Their actual resemblance to any real summer camp may be
questionable, but--in the movies at least--going away for the summer almost always
conjures up visions of unexpected adventure, athletic rivalry, new friendships and the
potential for some occasional lighthearted romance.
Whether you’re planning to use them to gently acquaint your children with
possibilities for their own upcoming summer camp adventure, or simply to entertain them
for a few hours, you’ll find quite a few kid-friendly titles at your local video
store or library. As always, parents should remember that, in general, “family
values” have changed quite a bit in the years since we went off to camp for the
summer.
As I’ve stated before, the ratings are simply a guide, and the ultimate choice of
what is appropriate for your children still comes down to your own judgement. With this in
mind, the following films are practically guaranteed to entertain your youngsters with
images of summer fun:
For pre-schoolers, 1977’s Race For Your Life, Charlie Brown is a
delightful feature-length introduction to the wonders of summer camp, as Charlie Brown,
Snoopy, Woodstock and the rest of the “Peanuts” gang share a series of summer
camp adventures, including a race on a river raft against bullies from another camp.
For elementary school kids, The Parent Trap is probably still the classic
summer camp comedy. Both the unrated 1961 original and its PG-rated 1998 remake are
excellent examples of how to make an old-fashioned family comedy that doesn’t insult
the intelligence of its intended audience. British actress Hayley Mills stars in the
original version, as twin sisters who have never met each other, thanks to their
parents’ divorce. When they accidentally discover each other at summer camp, they
decide to switch identities in order to try to bring their parents back together. Newcomer
Lindsay Lohan is also terrific in the dual role, in the equally good remake.
Your own campers should also enjoy Ernest Goes to Camp, a modest 1987
comedy starring Jim Varney as a clueless counselor in charge of a group of young
troublemakers who have been sent to Camp Krikakee for the summer. In this sweet-natured,
PG-rated tale, the campers learn how to get along with other kids and even help to save
the camp from (what else?) greedy developers.
Originally made for TV, 1985’s Poison Ivy stars Michael J. Fox as an
inexperienced new camp counselor who has a lot to learn about 11-year-old kids and color
wars, with a little time left over for a summer romance at the fictional Camp Pinewood.
1995’s Man of the House stars TV’s Jonathon Taylor Thomas, as
young Ben Archer, who tries to break up the growing romance between his single-mom and her
boyfriend, Jack, played by Chevy Chase. The comic highlight of this PG-rated family film
involves Ben and Jack’s misadventures in the Indian Guides, where the two finally
manage to bond in spite of themselves.
Fifth graders and middle-schoolers should have a great time with the PG-13 rated Heavyweights,
a predictable-but-enjoyable 1995 comedy about overweight campers sent off to a “fat
farm” for the summer, only to discover that the new owner is a fitness star who wants
to change the camp’s image. Although parents should be warned that Heavyweights has
more than its share of “fat jokes”, they should also be aware that the title
campers eventually overcome their own personal problems and gain enough self-esteem to win
the day by turning the tables on their opponents.
Also rated PG-13 is 1995’s Bushwhacked, starring Home Alone’s
Daniel Stern as Max, a naive delivery man who pretends to be a summer camp counselor after
he is falsely accused of committing a murder. Not surprisingly, after getting his young
campers lost in the mountains, he actually manages to become a hero in this genuinely
funny camp comedy that contains a classic campfire sequence and is strictly for older
children.
Older children are also the target audience for Meatballs, the raucous
comedy that turned Bill Murray into a star. Murray plays Tripper, a wiseguy camp counselor
who predictably turns a troop of stereotypical misfits into winners, in a genuinely funny
“slob comedy” whose PG-rating is now much closer to a hard PG-13. Parents should
be aware that today’s PG-rated “children’s” movies often contain
questionable material and that Murray’s trademark humor in this 1979 comedy
occasionally borders on young adult territory, so pre-screening is strongly advised before
showing your own campers this classic summer camp comedy.
Again, remember that ratings have changed quite a bit over the last generation and even a
G-rating is likely to contain at least a few general curse words, not to mention the kind
of violence that children tend to associate with their favorite TV shows. Bearing this in
mind, feel free to stock up on insect repellent, “bug juice” and band-aids, and
don’t forget to pack the VCR, campers!
Steve Friedman is available to speak to schools and can be heard on CBS Radio on
Saturday nights from 10 pm to 1 am on 1210 AM.
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