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Post by chadgumbo on Nov 26, 2005 16:31:25 GMT -5
Hey Jashley... how ya been? Like Mike said over on the politics page - Welcome Back!When you mentioned Mockingbird as the first serious film you ever saw, I thought that was kind of interesting. Back in 1965 ( I was 7 years old ) there came a night when Mom couldn't find a babysitter, and she was just dying to see Dr. Zhivago. Dad was an over the road truck driver, and he was probably somewhere between Tucson and Tucumcari - and I ended up tagging along with her to the movie. I remember being bored with most of it, but there were parts of it that interested me along the way and I managed to behave myself and keep quiet in my seat. Where my brother and sister were that night, I can't remember. Maybe they were sleeping over at friends houses or some such thing. But Zhivago was a bit of a leap from Mary Poppins My 16 year old son wanted to go see the latest Harry Potter film the other night, so off we went to that. The kids look a little older in this one, but I can't say that the story seems to change all that much. Voldemort is the common villian in all of the Potter films (and books), and then there is also usually one character who appears to be a protagonist that ends up being an antagonist, and another character which is the reverse of that. Throw in some rather spectacular special effects, and boom - you've got another Potter film to put into theaters. Goosfraba - chadgumbo
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Post by Mike on Nov 26, 2005 18:47:13 GMT -5
Dr. Zhivago. , but there were parts of it that interested me along the way Goosfraba - chadgumbo Me too! Those parts belonged to Julie Christie... doh..
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Post by featphoto on Nov 26, 2005 19:14:34 GMT -5
When you mentioned Mockingbird as the first serious film you ever saw, I thought that was kind of interesting. for me, it was Seven Days In May, one of the few movies I went to with my dad alone (he was a chief surgeon in NYC and thus always busy). I was 11 yrs old, but with his help I understood the politics & the plot. I have to ask ... have you read the books? If you have, then you're one of the very few I've heard say that; if you haven't read the books, then by all means do ... the "the book is so much better than the movie" rule is alive & well in the world of Harry Potter ...
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Post by chadgumbo on Nov 27, 2005 11:38:22 GMT -5
Mike - I just have to laugh (when you mentioned Julie Christie having the "interesting" parts of "Dr. Zhivago"), because I thought about mentioning (in my last post) about how I had seen "The Godfather" when I was 13 in 1971. The italian woman whom Michael marries when he's overseas certainly popped my eyes open that day We boys certainly do grow up in a hurry don't we ;D Hank- I was in church one Sunday a few years back, when from the pulpit (during our weekly announcements) one of our members announced that a guest speaker was going to be at the church on a particular night during the upcoming week and he was going to speak to all that were present about the evils of the "Harry Potter" books. In my pew I rolled my eyes and thought to myself that this man (the anti-Potter speaker) has way too much time on his hands. And while I didn't waste any time by attending that... what was it? a forum, a rally?... whatever it was, I did determine that I was going to read at least one of the books to see what all the fuss was about. So I read the first book, and I remembered thinking that this, at least in my mind, wasn't any worse than "The Wizard of Oz". My son, Phillip, (who I went to the movie with the other night) has read all of the books, and he loves them. I'm grateful to J.K. Rowling, if for no other reason, for her helping to nurture my son's interest in reading. When I was his age it was Stephen King who did it for me. Where were the anti-King speakers in church? Oh, maybe they had something legitimate to worry about.
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Post by Mike on Nov 27, 2005 12:14:57 GMT -5
Mike - I just have to laugh (when you mentioned Julie Christie having the "interesting" parts of "Dr. Zhivago"), because I thought about mentioning (in my last post) about how I had seen "The Godfather" when I was 13 in 1971. The italian woman whom Michael marries when he's overseas certainly popped my eyes open that day We boys certainly do grow up in a hurry don't we ;D Yup...my first love was Bridget Bardot. Then there was Ann Margaret. Then Julie Christie and Natalie Wood. Then a few yrs later Beverly D'angelo...Ashley Judd......stop!!! BTW-Once your kids are grown and out of college and such you can start to sort of..."un-grow up" a little. It's fun! ;D
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Post by featphoto on Nov 27, 2005 12:25:06 GMT -5
Hank- I was in church one Sunday a few years back, when from the pulpit (during our weekly announcements) one of our members announced that a guest speaker was going to be at the church on a particular night during the upcoming week and he was going to speak to all that were present about the evils of the "Harry Potter" books. In my pew I rolled my eyes and thought to myself that this man (the anti-Potter speaker) has way too much time on his hands. And while I didn't waste any time by attending that... what was it? a forum, a rally?... whatever it was, I did determine that I was going to read at least one of the books to see what all the fuss was about. So I read the first book, and I remembered thinking that this, at least in my mind, wasn't any worse than "The Wizard of Oz". My son, Phillip, (who I went to the movie with the other night) has read all of the books, and he loves them. I'm grateful to J.K. Rowling, if for no other reason, for her helping to nurture my son's interest in reading. When I was his age it was Stephen King who did it for me. Where were the anti-King speakers in church? Oh, maybe they had something legitimate to worry about. I've always found it fascinating to learn what kind of book, painting, sculpture, photograph, music[/i], etc grips one person's interest vs another's ... it's so easy to point to the things you like or dislike, but often so hard to explain why you feel one way or 'tother. We have read each of the 6 books as a famiy, with my wife (ham that she is) doing the reading and supplying accented voices for all the characters (except Harry, who is her regular speaking voice) ... Hagrid sounds like a pirate, Ron is Cockney, Hermione sound vaguely main line Philadelphia, etc. ... two years ago we were in Ireland when book #5 was released (Order of the Phoenix). we found a little book store in Clifden and picked it up the day it was released (it sold out there, too, by the end of the day). you see: we read it during the rest of the trip, both at night and during cheese & bread lunch stops along the way on bluffs like this: it was a magical trip, I tell ya (no pun intended). in fact, the 4 of us are off to see the new movie in a couple of hours ... I know it won't come close to the book, but I've heard good things none-the-less. we'll see ...
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Post by Scott Hays on Nov 27, 2005 18:28:36 GMT -5
I did a trip south for Thanksgiving and to see the ALS benefit at the Canyon Club, so have been "off-line" for quite a while, it seems. A couple of comments:
For churchgoers who oppose the witchcraft in Harry Potter, remember it was the same people who wanted to ban "The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe" because of its title. Talk about idiocy ... the author of that book (C.S. Lewis), who taught philology at Oxford and was probably J.R.R. Tolkien's best friend, is probably the best-known and best-appreciated theologean on the planet. His scholarly explanations and explications of Christianity, however, are probably too difficult for the more basic Christian of fundamental belief to understand. The true irony iin all of this is that the lion of the title (Aslan) is a Christ figure. If you haven't read the book and are intrigued by the previews, by all means be sure to read it first. I plan to see the movie.
To Kill A Mockingbird is a marvelous movie. I read the book each year to my seventh grade class. Then we watch the movie and discuss the two. This ultimately leads to an essay ... usually pretty spirited writing ... about which version was best, and why. In some years (depending on the nature of the students) it has also lead to debates and other ongoing forms of dialogue.
Needless to say, it IS one of my favorite novels (and movies). Just out of interest, here are the other books I read aloud to my class (about five a year): Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (every year, always first), The Little Prince, Dragonwings, Never Cry Wolf, The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents (every year), the first seven chapters of Tom Sawyer (to introduce and prepare them for reading the novel independently), The Chocolate War, and To Kill A Mockingbird.
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Post by Mike on Nov 28, 2005 20:59:56 GMT -5
Scott, I would have to recommend "To Kill a Mockingbird" for youngsters. It is a film that can be viewed on many levels and will teach them different things as they view it at different points in their life, Peace j Another one that I think so much of for youngsters, (and oldsters) is a sleeper baseball movie called "Pastime". It teaches so much about the good and bad of human nature in a simple way that I bought it...and made my sons watch it. They're glad I did. It's about leadership and heros, like *"The Last Castle". Another great one, *even if parental discretion is advised.
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Post by jashley on Nov 29, 2005 21:23:15 GMT -5
Mike,
You forgot Audrey Hepburn (anytime) and Elizabeth Taylor (esp. in "Cleopatra") or Sophia Loren in "Houseboat".
Peace j
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Post by jashley on Dec 7, 2005 1:33:11 GMT -5
Scott,
I wish I would have had a teacher like you. I have always felt that movies could be a great way to motivate students to debate IDEAS and make them think they are having fun. I don't know about you but boredom was my biggest problem in school.
"To Kill a Mockingbird" was on TV tonight, it's still great. Atticus, Jim, and Scout...Old Friends.
This is my 200th post, do I get a cookie?
Peace j
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BillL
Full Member
RIGHT ON !!!!
Posts: 172
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Post by BillL on Dec 7, 2005 16:00:13 GMT -5
I get the feeling that had I had Scott as a teacher I would have enjoyed school more. Like you, J, I found that I was bored all the time as well. Who knows, I may have ended up joining Greenpeace or the like instead of being the class clown wherever I go. Bill L
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Post by Scott Hays on Dec 7, 2005 20:07:57 GMT -5
Hey ... one can join Greenpeace (or the Peace Corps) and STILL be the class clown. I oughta know!
So thanks, you guys. Even though I have hung up my chalk pieces/dry erase markers (have to stay current), I left the profession thinking that I did a pretty darned good job of respecting kids, making the work they had to do ... well, if not always enjoyable or likeable, at least interesting and somehow connected to their lives. While I think that learning is the most important thing that anyone can do, at whatever age they find themselves, I was never of the opinion or bent that I could dictate what and when anyone should learn it. I also do not think it is particularly useful to compare kids. Everyone likes different things, everyone approaches the responsibilities they are given (or assume) differently, and everyone proceeds pretty much at their own pace. How arrogant and arbitrary to require (demand) that everyone learn "x" (substitute whatever you most hate learning about) just because they are 12 years old!
The trick (boring everyone with my personal educational philosophy) is to convince each kid that they are responsible for their own learning, and that they will learn the things they are supposed to know when they need to know them. Despite the popular press and the political pundits, it doesn't matter when you learn algebra or Spanish or verb conjugation ... so long as you learn it before you really need it. Often, needing it is the greatest incentive to actually learn it. Everything else is filling in blanks and passing time.
So ... if the time is just going to pass, why not make it interesting. Why not watch movies relevant to the subject? Why not talk about the movies? Why not attempt to assemble the tiny bones inside an owl pellet and use some reference books to try to identify the rodent (bird?) whose bones you are looking at? Why not sketch your findings, scan them onto the hardrive then paste them into report you mail to a field biologist for his or her comments? Why not take full responsibility for painting and recarpeting the classroom ... including determining the total surface area to be covered, shopping for the best deals in paint and carpet, then working with a professional to complete the job?
Process leads to finding content and the necessary skills ... without the process, there never are any products even though some folks can calculate up a storm on paper or read a passage purely correct without ever knowing how to use those calculations or what those words meant.
Oh ... my classes were hard, even if I was a softy!
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Post by chadgumbo on Dec 8, 2005 1:31:15 GMT -5
Scott, my boys are very good students... but I do wish there were more teachers like you out there. If I haven't said it yet - congratulations on a career well done
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Post by chadgumbo on Dec 8, 2005 1:49:07 GMT -5
My son Phillip wanted me to buy Tom Cruise's War of the Worlds when it came out on DVD. Normally I wouldn't have balked at that, but I had just bought Batman Begins and Star Wars III in nearly back to back weeks. I didn't want him to think that Dad was the magical movie DVD provider and that all he needed to do was place his order whenever he had a whim So I told him War of the Worlds might have to be for Christmas. He's 16 and he loves good sci-fi movies with lots of special effects. He also despises old movies, and the older they are the more he despises them. He thinks the special effects in "Jaws" for example are laughable and no amount of film appreciation lecturing from Dad is going to change his mind, at least not for a few more years. And of course he's appalled at the notion that the 1950s version of War of the Worlds won an Oscar for special effects. To him that movie is on a level with Mighty Morphin Power Rangers ;D So I've bought the 2005 version of the movie on DVD and hidden it until Christmas day. But I'm thinking of spending another 5 or 6 bucks to buy the 1950s version... wrapping it, and having that one under the tree. Then when he opens it I can say "Hey, all you said was that you wanted War of the Worlds! How was I to know which one!? And then after I've had my fun, let him have Cruise's version I know he understands that in order to have good special effects, we first had to have special effects that appear to be silly by today's standards. And some day he'll actually admit to me that he gets that. But for now he wants to try and put one over on me and make me feel as though shortly after the Neanderthals disappeared from the planet... I was born ;D Ah well, sooner than he can imagine, he'll have kids one day too BTW - Hank, I really like that photo of the homes/cottages along the shoreline a couple of posts up from here. Great picture! What a beautiful part of the country! Hope you all are getting closer to being ready for Christmas. I wish you all good health, peace, and happiness.
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Post by Mike on Dec 15, 2005 23:47:51 GMT -5
The movie, "Crash".
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