Recently, to honor the 100th birthday of legendary entertainer Judy Garland, "The Wizard of Oz," her most famous film, was shown for two days in select theatres nationwide.
"The Wizard of Oz" has the distinction of being the world's most-seen movie. For Americans who were children between 1956 and 1980, annual Sunday night broadcasts of the 1939 classic were the cultural equivalent of a kid's super bowl. Based on the first of L. Frank Baum's 14 Oz Books, "The Wizard of Oz" had something for everyone.
It was a comedy. What kid didn't laugh out loud at the Cowardly Lion's over-the-top crying and fretting, delivered in a thick New York accent, as if he had just escaped from the Central Park Zoo? Uncle Henry's sarcastic asides to Miss Gulch were something older kids more than younger ones were likely to pick up on. And when the great and powerful Wizard was revealed to be a humbug, his bumbling, self-effacing monologues were strings of comic one-liners that went right over young heads but drew laughs from adults. "Oz's" comedy makes it a film one can truly grow up with.
"The Wizard of Oz" was a musical but didn't seem like one. That's because every song was integrated into the story. Take out a song, and the plot makes no sense. The tunes were catchy; some were even dark and edgy. (Consider the lyrics to "Ding Dong the Witch is Dead.") Even kids who hated musicals could love the film. And, of course, it gave the world "Over the Rainbow"-ranked the number one song of the 20th century by the Recording Industry Association of America and the National Endowment for the Arts.
"The Wizard of Oz" was a horror film, thanks to the Wicked Witch of the West-the greatest screen villain of all times. When it comes to genuine scariness, Frankenstein, Dracula, the Mummy, and even Hannibal Lector have nothing on her. Her freakishly long chin, hooked nose, and green skin are the stuff of nightmares, and, of course, there are her equally creepy Winged Monkeys. But what is most horrific is that the Witch of the West is entirely evil; no redeeming back story, no glimmer of humanity. She delights in cruelty, representing the polar opposite of what every child wants in an adult. In the 1960s and 70s, sitting through the witch's scenes without covering one's eyes or looking away was cathartic and the ultimate proof of a kid's courage, worthy of playground bragging rights.
"The Wizard of Oz" was also a film with a message that we need now more than ever. Instead of searching elsewhere for happiness, mistakenly believing it must be magically given to us by someone else, we need to appreciate where we are right now and look within ourselves. If we do, we'll realize we already possess the brains, heart, and courage needed to live a fulfilling life, and no matter how lost we may sometimes feel, we always have the power to go home.
Rob Lauer is an award-winning, nationally-produced and published playwright with over 35 years of experience in the entertainment industry. His national credits include production work for MGA Films, Time/Warner TV, The Learning Channel and The History Channel. Locally, Rob has been producing, directing and hosting three TV series for PCTV (the City of Portsmouth’s official channel) since 2011.