A Flawed Film Turns Out To Be A Brilliant Homage To "The Wizard Of Oz!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

                               When I first saw "The Wizard Of Oz," at the tender age of 5--I was instantly drawn to two things--the gloominess and spectacle of the Witch's castle, and, the cyclone that propels Dorothy to Oz.  In fact, I became fascinated with everything concerning tornadoes; so much so I thought I might grow up to be one of those who study this phenomenon of nature.

                                 The Oz fantasy lasted quite awhile.  The summer before I went into second grade, so I was about seven, our area--Central Jersey-- was told there would be a tornado coming at 8PM on that one Summer eve.  I was so excited!  I ran upstairs, re-arranged my room, so that my bed was nearest the window.  I was so literal; if I was going to Oz, I had to be struck by a window, just like Dorothy in the movie, and, believe me, the windows we had, even in the Summer, were strong enough to do the job.

                                  There was no tornado, much to my disappointment.  I could not imagine one, because we lived in an area that was not flat, like the Midwest, where they prevailed.

                                   Instead, it rained like a monsoon, for a good, say, fifteen minutes.  Then, miraculously, the sky cleared, the sun came out, and then God and nature, as a nod to my Oz fantasy, provided the loveliest rainbow I have seen to date.  And it was my first.

                                   What it took to jolt me out of this fervid fantasy was the opening sequence of the 1996 film, "Twister."  This was a film about those who chased tornadoes, and starred Helen Hunt, Bill Paxton, Lois Smith, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Anthony Rapp!  Can you believe this cast today?????????????

                                    This was back in the day when Helen Hunt still looked good, and had a career. I still insist, if she had not been the daughter of casting director Gordon Hunt, she would never have gotten beyond community theater. If that.

                                      I will try to provide the opening sequence--part of which is above--but, in case I don't, here is an account of what is seen, and why it is so frightening.

                                       The Warner Bros. logo and titles are done in ominous darkness, and whirling sounds, with objects mysteriously flitting across the screen, not unlike the start of Hitchcock's "The Birds."  The camera pans down on an Oklahoma farm.  It is nighttime, and a lightning storm is brewing.  The camera pans through the distinctly middle class house--Aunt Em and Uncle Henry, circa 1996.  There is a close-up of a TV set, with a newscaster announcing the approach of a tornado  through the area.  There is a shot of a little girl, asleep, who awakens, fascinated by what is going on  around her--the darkness, the sounds.  This is Jo Thornton, who will grow up to be the character of Dr. Jo Harding, played by Helen Hunt. The Thorntons, brilliantly played by Richard Lineback and Rusty Schwimmer, rush into the child's tornado lit bedroom, in full terror mode, shouting about getting into the storm cellar, which seems so far to get to.  But there is someone who is forgotten, who does make it to the cellar in time.  This is a cairn terrier named Toby, who is bears a strong resemblance to Toto.  This is the first homage to "The Wizard Of Oz."

                                      The shot of them running into the cellar from the house is impressive and frightening, and is when my whole Oz fantasy came to a complete halt.  What did I know; I had no idea tornadoes could arrive in the dead of night, which only adds to the terror, because all that can be seen is whirling black darkness.  I watched this shot again, recently, and it still scared the bejesus out of me.

                                       Now, with everyone in the storm cellar, the Thorntons are safe, right?  Wrong!  The lock begins loosening on the door, and Mr. Thornton goes to bolt it.  Only the winds outside---the storm is now at its height--cannot move.  He cannot bolt it back into place, so he tries to hold it down.  But he cannot match the tornado's strength, and, in the film's most frightening moment,  he screams in agony, "I can't hold it anymore!"  Whereupon the door is ripped off, with him attached to it, propelled into space, only to end up dead, who knows where.  Amazingly, Jo and her mother and Toby are not  propelled, but remain there, screaming but safe.

                                       What an opening for a film!  The other tornado shots, while impressive, do not have the emotional impact of this one.  It explains why Jo grows up to become a tornado chaser.

                                          As to the 'Oz' references, well, there is Toby,

a flying cow, a shot of Hunt and Bill Paxton running beside a picket fence that echoes Dorothy trying to get home to the farm house, and to the storm cellar.  There is also a sequence where a flying house lands directly in front of a driving car, stopping it in its tracks.

                              

                                    Doesn't this resemble "The Wizard Of Oz?"

                                     But nothing--Nothing--not even the presence of Lois Smith--equals the impact of the film's opening scene.  If tornadoes interest you overall, then watch the entire film.  If you want to see an example of quality filmmaking, watch the opening scene.

                                    Here is as much of the opening scene as I could find!  Watch it, and learn, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                     Until I saw this scene, I wanted to see and experience a tornado for myself.

                                     Now, I hope I never do!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!