So, I just saw The Wizard of Oz for the first time

[xiphias]

We have it on DVD. But I'd never watched it. So we just did.

What an absolutley horrible movie. I mean, truly, truly disturbing.

I don't think I'd be so bothered by it if I wasn't such a fan of the book. But, c'mon. The whole message is disturbing and twisted and horrible.

On the other hand, I do now understand why "Friend of Dorothy" is a codeword for "gay." My goodness, but the Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Lion flame. It was like watching an episode of "Oz Eye for the Kansas Guy."

Comments

[mattblum.livejournal.com]

I'm reasonably sure that "Friend of Dorothy" is code for "gay" not because of the behavior of Dorothy's friends in the movie, but rather because gay men stereotypically are big fans of Judy Garland.

[matociquala.livejournal.com]

Oh, come on, Cowardly Lion, do that thing with your tail again.

[jhitchin.livejournal.com]

"Something pulled my tail!"
"You're doin' it yourself!"
"Oh. Heh heh... I'm such a butterpaws."

Best role ever.

[jadasc.livejournal.com]

What did you find horrid and twisted about the message? And can we get you to watch the sequel? ;)

[asciikitty.livejournal.com]

oh my gosh! I saw ten minutes of the sequel twenty years ago and I *still* have nightmares about it. ech.

[eagle]

Yes, the movie is just utterly hideous. I have always been infuriated that the movie grabs so much of the mindshare when the book is so drastically better. (Not to mention that it's just the first book, and Baum gets even better later on in the series.)

I too read the book first, which seems to be a significant indicator of one's opinion of the movie.

[quietann.livejournal.com]

I have heard that the movie is much better if one turns off the sound and plays Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon" album as the soundtrack... even without also ingesting hallucinogens...

[xiphias.livejournal.com]

Which, in fact, we have, on vinyl, even, so we could try that.

[burgundy.livejournal.com]

I believe you are supposed to start playing the music when the MGM lion roars. That's how we did it, anyway. It's sporadically amusing. But it's not something I'd do twice. But then, I like the movie. I don't pretend to be objective about it though. It's just something I've always known, like the Star Wars movies; I can't remember a time when it wasn't part of my consciousness. I didn't read the book until much later, and was very unimpressed.

[kightp.livejournal.com]

*nod* I have the feeling that if I were seeing it for the first time, I might share some of xiphias's feelings about it, but it's so much woven in with some of my best childhood memories that I can't be the least bit objective about it.

[alexx-kay.livejournal.com]

The message of the book is (approximately) "go out and have fantastic adventures, and you can improve your life." The message of the movie (approximately) is "stop fantasizing and get on with your boring ordinary life." It turns the book completely on its head.

Personally, I appreciate many elements of the MGM film a great deal, but other parts (especially the ending) bug the heck out of me.

There are actually a number of films that have some claim to be "the sequel". Are you talking about the Fairuza Balk one? I've got a love/hate relationship with that one as well...

[brooksmoses]

Now you should go see the musical, "Wicked". (It's from the point of view of the Wicked Witch of the West, and paints her as a sympathetic, albeit green, character.) suzimoses and I saw it in the pre-Broadway run here in San Francisco, and thought it was quite fabulous.

(suzimoses later read the book version of Wicked, and didn't think it was all that great.)

[mactavish.livejournal.com]

Some info here:
http://www.musicals101.com/gay4.htm

[rosefox]

Rinkitink in Oz is my all-time fave.

[gingicat]

I saw the movie first when I was a kid (6? 7?), and was terribly disappointed by the ending (I had already read the book). But I've read all the books.

Mom explained that when books are made into movies, they are frequently changed. This has helped me a lot over the years with dealing with book adaptations to movies.

[the-editor.livejournal.com]

It was a great cinematic masterpiece...
in
its
day...
You were SUPPOSED to watch it when you were 6!

OF COURSE the story was trite! AND the acting was overacting at best...

And Merkins wanted something upbeat.

Still... I always wanted to do the lullaby league...

Are you serious?

[(Anonymous)]

If you're serious about trying the Dark Side of the Moon/Wizard of Oz sync, try this website:

http://members.cox.net/stegokitty/dsotr_pages/dsotr.htm

Personally, I found it uncanny, but no one else I know agrees. They all think it's just a coincidence.

[alaria-lyon.livejournal.com]

now you should go see the musical, "Wicked".

Or read the book. They are quite different from what I hear. (I've only read the book, not seen the show.)

[pellegrina.livejournal.com]

My dear Other Half has summarised it thus for a "guess the movie" quiz:

"A young girl arrives in a strange country and kills the first person she meets. She then teams up with some strangers to kill again."

--Pellegrina, who usually reads and enjoys Lis's blog

[pellegrina.livejournal.com]

... and just realized that last bit could be construed to suggest that I didn't enjoy it now, whereas all I meant was to explain my sudden appearance here as a stranger...

Oh dear, I'll just go quiver in a corner with embarrassment now.

[mattblum.livejournal.com]

The Straight Dope had an article about this a few years ago. They concluded that it doesn't synch up, and that the only reason people think it does it that they ignore all those times when it definitely doesn't.

[king-tirian.livejournal.com]

Alas, it is packaged as a classic of filmdom, as evidenced by being #6 in the American Film Institute's list of greatest US movies of the twentieth century. I also have no idea why that should be, except that it's historically important as the first movie shot in Technicolor and the witch is a celebrated screen villain despite her amazingly short time on screen.

Pay attention to what you read

[(Anonymous)]

Actually the Straight Dope article says that Pink FLoyd didn't sync their album to TWoOz puposefully, to which I heartily agree. The article however doesn't make a conclusion as to whether or not the film indeed syncs with the music. In fact it does! Thousands of people have seen it and agree. If you are unfamiliar with the music, The Dark Side of the Moon, then your perception of coincidences will be MUCH lower than that of those who are familiar with the lyrics. You may research the answer youself by visiting my website http://members.cox.net/stegokitty/dsotr_pages/dsotr.htm .

[xiphias.livejournal.com]

(This is a month late. . . oops. . . )

Hey! Welcome!

(This would have been more effective at quelling quivering in embarrasment, had I posted it a month ago. . . )