What were your favorite movies when you were under 10? Do you still like them today? When did you last watch them? I really want to talk about two of my favorite movies from childhood, and what it was like to re-watch them this past week. I took a journey. These two were on heavy rotation at different points during my years in the burbs of NJ. Let’s dig in.

**Spoiler Alert! this review contains spoilers. Be warned. If you’ve waited 30+ years to see these movies don’t ruin it now.

Sea Prince and the Fire Child, directed by Masami Hata, released in Japan in 1981, is an anime retelling of Romeo and Juliet. My Dad taped this movie off of the TV one night, and then that tape lived in our home for the next fifteen years. I’m guessing I was about 6 when I first saw this, and I became pretty obsessed with it. I was blown away by this movie then, and I tell you what, it holds up.

First of all it is absolutely beautiful. The creatures and plants in the sea are lush, playful, ominous, and extravagant. The ocean is vast, with huge mountain ranges, waterfalls, canyons, valleys, dark deep unknown places (like the forbidden zone). The art here really lit up my head as a kid and it does the same today. It’s beautifully done, the attention to detail and style are absolutely perfect. Lush. Absolute art.

The story goes that long ago Oceanus, the God of Water, and Hyperia, the Goddess of Fire, were in love. And it was red hot. But Algorac, the God of Wind, grew jealous of their love. He turned them against each other by planting rumors, and seeding suspicions. Oceanus and Hyperia battled, and they nearly wiped one another out. Algorac was struck down, and his eye, his powerful eye, was taken from him, and he was banished to the forbidden zone, because he was such a trouble maker. At the same time a holy flame was created. As long as the flame burned the seas would remain calm and Algorac would sleep. And from that point on, the children of fire and water were forever parted.

Cut to later, Sirius, Oceanus’ chosen successor, has to guard the sea, which mostly involves fighting jellyfish and messing around with his little unicorn mermaid friend Bibble. Malta is the daughter of Hyperia, and she has to guard the flame every night. It sits out on a jut of rock, right by the ocean. She feeds it flower petals and dances in it. One night Sirius comes to the surface because he sees the flame. Malta’s flame. And she is dancing in the flame. Boom, it’s pretty much love at first sight. A fire child and a water child?! In LoVe? Fraught.

There are a bunch of important things happening, that Malta and Sirius sort of ignore, because they are young and in love. Sirius gets presented the eye of Algorac, which he wears around his neck and has to protect. It’s a big deal. Malta’s Mom, who is a huge terrifying woman the size of a building, and exudes a menacing sexuality, tells her it will soon be some eclipse, and their will be a ceremony, and Malta will be taking over as Queen. No more flame watching and being a pixie, she is going to bloom into a giant Woman. Again, it’s a big deal. Meanwhile, these two dopes are lounging around on the rocks by the flame every night making out and just being super melodramatic. Right out where anyone could see. And then, surprise, they get caught. Firstly by Piale, Malta’s best friend who is clearly in love with her. Piale tries to kill Sirius but Malta screams a bunch, so Piale runs off and cries. She is torn up, but decides to keep Malta’s secret, cause she loves Malta, and just wants her to be happy. But then this giant sea slug thing sees them with Aristurtle, and the slug runs off to tell Oceanus. And then everyone looses their minds. Sirius and Malta declare their love, and make a plan to run off to some star where children of fire and water live together. But it’s doomed. I mean it’s Romeo and Juliet, so, – you get it. Things don’t work out. Tragic. Basically the love of two self obsessed teens destroys the world. Two worlds, actually.

It’s an absolute work of Art. The look of it, the music and the story are wonderful! If you managed to miss this one from the early anime days, grab a copy, and if it’s been a minute, revisit it. It’s a delight.

SpaceCamp came out in 1986, and was directed by Harry Winer. It stars Lea Thompson, Kelly Preston, Tate Donovan, and Larry B. Scott as a bunch of teenagers attending Space Camp. Also a tiny baby Joaquin Phoenix. And everyone’s favorites Tom Skerritt and Kate Capshaw as the adult astronauts/camp counselors.

I rented this movie one night, and it changed my life. I was probably 9. I had never seen such a good movie before. It had everything. A robot. Love. An ambitious young women (Lea Thompson’s character, Kathryn, wants to be an astronaut, she wants it bad.) Humor. Suspense. SPACE. Drama. It’s a roller coaster of a ride. I went on to rent this video countless times. But re-watching Space Camp was a bit different then re-watching Sea Prince and the Fire Child. It was a lot of, “Oh man, that’s not how I remembered that.” The first thing that stood out to me was the ludicrous plot. Now I have never been to Space Camp, which is a real thing, but I’m guessing nothing that happens in this movie happens at Space Camp. For instance Kathryn and her jerky crush sneak off, in his jeep, to go make out on the launch pad. There’s a robot that becomes friends with Max (Joaquin Phoenix’s character) and then acts independently in a dangerous and misguided way. And while we’re on it, Max is like 8, and everyone else is 18ish. Oh, also, they get sent into space.

So here was the real kick in the teeth on the re-watch. I remember vividly the absolute awe I felt at the scenes where they’re in space. Floating around in the space capsule. Flying around trying to retrieve that dang oxygen tank from the space station. I assumed, without question, that they had sent the kids/crew into space to film those scenes. How else could they have gotten those sick effects?! Well, I felt very differently on this go round. They weren’t in space. I said it. It is hard to come to terms with, but they were definitely not in space. Which is like, of course they weren’t! Of course they weren’t. The expense, the risk. Absurd to think otherwise. But I really did. And the effects are fine. They’re fine. But they don’t for one second lead a person with all the lights on to think it was filmed in space. This is why kids are so dumb. A lot of scaffolding still set up in the old frontal cortex.

Now despite the fact that they weren’t in space, and that it makes no real sense that they got sent to space, it is still a nice little film. Kate Capshaw and Lea Thompson really lead the cast, with excellent performances. Tom Skerritt’s mustache looks great. The music is full on 80s jams. I get why I liked it so much. It’s fun, and dramatic. It made me interested in space, and science. It also made me want a jeep.

Thanks for joining me for the third installment of Thibeau on Film: childhood favorites, revisited. Much like re-reading books, revisiting movies has much to offer. New themes may jump out, you may find yourself relating to different characters, and sure a few ideas might get shattered (like them NOT being in space), but it’s alright. We learn and grow.