Friday, November 14, 2008

There's No Place Like Home!





Tonight at 8:00, TNT is broadcasting one of my favorite movies of all time, the classic "Wizard of Oz". I love this movie for so many reasons, but mainly because it is full of life lessons. No matter how many times I've seen it, and even though we have it on DVD, I still get excited when I hear it's coming on TV, and will watch it beginning to end, in some ways like a child I suppose....hehe. So this entry is just a few things...."Oz" :)

My favorite exchange in the movie comes towards the end, when Dorothy is left wondering how she will ever get back to Kansas, when Glenda once again appears:

Dorothy: Oh, will you help me? Can you help me?
Glinda:
You don't need to be helped any longer. You've always had the power to go back to Kansas.

Dorothy: I have?

Scarecrow: Then why didn't you tell her before?
Glinda: Because she wouldn't have believed me. She had to learn it for herself.

Dorothy insightfully explains what she has learned from her experience - during her dream of being in Oz. In a self-revelation, she realizes that everything she could ever have wanted was right in her own backyard - IF she had wanted it hard enough. Glinda reveals the meaning of the ruby slippers and that they will carry her and Toto back:

Dorothy: Well, I think that it, that it wasn't enough just to want to see Uncle Henry and Auntie Em, and it's that if I ever go looking for my heart's desire again, I won't look any further than my own backyard because, if it isn't there, I never really lost it to begin with. Is that right?
Glinda: That's all it is!
Scarecrow: But that's so easy! I should have thought of it for you -
Tin Man: I should have felt it in my heart -
Glinda: No, she had to find it out for herself. Now those magic slippers will take you home in two seconds!


How true is that? If we can't find a way to be happy within ourselves, to find a way to be happy right where we are now.....chances are we won't be happy wherever we think the answer lies.


My other favorite exchange is when the "Wizard" is giving the Tin Man his heart:

Wizard: "Therefore, in consideration of your kindness, I take pleasure at this time in presenting you with a small token of our esteem and affection. And remember, my sentimental friend, that a heart is not judged by how much you love, but by how much you are loved by others."

Another life lesson! Love isn't love until we give it away. Letting others benefit from our kindness will give us the self worth & acceptance we need to feel truly loved.

Of course, how wonderful is the music in this movie!!! I'm sure almost everyone can sing along with each one, and they just make us happy & joyful, don't they? My favorite, as is many others I'm sure, is the timeless classic "Somewhere Over The Rainbow". Did you know we almost never heard that wonderful song? It tested badly in preview screenings so it was cut out, then later reinserted after reflection by a new director brought in to finish the movie....good thinking!! So many people have recorded it over the years, way too many to even begin to mention. But I thought I'd end this entry with a few of my favorites, I was able to find all but one of them on You Tube. Many different versions....I hope you will enjoy listening to them.


The Original & Best.....Ms Judy Garland



Rufus Wainwright



Israel Kamakawiwo'ole



Eric Clapton



Connie Talbot



Beyonce



Ray Charles


Placido Domingo



Willie Nelson




If you watch the movie tonight....enjoy, and know you have a friend in Michigan watching along with you :)


Pooh Hugs, Linda

26 comments:

I'm mostly known as 'MA' said...

It is true what you are saying about the lessons in that movie. Enjoy it once again ! 'On Ya'-ma

Sugar said...

i heard earlier today that it'd be on tonight! i love it too.
enjoy.
have a good wkend. huggies...

Jeannette said...

I love that film also but it is rarely shown over here.

Unknown said...

I JUST got Caleb to watch this movie last month for the first time. He was, predictably, scared of the flying monkees and the Witch. But he loved it, of course. We own the DVD so I don't know if we will watch it tonight. Do you think there are any movies made anymore that teach life lessons like The Wizard of Oz? Probably not. De :)

gina said...

i love it too, but won't be watching. you're right about the life lessons...very insightful. i love israel's rendition.

Julie said...

I used to watch it every year also. Haven't since we gave up TV so maybe I should rent it. I always liked it. Loved the songs also.

Linda said...

I love that movie and I am not going to be home to see it. So sad. But oh my goodness that little girl, Connie, on the video I never heard her before she is amazing! Linda

Emmi said...

Love all the video clips.

Ken Riches said...

Hope you enjoy the movie :o)

The Average Consumer said...

I too love that movie! Of course i don't know a single soul who doesn't love it!!! LOL. Now missy you left out the best and most wonderful rendition by Eva Cassidy - please tell me you have heard of her. Her version makes me cry.

Traci said...

That Connie Talbot was soooo precious!!!! I just loved her!

Robin said...

Ahhhh I still remember dragging my bright yellow bean bag out from my bedroom and plopping down in front of the living room tv...watching the Wizard of Oz was a HUGE event in our house and it always came with a big brown paper grocery sack of popcorn. Of course we didnt have microwave popcorn back then...Dad was always in charge of popping the corn on the stove and after he got enough he put it all in the grocery sack with salt and shook it up real good and boy was it gooooood!

I'll think of you every time I watch it now!

Anonymous said...

Hey there!! Sorry I haven't been commenting lately. My computer died and I had to have it fixed. I was computerless for about a month. I am glad you had such a wonderful time at disney. I wish I could go. But, I'm not so sure it would be fun alone. :) Stephanie went to see Wizard of Oz the musical tonight. Lucky girl got free tickets. But, she took her Mom and Dad with them. I lost out. LOL. I didn't get to transfer my journal due to the computer outage. One of these days I'll get one started here. I love you. Pooh hugs and Piglit kisses. Carol

Margaret said...

I always loved Wizard of Oz! Loved this entry....

Missie said...

There is no place like home!
Enjoy your weekend.

D said...

The Wizard Of Oz is my all time favorite movie. I love it! The only battle I had with my sister, and it wasn't much of one because she agreed, was that, that movie was manditory movie watching!

betty said...

this is such a classic movie! I hadn't thought of the lessons before in there; you summed them up so well Linda; they need to make more movies like this these days!! we used to always watch it too, every year on TV; oh the memories :)

I'm glad you enjoyed it; thank you for all the different renditions too! very enjoyable :)

betty

~Ann~ said...

Loved listening to the different versions. I wish I was off tonight. I would LOVE to watch it. I love it too, your right so many life lessions...

Ann~

Diana said...

Thank you for posting your thoughts. How true you are!! This is one of my favorite movies. I remember as a kid watching it with my family. It was on ONCE during the holidays and we waited all year to see it. It is beautiful.

Hugs,

Diana

Joann said...

I LOVE the Wizard of Oz!! And it truly DOES have ALOT of life lessons... like never trust a green witch!! That Connie Talbot made ME cry, too!! WOW!!! We have the video of the Wiz.of Oz, but never got the DVD... good thing our VCR still works!! LOL!! Guess you've seen WICKED!! then, huh?!?! It's fantastic, Chris and I both want to see it again!! = )

Anonymous said...

oh my gosh, we are watching this movie right this minute!!! I love this movie but admit I can never get my kids to sit through the whole thing with me, and thats a bummer! However, I put them to work in the yard today raking leaves and they appear exhausted on the couch...and watching the movie! Yay! (they really raked very few leaves, ha ha)

Melissa said...

Linda,

I love The Wizard of Oz too! Well, I don't love those flying monkeys, I'm 50 yrs old and they STILL scare me!

I loved the renditions of Somewhere Over The Rainbow! Wow, what a song.

Hugs,
Melissa

lisa said...

The Wizard of Oz is almost my favorite movie and the song is a heartbreaker..sometimes i listen to it and just cry. Thank you for sharing your feelings and thoughts and the videos. XO

LYN said...

as you know that songs has special meaning to me..thank you for showing me some versions I had not seen or heard before..Eric Clapton..wow!!

Liz in Virginia said...

THATS MY FAVORITE MOVIE TOO, I WATCHED IT YET AGAIN THIS YEAR! I'VE WATCHED IT EVERY YEAR OF MY LIFE, I GUESS EXCEPT WHEN I WAS AN INFANT , LOL. YOU HAVE A BEAUTIFUL FAMILY, LOVE SEEING THOSE SMILING FACES.
LOVE YA,
LIZ IN VA.

Kallie said...

Hey there. Sorry I have been MIA. Couldn't fin the bog then couldn't get in. I will update but with your health you may not see it. I just wanted to sat that I think of you often and I SO needed to read this today. I have been feeling very down. I am sure part is because I run down, but a lot is weather related. I need to do some soul searching and reading this and listening to the different Somewhere over the rainbows really lifted me up.

Know that I am sending good positive thoughts and prayers.

May you be as blessed as we are to have you.

Lot od hugs
Kallie