Youth--Movies About Being Young / Coming of Age

Cropped screenshot of Judy Garland from the trailer for the film The Wizard of Oz. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The films that I'll be listing in my April postings may not necessarily be films that I'd call my favorite films, but they will be favorites in the genres I'll be naming.   The A to Z genres are very specific micro genres as opposed to the broader genres like action, romance, or comedy.

        This category is huge.  In fact it probably could cover more than one category, but being for the letter 'Y' I'll just say this micro-genre will be about being young--anything from childhood to teens.

         Some of my favorites may be yours too, but if I missed one of your favorites tell us about it in the comments:

Heidi (1937)--There are so many Shirley Temple films that I could put on this list, but I'll pick just one.  They used to show this on television every year when I was a kid and I never missed a showing.

The Wizard of Oz (1939) --Judy Garland was a teenager when she made the film that would become one of the most beloved of all time.  It's the story of a young Kansas girl who gets carried away by a tornado to the Magical Land of Oz where she meets a truly memorable array of characters.

The Exorcist (1973)--Innocent young girl becomes possessed by devil and priest is brought in to perform exorcism.  One of the scariest films ever.  This was a huge box-office hit and has continued to make money with releases and spin-offs.  Not for the kids or the highly sensitive.

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)--One of best science fiction-fantasy stories about kids.  This film by Steven Spielberg is ideal family viewing.

The Goonies (1985)--The ultimate adventure with kids searching for a stash of pirate treasure.  A great film with an excellent cast.

 Stand By Me (1986)--Based on a Stephen King story, the film tells about a group of boys who trek along a railroad track to find the body of a missing boy who was struck by a train.  Funny and sad--one of the best coming of age stories.

Cinema Paradiso (1988)--Boy befriends projectionist in local theater and learns to love movies.

Home Alone (1990)--Kid accidentally gets left behind when the family goes on vacation leaving him to fend off bumbling burglars.  Funny film that spawned a series of sequels.

My Girl (1991)-- A sweet film about a girl who lives in a funeral parlor with her single father who is the mortician.  A story of death and first love.

Almost Famous (2000)-- Inspired by the real life story of rock journalist Cameron Crowe, this film tells the story of a 15 year old hired by Rolling Stone magazine to tour with a popular rock group  and write an article about it.

Juno (2007)-- Sixteen year old becomes pregnant and has to decide what to do about it.

        What other films about youth can you name?   Which on my list are your favorites?   Is there a youth movie that you particularly relate to in your life?

          Are you ready for the Blogging from A to Z Challenge Reflections Post?   Starts Friday May 3rd with the list open for a week.   For more information go to the A to Z Blog.

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The House on the Rock: I didn't know what to expect

Image by John Kroll via Flickr

Dollhouse at House on the Rock

            When I first visited the House on the Rock in 1981 I didn't realize what I was going to see.  I had seen it as a little red square on the map designating it as a place of interest so I thought I might check it out.

             This was back when I was touring with the World of Fantasy Players stage production of The Wizard of Oz.  Whenever we had the opportunity we would check out any places of interest in the areas we would be travelling and if there was time we'd play tourist.

              House on the Rock sounded intriguing.  I didn't find much information about it other than it was a house that had been built on a pinnacle of rock.  Since Taliesin--the summer home of renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright--was situated nearby I figured House on the Rock must be something similar to that.  Boy, was I wrong.

               Everyone who was working on the show catered to my whim and went to see this attraction.  It's located in a beautiful area of southern Wisconsin west of Madison and not too far from the popular Wisconsin Dells tourist area.  We had already spent some time in the Dells so we were in a touristy frame of mind.

              A road through a forested area brought us to a graveled parking lot.  All we could see were trees so there was no hint of what was to come.  We were a bit taken aback by the cost, which at the time I think was about twelve dollars.  It seemed a bit much to pay to tour a house even if the house was built on a rock.  Since we were there we agreed to go ahead and pay the admission to see the sight.

             It started out interestingly enough.   The stone house was attractive and unique in design.  Passageways meandered through several rooms with an assortment of fanciful furniture, Tiffany lamps, and other unusual furnishings from all parts of the world.  I was fascinated and pleased with the experience as we neared the end of the house tour.

             Then came the truly strange and unexpected part--a passageway filled with all sorts of peculiar displays led from the house to what I assumed was the exit.  I was somewhat puzzled to emerge into what appeared to be an early twentieth century street.  There were storefronts and various vehicles parked on the street.  We had been transported to another place and era.  We spent some time here and then realized there was a theater entrance with a brightly lit marquee above it.

              After entering the theater we found ourselves in a museum-like exhibit of music boxes, nickelodeon machines, and mechanized musical instrument assemblages.  As we progressed, each display got bigger, grander, and more complex, until eventually we were passing through entire rooms filled with automated musical instruments and mechanical figures. The rooms were glitzy, gaudy, and full of amazing music.  Trying to describe it adequately is futile.  It was one of those must see to believe experiences.

         And it went on from there with too many displays to describe here. Even the bathrooms were amazing with displays that were like visiting a museum.  It was all such an adjective inducing attraction that it would become superfluous to go on describing it.

          We left in awe of what we had seen.  For a few years after that visit, my wife and I returned to that incredible house whenever we were in the area.  Each year new things were added with more promised for the future.  There was much still planned to be added when we visited last in the mid-eighties.

           I hope that one day I can go back to see what new surprises have been added to this super excursion into surrealism.  If you are ever visiting the Dells or somewhere near the House on the Rock I would highly recommend a side trip.  According to their website, the House on the Rock now has a resort hotel that sounds like a fine addition to make your visit an top notch vacation experience.

           Have you been to House on the Rock?  If you've been there in recent years, how is it now?  Where have you gone that was much different than your expectations?

Related articles

• Road Trip: The House on the Rock (biodork.wordpress.com)
• The House on the Rock (bizarreprodigy.com)
• Frank Lloyd Wright   (https://www.artsy.net/artist/frank-lloyd-wright)

F is for Favorites

       Today is Francis Ford Coppola's birthday.  And what's that got to do with the cost of fromage in France?, you may say-- besides his name having two Fs in it.   Coppola's Apocalypse Now is one of my favorite films and today I'm talking about favorites.

         Apocalypse Now is one of those films people either really like or strongly dislike. It partly relates to one of my favorite films of childhood--Wizard of Oz--which to this day remains a favorite.  The way I see it Apocalypse Now is a kind of Wizard of Oz for adults, with an assortment of characters on a strange journey to find some eccentric man who rules from his secluded place.  In one film the quest is for "home" and in the other the answer is "horror". 

          One of my favorite film directors is Federico Fellini.  Some of his films that I am especially fond of are La Strada, Roma, and Ginger and Fred.  I reviewed the latter film back in December. La Strada, or The Road, is a 1954 film starring Anthony Quinn.  Fellini Roma is a surrealistic bio-travel fantasy that looks at the city of Rome.

           There is a common theme in all of these films that makes me very partial to them. They all have to do in some way with journeys.  The story of the journey is a common one throughout the history of fiction.  In part the concept of journey represents the journey we face in life from birth to death.  Then there is the adventure of surprise and discovery of what is going to happen next.  The arrival is just the end of the story that we see in the film, but we are enthralled by what is involved in getting to the destination.

            Films like these are particularly appealing to me because I have a gypsy soul.  I love traveling.  I have spent much of my life doing things that have involved travel and I'm always ready for a new adventure.  From the comfort of my couch I can embark on an odyssey that brings me to places that are strange and that take me to the heart of my dreams, nightmares, and fantasies.  It is the exhilaration of getting to a destination where I can bask in memories and meditations.

            Such is the journey we are on in the Blogging From A to Z April Challenge.  This is our blog adventure and already we have been surprised by the many different approaches that can be taken to Z destination. There are many routes that we are taking and each offers a fascinating look at what blogging is all about.  It should not be the arduous trek of Captain Willard in search of Colonel Kurtz and his visions of horror, but it should be closer to the fun and magic of Dorothy and friends on their way to see the wizard.

            That is not to say that all of the blogs are frivolous fun.  Some are very serious and require a lot of thought.   Others dazzle, while some are like a relaxing friendly visit with the neighbors.  There are blogs that instruct us and there are those that entertain us.  They all have something special to add to the mix.

           If you ask me to name my favorite movies, I have already named a few of them.  Want to know my favorite music or books?   I can't come up with just one answer, but I can give you list.  And if you want to know which are my favorite blogs, you might as well be asking which of my kids are my favorite.  They all are because they are all part of my family. Every blog in this challenge is part of our blog family and you all have something unique and meaningful to offer and I thank you for that.

           Our blog journey has just begun and the enthusiasm is high.  Try to keep a steady pace and focus ahead.  Enjoy the scenery--keep checking those other blogs and making the comments so you can support each other.  Just don't run out of fuel.  This is not a contest or a job, but it is your own personal challenge. We are all rooting for you finish the journey to the end.

Special note:
You can now comment on the Box o' Whine site -- at last!  This site was having problems accepting comments and now the problem has been fixed.