I’ve watched this classic with mom twice now. The first time that I watched it, it was so intriguing with the flashy lights, the singing and the little dog Toto. I could just picture myself being Toto. Don’t you think it would have been a different movie with me, a mere pig, playing Toto’s part?
The second time that I watched it, I gave it more thought as only I can do 🙂 . So below I wanted to give you my perspective of the classic The Wizard of Oz.
The movie was based on a novel written by L. Frank Baum in 1900 – way before our time. The movie was made in 1939 and thus history was made on this classic. It is 101 minutes of fun, laughter and scary moments. It starts off in black and white, then goes color with the ending back to black and white. Visually, it was a good movie and I really enjoyed that change to show current time to fantasy time.
Judy Garland playing Dorothy Gale singing “Over the Rainbow” absolutely left me breathless! And that’s hard to do to this piggy! Sometimes mom *tries* to sing that to me at night when she tucks me in. No offense mom but you are not Judy Garland – snort.
So Dorothy lives on a farm with her Auntie Em and Uncle Henry. They have farm hands that help them out by the names of Hunk, Zeke and Hickory – I LOVE these names. Have you ever met anyone in real life with those interesting names? Priceless, I’m telling you, priceless.
Of course Toto has gotten into trouble and that one neighbor that is always in everyone elses business comes a calling. Miss Almira Gulch is that unhappy neighbor. She wants to take Toto away for allegedly biting her. I have to say allegedly because they didn’t show a bite. In my world, no proof equals didn’t happen. Agree? Of course Auntie Em is too much of a lady to stand up to Miss Gulch so Uncle Henry does the deed and gives her Toto.
Miss Gulch takes Toto away in the evil basket but wait a minute – Toto escapes and goes back to the farm to a crying Dorothy. At last, all is right in the world again… at least for a few minutes until Dorothy decides the best action is to run away. Of course, why didn’t I think about that? – run away from your problems! The entire movie could have been solved right here. Think about it. Auntie Em just needed to go off on Miss Gulch and put her in her place. Now that would have been something to watch, right? A good old christian lady telling Miss Gulch to mind her own business in such delicate words. Snort – HA
So Dorothy runs away and comes across Professor Marvel who claims he can see things in his crystal
ball. This is the beginnings of fake psychics my friends. Before Miss Cleo, there was Professor Marvel out there giving real psychics a bad name. The nerve! He claims that Auntie Em is sick so Dorothy runs home in the storm. But unbeknownst to Dorothy, everyone is already hiding in the cellar when the core of the cyclone comes over the house. Dorothy gets knocked in the head by the window frame and here we go with the color scenes my friends.
Dorothy and Toto travel in their house through time in the cyclone and land in Munchkinland. But oh no! The house lands on the Witch of the East killing her. Her sister, the Witch of the West, is not too happy about the demise of her wicked partner in crime. Before she can take over her powers in the form of those glorious ruby slippers, Glinda the Witch of the North has them mysteriouly appear on Dorothy’s feet.
So let me get this straight and reiterate. Dorothy has been in Munchkinland for no more than what 20 minutes and she’s (A) already killed someone and now (B) committed a theft of shoes? Interesting girl that Dorothy – snort LOL.
Glinda the Witch of the North puts the idea in Dorothy’s mind to travel the ‘yellow brick road’ and go to the Emerald City to find Oz in an attempt to get back home to Kansas. The Witch of the West (which is really Miss Gulch) vows to get even with Dorothy and Toto along the way. The adventure now deepens. As if it wasn’t enough to be entertained by the singing Munchkins and the Lollipop Kids, you can only imagine what kind of characters Dorothy is going to run into on the way to the Emerald City.
So a 12 year old girl and a little itty bitty dog start walking the ‘yellow brick road’ heading towards Oz all by themselves. That’s brave. Only in Oz can this happen. I love this part! Dorothy meets the Scarecrow (which is really Hunk), the Tin Man (which is really Hickory) and the Cowardly Lion (which is really Zeke). All of them decide to go to Emerald City to meet Oz and ask for certain things. The Scarecrow wants a brain, the Tin Man wants a heart, the Cowardly Lion wants courage and of course poor little Dorothy and Toto just want to go home.
Before they can get to the Witch’s castle, the flying monkeys (shivers!) ambush them and kidnap Dorothy and Toto. The evil Witch of the West threatens to drown poor Toto if Dorothy doesn’t give her the fabulous ruby slippers. Dorothy loves her Toto too much and gives in but the Witch of the West is still unable to get the shoes because of a shower of sparks. The witch then remembers that the only way to get the shoes is if Dorothy dies so the hourglass is turned ticking down the time.
What the Wicked Witch of the West doesn’t realize is that the Scarecrow, the Tin Man and the Cowardly Lion have overpowered three of the Winkie guards and taken their outfits to ‘fit in’. Toto has escaped from the room that Dorothy is being kept in, has found the trio and is trying to get them to Dorothy to save her. This is the part that you sit on the edge of your seats. Those Winkie guards were scary! They get Dorothy out of her room and they are running away but are being chased by the guards and the witch. They get cornered and it is not going well at all. The witch is mad to say the least.
The Wicked Witch of the West decides to burn the Scarecrow in front of Dorothy to make a point. Dorothy, that little soldier, sees a bucket of water behind her, picks it up and throws it at the Scarecrow to put the flames out. The witch happens to be standing behind the Scarecrow and gets splashed as well. WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT IT! The witch melts and she has now killed two people in her adventure. WOW – I mean WOW – what a climax.
The Winkies are so thrilled that the witch is gone and they are now free. They give Dorothy her broom and they return back to Emerald City knowing they will get everything now that their mission is accomplished.
But no, that Oz refuses to grant them anything so Toto takes action. He goes behind the curtain and everyone learns that the great Oz is only a man (which is really Professor Marvel). He has no powers – didn’t we already know that? Snort – LOL
He tries to make things right with the group. He gives the Scarecrow a diploma and suddenly the Scarecrow knows everything – it’s a miracle! He gives the Lion a medal and suddenly he is the bravest thing in the world – it’s a miracle! He then gives the Tin Man a heart clock and suddenly you can hear it ticking – it’s a miracle! Three miracles in one movie!!
Oz tells Dorothy that he has a hot air balloon that he will use to take her to this far away land called Kansas. They get ready to go, good byes are done and the cord is cut. But not so quickly. Toto sees a purr thing – I knew they were bad – and jumps out at it from the basket with Dorothy short behind. The hot air balloon leaves and Dorothy is again stuck in the Emerald City. But who appears but that trouble maker Glinda the Good Witch that started this little misadventure.
Glinda tells Dorothy that she’s had the ability all along and the ruby slippers will get her home. Well, is it just me? Thanks Glinda, you could have told me that like in the beginning. You know before the poppy field, before the Haunted Forest, before the Flying Monkeys, before the Winkie Guards, before the Wicked Witch, before seeing the Munchkins, you know – in the beginning. Rolls piggy eyes.
Dorothy clicks her heels together three times repeating, “There’s no place like home, there’s no place like home, there’s no place like home”. She wakes up in her own bed in Kansas – and the film returns back to black and white. She is safe back in her room in Kansas with Auntie Em and Uncle Henry. And of course Hunk, Zeke and Hickory are all there checking on Dorothy.
The entire basis of the movie is now turned into the fact that it was all just a dream. Thank goodness! Because you know those two murders and theft charges will hang with you for a while. I mean think about it. The entire movie was really about a chick fighting for a nice pair of pumps. Mom said she didn’t blame her. I’ve seen mom’s pumps, they are probably worth fighting over as well.
So there you go. The Wizard of Oz from my little piggy point of view. Hope you enjoyed it and got a couple of chuckles from it.
Hogs and Kisses – Bacon
Hello friends!! Wasn’t all of the sandwiches from last month mouth watering? We got so many ideas here at the Hotel Thompson. What a blast! This month we are going to throw a little twist to the Shopping Around the World.
Piglove 