Day: January 12, 2015

So playing at our local movie theater was “The Wizard of Oz” courtesy of TCM. We went to the 2 PM showing.

Featuring an intro and outro by Robert Osborn, it’s always fun to spend a couple of hours with Dorothy and company. But here’s the thing I found most interesting.

Kids were freaking terrified of the witch.

It was remarkably evident that for quite a few viewers, this was the first time they were seeing the movie, and I heard genuine sobbing and whimpers of absolute terror as the witch threatened and menaced Dorothy. When she flipped over the hour glass several kids came close to screaming, managing to choke it off at the last second.

I found that absolutely amazing. With the level of scary things kids are confronted with these days, ranging from TV shows to video games to films to, hëll, the news: Margaret Hamilton in green makeup was still able to reduce kids to tears seventy five years later. Ten years of “Wicked” hasn’t made a dent in the sheer terror that that woman could summon.

I think she’d be thrilled.

That and I STILL think Glinda is a psycho. Why not tell Dorothy the shoes would take her home? “She wouldn’t have believe me. She had to find out for herself.” YES SHE WOULD HAVE BELIEVED YOU, YOU ÃSSHØLÊ.

Jesus.

PAD