The Wizard of Oz

SIFF begins a series of six Saturday morning family flicks with this 1939 classic, meaning Dorothy, Toto, and the whole storybook gang. Parents be warned that the flying monkeys may cause your kids to freak, but you can always take a time-out in the lobby for some snacks. In the theater, talking, squirming, and quiet sobbing should probably be expected. Some parents (and certainly grandparents) may also want to sing along, misty-eyed, to the timeless songs by Harold Arlen and Yip Harburg. The Wizard of Oz has its roots in the book series begun by L. Frank Baum in 1900, but it’s really a Depression-era picture reflecting both the sadness and hope of that era. For all today’s CGI wonders, there’s nothing quite like the moment when Judy Garland wakes up in a Technicolor Oz. No DVD or giant plasma screen TV can really do the scene justice. (G) BRIAN MILLER

Sat., July 12, 10 a.m., 2008