MovieChat Forums > Flight of the Navigator (1986) Discussion > Why would they move?

Why would they move?

posted 14 years ago by Marsbert
13 replies | jump to latest

I'm sorry, I grew up with this movie and love it as much as the next 80's kid does, but if your son went missing and has been gone for 8 years, why the heck would you move out of the house where he lived? I know they tell David that they had him declared dead, and I've never had a child go missing so I can't speak from experience or anything like that, but even if you've given up hope, wouldn't a part of you want to at least stay in the house where he grew up, if not for holding out hope, but also because that's where your memories of him are? I can understand not wanting to be reminded of your lost child with every turn in the old house, it just seems like bad writing to me - and just an excuse to have some "drama" or "action" for when David comes back to his parents house and there are 2 strangers living there...

maybe it's just me...

We are all graveyards, we squat amongst the tombs of the people we once were

[–] varkatope 14 years ago

I'd assume it's too many bad memories and too much waiting. It's the house they lost their son in, and moving away and starting over is apparently how they decided to cope. I also haven't been in that situation, but I can imagine that every time you wake up in the same house you'll wonder if your missing son will walk in. It's not unimaginable that some people may feel like that. This is total speculation of course.
___________________________________
Satan's second choice is root beer.

[–] Hoshi_Reed 14 years ago

Maybe they moved because they couldn't afford the mortgage and had to get a smaller place. A bank won't care if you have precious memories in a house when they want to foreclose.

Maybe Dad changed jobs, after all an employer won't keep you just so you can live in the same house either.

Then there is the factor of the other brother. Maybe the move was to be closer to a better school, a college campus perhaps? I know I went to a small public elementary school (back in the days when they didn't bus students to diversify the student body parents didn't send their kids to private schools and instead relied on zoning to determine the school you went to. The parent participation was phenomenal and we had several programs the other public schools didn't have (art class, computer room, etc) because of parent donations and fundraisers and a teacher:student ratio of 1:20) but the high school for the same area, taking students from several different feeder elementary schools and not just my neighborhood and a 1:35+ ratio was awful (and dangerous). The parents didn't bother with putting their donations into the high school as the bang per buck would be better at a private institution. (Which is why the elementary school went down hill and over crowded after busing was instituted - the affluent parents pulled out and stopped donating)

My mom wanted me to be in the zone for the better school in that district and couldn't afford the private school where all my elementary school classmates went so we moved.

[–] GreenLanternGirl 14 years ago

Perhaps the memories of him being in that house were too painful, but I agree. I think if it were my child who went missing and they never found his remains, I would always have some hope and I wouldn't want to move just in case. If I did move, it wouldn't be within 8 years. Maybe more like 20.

***
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You never have to ask. - Gibbs

[–] drew_atreides 14 years ago

Eh, i would definitely not want to stay in the house. Too many bad memories.

I know it's not the same, but i might liken it to something i've had personal
experience with: A bad breakup.

Once a relationship goes bad, i don't want to be in the same CITY, let
alone the same house. Way too many bad memories.

[–] ubcool 12 years ago

they lost a kid/teenager not a £ucking cat you moron.

[–] VanWhack 12 years ago

Same principal. Psychologically, having a bad breakup is remarkably similar to losing someone to death, so making that comparison is not insensitive like people always assume it is, it's actually quite valid.

I'm not saying I don't trust you, and I'm not saying that I do, but I don't.

[–] GIRobotII 10 years ago

Could have been any/all of these: financial issues with the house, new job for the parent/s, maybe now that the other son was 16, and presumably in high school now, they moved to be closer to where he attended, and needless to say, the painful memories of David living there, since he had disappeared and was never seen again. For all they knew, David could have been abducted and murdered. It's understandable.

[–] SnoopyStyle 10 years ago

I've got a better question.

Why would the parents let him go off to a secret base by himself with a bunch of strangers after he was missing for 8 years and presumed dead? No parents would let him out of their sight. Yet they sent him off to the unknown like it's summer camp.

[–] dchipman 10 years ago

It was important for them to find out why he hadn't aged? Though I suppose an "out-patient" arrangement would have been better.

Won't that be grand? Computers and the programs will start thinking and the people will stop

[–] SnoopyStyle 10 years ago

I know what the movie wants us to believe. But is it even believealbe?

They won't tell the parents what they're going to do with him.
They won't tell the parents where they're going.
They won't let anybody come with kid.
The parents have never seen these strangers before.
The kid is alone.

The parents wouldn't let the kid be alone in the hospital. That I believe in. Also it sets up the mentality of the parents which the movie ignores a few minutes later.

[–] dollvalley 10 years ago

What I thought was weird was that they moved from a pretty spot, to a place where they live right next to a big street and even the bridge on the river. Looked pretty seedy, especially at night. And the back window where the brother sneaks out of at the end to go on the roof was DIRTY.

[–] Anticitizen 10 years ago

That's actually a pretty killer location... I park right next to that house when I visit the Hollywood Beach boardwalk. It's a nice place, and I'm sure that house is quite expensive, being on the waterfront and right next to Hollywood Beach Blvd and all.

[–] avortac4 (3746) 5 months ago

"That's actually a pretty killer location.."

Bad choice of words if you want to convince that place is not 'seedy'..