Do any of my readers remember this movie?
In my opinion, The Monster Squad should rank up there with Goonies and The Lost Boys in the pantheon of classic 80s kids movies in which the kids swear way too much. You all know what I’m talking about.
For some reason, most contemporary kid’s movies pander to their audience. There’s no real grit, no real conflict. There was a time in which the kids in kids movies weren’t so well-behaved. Plus, they had big things to worry about, like killing vampires, escaping from murderers, and doing the truffle shuffle. Honestly, given the current hysteria about childhood obesity, I think that, today, the inclusion of a truffle shuffle would earn a movie an automatic R rating. Indeed, by comparison, today’s kid’s movies are pretty tame.
The Monster Squad is another movie that would never be made today. The kids in this movie smoke cigarettes (only one of them does…the tough, cool one…that’s how you know he so tough…the cigarettes), steal their mom’s heirloom silverware to make silver bullets (how else do you kill a werewolf?) and take dirty pictures of the hot high school chick who lives next door. No fewer than two of the movie’s main villains are killed by a twelve-year-old wielding a firearm; and countless vampire minions are either brutally cut down by a bow and arrow or stabbed in the heart with a wooden stake. I can tell you one thing, Harry Potter never blasted the Creature from the Black Lagoon with a shotgun or blew up a werewolf with a stick of dynamite. Not once.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that the tamer kid’s movies is an altogether bad phenomenon. I’m just saying that I grew up in world in which kids movies were more graphic and vulgar…and I turned out just fine.
The reason I bring up The Monster Squad is that it was finally released on DVD yesterday. That’s right, this movie had become so obscure and forgotten that it hadn’t even been released in the DVD format. Sadly, none of the stores in my area had any copies of the movie in stock (again…obscure) so I had to order my copy online. It should be at my house in a matter of days.
I recommend that you all add this gem to your Netflix queue or pick it up at Blockbuster. I doubt that many of you will be disappointed.
Filed under: Movies, My Personal Life, The Decline of Western Civilization
Saying you turned out fine is completely debateable
Yes, of course I remember that movie! in fact I just watched it two weeks ago
Uh..I believe you’re married now. I was in charge of the ward campout and couldn’t make it. But I hope it was lovely!!
Anyone remember Peabo Bryson? He was pretty good at singing.
To remember I think you would have to know if the first place. Unless Peabo Bryson is a Platonic Form of some sort. Then I could remember.