When I was a kid, my parents took me and my sister to the movies all the time. I still have a bag of all my old ticket stubs saved at my mother’s house. Granted, movie tickets were less expansive back in the 90s. I would have to thank my parents for me being interested in movies as an art form. Earlier this week, I came across one of those movies on TV. It was one I hadn’t fully seen all the way through since I saw it 20 years ago. That movie in question was “Matilda”.
It is hard to believe that this movie has turned 20 already. Based on the book by Roald Dahl, the film stars Mara Wilson as Matilda Wormwood, a rather extraordinary child who is mature beyond her years. She can read at higher levels, and can multiply big numbers in her head. She doesn’t exactly have the greatest home life as her parents, (played by real life couple Danny DeVito and Rhea Pearlman), constantly belittle her and mistreat her. When Matilda gets the opportunity to go to school, she finds a confidant in her teacher Miss Honey, but gains an enemy in the school’s principal known as the Trunchbull.
As I was re watching this movie, I felt a wave of nostalgia come over me. It perfectly captures the mindset of children who feel ignored and neglected in a world that can be big and scary. But it also showed children that if you stay true to who you truly are, you will meet people who will love and accept you no matter your circumstances.
I feel that this movie came out at just the right time as well. In the mid to late 90s, there was a huge ad campaign to get kids to read. You couldn’t open up a magazine or see a commercial on TV promoting how reading is fun and can open up your mind to new worlds. Various celebrities did these ads, and a lot of children’s shows promoted reading as well. I feel that this movie also inspired a lot of kids to read, especially young girls.
This film, I also feel gave some kids motivation to succeed, especially if they didn’t get the attention they deserved. Look back at the kids you knew in elementary school. Don’t you think you might have met a few like Matilda growing up? They were very bright, but they didn’t exactly have the greatest home life growing up. If you got invited to their house to hang out, you felt like Miss Honey in the scene where she goes to Matilda’s house to talk to her parents. You feel a sense of fear not knowing what to expect when you walked in the door.
That brings me to another point that is special about this film. One of my favorite characters in this film is that of Miss Honey. She was such a gentle soul. The kind of person who treated every person she encountered with respect and dignity, regardless of who she or he was. In a way, I think Matilda and Miss Honey both fill a void in each other’s lives. Each is looking for someone to bond with, and I think the scenes where they are bonding is one of the hearts of the movie.
I also noticed how dark this movie could be at times. Danny DeVito is famous for doing comedies with dark tones, so after watching a few of his films, this one is no exception. I think a film with this dark humor for children could not be made today. The scenes with the Trunchbull abusing some of the kids, such as swinging a girls pigtails and making a kid eat cake, would probably be edited out.
There is another good element about this film, and that is the villain known as the Trunchbull. We don’t really get a lot of backstory on this character, and I think it makes it better that way. Pam Ferris plays this character very well. It is over the top at times, but you can tell that she is having a lot of fun with this roll, and that fun transcends onto the audience.
I think this film does have a lot of staying power. It has not aged at all, and I think kids who feel misunderstood today should view this movie. It has the perfect viewpoint of a child’s mind, and I think it is one that should never be forgotten. Give it another watch, and I don’t think you will regret it.
I dedicate this blog post to my own personal Miss Honey. You may not read this, but you have helped me get through a hard time in my life this year. And for that, I thank you.
It is hard to believe that this movie has turned 20 already. Based on the book by Roald Dahl, the film stars Mara Wilson as Matilda Wormwood, a rather extraordinary child who is mature beyond her years. She can read at higher levels, and can multiply big numbers in her head. She doesn’t exactly have the greatest home life as her parents, (played by real life couple Danny DeVito and Rhea Pearlman), constantly belittle her and mistreat her. When Matilda gets the opportunity to go to school, she finds a confidant in her teacher Miss Honey, but gains an enemy in the school’s principal known as the Trunchbull.
As I was re watching this movie, I felt a wave of nostalgia come over me. It perfectly captures the mindset of children who feel ignored and neglected in a world that can be big and scary. But it also showed children that if you stay true to who you truly are, you will meet people who will love and accept you no matter your circumstances.
I feel that this movie came out at just the right time as well. In the mid to late 90s, there was a huge ad campaign to get kids to read. You couldn’t open up a magazine or see a commercial on TV promoting how reading is fun and can open up your mind to new worlds. Various celebrities did these ads, and a lot of children’s shows promoted reading as well. I feel that this movie also inspired a lot of kids to read, especially young girls.
This film, I also feel gave some kids motivation to succeed, especially if they didn’t get the attention they deserved. Look back at the kids you knew in elementary school. Don’t you think you might have met a few like Matilda growing up? They were very bright, but they didn’t exactly have the greatest home life growing up. If you got invited to their house to hang out, you felt like Miss Honey in the scene where she goes to Matilda’s house to talk to her parents. You feel a sense of fear not knowing what to expect when you walked in the door.
That brings me to another point that is special about this film. One of my favorite characters in this film is that of Miss Honey. She was such a gentle soul. The kind of person who treated every person she encountered with respect and dignity, regardless of who she or he was. In a way, I think Matilda and Miss Honey both fill a void in each other’s lives. Each is looking for someone to bond with, and I think the scenes where they are bonding is one of the hearts of the movie.
I also noticed how dark this movie could be at times. Danny DeVito is famous for doing comedies with dark tones, so after watching a few of his films, this one is no exception. I think a film with this dark humor for children could not be made today. The scenes with the Trunchbull abusing some of the kids, such as swinging a girls pigtails and making a kid eat cake, would probably be edited out.
There is another good element about this film, and that is the villain known as the Trunchbull. We don’t really get a lot of backstory on this character, and I think it makes it better that way. Pam Ferris plays this character very well. It is over the top at times, but you can tell that she is having a lot of fun with this roll, and that fun transcends onto the audience.
I think this film does have a lot of staying power. It has not aged at all, and I think kids who feel misunderstood today should view this movie. It has the perfect viewpoint of a child’s mind, and I think it is one that should never be forgotten. Give it another watch, and I don’t think you will regret it.
I dedicate this blog post to my own personal Miss Honey. You may not read this, but you have helped me get through a hard time in my life this year. And for that, I thank you.