Harry and the Hendersons

Harry and the Hendersons was a childhood favorite that's still fun to watch today. The creature effects are fantastic, even if the story drags on a bit and the acting is pretty corny. And my kids enjoyed it, as well, so perhaps Harry's smiling face will carry on to another generation.

I used to dislike this film. I disliked the mushiness, the story and even the sad parts. This movie was stuck on the shelf, covered in dust, forgotten.

Only days ago I pulled this movie out and decided to sit down and watch it, expecting the same mushy film that I saw years and years ago.

However, as I have gotten older I have a greater understanding of what this film offers me and people alike. In fact, it touched me so much to see how something that is often portrayed as scary was so gentle and caring.

From the introduction when Harry is first discovered (in a rather unfortunate way) to the end of the movie, the Hendersons learn that Harry is more human than they ever thought, and that he has a bigger heart than the human race combined.

Throughout the film, the effect that Harry has on people's lives is always seen. We as humans are so receptive to myth, legend and rumours. Yet, before the truth is given a chance to be known, we block our ears, close our eyes and run away.

The Hendersons, Jacques LeFleur -a hunter who has followed his trail for 25 years and Dr Wrightwood -a man whose life has been ruined by his dedication towards the study of Sasquatch, all gain a new perspective on life, as well as a new respect. Their original feelings of the "Beast" all quashed swiftly to realize that inside of it lay a big heart.

Harry's compassion, love for other beings and respect for life made this film an absolute delight to watch. I whole heartedly recommend this for anybody looking for a family film that not only warms the heart, but also teaches a lesson of who is really the monster on Earth.

'Harry and the Hendersons' is an 80's classic, no doubt. Watching this nowadays makes me appreciate the effort filmmakers put in to make a decent suit that a person could actually wear and utilize prosthetics. If this was made today, there is no doubt in my mind Harry would 100 percent be done with CGI. That's just the age we live in now, for better or worse.

This is a great family film with a good message, and that's coming from someone who hunts, though not a proponent of trophy hunting. You could say the film is anti-hunting, but I think it's more about respecting nature.

Who knows, maybe Bigfoot, Bookmis, Sasquatch, or whatever name you may call him, is out there in the woods. And maybe he is a lovable giant, or maybe he'd just like to rip your limbs off. Whatever the case, I'd still like to believe there's a 0.1 percent chance he's out there.

Dracula had his movie. Frankenstein had his movie. The mummy, the wolfman, and even the creature of the black lagoon had a movie. So why not Bigfoot? Sure, Bigfoot is not on the level of the aforementioned monsters but he has earned his spot in folklore-he's earned his movie.

Harry and the Hendersons was his movie. He could've opted for scary but instead he opted for funny and it was a score.

Harry, played by Kevin Peter Hall, was minding his own business in the woods when he was hit by a car. The driver of said car, George Nathan Henderson (John Lithgow), thought it would be very lucrative if he brought Harry home with him. Perhaps he could sell him to a lab or something for a big payday. What George didn't know was that Harry wasn't dead and when he woke up he was very hungry, very annoyed, and very discombobulated.

But Harry was a nice guy. Even though he was about 7 feet tall and maybe 500 pounds, he didn't take that opportunity to hurt the Hendersons. Sure he damaged the house a bit but that was pure clumsiness. In fact, they developed a very sweet and precious bond that was wrapped in l funny moments. Harry was not like the other monsters.

Harry and the Hendersons is one of the first films I remember seeing in the cinema as a kid. It was 1987 and my uncle had just passed his driving test so he was well into driving places and the cinema just happened to be one of them.

Even though the film is only 110 minutes long, they still had an intermission halfway through, for some reason. And I swear, they actually had ushers coming round selling stuff before it started back up again. I believe that is the first and only time I have seen such old-fashioned picturehouse practices. But it makes my original memory of this film so much more nostalgic.

The Hendersons consist of wannabe artist/gun salesman dad George (that always brilliant John Lithgow), loving mum Melinda Dillon, a bratty daughter and a hyperactive son. On returning from a camping trip in the Pacific Northwest, they accidentally run into some sort of large furry creature on the forest road. Originally believing it to be a bear, George steps out of the car to prod it with his gun a few times. But the bear has man-like hands and George suddenly asks his family 'What if it's...HIM'.

Bigfoot! Think of how much he's worth! So they tie him to the roof of the car and drive him home, while George thinks of the best way of selling him. Later that night, he is curious as to how big his feet really are. So he sneaks down to the garage with a measuring tape only to find that he's no longer strapped to the roof of the car, but poking around in the kitchen fridge.

The Hendersons stand back as bigfoot (or Harry as he is later renamed) stomps around the house and garden investigating all their strange belongings. Though he doesn't care much for all the animal trophies hanging around everywhere. Freaking out, George tries to snipe Harry from through the bedroom window, but has a change of heart when he realises that Harry is just big, harmless oaf.

The best scenes of the film involve Harry making himself at home in the Henderson house. His mannerisms and body language are similar to a child warned to be on their best behavior while visiting old relatives. He constantly looks a bit nervous and uncomfortable but is always ready to grab you for a big hug.

Rick Baker deservedly took home an Academy Award for Best Make-Up Effects back in 1988 for this movie. Harry Henderson is an amazing character with a wonderfully wide range of expressions and emotions. All E.T. ever did was sit there looking bug-eyed. Not Harry though, you can't help loving him. I so want my own Bigfoot.

Even now as an adult I think this movie is still great. As a kid I remember feeling the panic and excitement when Harry got lost in Seattle and the half-crazed Bigfoot hunter Jacques LaFleur (David Suchet) doing lots of sleaziness in order to have him shot, gutted and sold to science. Forgive the repeated comparison, but to me it was more involving and fun than the man with the keys in E.T.

You just don't get family movies like this anymore. Back in the 80's Steven Spielberg's Amblin production company made loads of great family movies like Gremlins, Goonies, the Back to the Future Trilogy, Young Sherlock Holmes and Innerspace. They all had some kind high-concept spin that crud such as Like Mike and Crapper by the Dozen don't.

It was a great time to be a kid back in those days. We weren't cynical and jaded and hooked on Playstation like modern children. We still had a sense of adventure, a longing for the outdoors. Anything could be out there. Maybe Harry is actually bumbling around in the woods as I write this.

Like the Patterson/Gimlin film that inspired it, Harry and the Hendersons is one movie that will be timeless forever.