The Chipettes Still Rock
Over the weekend, I was struck by a sudden memory of one of my all time FAVORITE childhood movies: The Chipmunk Adventure.
I grew up with Alvin and the Chipmunks as well as the Chipettes. Brittany, Eleanor, and Jeanette were some of the most important female role models I had. No joke. Brittany was stubborn as hell and never let anyone walk over her. Jeanette was smart and level-headed, and Eleanor was sensitive and caring. Sure, they were female versions of the Chipmunks, but rather than take on stereotypically feminine characteristics, the Chipettes were EXACTLY like the boys but with long hair.
In other words, they could (and did) do anything the boys could do. I mean, just check out this rockin’ musical number, and don’t tell me it’s not empowering for girl viewers.
It’s no wonder that, after a daily diet of The Chipmunk Adventure (yes, I went through a phase where I watched the movie EVERY SINGLE DAY), I write about swashbuckling adventure, mystery, and kick-butt heroines. This movie has it ALL.
And, lest you think it only translates to an 80s kid like myself, I’m here to tell you it’s STILL appealing to kids. When I babysit, I always bring it along, and I have yet to meet a kid that didn’t fall as in love with the film as I was (er…am).
Yep, there’s no denying how much The Chipmunk Adventure molded me into the person I am today. 😉
What about you? Other than the usual diet of Disney movies, are there any films from your childhood that STILL mean a lot to you?
♥
February 6, 2012 @ 4:12 pm
You will be happy to know that my little guy LOVES this movie, and the Chipmunks in general. 😉
For me…Fern Gully. Did you watch that movie as a kid? OMG. It turned me into an eight-year-old environmentalist. 🙂 I actually bought the DVD not long ago…*blushes*.
February 6, 2012 @ 8:57 pm
Oh HECK YEAH I know FERN GULLY. Although, the creepy sludge bad guy always scared me so, so, SO bad. Like, I”m getting the shakes thinking about it…
And WOOY! I’m inordinately pleased to hear Super Spawn knows and loves this movie. 😀
February 6, 2012 @ 5:45 pm
Oh my goodness, must echo Holly. Fern Gully!!! Love that movie to pieces and it STILL hurts me when people carve their names into trees!
Another movie, although it isn’t necessarily a children’s movie, is Legend (the one starring a young Tom Cruise lol). Might be part of the reason why I’m so obsessed with unicorns now =P
February 6, 2012 @ 8:58 pm
LEGEND! EEEK! I definitely know Legend…and young Tom Cruise. I used to think he was so cute, and then I recently watched it, and…blegh. 80s hair really didn’t work for him. 😉
February 6, 2012 @ 6:38 pm
Um, so I loved you before, but now I think I’ma go get your name tattooed on my bicep or something. You have NO IDEA how many times I’ve seen this movie. I spent my summers with cousins who watched it every single day as well (and sometimes more than once a day). This is THE movie of my childhood. I was completely and utterly obsessed with the Chipettes. I used to pretend to be Brittany (because she was totally the best) and made my sister alternate between being Eleanor and Jeanette. The perks of being the oldest child.
So yeah, I bet I could still quote this movie line by line. I tried looking for it on DVD a few months ago so I could buy it for my daughter, but alas NO. I need to check eBay or something. And somewhere out there there is totally a video of a prepubescent me rocking out to that song. Oh yes. There is.
I love this post!
February 6, 2012 @ 9:00 pm
Oh. My. Gosh. I WANT TO SEE THIS VIDEO. It was probably like me last night, dancing around the kitchen (with my MOM) and belting out, “Cause we’re the girls of rock & roll-ah!”
And since you know me, it may come as no surprise that my favorite was Jeanette…and I have a sneaking suspicion that Eleanor from SS&D MIGHT have subconsciously been based on Eleanor the Chipette. 🙂
February 7, 2012 @ 1:20 am
I was never into the chipmunks back then, but I definitely appreciate them now. haha. And that musical number is AWESOME. As a child, I was actually fascinated by The Land Before Time. It was awesome then and it still is now. Too bad the 10/11 sequels kinda ruined it…but…oh well. I still dearly love those first few Land Before Time Movies. <3
February 7, 2012 @ 11:00 pm
Ohhhh, THE LAND BEFORE TIME. Jeez, that movie and DUMBO are instant tear-jerkers for me. But, oh how I love them. Nice choice!
February 7, 2012 @ 2:36 am
Oh my lord, I must have rented this movie a zillion times from the video store. I can still sing The Boys/Girls of Rock and Roll (and I bet my parents can, too). Thanks for the flashback!
February 7, 2012 @ 11:01 pm
Hahaha! Isn’t it FABULOUS?! I’m so glad you have a pleasant flashback from this. 😉
February 7, 2012 @ 3:02 am
Chipmunks are pretty cool. In Canada, I loved watching The Littles. But I still love the Goonies.
February 7, 2012 @ 11:02 pm
Ahhh, THE GOONIES. A fabulous film. But THE LITTLES? I’ve never even heard of it!! (I shall have to look into it stat!)
February 7, 2012 @ 2:04 pm
I don’t think I’ve ever watched Alvin and the Chipmunks (or any of the Chipmunk shows/films) ;w; And this might be weird but I really LOVED the Scooby-Doo animated films when I was a kid, especially Witch’s Ghost and Zombie Island. Oh, and the second movie of Cardcaptor Sakura and Studio Ghibli films like My Neighbour Totoro, Spirited Away, and Howl’s Moving Castle 😀
February 7, 2012 @ 11:03 pm
Oh, I was OBSESSED with the original Scooby-Doo series. There weren’t that many movies when I was young, though–alas. I’m sure I would have been just as obsessed.
And WOOHOO for Studio Ghibli!! Again, I wasn’t a kid when I first saw those, but…wow, I *love* them. I could watch SPIRITED AWAY on repeat. No joke.
February 7, 2012 @ 3:52 pm
My childhood was filled with musicals. I’m talking things that probably went completely over my head but I still watched them anyway because I liked the colors and the singing. I annoyed the entire neighborhood because I would go outside on my swing set and sing– and I thought with my headphones in, NO ONE COULD HEAR ME. I was very, very wrong. I would belt The Sound of Music, Phantom of the Opera, Annie, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers and this crazy musical that I only had the music for called Starlight Express (It’s about trains. No joke.) I watched cartoons, too, which probably had more influence on me turning to writing (I would go out to the same swing set and pretend I was in the show and carry on the story.) but I’m sure I wouldn’t be quite the little nerd I am today if I hadn’t been singing along to The Music of the Night at age four. ;p
Mer
<3
February 7, 2012 @ 11:09 pm
Oh. My. GOSH. MUSICALS!!!!! My mother raised me on a heavy diet of them. SOUND OF MUSIC was a regular along with HELLO, DOLLY and SOUTH PACIFIC and THE MUSIC MAN and so many more I can’t even count. 😀