Top 10: What childhood film or show has been ruined for you?
- Readers share the TV programmes and movies that have lost their magic, from Disney classics to ‘The Greatest Showman’
- This week’s question: What is the worst topping for a pizza?
Enjoy your show, kids! We hope it isn’t ruined for you! Photo: ShutterstockThis week’s question: What is the worst topping for a pizza?
To take part, drop us a line via this form or email us at [email protected] by 11.59pm on September 6. Tell us your name, age and school.
Lois Lam Lok-yiu, 17, St Mary’s Canossian College: I used to love the movie The Greatest Showman so much that I even memorised the words of all the songs. But after learning about circus owner Phineas Taylor Barnum’s exploitation of racism and animal abuse, I can no longer look at this movie the same way again.
Chau Tsz-ching, 13, Stewards Pooi Kei College: With the knowledge that a live-action remake of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is coming soon, I recently rewatched the animated classic and realised that sense of magic was missing. I had difficulty finding something positive from the story. Some scenes made me uncomfortable, such as how the witch died and when the prince kissed Snow White without her consent. When I was young, I used to love this movie, but as I grow up, I realise it is problematic.
Readers share their favourite fictional villains
Audrey Hom, 13, HKCCCU Logos Academy: From an early age, Peppa Pig has been one of my favourite children’s programmes. She always enjoys rolling in puddles and interacting with Mommy, Daddy, and George, so it’s entertaining and relatable. During a recent family vacation, my small cousin made fun of her father while we watched Peppa Pig together, pointed out “daddy’s big tummy”. Although it was funny at the time, I later realised that my uncle must have been ashamed. Peppa’s endless fat-shaming of poor Daddy Pig has left me feeling uneasy about the character. I think I will be more cautious when I watch Peppa Pig now.
Zach Lai, 14, Hong Kong International School: When I was younger, I enjoyed watching Star Wars and Disney movies. Having grown up watching the original Star Wars trilogy, the exploits of Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, and Princess Leia are deeply embedded in my mind, and seeing the sequels do away with such important characters is truly disheartening.
Suri Chan Tin-wing, 17, Yan Chai Hospital Law Chan Chor Si College: High School Musical. I had a lot of dreams about secondary school inspired by the film. Secondary students face many challenges, including peer pressure, conflicts within family, and criticism of their fashion sense. As for me, I’ve been busy juggling homework, biology quizzes and visual art assessments. I had to slowly let go of my hobby because I was having tutorials at school and loads of homework during weekends. Unlike in the film, high school is exhausting for me.
Emily Lee Cheuk-ying, 16, Carmel Secondary School: When I was a kindergarten student, I used to be a big fan of Barney & Friends, with the characters being played by actors wearing costumes. The show conveys a positive message through song and dance, and I had a soft spot for the main character, Barney. The show will be rebooted in 2024 as an animated series, although I was looking forward to seeing a live-action version. To me, Barney is still the popular purple dinosaur, and the theme of the programme has always been the vivid human interpretation of the energetic, huggable creature.
What is one thing that you still have from your childhood?
Chan Bo Wen, 14, HKCCCU Logos Academy: Most animated classics, especially Disney films, seem to have lost some of their magic. This is because of the large number of live-action remakes that have been released over the past few years. Some of the adaptations, such as the 2015 Cinderella, have done justice to the originals, but sadly, such movies are scarce. Instead of rehashing beloved classics, film studios should come up with new creations.
Hilary Yiu Yi-kwan, 13, Tak Nga Secondary School: Lion King. In the Disney film, Mufasa is trampled to death by the stampeding wildebeest. But what happened to his body? I started researching and I found out that wildebeest – a member of the antelope family – don’t eat meat; they eat plants. Then I watched the movie and saw a scene where Scar was holding a skull. I discovered it was a lion skull. This means Scar may have eaten Mufasa. But this is not the part that ruined my mood the most. It was the fact that Scar and Mufasa were brothers.
Iu Hei-nga, 15, Tak Nga Secondary School: Ladybug & Cat Noir: The Movie, which was based on the 2016 animated television series. The film, released this year, fell well short of my expectations. The main characters sing weirdly and some happenings are different from the TV series. Before I watched the movie, I thought it would take me back to my childhood but I was disappointed. I really don’t like the film.
Valerie Chiu Wing-yee, 13, St Mary’s Canossian College: Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead is an animated television series that was released in July. At first, I thought it would be similar to all those fascinating zombie movies in which people have to escape from the “walking dead”. But then I realised that it is actually a live-action comedy about a man who is motivated to live his best life when zombies ravage his town. I was unhappy at first, but then I thought it would be great to have unexpected plot twists and scenes in a film.