I didn’t see very many movies when I was a kid. My mom wasn’t much of a movie fan (heck, we didn’t even have a television), so I could never convince her to go. But when I was about seven years old, a local movie theater held a month-long movie revival, and one of her favorite movies was playing – Singin’ in the Rain. She couldn’t wait to take me.

 

To this day it’s one of my favorite memories. So many moments in the movie have stuck with me: Debbie Reynolds popping out of the cake, Gene Kelly’s dance in the rain (of course), and most of all the “Make ‘Em Laugh” song when Donald O’Connor runs up the wall and flips over. As a kid, I thought that was SO COOL. To this day, I sing “Good Morning, Good Morning” to my daughter at least once a week. She is not amused.

 

Thanks to video on demand and other tech shortcuts, I’ve been able to show my daughter many classic films, including Singin’ in the Rain (she found the plot a bit slow, but also loved the run-up-the-wall trick). We’ve seen every Disney film. We’ve watched an old Benji movie (remember those?) together. But there is, by far, one film that is our family favorite: The Wizard of Oz.

 

Does anything beat the simple magic of The Wizard of Oz? In an era full of computer-generated imagery and amazing special effects, there is still nothing quite like the giant sock turned into a tornado, the peril of poor Toto, and the clever trickery of Professor Marvel. Or the terror of those winged monkeys!

 

Best of all? That amazing moment after the house has landed when Dorothy opens the door to a world full of color. I get goosebumps just thinking about it! Each time I’ve seen the movie with my daughter (which is more times than I can count), I hear her hold her breath as Dorothy opens the door. I love the opportunity to share the magic of an incredibly well-told story with her.

 

This is why I cannot wait to take her to see The Wizard of Oz in 3D. I know there are naysayers who feel the 3D treatment will ruin it, and honestly, I do not care. All I know is this: for the first time that I can remember – and certainly the first time in my daughter’s life – she will be able to see Dorothy open that door to a land full of magic on the big screen.

 

That is a memory I can’t wait to create with her, just like my mother helped me create a memory when I was her age. And remember – The Wizard of Oz in 3D is only in theaters for a week, so get your tickets today.