First off - this is not a lame film. In the scheme of musicals, there are better, but darnit if those germanic outfits, singing, and stunning shots of Austria didn't suck me in.

However, as I was raised on musicals, this was required viewing, over and over. I loved Julie Andrews, and the idea of singing to escape, evil Nazis, and a stunning part of the world that seemed so colorful kept me watching the film for years. In fact, at a very young age, I decided (from the film) that I should go to Austria and learn German. That's my first recollection of identifying a place and a culture I wanted to see/know. I became fascinated with cultures, people, events, language, literature, and history.

Eventually, the first place I went outside of the US was to Austria. An aunt married a man who is from Telfs, which is down the River Inn from Innsbruck. He taught me my first German words, and eventually I took 2 years of German at university. I've been to Germany more than any other country, but that's now another story.

Oh. And then all my uni years was spent on European history, languages, and literature.

Thanks, Sigi!

(That's Sigfried to the rest of you.)
(And yes, I know all the songs from The Sound of Music.)