Movies That Inspired Me

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by Ruth A. Douthitt

I grew up in the 1970s as a “child of the television age”. Most families had more than one TV set in the house and had it turned on all day long…even during dinner!

I grew up during the summer of blockbusters, a term created after the movie JAWS set box office records that summer of 1975.

My family enjoyed going to movies and drive-ins, but also watching movies on TV. I can look back and see how so many films I have watched over and over again truly influenced by desire to write stories of my own.

Here the top 3 movies that inspired me to write:

Chronicles of Narnia-This book inspired me to write my book back in 2005. I had read the book, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, to my son when he was little and the words always inspire me to try harder with language in my own book. The movie was so visually stunning, that it brought the book to life. C.S. Lewis also inspired me to put Christian principles into my story so that Christians would be encouraged.

Gladiator-To me, this is a perfect movie: great acting, writing, and directing along with a fantastic musical score. But what inspired me the most was the story. The heroic general who loses everything only to become a slave inspired me to take my character and put him into the most horrible situation he could face in order to learn what matters most in life: what we do now matters in eternity. I watch this movie at least once a month and each time I do, I walk away inspired.

Star Wars-Last, but not least, the most important movie I have ever seen. Why? Not because this movie is perfect (because it isn’t), or because it has the perfect story (it doesn’t)…but because this movie changed my life. I didn’t want to see it in theatres, initially. I thought a “space movie” would be boring, but my older brothers convinced me and away we went. I will never forget that opening scene and the first time I heard the music. I went out and bought the soundtrack with my allowance! I ended up seeing Star Wars 26 times that summer…and I was only 10 yrs old! Yes, this movie changed me and made me dream up stories and scenes for movies and books of my own. For now, I write books, but someday….movies! Thanks, George Lucas, for inspiring so many kids like me to go out and dream a little dream.

Your turn: What movie(s) inspired you to be a writer? I’d love to know!

Ruth Douthitt - JulyRuth A. Douthitt wrote The Dragon Forest for her son. It was released through OakTara Publishing in 2011. The second book of the trilogy, The Dragon Forest II: Son of the Oath, is set for release in July 2013. Ruth lives in Arizona with her husband and teenage son.

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