Merry Meet and Merry Part, and Merry Meet again

Saturday, March 19, 2011

Celebrate Oz--It's all about Color

Sometime in the fifties and early sixties, I do not remember exactly when, I was a small child. An annual event occurred that changed my life! Yes, The Wizard of Oz was broadcast on televisions across America; perhaps it was  the springtime?

It would not be possible for me to pick a favorite scene, a favorite moment, character, line, song, munchkin or flying monkey. I loved every single solitary part of that movie. I cry throughout the movie:  from Miss Gulch taking Toto away on her bike, to the Scarecrow being ripped apart, to Auntie Em calling for Dorothy in the Wicked Witch's crystal ball. Tears flowing. And the outright fear....actually let's call it Terror. OOOOh those Flying Monkeys scared me to death. The Wicked Witch was so scary. The TORNADO, for crying outloud. How I loved this movie.

There was a problem though. My family did not own a color t.v. For many years, I watched The Wizard of Oz in black and white...the whole movie in black and white. I never knew there was a colorful part to the movie. So when Dorothy emerges from her tornado-twisted house to see the Munchkin Land in all its glorious color, for me it was all glorious black and white. The Yellow-Brick Road was gray. The ruby shoes could have been purple. The Horse of a Different Color? No color. I did not know the Wicked Witch had a green face. I did not know Dorothy wore a blue and white gingham dress. Who knew that the Emerald Palace was actually, well emerald green?

Pretty gray dress

Beautiful "Concrete" Palace

Gorgeous blackish slippers

I was probably 17 or 18 years old when I saw The Wizard of Oz in color for the first time. What a shock! What a difference. What color!!! I never realized what a beautiful movie it was until I saw it in rousing Technicolor. The Wicked Witch's face was truly horrific, even scarier than I would have thought. I am thinking if I had seen the movie in color when I was little, I most likely would have been traumatized!!!

My kids always looked at me in disbelief when I told them I grew up without a color tv. They cannot imagine it. Well, that's okay. I think I love the movie even more now, because I remember the times I watched it in black and white. I was thoroughly in love and impressed with it, without color. So these days, the color is a wonderful enhancement. It is definitely a beautiful, colorful, wonderful movie.

And I would love to have a pair of ruby slippers!  Red Red Red ruby slippers!!!

Colorful red ruby slippers

 Click the Link below
Our hostess, Linda in New Mexico, offers more of Celebrate Oz



Image Credits: media.photobucket.com, stonesoferasmus.com, flickr.com, thedailypump.com

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

That was my favorite part of the movie too. It was the same with my mother when she told me at one point in her childhood all they had was a radio. I was shocked!

Aine O'Brien said...

Oh yes! I remember it was shown only once a year! I also grew up with black and white television and remember getting the color one. When I was a young married couple we had a tiny black and white sony and vowed that we (unlike our parents) would not own a large color television and sit in front of it constantly. Yeah, well of course we broke that vow so our kids did grow up in color, and now own the biggest flat screens ever.

I loved the wizard of oz and I too wanted a pair of ruby slippers more than anything in the world.

Marlene said...

What fun to remember, I to watched it the first time in black and white. Have fun at the party today and do stop by for a poppy seed muffin.

Lady Caer Morganna said...

Love the make-over, Robin!!!

Blessed Be,

Kim
)o(

Anonymous said...

Even though my reactions towards the movie isn´t quite the same as Yours :-) :-) I do love it! They show it here every now and again but I think I´ll see if I can buy it instead. A perfect movie for a grey and dull day.

But there´s one thing I´ve always wondered about, where does the red brick road lead? It´s the same thing every time I see the movie, in the beginning one can see that both the yellow brick road and the red brick road starts at the same spot :-)

Have a great day now!
Christer.

OmaLindasOldeBaggsandStuftShirts said...

What a great when you were a child story. I can see how the story would have been the thing more than the visuals if it were viewed in black and white. I bet you were shocked to see the technicolor version. Great post.
Thank you so much for your participation in Celebrate OZ. It was very "brave" of you to sign on to something that had never been done before and you and the other participants are so dear to me because you made my wish come true. It's as though we all clicked our heels at the same time and Celebrate Oz came to be. XOXO The Olde Bagg, Linda

Anonymous said...

What magnificent memories of childhood. I remember seeing it in black and white as well and the first time I saw that miraculous color adventure, it's like the heavens opened! Thank you so much for stopping by my blog. Such a please to meet you. I have become a follower as I'd like to hang about and see what else is in this wonderful world you have created.

Magaly Guerrero said...

I always love to read about people's childhood experiences when it comes to Oz and other works of fiction I love. I didn't read the books or watch the movies until I was 22, and that summer I was a happy child again.

Was it wonderful to rediscover the movie in color after so long? I feel like I find something new and wonderful about Oz, every time I reread the books.

Please stop by Pagan Culture and do consider participating in my upcoming Witches in Fiction blog party. I just know Wiccan Writes witchy things ;-)

Doris Sturm said...

I didn't see the movie till I came to the USA in the early 70s and I think that I saw it in black and white the first time as well...we just had a little b/w TV at the time, a young couple starting out in life...but there's just no comparison to Technicolor - it's still magnificent in all the older movies and I love to watch them just for their brilliance in color!

Nice to go back in time to remember and day dream, isn't it? I've never read the books and that's on my to do list this summer ;-)

Thanks for sharing and have a wonderful day!

jaz@octoberfarm said...

you can just leave the caraway seeds out and it is still good bread. some people put raisins in theirs but i find that sort of gaggy! i just bought my sister a replica pair of the ruby slippers.

So Dark So Cute said...

Wonderful post! I'm sorry for my short comment. My english isnt that great LOL!

Magic Love Crow said...

Excellent post Robin! It would have been really interesting and exciting, seeing the movie in black in white, then seeing it in colour! I would have loved to seen your expression on your face! Have a great time at the party today!

Boom said...

Oh yes, I think we were born in the same century at about the same decade. Remember that "Wizard of OZ" and "It's a Wonderful Life" were only on once and if you missed it...well I didn't know if I would ever get to see it. Little did I know that it would become marathon viewing.

angelself said...

Wow, your story is so interesting. Thanks so much for sharing =) I agree, I'll bet you would have been traumatized if you saw that green witchy face in color all those years ago, LOL!! Thanks for stopping by to see my Oz celebration....I have finally finished the post so you can come back and see my WIP of Glinda ;) Kathryn

Unknown said...

Enjoyed reading your blog. I remember watching the movie in black and white also. The color is definitely the way to go in watching anything. Thank goodness for color.

April said...

What a sweet post..some things are worth waiting for! When you and I were young, we really did have to use our imaginations! And I'm thankful we did. I enjoyed taking the detour to see your Post along my journey today. Hah, I wonered why YOUR part of the yellow brick road was black and white..now I know. Back down the road I go...OZ HUGS! Gramma, from Martha and Jane.

Anonymous said...

I loved reading your post! You are so right! I also watched it in black and white and thought I loved it, until I saw it in color ... Wow, what a difference! Thanks for sharing such sweet memories!

Deborah said...

Awesome childhood story...I would have loved to see your face when you first saw Dorothy's ruby red shoes! I have become a follower and I also have put you on my fav blog list...please come and visit my Oz party...I have 3 paintings for the giveaway!

oldgreymare said...

Still watch every time it is on.monkeys scared me to death- sign on my fridge says "Don't make me get my flying monkeys"
DD dressed as Dorothy one Halloween and her ruby slippers are still displayed in my hallway.

sigh....

xx
z