Four Feet More

I just finished watching "The Wizard of Oz" with the kids for the first time. Even though I know it is a beloved family movie, I've always found it a bit disturbing. The witch flying by the house on her bike and those dang flying monkeys... completely creepy. I actually haven't seen the movie since right after college, when some friends and I watched it in an attempt to locate the munchkin hanging in the woods (I can neither confirm not deny this urban legend).

Then, a few years back, I worked on a stage production of "The Wizard of Oz" (I was a "munchkin wrangler"), and I began to appreciate the show on a different level. So, when flipping through the channels last night and seeing Dorothy flying in the tornado, I decided to let the kids watch the munchkin scene. And then we all got sucked in... Since it was too late to watch the whole movie, we TiVo'd it instead and finished it this afternoon.

Surprisingly, I enjoyed it this time around. And the kids didn't seem nearly as creeped out by the witch and flying monkeys as I was at their age. Although, when I put Vika to bed last night, she did have a lot of questions about the wicked witch. So I said to her, "When I was little, I used to be so scared of that witch! But now when I see her, I think, 'She's just a woman in green paint!'" Vika laughed and then started talking about what a pain it must have been for the actress to put on all that make-up each day. In her version of the witch voice Vika said, "Aren't you done yet?!"

Nightmares averted.

Here's a little something "Wizard of Oz" for your viewing enjoyment (from my guilty pleasure, "Family Guy."). Beware, it's completely sophomoric, but the first part is pretty funny.