5. The Great Dictator (1940)
A childhood without Charlie Chaplin is like an adulthood without.Charlie Chaplin. One of the original kings of comedy, Chaplin had a masterful ability to fuse the art of cinema with its capacity to enrich and entertain. The Great Dictator is potentially his best, and most divisive film in a long line of excellent movies. Although The Great Dictator is technically a 'talkie', it still has a lot of silent film conventions, and would be good way of easing your children into the silent medium. The Great Dictator is essentially your lead up to showing other Chaplin classics such as The Kid and Modern Times; this is the end game, getting them watching silent films. Children will get a real kick out of Chaplins slapstick physicality, whilst also discovering the long lost world of silent cinema. Very rarely does one get the chance to explore history in such a manageable and enjoyable way. Just remember, if all is not going well and the fidgets start, just get them to the bouncing globe sequence, and I guarantee that they will be begging to watch it over and over again. Congratulations, your child has just consumed the film equivalent of broccoli: unappealing and dull looking, yet highly nutritious.
Parental Benefits: Following Michael Hazanavicius heartwarming The Artist, there is a suggestion that silent film has a magic that has long since been forgotten. Very few of us grew up watching these films, so it is not often at the forefront of our minds when trying new movies. However, silent cinema has a plethora of absolutely brilliant projects, and they are some of the brightest family entertainment you are ever likely to see. By introducing your children to silent films at an early age, you are helping them develop an appreciation for and acceptance of things outside the sensory vibrance of SpongeBob Squarepants. NOTE: There is absolutely nothing wrong with SpongeBob Squarepants. It is an excellent show that can be enjoyed in moderation.