What one TV show or movie most affected you?

DD and I still haven't recovered from Season 4 of Offspring, and it's been years. I won't mention the particular episode in case I spoil it for someone who wants to watch it on Netflix. 

Another movie that I absolutely adore but at the same time am so affected by, is La Vita è Bella (Life Is Beautiful) with Roberto Benigni. I've seen it a couple of times, and the second time was with DD, who was about 14 at the time. At the end when she realised what was happening she let out a huge sob and said "No no no!" It really got to her too. As did The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas.






I can totally understand how your husband's death got wrapped up with the movie, given the circumstances. I'm not in any way trying to compare my experience with yours, but that movie really gets to me too. It came out 4 years after my sister died. In that time I had been having a recurring dream where my sister came back to life for a short time, like a day or something, and I was able to spend precious time with her, all the while knowing that it was only for a day. Then when I saw Ghost, the part where Molly was able to see and touch Sam through Oda Mae, well that just about did me in. And that song! The movie was on TV here last weekend, and I caught the last 20 minutes or so. Right in time for that scene. 

  I am very sorry about your sister. And a loss is a loss. They’re all awful. Hugs to you.

Agreed. Why my dad thought this would be a good movie to watch one evening when I was about 12 escapes me, especially as my younger brother and sister (then 10 and 11) watched as well. 
I still am wary of large flocks of birds over 45 years later.

I was shocked and devastated when Assumpta Fitzgerald died on the series Ballykissangel.  I never went back to the series. I know in real life several of the actors were moving on to new projects, but it was such an abrupt departure for a favorite character.

Mine was in childhood when I was addicted to the Dark Shadows series on television. At that time, my bedroom had double french doors that opened onto a brick patio. I was terrified that Barnabas was coming through them one night to bite me. My father cut back all the shrubs near my bedroom because the sound of them brushing the windows frightened me. Before I 'got over it' my mother ended up having to sleep with me many, many nights.

I was shocked by the end too. And Olivia Colman (Ellie) was simply amazing in that scene. It was haunting. 

Thanks, that's the one that had a profound effect on me. I'm sure I saw The Day After too.

So so so many of the ones mentioned!
Yes, to the Day After - I was in 6th grade.

Yes, to Roots - the minute I read that I remembered the scene where one of the female slaves is made to pull a carriage while all the white people stand around laughing. Read 12 Years A Slave if you haven't. I couldn't watch the movie, but I think it's an important read.

Yes, to The Birds.I hate birds. Fun fact: Hitchcock tied the seagulls to thin strings and attached the other end to Tippie Hedren's clothes to make them look like they're attacking her. They couldn't get the birds to fly around otherwise. Terrifying!

Finally, Requiem for a Dream. Holy crap. I can't listen to Kronos Quartet at all (they did the soundtrack). I had nightmares for days, but such powerful performances from all the actors.

Poltergeist - I was awake for 2 days after seeing that movie and I still can't sleep with the TV on.

I watched that show based on Pea recommendations and it is by far one of the best done television shows I have seen.  Every single bit of it was so well done.  That finale was just devastating. 

Yes. Actually I ended up having a harder time with season 5.

Sophie’s Choice

Billy Jack, a cult movie of the early 70s. It gave me a different look at life than my conservative urban upbringing.

Schindler's List-such an incredible film. Since I learned about the Holocaust in grade school being a reader I've read a lot of books about the Holocaust and WWII. I was so lucky to be able to visit Krakow, Poland two years ago and I got to visit the Jewish district of Krakow and the Schindler Factory museum. There was a nod to Stephen Spielberg at the museum (his cap, the clapboard etc) and while in Krakow I also saw a few of the places the filming took place. This film is currently playing on Netflix and I urge everyone to see it at least once. 

The Hiding Place-I also love this film. It's about Corrie Ten Boom and her family in Holland. They saved Jews in their house in the "hiding place" they made because their religion called them to do so. I'm pretty sure I read the book first, but the film that is currently playing on Amazon Prime is the one made in 1975 (yeah, it's a bit dated but amazing!) stars Julie Christie and is a favorite of mine. The entire family was involved from Corrie, her sister and father (who lived in the house) to her nephew and more. 

Jaws-I saw this at the theater when it opened in 1975-I was 15. It scared the heck out of me but not enough to keep me from swimming in the ocean (which I love, love, love to do). I just kept telling myself it was movie magic and trying to make myself believe it. 

E.R.-  I adore E.R.  It's one of my very favorite shows ever. There was one episode though that has stayed in my mind. It has affected me in the way that it's made me really think about Africa (the Congo) and in another completely other way in how incredibly good TV can be vs. the useless crap we so often are bombarded with. The episode was one in the later years (Season 10, Episode 2) and you can see it if you have Hulu. A previous episode Season 9 Episode 22 called Kisangani ties into it and it's best to watch that one first. 

I refuse to watch the TV show about Airline Disasters or something like that (I forgot the name but DH watches it)-it's the one where every episode they focus on a plane crash (I think they cover big commercial airplane crashes) because I love to fly and I don't want to get a phobia or to start fearing flying.