As far back as I can remember, movies and TV have been a part of my life. There is something about going to a theatre or popping in a DVD at home, sitting back, and entering someone else's "world" for two hours that intrigues me, even to this day. Around the holidays, we always loved watching It's a Wonderful Life, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Charlie Brown Christmas, just to name a few. I remember each Spring, as a child, laying down with our blankets on the living room floor, getting ready for the Sound of Music to begin. There was something about Maria and Georg that drew me in. I credit my Mom for the love of classic musicals...from all the Rodgers and Hammerstein, right down to Shirley Temple and Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. My Dad would barely be able to tolerate these films, as he saw no point to all the singing. "Why can't they just talk?" he would remark at the dinner table...then he would proceed to sing to my Mom "Please pass the butter Barbara". But usually, being the practical man that he was, he would find something to fix in the basement, while the girls would watch, with delight, all the singing and dancing of these amazing movies. Back then, movies had a message, sappy as some of them might have been. Just thinking of the songs..."Climb every mountain, ford every stream, follow every rainbow, 'till you find your dream". Talk about motivation! Even in the weird and wacky world of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, I learned something as a kid that stuck with me; be true, be honest, and everything will turn out for the best in the end. Or in Annie, watching her hold on to the truth that "The sun will come out tomorrow" even if today's forecast is mostly cloudy with a 90% chance of thunderstorms. Movies have been a bit of a hindrance for me, as well. When I was very small, I used to dream about Potsie singing a song to me at Arnold's, and as I got older, I used to actually hold out for my "Prince Charming"...reality check...he didn't have to work...and was handed everything on a silver platter, being the Prince and all...so, of course they lived happily ever after...that is until fair Cindy was moody, the kids came along, and he had to find a real job to pay for soccer cleats, baseball uniforms, and playstations...notice how THAT sequel hasn't hit the box office yet! Also, I have learned that two hours isn't usually enough time to fix the majority of trails and tribulations that come our way in this life...even IF Charles Ingalls could redeem The Prairie in an hour flat! These Happy Days weren't really yours or mine, but we made believe like they were, and enjoyed them nonetheless. All in all, I contribute a lot of who I am to the movies and TV programs of the past (for better or for worse). I also have to say, that there are not too many movies out now that I would go to see, even if they were free, or you were paying me to go. The television leaves a lot to be desired, as well, and currently the only "working" channel in our house is PBS, which can be borderline, at times. A lot has changed since the 70s and 80s. It is really hard to find the same wholesome, positive, uplifting entertainment that I knew as a child. So now that I am a Mom, in our family, we watch many reruns, borrow Aunt Marybeth's vast collection of Little House on the Prairie DVDs, and search high and low for anything that resembles an era, that seems, has been lost forever.
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