Memory Lane...

One afternoon, I started humming a song from a movie I used to love many, many years ago called "Rigoletto." It is a Feature Films for Families movie that is a mix between a Phantom of the Opera and Beauty and the Beast. The movie is magical and wholesome - perfect for a little girl. The part that captivated me the most was the music. I remember closing my eyes and listening to it even though I was barely old enough to grasp the basic plot! After one of the songs came to my mind, I decided to see if the movie was available on Netflixs - and it was!! When it came in the mail, I tore it open and dashed upstairs to watch it once again. Perhaps it was so wonderful just because I was captivated by it as a little girl, but I thoroughly enjoyed it just as much now as I did back then!

Not only is the world at your fingertips through Netflixs, but YouTube as well! Here are links to my two favorite songs. The first one is pretty blurry and the sound isn't that great...but you can get the basic idea.

http://tw.youtube.com/watch?v=IehlRLOso3s&feature=related

Notice the beautiful Italian in the second one!!

http://tw.youtube.com/watch?v=YSuATe_dc3c

Amber's Content Critique: (for those of you who are interested:)

The Bad - I'm not crazy about some of the warm, fuzzy "unlock the love within yourself" message. That is not where love comes from and I don't think ourselves need to be that "esteemed." This theme is not pervasive but it is still in the undertones.

The Good- It is true that an "ugly heart is worse than an ugly face." This is a good lesson for little children.
It is also notable that this movie seems to be one of the last where "the rich" are not portrayed as being the dishonest jerks of the story. Literature has been filled with benevolent wealthy until recent years. (Mr. Darcy, Scarlett Pimpernel, Mr. Jarndyce, Mr. Brownlow, etc.) Today, most stories paint the poor as the "heroes" at the expense of the rich. This political message is subtle, emotionally appealing, and obviously successful.