The Wizard of Oz (A+ or 4/4 stars)
If you asked me what movie I watched most when I was a child, the answer would most definitely be 1939's timeless family film masterpiece 'The Wizard of Oz' (adapted from L. Frank Baum's children's book & directed by the great Victor Fleming). I would watch it, rewind it, watch it, rewind it, & watch it again -- obsessed. But I digress. '...Oz' is a fantasy musical/drama that follows young Dorothy Gale (Judy Garland), a Kansas farm-girl who has no parents, lives with her well-meaning Aunt Em & Uncle Henry, and whose best pal in the world is her adorable, beloved dog Toto. Immensely distraught over a mean-spirited neighbor's {Miss Gulch} attempt to have Toto put to sleep for biting her, Dorothy decides to run away with her doggie.
After a traveling showman convinces Dorothy to return home to Aunt Em, she is caught in a "twister" (or a tornado), which knocks her out cold once she reaches her house. Within moments, the twister lifts her farmhouse up to the sky. After the house crash-lands, Dorothy & Toto step out FAR away from the black-&-white lensed Kansas into a wondrous Technicolor land of enchantment. Suddenly, a plethora of tiny munchkin folk & Glinda, a mercurial good witch (Billie Burke), hail the utterly confused Dorothy as a heroine for having crash-landed on the Wicked Witch of the East (the Munchkins all chime in, "Ding Dong, the Witch is Dead!"). But when the dead witch's sister, the Wicked Witch of the West (Margaret Hamilton, who also played Miss Gulch) arrives on the scene in a cloud of combustive orange smoke, she demands that Dorothy hand over her sister's pair of magical ruby slippers, which now appear on Dorothy's feet (much to her own surprise).
Not willing to give up the ruby slippers, Dorothy starts off on an arduous adventure down Munchkin land's yellow brick road towards the Emerald City, where she hopes to ultimately defeat the Wicked Witch & find the Wonderful Wizard of Oz ... the only person capable of returning her home to Kansas. Along her journey, Dorothy befriends a goofy, but loveable Scarecrow (Ray Bolger), a stoic, but congenial Tin Man (Jack Haley), & an outwardly menacing, yet Cowardly Lion (Bert Lahr). Each hopes that the Wizard can offer him the trait he doesn't have: the Scarecrow seeks a brain; the Tin Man cries for a heart; & the Lion needs courage. If they can reach the Wizard & outwit the vengeful Witch, her flying Monkeys, & a host of other roadblocks, then perhaps all of their dreams may come true.
Simply put, 'The Wizard of Oz' is pure magic; a boundless entertainment. This motion picture offers one of the best examples of a heroine and a heroine's journey; which has influenced every epic quest story for the last 70 or so years. Its combination of drama, humor, adventure, danger, fantasy, & music is a winning one. And, for folks who watch it today in the 21st century, it is that rare movie phenomena that grandparents of today can remember seeing as youths & experience with their grandchildren today. The movie has a universal appeal that children & adults of all ages, ethnicities & lands can enjoy. I also love what it has to say about children. Dorothy's dream may have been to travel from her colorless existence to a colorful faraway land, but, once there, all she wants is to go to a place where she's safe & loved ... home. "There's no place like home". This is a dilemma that all children face - and it's expressed brilliantly in this story.
Judy Garland, who was only 16 when '...Oz' was filmed, is exceptional as Dorothy. Garland is adorable, here. And when she opens up her mouth in song, you'd never believe that such a strong, assured, mature voice comes out of that little mouth. Her voice is majestic; absolutely soaring into the iconic "Somewhere Over the Rainbow". And I truly believe that Judy Garland was the 1st entertainer in the 20th century, male or female, that you could label a 'triple threat'. Her acting chops were magnificent (even at that early age). She could do drama. She could do comedy. Her voice was superb. And she could even dance. Garland was one of the biggest box office draws for the late '30s & throughout the '40s, and it's easy to see why.
Aside from Garland, there's the fantastic trifecta of Ray Bolger, Jack Haley & Bert Lahr who all entertain & pull on our heartstrings (especially in the a late scene where Dorothy must decide whether or not to return to Kansas). Margaret Hamilton is fabulously evil as the green-skinned witch. The role is legendary; and Hamilton is the sole reason for that. She scared the bejesus outta me for years; I had a blast drawing her as a child. And Billie Burke is memorable, not just for her entrance in a large pink bubble, but for her comforting demeanor & sage advice that Dorothy takes with her.
The visual compositions are amazing (transitioning from crisp, sepia-tinged black-&-white cinematography to vibrant Technicolor). The production design & special effects (for the time) are stupendous; you really feel like you've been transported to another world. The costumes/make-up are highly unique. And every song is a home run: Somewhere Over the Rainbow, the Munchkins' Follow the Yellow Brick Road, If I Only Had a Brain/Heart/Nerve, & the sensational We're Off to See the Wizard. 1939 was one hell of a cinematic year; what with Gone With The Wind, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, The Women, Stagecoach, etc. I firmly believe that along with GWTW... 'The Wizard of Oz', even coming from the less-regarded family/fantasy genre, is one of the best motion pictures ever made.
After a traveling showman convinces Dorothy to return home to Aunt Em, she is caught in a "twister" (or a tornado), which knocks her out cold once she reaches her house. Within moments, the twister lifts her farmhouse up to the sky. After the house crash-lands, Dorothy & Toto step out FAR away from the black-&-white lensed Kansas into a wondrous Technicolor land of enchantment. Suddenly, a plethora of tiny munchkin folk & Glinda, a mercurial good witch (Billie Burke), hail the utterly confused Dorothy as a heroine for having crash-landed on the Wicked Witch of the East (the Munchkins all chime in, "Ding Dong, the Witch is Dead!"). But when the dead witch's sister, the Wicked Witch of the West (Margaret Hamilton, who also played Miss Gulch) arrives on the scene in a cloud of combustive orange smoke, she demands that Dorothy hand over her sister's pair of magical ruby slippers, which now appear on Dorothy's feet (much to her own surprise).
Not willing to give up the ruby slippers, Dorothy starts off on an arduous adventure down Munchkin land's yellow brick road towards the Emerald City, where she hopes to ultimately defeat the Wicked Witch & find the Wonderful Wizard of Oz ... the only person capable of returning her home to Kansas. Along her journey, Dorothy befriends a goofy, but loveable Scarecrow (Ray Bolger), a stoic, but congenial Tin Man (Jack Haley), & an outwardly menacing, yet Cowardly Lion (Bert Lahr). Each hopes that the Wizard can offer him the trait he doesn't have: the Scarecrow seeks a brain; the Tin Man cries for a heart; & the Lion needs courage. If they can reach the Wizard & outwit the vengeful Witch, her flying Monkeys, & a host of other roadblocks, then perhaps all of their dreams may come true.
Simply put, 'The Wizard of Oz' is pure magic; a boundless entertainment. This motion picture offers one of the best examples of a heroine and a heroine's journey; which has influenced every epic quest story for the last 70 or so years. Its combination of drama, humor, adventure, danger, fantasy, & music is a winning one. And, for folks who watch it today in the 21st century, it is that rare movie phenomena that grandparents of today can remember seeing as youths & experience with their grandchildren today. The movie has a universal appeal that children & adults of all ages, ethnicities & lands can enjoy. I also love what it has to say about children. Dorothy's dream may have been to travel from her colorless existence to a colorful faraway land, but, once there, all she wants is to go to a place where she's safe & loved ... home. "There's no place like home". This is a dilemma that all children face - and it's expressed brilliantly in this story.
Judy Garland, who was only 16 when '...Oz' was filmed, is exceptional as Dorothy. Garland is adorable, here. And when she opens up her mouth in song, you'd never believe that such a strong, assured, mature voice comes out of that little mouth. Her voice is majestic; absolutely soaring into the iconic "Somewhere Over the Rainbow". And I truly believe that Judy Garland was the 1st entertainer in the 20th century, male or female, that you could label a 'triple threat'. Her acting chops were magnificent (even at that early age). She could do drama. She could do comedy. Her voice was superb. And she could even dance. Garland was one of the biggest box office draws for the late '30s & throughout the '40s, and it's easy to see why.
Aside from Garland, there's the fantastic trifecta of Ray Bolger, Jack Haley & Bert Lahr who all entertain & pull on our heartstrings (especially in the a late scene where Dorothy must decide whether or not to return to Kansas). Margaret Hamilton is fabulously evil as the green-skinned witch. The role is legendary; and Hamilton is the sole reason for that. She scared the bejesus outta me for years; I had a blast drawing her as a child. And Billie Burke is memorable, not just for her entrance in a large pink bubble, but for her comforting demeanor & sage advice that Dorothy takes with her.
The visual compositions are amazing (transitioning from crisp, sepia-tinged black-&-white cinematography to vibrant Technicolor). The production design & special effects (for the time) are stupendous; you really feel like you've been transported to another world. The costumes/make-up are highly unique. And every song is a home run: Somewhere Over the Rainbow, the Munchkins' Follow the Yellow Brick Road, If I Only Had a Brain/Heart/Nerve, & the sensational We're Off to See the Wizard. 1939 was one hell of a cinematic year; what with Gone With The Wind, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, The Women, Stagecoach, etc. I firmly believe that along with GWTW... 'The Wizard of Oz', even coming from the less-regarded family/fantasy genre, is one of the best motion pictures ever made.