9 Great Movies About Summer Camp

4. Parent Trap

parent trap I have something to confess - the 1998 Lohan version of the Parent Trap makes me cry. This is not for the mushy sensitive reasons that you may think such as a parent reuniting with a child or a glimpse at the potential greatness that could have been LL. I am convinced that there is an underlying supersonic tone or something that triggers that part of my brain and makes me lose it every time I watch it. Embarrassing? Yes, but it is one of the things my wife has stated she loves about me so I consider it a strength. Why am I telling you this? Because even with this mysterious trigger built into my DNA, I still believe that the original PT edges it out as the better camp movie. First, it better displays one of the most critical aspects of camp - competition and rivalry. It is just a minor detail that in this case, it is between two long lost sisters. That said, many times at camp we are in such close quarters that we feel like family with our bunk mates. Secondly, it highlights another important aspect of camp - pranks. Taking it even further, it shows how we take things like pranks and other habits we learn at camp to our real life. This is demonstrated with the girls' father takes them camping with his girlfriend later on in the movie and the girls create chaos. Although the 99 version has its strengths, the original of anything is difficult to surpass.
Contributor
Contributor

David is an educator and writer from the Philadelphia area. In spite of loving parents, he was largely raised by television and movies.