The Wizard of OZ is not just for Kids.

"Life doesn't imitate Art, it imitates bad television"- Woody Allen

My spin on it is ..."Life Doesn't imitate art, it imitates the Wizard of Oz".

The Wizard of Oz

I know you have seen this movie, but I want you to watch it again when you get older.

The Wizard of Oz, scared me as a child.  I know the obvious source of fear was the Wicked Witch of the West.  Margaret Hamilton's brilliant role as the Wicked Witch, was dramatically chilling.  Her green makeup added an extra level of malevolence.  (Thumbs up for scenery, makeup, and choreography!) 

Margaret Hamilton

The Wicked Witch of the West

 Additionally scary of course, were the flying monkeys and dark soldiers of the Witch's Army.  I'm embarrassed to say, that the Munchkins also terrified me.  With their pinched faces and outlandish outfits, I would literally hide behind the sofa until they were gone.  

And yet, over the years I have found myself re-thinking the themes, story lines, and analogies.  I've come to the conclusion that the story is truly brilliant in its messaging.  Messaging that is missed by many of the young children that watch it for its whimsical story line.

I could certainly write a long post about the symbolism that the movie portrays, but I want to focus on one main theme that when I thought about it, I felt I learned a powerful lesson that can be applied to real life's challenges.  

I never really thought a lot about the 3 character's Dorothy meets.  The Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Lion.  Their role, I thought, was merely a side bar to help the story along   But in reality the 3 characters truly represent something profound.  Namely, the characteristics they are looking for are the essential characteristics that any great movement, project, or adventure need to have.  A brain (Scarecrow), a heart (TinMan) and Courage, (The Cowardly Lion).  As a quick example, take the American Revolution.  I think it would be easy to say that this Revolution was certainly started by some very intelligent men and women, from all walks of life.  I think the heart of American freedom and governance were essential to communicate to get the colonists to fight.  Lastly, and probably most importantly, courage.  The Americans that fought in the Revolution against the British were going against, at the time, one of the strongest Armies and Navies in the world.  The odds were long and the possibility of death by hanging was very certain for all the Founders had they lost that war.  But Courage is key.  As Aristotle wrote:  “Courage is the first of human virtues because it makes all others possible.”  This is a powerful statement and I think the Wizard of Oz, puts Aristotle's proposition to the test. 

Another obvious lesson from the movie and perhaps the one that is most relevant to a child watching the film is Dorothy's realization that she always had the power to go home, she just needed to conquer the fears and personal obstacles to get back.  

And so, as you watch the Wizard of Oz as you get older, and you apply for a job, create a new company, work on an important project, make sure you use the lessons of the Wizard of Oz as your guiding template.  Does your venture have heart?  Does it have intellect, but most important of all, do you have the courage to pursue it?  Start with Courage first, and then the obstacles will fall away, one by one.

Learning about Fear from "The Village"

At the time of its release, this film was panned by many a film critic, yet I find this to be one of M. Night Shyamalan's most thought provoking films.  I won't put much detail about the plot because its power is in the story's ebb and flow, and its sleepy narrative.  Perhaps that's one of the reason's I enjoy this film so much is that it reminds me of Washington Irving's Sleepy Hollow.  (One of my all time favorite books!, yet horribly portrayed in most film versions- I'll never forgive Johnny Depp and Danny Elfman for such a trashy remake ) But I digress:

The power of this movie is not in the scare value but the deeper implications of human nature and the state of fear.  It won't give you sleepless nights due to gruesome horrors, but it may give you a sleepless night pondering the fears that hold you back.

Diner- Everything You Wanted to Know about Men but Were Afraid to Ask

Director Barry Levinson's body of work is extensive and impressive.  Although I have to admit I have lost track of his recent work, two of his movies will go down in the "must see" category.  Namely, Rain Man and Diner.

Diner is a truly unique film and one I want my children to see because it is one of the few Hollywood films that portrays men and masculinity in an open and honest way.  It shows male abject frailty, as well as, heartfelt nobility. Here are my take aways from Diner.

The title of the film is the main setting of the film and crystallizes the themes of the play.  Without giving too much of the plot away, it is about a group of 20 something males that come together at the local diner and talk about the trials and tribulations of their emerging roles, careers, and responsibilities.

Everything you wanted to know about men but were afraid to ask.  (Note:  these are generalizations and not meant to define all men, every man.)

1.  Sports are more than sports.  Men watch sports, they play sports, they talk about sports, a lot!  The character, Eddie Simmons, played craftily by Steve Guttenberg, makes his "wife to be" comically take a Baltimore Colts Quiz in order to assure her fitness to be married to him.  An extreme example to be sure, but it does tap into the zaniness that men resort to when it comes to their favorite team.  And yet, many a man watching this scene would nod with approval and think it not such a bad idea, knowing that it would not be wise in today's modern world.  In truth, men like watching sport not only for the competition, the glory of victory, but the human drama that gets played out within the competition.  The values of leadership, sportsmanship, courage, strategy, all within a framework of a few hours.  They are our Soap Operas.

A still from Eddie's Wedding, notice the table cloth and flowers are Baltimore Colts colors

2.  Music is our advocate.  In a scene between the only married member of the "Diner" Gang,  Shrevie, played by Daniel Stern and his wife, Beth (Ellen Barkin), this principle is displayed quite powerfully.  Shrevie becomes enraged because Beth has listened to his album collection (Back in the olden days having to listen to "Albums" Plastic CD technology) and put back his albums in the wrong order.  Now let me be clear, Shrevie is totally overreacting and really being downright cruel to Beth in this scene.  But if you wait until the end of the scene you realize the powerful Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus   moment.  Beth just likes the music, but for Shrevie it has a far deeper connection.  This scene of course exposes more than that, including the cracks to their relationship that need repairing.  But for most men who watch this scene they totally understand Shrevie's closing statement.  It rings so true.  Most men attach deeply to music.  It is our advocate for our feelings that we so often are trained or are embedded. to try to suppress.

3.  Young men are sinners and old men are saints.
This may not be politically correct, but I believe it to be true.  Again, we are talking about in general, and there are exceptions to the rule.  However, lets be honest and and scientific.  Testosterone produces aggression in males.  Testosterone is highest in males when they are in their late teens to twenties.  I know, aggression is often seen as a negative, but aggression that is paired with discipline can produce tremendous positives.  For example, the Military relies on male aggression for optimum results.  And thank God for that.  The military branches of course realize that male aggression also needs maximum discipline to become fully effective and productive.  Many sports teams use this same formula to channel male aggression in positive ways.  Of course male aggression without discipline has the opposite effect.  This sort of aggression is often related to intimidation, bullying, and acts of cruelty and violence.  Lastly, when males drink alcohol and/ or take other drugs, their self discipline is often removed, while the aggression remains.  To my daughters I have often said, men and alcohol is a dangerous combination.  (avoid those situations at all cost)  I've noticed far too many acts of brutal aggression and cruelty when males are under the influence of alcohol.  *Its why the most vocal advocates of Prohibition were the Temperance Society Women who had to deal with the consequences of drunken husbands.  We have all heard or witnessed the cruelty of women at the hands of drunken men, and quite honestly why college campus's must deal with horrible incidents of sexual abuse and misconduct.  Enough said.

And so as men grow older, and less influenced by the powerful effects of testosterone, they become wiser, and try to use their knowledge to temper and mentor young males.  Getting back to Diner, there is a group of older males in the Diner that also sit and talk about their lives, trials, and tribulations.  By the end of the movie they play an important part to make for a happy ending.

To summarize: this movie is a gem.  Unlike many movies that try to encapsulate youthful males in mostly derogatory stereotypes, (i.e. Fast Times at Ridgemont High, and American Pie, to name a few) Diner produces a much more nuanced, and authentic look into male bonding, male strength, and male weakness.   The scenes in the Diner provide a unique glimpse into male bonding that is carried out by some fantastic acting by the entire cast.  (for a sample, watch:  The Sandwich Scene)

This is a beautiful film.

For great reading about boys to men, I would highly recommend Michael Gurian's, "The Wonder of Boys."

Born Free- The Majesty of Lions and the Essence of Freedom

Born Free was a movie I saw as a very young boy.  My first viewing I had no real understanding of the plot and theme, but was transfixed by my first movie that had the noble African plains as its setting.  The movie was craftily done for its day, giving you the feel that you were actually watching a documentary, but in truth watching a narrative film with actors rather than real people.  So convincing are the actors playing Joy and George Adamson that you feel disappointment when you pick up a copy of the book to see them not there.  Which is a tribute to the filmmakers and in no way an insult to the real Joy.

Virginia McKenna- Actress who played Joy Adamson

To give you a story synopsis:   Based on the classic non-fiction book, Joy and George Adamson find themselves in the rare situation of having to take care of an orphaned lion cub at their home in Africa.  (Elsa)  They raise the lioneess as a pet and slowly come to the realization that its existence is slowly consisting of being caged due to the fear of the local villagers and the lion's growing strength and curiosity.  George convinces Joy that Elsa needs to be trained to go back into the wild and live the life she was meant to live- Born Free.  George slowly teaches the lioness to hunt, but lion socialization proves the most difficult.  Despite bumps and bruises, Elsa finally becomes part of a wild pride.  I won't tell you the tear-jerking nuances of the story, but it is beautiful in all its splendor.  The soundtrack is from John Barry who later went on to score many Oscar Nominated films including Out of Africa, and Dances with Wolves.  This film has a slow pace but never lags or gets uninteresting.

As an elementary teacher, I would show this film to my students along with a science/ Mammals investigation, so most of our conversations and focus was on lions, mammals, and only a superficial discussion on the virtues of Joy and George Adamson as it relates to the focus of the film which is the lioness Elsa.  Upon reflecting on the film years later, it is indeed the virtue of freedom that is the true essence of the film.  Upon thinking of this theme, it makes the film so much more powerful and valuable for my children to watch. 

The real Joy Adamson

Strangely, I started thinking of this film recently after remembering the odd, but true story of a local legend known around town as "Deer Lady".   This Deer Lady became notorious in this suburban village for feeding deer in her backyard.  It turned out that there were several town ordinances against feeding wild animals, but that wouldn't deter Deer Lady.  She continued breaking the ordinance for years, being fined until finally after threats of serious jail time, Deer Lady ceased and desisted breaking the law.  Now many of you may be thinking that the town was in the wrong and Deer Lady was just a kind hearted soul trying to do right by these majestic visitors to her backyard.  But when you contrast her story with Joy Adamson's story of Elsa you see that Deer Lady was selfishly feeding the deer for her own personal enjoyment at the expense of making them dependent upon her backyard and food source.  Meanwhile Joy and George were unselfishly empowering Elsa to be free to pursue the essential lion gifts of speed, and cunning,as well as, being part of a freely chosen pride to partake in lion socialization and reproductive dynamics.

George teaching Elsa to hunt.

This is the powerful virtue highlighted by Born Free that I feel is essential for my children to understand deeply.  Creating dependency, especially in wild animals and more importantly humans, robs the individual of their natural gifts and leaves them with an unfulfilled life.  Both Deer Lady and the Adamson's were compassionate people, but the Adamson's compassion gave them the courage to think about Elsa's happiness.  When thinking about government policy, I want my children to recognize policies designed to make people dependent versus policies meant to empower and make independent.  Born Free exemplifies this idea with an incredible story of love, compassion, and beauty. 

True Grit

Interestingly, I bumped this one up a bit.

I have two daughters, and I was trying to find just the right movie that would give them guidance to let them realize that women rule the world.  They always have and always will, by the way.

Image from:  http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/true-grit-2010/pictures/#58

While I have seen bits and pieces of the John Wayne classic, it never struck me as any great insight into the mind and true power of women.  However, the remake with Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon, Josh Brolin, and the amazing Hailee Steinfeld captured my attention from the first scene.  More than that however, the movie highlights the wit and wisdom of a young girl as she navigates the dangerous and violent ways of men.

Quite honestly, its brilliant in so many ways.  Full disclosure here, I am not a huge Coen brothers fan.  I did enjoy Fargo, but the others I have seen have not had a lasting impression on me.  

Jeff Bridges truly is a master of acting.  His portrayal as Rooster Cogburn is a huge departure from John Wayne, but you truly don't care in the least.  So well acted, you can literally smell the alcohol off his breath.  A commanding presence to be sure.  He represents what so many men can succumb to.  Sheer desperation. He is lovable and loath-able.  But brilliant, truly brilliant.

Matt Damon also plays a capable second fiddle as he portrays the "honorable" Texas Ranger, LaBoeuf.  He is a counter balance of course for Cogburn as they search for the villianous, Tom Chaney, in a supporting role deftly portrayed by Josh Brolin.  

But the scene stealer is Steinfeld.  She portrays smarts, courage, and even cunning to lead this bumbling duo of Cogburn and LeBoeuf to capture the murderer of her father.  The Coen's didn't make her out to be the ultimate warrior, that so many recent movies have tried to portray.  To do so, would have insulted the book and the historical time period from which it was written. Instead, they gave her a dignified femininity and feminism that was authentic.

That is what I want my daughters to take away from this film.  First, men and women are different, no matter how much the media tries to portray differently.  But, women have the ultimate power that will lead men to almost any challenge and opportunity.  Micheal Gurian's book, The Wonder of Boys, made me realize that men are aggressive, and their aggression needs to be channeled in appropriate ways or it can lead to great destruction.  Mattie Ross provides each man with a focus to put their aggressive tendencies towards a good cause, namely justice for Mattie.  

The character of Mattie Ross defines the narrative and also provides a model for my daughters to follow.  Be smart, be courageous, be wary of men and their nature, but use it to your advantage.

Brilliant film.  Please rent it.  An American classic.

Rocky- The First One

Youtube clip above is the scene and music, "Philadelphia Morning" highlights the painful first steps towards a daunting challenge.

Official Movie site:  http://www.mgm.com/view/movie/1666/Rocky/flash.html

I want my children to see this movie for a variety of lessons and themes.  Set in, and released in 1976, when I was 10 years old, this movie about a seemingly washed up boxer, who gets a shot at the Heavyweight Title, was the first time a movie inspired me and left me wanting to take on the world.  But the themes and lessons abound.  Here is my list.

1.  Theme music in movies is integral!  The music in this movie is masterful.  Bill Conti's music throughout brings the emotional tone to every scene.  Heavy brass music is a rarity in film but this movie highlights it well.  The mournful French Horn in Philadelphia Morning, captures the opening steps in Rocky's transformation from "bum" to champion level fighter.  It also perfectly fits the early morning streets of Philadelphia, the City of Brotherly Love.  Of course, Gonna Fly Now, is possibly the most recognizable inspirational movie music ever.  Compared with Philadelphia Morning, it captures the metamorphosis of Rocky's resurgence.

2.  Less is More:  I honestly don't think this movie could have been made in today's highly competitive and scripted and stylized Hollywood landscape.  Rocky 3 and 4 demonstrate clearly what happens when you over-do a movie.  These later movies are tragedies that were made for all the wrong reasons.  Namely, money and additional fame for Sylvester Stallone.  But I digress.  What made Rocky beautiful was its simplicity.  The themes of love, friendship, redemption, loyalty, even arrogance and vanity, were not overdone, but carefully culled and completely authentic.  The casting was superb because it was subtle and completely believable.  Even Talia Shire, whose stunning beauty was so well masked by horn rimmed glasses, knit cap, and house coat, brings the shy, introverted pet store worker to life with amazing clarity.  Her powerful breakaway scene where she pounds her fists on her brother Pauly's chest captures her awakening and freedom from his paternalistic dominance.  Most subtle, was Sylvester Stallone's slow simple speech pattern that was so believable, that when you see interview's with Stallone you are confused that he is speaking in more fluent tones.  Carl Weathers, couldn't been more perfect as the boastful, yet surprising lovable antagonist.  In a way he represents well the American sense of pride of that particular time period.  (See more about Weather's performance below)

3.  Vanity is filled with weaknesses and blind-spots.  This lesson comes into play in the Shawshank Redemption as well, but Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers) represents weakness from arrogance.   So consumed has his character become in creating an entertainment show, he becomes blind to the opponent he faces.  Apollo's manager in the film utters the classic line, "He doesn't know its a damn show, he thinks its a damn fight" (about Rocky)

4.  Talent is often overlooked and sadly often never realized.  I never really caught on to this aspect of the film as a young boy.  I thought the overall message was that if you just worked out really hard, you could be a great boxer.  (Naive, I know)  But in truth, not everyone possesses the talents to be a great boxer.  Very few make it to a level of professional.  The key element is Rocky had talent, as Mickey, played by Burgess Meredith, reminds him.-  "You had talent, but you fight like a god*** ape!"  We can surmise from the story that Rocky would have continued a lowly existence of a part time fighter, part time Mob ruffian were it not for the chance he was given.  Too many people flounder through life like Rocky, not putting the talents you have to maximum potential.  Perhaps Thoreau said it better,  "Most men lead lives of quiet desperation."
5.  America in 1976-  This movie unabashedly gives you a glimpse of America in 1976 and our Bi-centennial.  I remember it well as a boy, and I didn't realize the how much it blended with the story until I watched it years later.  Apollo's insistence of choosing Rocky for no other reason that the name, "The Italian Stallion"  because it was an Italian that discovered America.  (Columbus) I know, I know, that is not politically correct anymore.
6.  Once you recognize your talents, it takes hard work and collaborating with others to develop and hone them.  This obviously corresponds with number 4, but its important in and of itself.  Recognizing your talents is only half the battle.  You must learn to turn your talents into a productive source of fulfillment for your success.  Hard work is one aspect of it, but knowledge is the other.  This lesson is beautifully outlined in the apartment scene with Rocky and Mickey.  Mickey tells Rocky about his knowledge that he wants to give to Rocky.  Rocky is of course offended since Mickey was harsh on him at the gym and gave his locker to another fighter.  This is an intense scene and often difficult to watch more than once because the acting is brilliant and heart wrenching.  Yet, this is an integral pairing, Rocky's talent and Mickey's experience based knowledge.    Talent takes you so far.  Seek out others that can help you with their experience, and be grateful to them.

7.  You need to surround yourself with some people that will be honest with you about your failings.  Again this one comes back to Mickey and Rocky's relationship.  I would argue that it is the dynamic between Mickey and Adrian that is key.  Adrian builds up Rocky emotionally and Mickey builds him up physically.  It is a key dynamic.  But the important part is that many of us have the supportive people in our life and that is wonderful, yet we often need truth tellers as well.  Those people that will call a spade a spade.  It is not always easy to hear, but honest feedback is essential towards earning any real achievement.

8.  Setting is powerful.  After re-watching Rocky some 40 years later, it finally hit me that a key component of the movie was Director John Alvidson's magnificence at making the city of Philadelphia a "character" in the film.  Each scene brings visual intricacies that capture the eye, but more than that enhance the character and plot development.  I will never forget the opening scene with the Christ mural as the opening visual.  Philadelphia represents so much of America, its history, and spirit, that is clearly defined in this picture.