Somewhere Over the Rainbow

So tonight I managed to celebrate my childhood again and sat back and enjoyed The Wizard of Oz. This film like Labrynth and The Sound of Music would be on television all the time when I was growing up and it feels like just for a moment I can reconnect with that past version of myself when ever I get to watch any of these films.

One thing that struck me though was that I did not realise just how much of a brat Dorothy is at the beginning of the film... She takes her dog Toto past the house of the lady with the cat (Almira Gultch) seemingly on purpose, she is constantly trying to talk over the top of her Aunty Em and Uncle Henry (who is an absolute dude of a character), she threatens to bite Almira when Toto is going to be taken to the sheriff and I am sure there are many other behaviours that just did not ring right to me for a heroine. As a protagonist however Dorothy is perfect, discovering throughout the course of her adventures in Oz that although things could be better or could be worse there actually really is "no place like home"... And those slippers are amazing!!!

One final thing I must mention about this film is all of the catchy songs that feature. I had completely forgotten that Somewhere Over the Rainbow features very early on and I found myself singing and humming along with a big smile on my face. I can still picture Nicole Kidman's character botching the words when she sings it in the film Australia, again when I heard it in that film too I smile... probably because I usually sing it fairly similarly. I loved the Munchkins and the way that they break into that terrific tune of "follow the yellow brick road!!!" I remembered the "lions and tigers and bears... Oh my!" but the lion acting like a king (outside the gates waiting to see the wizard) I had completely forgotten about and it made me laugh for its pure and simplistic silliness... The over emphasis of pronounciation, the made up words and the ridiculousness of the imagry would have made Roald Dahl or Lewis Carroll very very proud.

I believe that every now and then we all need an Oz where we can simply escape. I am so glad that Dorothy found hers...