This imagination capturing game was released by Parker Brothers in the early 1970’s and my grandparents had it at their house. I was roundly flummoxed by it until I got a bit older and could read better.
I loved the little cards though even from an early age, with the pictures of the various characters on it.
What was great about International Movie Maker was that you were actually making a movie.
You speed around the board hoping to collect a Story, a Director, a Male and a Female lead and Locations. You could make any type of film you like, from Epic, Historical, Comedy, Musical, Western or Horror films.
What is difficult is that every star is most appropriate for a different type of movie.
The rest of the board is the expected Oscar or Flop, Star Trouble, Retake, Director Loss squares.
There were some amazing characters introduced as part of the game. They really fired your imagination, and got me imaging all sorts of funny people when a toddler, and also when I learnt to read! Get some of these names:
There was a director called Meyer Wallenstein and one called J.J. Hackensack or Reginald K.V. Ponsonby. Stars had equally odd names like: Cecil C. Wolfe, Ronald Rombach, or Turk Logan or Hermione Hydestorical
I think that's why I was so flummoxed - the game was just beyond my reading age and I just plain couldn’t read them. Even today I don’t know how to pronouce Hermione Hydestorical!
It was exciting though – just imagining yourself making a big movie. And because it was quite detailed, it made it feel realistic.
Do You Remember International Movie Maker?
Do You Remember International Movie Maker?