Love, Heart, and Courage

Rating: 10/10 (9 March 2006)

It may be pointless to try to add to comments on one of those rare films that transcends virtually all others. I've been told that the audiences gasped when Dorothy walks out of the house and everything is in color. It is a transition to a magic place, made possible by cinematography. Growing up, we got one chance a year to see this. It became the highlight of an evening. It was usually on a Sunday night. The individual characterizations and incredible songs are the stuff that dreams are made of. I'm especially fond of Jack Haley's Tin Man. When he sings his song and then pounds his chest, finally releasing steam from his hat (a funnel) it's amazing. Those flying monkeys haunted me for years. Someone had a nightmare some time before dreaming those guys up. The amazing thing is that there is hardly a person who couldn't sit down and run through the plot of this. Some of my friends who grew up with kind of a harsh view of life, have no problem watching this. if you've been on Mars for the last 55 years, I hope one of your first tasks upon return to earth is to watch this movie.