> I have just watched this film again. I have seen it so many times.
This
> time on DVD-my own! It still makes me cry. I haven't before really
> undertsood why it moves me so. Thinking about it tho today, I think
it
> represents the innocence of childhood for me-until the grownups come
> along and destroy it for ever.(aprt from that i really enjoy the
music
> and songs!)
I have this on DVD as well and I have to say I enjoyed it immensely
when I watched it. I saw this movie about 7 times when it was first
released. My home town had an old music hall type theatre that had
been converted to a movie theatre. It had a big, wide screen and some
of my most treasured memories are seeing movies at the Grand. I also
performed on its stage when the high school moved their summer musical
productions to the Grand. That was a long time ago. sigh.
But back to The Sound of Music. Edward and I bought it on video years
ago and I never watched it much. It really seems to lose a lot in the
pan & scan format. For some reason it seemed a lot cornier and I
wondered if I'd outgrown it. But watching the widescreen format on
the DVD, all the splendor of that widescreen photography came back to
me & I could remember how wonderful seeing this movie in the theatre
really was. Salzburg, the Alps, the Von Trapp villa, the church where
the wedding was filmed - all breathtaking. And Julie Andrews was so
wonderful with her fresh, young face and that beautifully crystal
clear soprano voice singing that great Rogers & Hammerstein score. I
sometimes pine for what the film of 'My Fair Lady' could have been if
only.... (Oh well. It was pretty wonderful anyway. It's hard to say
anything bad about Audrey Hepburn). And I have to admit, Christopher
Plummer was pretty easy on the eyes in those days!
Someday I hope to see a restored, pristine print of 'The Sound of
Music' in an actual movie theatre again. I'll probably cry like a
baby if it ever happens. I did when I watched the DVD. I think that
a lot of what made this movie so popular was the fact that it had a
bittersweet ending. If the ending had been a purely happy one, I
don't think it would have had the impact that it did. A family of
charming, good-looking, talented people has to leave their homeland
forever, but they escape from the Nazis. How can you lose with that
one?
One more thing & then I'll shut up about 'The Sound of Music'. I was
looking at a People magazine '50 most eligible bachelors' or some such
slop edition while waiting for Travis at his dentist's office
recently. One of the bachelors was a grandson of Baron & Maria Von
Trapp! He was pretty easy on the eyes, too!
Mark E
