My second favorite movie of all time is on now. "The Wizard of Oz" is a timeless classic. It was one of the first color movies I ever saw. The Bullock girls used to go over to Hazel Marshall's house so we could see it in color before we had our own color television.
Hazel and Sam Marshall were my grandparent's good friends. They lived in a cute little brick bungalow with an arched front door. Their house was only a few blocks from ours. Sam died when I was young and I don't remember him. Hazel was a cute little thing with a raspy voice. My gran - Momo we called her - and Hazel had a love hate relationship. They spent lots of time irritated with each other, but were fast friends. They played a lot of golf and bridge together.
So somehow we got invited to see Wizard of Oz at Hazel's house. The early part with the storm was pretty scary - even in black and white! I knew Iowa had tornados - we had to bail out to the basement when they came. Then the house flew and spun (in the movie...not our house thank goodness). The other very scary parts were the flying monkeys and the witch of course. I swear Elvira Gulch lived in Atlantic - a combination of Sheila Savory (another one of Momo's friends - a lush that one. And Mrs. Mauk from up the street). My first worry was always Toto's safety.
My favorite part of the movie is the when Dorothy first hits Oz - her welcome by Glenda and Follow the Yellow Brick Road, wish special kudos to the Lollypop Guild and the babies who pop out of the eggshells. The Tin Man was always my fave character. The sets were fantastic, and I loved the horse of a different color.
When I got a bit older, Mom introduced me to the fabulous book series that started the Wizard of Oz. A series written first by Frank L Baum, and then by others who were quite as good frankly. There were many fantastic characters - Ozma, Button Bright, The Shaggy Man and his brother, Ruggedo, the Woozy, Tik Tok and Jack Pumpkin Head. There were wonderful evil characters that always had a bit of good, and good characters with little flaws, self centered people and idiots. Just like real life!
Hazel and Sam Marshall were my grandparent's good friends. They lived in a cute little brick bungalow with an arched front door. Their house was only a few blocks from ours. Sam died when I was young and I don't remember him. Hazel was a cute little thing with a raspy voice. My gran - Momo we called her - and Hazel had a love hate relationship. They spent lots of time irritated with each other, but were fast friends. They played a lot of golf and bridge together.
So somehow we got invited to see Wizard of Oz at Hazel's house. The early part with the storm was pretty scary - even in black and white! I knew Iowa had tornados - we had to bail out to the basement when they came. Then the house flew and spun (in the movie...not our house thank goodness). The other very scary parts were the flying monkeys and the witch of course. I swear Elvira Gulch lived in Atlantic - a combination of Sheila Savory (another one of Momo's friends - a lush that one. And Mrs. Mauk from up the street). My first worry was always Toto's safety.
My favorite part of the movie is the when Dorothy first hits Oz - her welcome by Glenda and Follow the Yellow Brick Road, wish special kudos to the Lollypop Guild and the babies who pop out of the eggshells. The Tin Man was always my fave character. The sets were fantastic, and I loved the horse of a different color.
When I got a bit older, Mom introduced me to the fabulous book series that started the Wizard of Oz. A series written first by Frank L Baum, and then by others who were quite as good frankly. There were many fantastic characters - Ozma, Button Bright, The Shaggy Man and his brother, Ruggedo, the Woozy, Tik Tok and Jack Pumpkin Head. There were wonderful evil characters that always had a bit of good, and good characters with little flaws, self centered people and idiots. Just like real life!
Mom usually gave the books to Cindy and me for birthdays and Christmas. I read them over and over. The artwork was great. Mom even had to scour used book stores to find some of the volumes - a series she read when she was a child.
The Oz books contributed to my love of reading - I still have it today. Thanks Hazel and Mom! Run Toto Run!
The Oz books contributed to my love of reading - I still have it today. Thanks Hazel and Mom! Run Toto Run!
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