One of my favourite movies as a child was Matilda. A film adaptation of the original novel by Roald Dahl, the 1996 film is about a gifted child who endures living with self-centered parents and an indubitably mean principle. Using her telekinesis powers, she is able to defend herself from her parents. She also uses her powers to protect her classmates and teacher from the bully of a principle. In the end, Matilda is saved by her sweet teacher and no longer has to live in an unloving household.
The fantasy-comedy film follows the story spine learned in the first module of the Digital Storytelling course. Matilda reads her books, stays in her room everyday, until she practices her telekinesis powers. Because of that, she is able to get back at her parents. And because of her telekinesis powers, she is able to use them to ward off the principal until finally Ms. Trenchbull resigns from the school and moves away for good. And ever since then, Matilda’s life has been better.
This movie has stuck with me throughout my life not only because of Mara Wilson’s (Matilda) great acting, but because the story follows the 4 I’s. The story is interesting, instructing, involving and inspiring.
The story of Matilda is interesting. Maybe not the overused horrible parents with an exceptionally smart child plot line, but the fact that Matilda had telekinesis powers. Matilda uses her powers against the principal who unjustly punishes students, and stands up to her parents. She teaches us that we can face our ‘bully’ or our obstacles in life – no matter how large.
We see life from Matilda’s eyes, how she is poorly treated at home, how her teacher is bullied by the principal Trenchbull and students are traumatized by abuse from the principal. This compels us to side with Matilda and see why she needs to stick up for herself, her classmates and her teacher.
The plot not only involves us and relates us to think back to our own childhood and early years of learning, but also inspires us to think about our own lives and what we can overcome.
EXSM 3989 - Digital Storytelling Class Blog 