Initial Release (1987)
By the time I was old enough to be distracted by the moving light box, my wonderful mother had begun collecting movies on VHS she figured I’d watch as I grew up. These included classics like ET, Star Wars, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and of course Harry and the Hendersons. I watched these tapes on repeat till my tiny, barely formed brain knew all the words of the films and with a terrifying accuracy could monologue most scenes. Harry was one of my favorite childhood characters. Why, you might ask? Do I even know? I’m not sure I do. There was something about him. He was innocent and childlike, misunderstood, bullied by society and had found an acceptance in a handful of close knit friends. Even as young as I was these are the things that resonate with you. Family, friendship, love, loyalty, innocence. They are fierce and simple concepts. Simple enough that even a tiny Emma could watch and feel a connection with Harry. Who did nothing but be different. And giant and awkward, and clumsy and just so unsure of everything. Actually, I think I still feel that connection with Harry come to think of it. Especially in those moments when I whack a knee off a table or walk into a pane of glass.
It’s not easy being tall.
My Full Experience
It was the year of my birth that the world met Harry, and while it would be difficult to hold up to today’s standard of film, there’s a special place reserved in one’s soul for those first movies. Harry and the Hendersons was one of the very first films I’d ever seen. And it’s difficult to write that off complaining about such trivial things like plot and story. As children these things are as foreign as the very concept of adulthood; far away and very 
irrelevant. However, getting older I look at things a little differently and the mediocrity of Harry and the Hendersons is one of those things that will always be at odds with my childhood memories and love of both the films and the TV show.
For those of you who’ve never heard or seen this movie, or the TV show that followed, Harry and the Hendersons, directed by William Dear, tells the story of a sasquatch that get’s injured by the Henderson family while they’re out camping. Having run him over and unable to leave him, they take him home and attempt to get him back on his feet, mistakenly believing he’s a bear. Darwin award in the making right there, I know. While in their care, they discover that far from a beast Harry is the most lovable furry creature imaginable and hijinks ensues while they try to keep their rather enormous secret from the strangely sudden horde of people who appear to want to apprehend the mild-mannered Bigfoot. I’m fairly sure you can already see the plot holes forming around your feet like bottomless pits of blackness, but that adorable, slightly hideous drooling face made up for most movie crimes and while difficult to associate with the Hendersons, there was an instant affinity for Harry. The TV show that followed the film continued with Bruce Davison and Molly Cheek replacing John Lithgow and Melinda Dillon as the Henderson parents but saw Kevin Peter Hall (Predator) stick around to play the one and only Harry.
Looking back on it now, the jokes were lukewarm at best and the movie and show followed a standard formula of bigfoot related trouble, even more trouble (often bigfoot related), family resolution before finally, and forgive me for this but I’m going to describe it as the equivalent of cinematic group hug. Within those of my generation, I’d be pretty hard pressed to find someone who not only never watched Harry and the Hendersons, both the TV show and the movie, but who didn’t like it at the time. It was one of the staples of both the 80’s and 90’s childhood, and found a real groove in repeats and re-runs. Unfortunately, as with most things from our youth it doesn’t stand the test of time. That said, there’s always a warm spot for Harry. Always.
