… ourselves, how we react, how we push forward.

Life isn’t easy. Life is work. You don’t get to live a fairytale because you want to, and we can’t blame others if our lives aren’t turning out exactly how we imagined. The life we have is ours… no one else’s.

So look at the world and all the problems it throws you and say…

Until next time, when I will share my love of The Dark Crystal…

May you conquer the labyrinth that is life.