Follow The Yellow Brick Road

So I got this in my email yesterday:

We're proud to present a 70th anniversary celebration of the classic movie The Wizard of Oz later this month in New York City.

We're hosting a free outdoor screening of the movie in Central Park, preceded by a free, live concert featuring special performances of songs from the movie by: Jennifer Hudson, Julianne Hough and ?uestlove of the Roots.

Date:	Tuesday, September 29th
Concert:	7:30 pm
Screening:	8:30 pm
Address:	Rumsey Playfield
	Central Park, New Yor

For more details please visit: www.netflix.com/wizardofoz

As part of the celebration, Netflix will also be inviting the general public to instantly watch The Wizard of Oz for free online on Saturday, October 3rd, at the website noted above. Be sure to tell your friends not to miss this classic movie and try out the Netflix service.


See you in New York.

–Your friends at Netflix

Doesn't that sound amazing? Too bad I can't go - going to the city on a Tuesday night is not exactly feasible for me. But I would love to see that concert and enjoy watching the movie outside in Central Park. I love, love, love The Wizard of Oz. Not just the movie, but the book, too. I have a gorgeous hardcover edition with full color pictures and I've read it numerous times. I'm not sure where the book came from - I've had it ever since I was a little girl, and it's my most treasured book. 

I think the amazing thing about the film is how it holds up no matter how many years go back. The movie is from 1939 - 70 years ago, and yet children still enjoy it. Goes to show what a great movie it is, not only story wise (Classic. Timeless.) but production and casting wise. Who can't love Judy Garland as Dorothy Gale? She's just darling. And Margaret Hamilton as the witch - she'll be delighting audiences for 70 plus years to come. And the music...the music is iconic. "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" is quite possibly one of the most recognized and beloved songs ever made for a movie. What little girl doesn't want their own pair of ruby slippers? (I know I did... I still do...) And no matter how many times I watch it, I'm always captivated when Dorothy steps out of her gray fallen farmhouse and into the colorful world of Oz.

So I urge you to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the movie by watching it. And hey, pick up the book if you've never read it before. It's different in many ways from the movie, but I've always been able to enjoy each for what it is. Even though it's missing a lot next to the book, the movie still a great adaptation and captures the heart of the story - after all, there's no place like home.

(And I urge you to check out the movie trivia on IMDB. Fascinating stuff!)