Someone asked in another thread what our favorite movie was. Mine is The Wizard of Oz and now I've been thinking about it all day. So I have two questions. First, who was your favorite character from Oz? Second, would you go to Oz if it were possible, before the Wicked Witch was killed? I think it would be fascinating to visit there and go to all the different lands. It would be a great adventure, but I'd have to figure out a way to deal with the Wicked Witch. And, like Dorothy, my favorite character is the Scarecrow. He always seemed to have the most personality and held everyone else together.
I liked the tin man who was in danger of rusting when he shed tears. The cowardly lion was very funny and I agree that the scarecrow was the most lovable of the three. I never wanted to go to Oz, because it seemed to be a scary place, but I always wished I was able to fly somewhere over the rainbow. I still love that song and never get tired of hearing it.
I guess I was always like Dorothy - I wished there was a place, away from the usual, hum-drum existence. A place where things are magical and anything is possible. A place where there were scary things, but also wonderous, beautiful things and life was one big adventure. Where you were always venturing into the unknown. One of my favorites parts was where the Scarecrow, Tin Man and Lion get to the forest and see the sign that says, "I'd turn back now if I were you!" I always looked at that as a challenge. Maybe one day I'll get to go over the rainbow - but with my luck, I'll be the one who gets a house dropped on her.
I love this movie as well, it is a beloved classic, I have seen this film numerous times over the years, and I still love to watch it. For me I guess my favorite character would be Dorothy. She wished for a better life only to discover that was she has was what she wanted all along. As for going to OZ, I think it would be an interesting place to visit, not sure how I would deal however with the wicked witch except trying to avoid her at all cost and keeping a low profile.
My favorite parts on the wizard of Oz- is the horse of a different color, which would be cut sometimes when they re-aired the movie on TV. I just had no idea till I was a grown woman and saw a technicolor version of this part that the horse was actually changing colors. I also like when the witch says "How about a little fire scarecrow" Such a great scene. i never felt afraid by this, in fact I think it is pretty funny. The look on the scarecrow is priceless. I also like when the witch is melting, pretty cheesy as far as effects go, but it got the message a crossed pretty well. You know that Toto is one little naughty pup, you can blame the whole adventure on that little dog.
I'd forgotten about the horse of a different color. We were lucky to have color TV when I watched this as a kid, and I was always fascinated at how they were able to get the horse different colors. It wasn't until I was an adult that I realized that they cut the scene and the horse was out of the frame, each time the horse changed color. Another favorite part was where the Lion was holding his tail, wringing it in fear and whimpering. He accidentally pulls his tails, and cries, "Somebody pulled my tail". There were so many good parts in the movie, and not a single sex scene or bad word!
As a child I liked "Black Beauty" the story of a young girl and her black stallion. I would dream of riding that horse across the open plains as fast as I could go. I always wanted a horse of my own, as a big city girl that never happened.
@Pat Baker , Are you sure you are thinking about Black Beauty ? That was one of my favorite books as a young child also; but the story that I remember was about poor Beauty being sold from place to place, mistreated and overworked, finally breaking down under the weight of pulling the large draft cart becuase of exhaustion and starvation. Eventually, he was sold to a farm, met Merrylegs (the pony), and lived the rest of his life in contentment. I was thinking that you might mean the Black Stallion series , written by Walter Farley (and illustrated beautifully by Marguerite Henry); but that one was about a young boy and his black stallion. In that book, he actually did ride the black stallion, and even raced him; none of which I ever remember happening with Black Beauty. @Allie Seay ....... you are our resident "horse specialist " here. Straighten this out, please !
I think you may be thinking of "National Velvet". The movie starred a very young Elizabeth Taylor and Mickey Rooney. It's the story of a young girl who prepares her wild but gifted horse for the Grand National race. Mickey Rooney plays the jockey. Maybe "My Friend Flicka"?? The 1940s book was about a boy and his horse, but the movie made in the 2000 features a girl and her horse. There's also Misty of Chincoteague. "Black Beauty" was a favorite book of mine, but it always brought me to tears. How Beauty gets attached to each place he goes, and loves his masters, but through bad luck, each one has to sell him to someone else, until his last two homes are so inhumane. In the end, he is used as a draft horse to pull heavy carts and is almost dead, when his very first owner, a boy now grown to a man, finds him, buys him and puts him out to pasture, where we are led to believe he will spend the rest of his days.
I think it was the song that kept the movie alive in our memories, and why it is still being shown. I always liked the "man behind the curtain". Here is a different version of the song!