7tavern: Wizard of Oz

Wizard of Oz

Sound (8)
3.1
Plot (8)
3.1
Cast (8)
3.3
Special Effects (9)
2.6
Length & Pace (8)
3.2
Cinematography (8)
3.1

Director: Victor Fleming

Cast: Judy Garland, Frank Morgan, Ray Bolger, Bert Lahr, Jack Haley, Billie Burke, Margaret Hamilton, Charlie Grapewin, Clara Blandick

Synopsis:

Tagline:

Classification:

Release date: 1939

Running time: 103 minutes

Language: English

Studio website:

Links: IMDb Profile

Categories: Comedy, Family, Fantasy, Musical

Main

Trailer

FRCRuben
Reviews: 76
Points: 0 (Level 1)
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The Eternal Search for Contentment

Dorothy Gale from Hicksville, Kansas gets hit in the head with a window during a twister. The resulting concussion (mixed with an inhalation of ergot spores that were kicked up into the atmosphere by the storm) led to a hallucination in which she meets a gay talking scarecrow, a gay robot, and a gay lion in a magical fairy land.

So, I love The Wizard of Oz, and I sat down and watched the Blu Ray disc with the Boy last night. He really liked the gay lion.

The BD is gooooorgeous, the colors are so vibrant, and the B&W part is sepia-toned, which really helps the fantastic nature of the whole thing. Unfortunately, I think they digitally edited out the suicide munchkin, because I didn't see him.

They go on a magical journey and it's one of those dealies where they find out that they always had what they were looking for and stuff. You know how it goes. Witches, wizards, little people, and flying monkeys. Oh my.

I have a large place in the bowels of my cockles for The Wizard of Oz. FRC Ruben was once 10 year-old Ruben, and 10 year-old Ruben played a munchkin, emerald city gentry, and the Gatekeeper in Sunnyvale Community Theater's production of The Wizard of Oz in 1989. There was singing. There was dancing. There was spirit gum.

Growing up, I seem to remember that WOZ was shown like once a year in the Spring or something on CBS and it was this whole event. My mom and I would get some Jiffy Pop and there'd be ice cream sundaes.

They don't do TV movie events anymore. Remember when Spielberg chumped some network into showing Saving Private Ryan uncut with no commercials because it was important? I think that was the last one. Three hours with no advertising revenue and a shitload of FCC fines when people can just click "Watch It Now" and stream to their networked flat screen have pretty much put an end to the whole thing.

WOZ is still as freaky and fantastic today as when I was a youngling. For different reasons, like, when I was a kid I was all freaked out that there was this witch who lived in a big scary castle and had a bunch of green dudes in her army and a bunch of weird ass flying monkeys in her Air Force.

Now, as an adult.......well, I guess the same things still are freaky to me.........only now I see social statements.

Here's a question: in a kid's movie, the heroine has to kill the bad guy (or bad gal, as it were)? Not only that, but little old Dorothy Gale from Hicksville , Kansas actually goes through with the murder plot? Wow, that's really harsh. Even Bowie didn't get killed in Labyrinth, and he had those weird balls and henchmen trolls that were 10 times more evil than the flying monkeys.

And speaking of flying monkey attacks: when the Simeon minions swarm and attack our heroes in the haunted forest, they totally get after it. They're all pouncy and rippy and flyey and kidnappy -- they take out some of the scarecrow and throw him over there and take out some more and throw it over there. Just very violent and graphic -- if you're made out of straw, but still.

And then there's the blatant drug reference of the poppy fields that make everyone sleepy. Still trying to decided if the poppies are meant to be a racist statement against the Chinese laborers in Northern California. My initial suspicion is yes, but I like the movie too much to think too deeply on it.

WOZ will always be a classic. Judy Garland is a wonderful murderous bumpkin, and the characters are whimsical to this day, if a bit far-fetched. But children will get hooked and the love of this will remain with them. There's a sense of loss in that these classic movies are no longer going to be the national viewing events that they once were because of DVR and Blu Ray and on-demand and the like (Plus, TBS gets its fingers in something and runs it in perpetuity -- who would've ever thought that we'd see Independence Day and Deep Impact as much as we have over the last 5 years).

Nevertheless, the greatest movies of all time are the ones that can withstand the march of time, and the search for the Wizard is the eternal faustian search for contentment. The story is a classic that will be studied in generations to come, and the film will always be a hallmark in cinema and fantasy. Big ups.

---------------------------------

Ruben of the Floating Red Couch<br />
http://www.floatingredcouch.com

Last updated: 2010-05-27 09:58:10 by FRCRuben

2010-05-27 09:57:39

Squish
Reviews: 740
Points: 0 (Level 1)
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2.5

Wizard of Oz, The (1939) * Favorite Review * * Top Pick *

This may look like your typical redneck family reunion, but... hey there's Cletus

Genre: Fantasy Adventure Family Musical

Starring: Judy Garland (Babes in Arms; A Star Is Born), Frank Morgan

Directed By: Victor Flemming (Gone With The Wind; Captains Courageous)

Overview: A young girl trapped in a tornado wakes up in Oz, a fantastical land of wonder, where she finds that getting home is going to take some real effort, given that the Wicked Witch of The West is out to get her.

Performance:

Judy Garland was just beginning to establish herself as a shining star when she made this timeless classic, but this is the one that has immortalized her, not because her singing and almost Vaudevillian style of acting is astounding (which it is) but because her supporting cast and direction held her up so well.
Rating: 9

Cinematography:

First of all, any film that goes from black and white to vivid Technicolor™ helps to ensure its cinematographic genius. Add to this the fact that colour film was a genuine rarity and those impeccably perfect costumes (the lion's suit weighed 80 lbs.) and you still have to credit the sets and rich backgrounds. Truly a visual spectacle, not only of its time, but still today.
Rating: 10

Script:

[quote]

"I'll get you, my pretty... and your little dog, too!"

[/quote]

Not only are the songs original, (two Oscars in fact) but the dialogue, especially of the Wizard himself, has a real effort behind it. The quips are humorous, the dialogue is eloquent. The simplicity of innocence of Dorothy, the wickedness of The Witch, and the rich personalities of the other characters are truly a pleasure to experience.
Rating: 9

Plot:

On top of everything else, there's even subtext. Baum wrote this primarily as a children's fantasy story, yes, but there was just a hint of "a gentle and friendly Midwestern critique of the Populist rationale". As adventure stories go, it's rich yet simple: meet some friends, get a quest, fulfill said quest to reap reward. All that classic 'character arc' stuff aside, this is just a great story.
Rating: 8

Mood:

This film appeals to so many for several reasons. The fact that this is televised every year much the same way as It's a Wonderful Life and A Christmas Carol is will spark the nostalgia for most viewers. There is just enough singing to appeal to the kids, while still being mostly regular dialogue. As for the adventure and imagination of this production, it's just plain magical.
Rating: 9

How many women would kill for a shoe that prevents scuffs this well?

Overall Rating: 90% (The Wonderful Wizard Of Oz!)

Aftertaste:

I will certainly agree that this film is a childhood right of passage. Anyone who hasn't seen this yet can be easily spotted: hunched shoulders, dark circles around the eyes, a pale complexion and a constant guttural growl indicative of a vacant soul. You know them, the lifeless leeches who suck on the joy of others by sharing misery, society's vampires. They are still salvageable, however, just give them a chance. After watching, if you see the eyes lighten and the fangs stop dripping, you may just have saved yourself the trouble of beheading your friend and stuffing garlic down their neck.

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Recommendations: Inglourious Basterds (Quentin Tarantino, 2009), Requiem for a Dream, Dawn of the Dead

2010-05-15 00:47:42

FRCRuben
Reviews: 76
Points: 0 (Level 1)
Reviewer

The Eternal Search for Contentment

Dorothy Gale from Hicksville, Kansas gets hit in the head with a window during a twister. The resulting concussion (mixed with an inhalation of ergot spores that were kicked up into the atmosphere by the storm) led to a hallucination in which she meets a gay talking scarecrow, a gay robot, and a gay lion in a magical fairy land. So, I love The Wizard of Oz , and I sat down and watched the Blu Ray disc with the Boy last night. He really liked the gay lion. The BD is gooooorgeous, the colors are so vibrant, and the B&W part is sepia-toned, which really helps the fantastic nature of the whole thing. Unfortunately, I think they digitally edited out the suicide munchkin, because I didn't see him. They go on a magical journey and it's one of those dealies where they find out that they always had what they were looking for and stuff. You know how it goes. Witches, wizards, little people, and flying monkeys. Oh my. I have a large...

(Read More...)

2010-05-27 09:57:39

Squish
Reviews: 740
Points: 0 (Level 1)
Reviewer

Wizard of Oz, The (1939) * Favorite Review * * Top Pick *

This may look like your typical redneck family reunion, but... hey there's Cletus Genre: Fantasy Adventure Family Musical Starring: Judy Garland ( Babes in Arms ; A Star Is Born), Frank Morgan Directed By: Victor Flemming (Gone With The Wind; Captains Courageous) Overview: A young girl trapped in a tornado wakes up in Oz , a fantastical land of wonder, where she finds that getting home is going to take some real effort, given that the Wicked Witch of The West is out to get her. Performance: Judy Garland was just beginning to establish herself as a shining star when she made this timeless classic, but this is the one that has immortalized her, not because her singing and almost Vaudevillian style of acting is astounding (which it is) but because her supporting cast and direction held her up so well. Rating: 9 Cinematography: First of all, any film that goes from black and white to vivid Technicolor™ helps to ensure its cinematographic genius. Add to this the fact...

(Read More...)

2010-05-15 00:47:42

ChrisEdwards
Reviews: 93
Points: 0 (Level 1)
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2.5

The Wizard of Oz (1925)

Larry Semon’s The Wizard of Oz achieves by association what other films achieve by quality. It’s been restored, re-scored and redistributed ahead of better films with less notoriety. It’s a wreck, but the car’s very famous, if you know what I mean.

I wish I could ask Semon, a slapstick comedian, former vaudevillian, magician and cartoonist, what merit he saw in his script. It scrapes and claws the bottom of the gag barrel, turning what could’ve been a run-of-the-mill bad film into something offensively awful.

Contemporary audiences didn’t much like The Wizard of Oz, but the film is downright appalling to modern viewers, who can compare it to their gold-standard: the 1939 Judy Garland classic. Readers of Silent Volume can also compare it, negatively, to its 1910 predecessor, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.

The 1910 short departed radically from its source material, but we can forgive that, partly because it was a short, and partly because it, like the 1939 film, is well made. Furthermore, the 1910 Wizard’s core themes of fun, fear and fantasy remain sympathetic to L. Frank Baum’s book. Semon, however, degrades the Oz story to an astonishing degree, and because it’s this story, something we all shared as children, his film seems profane.

Briefly, then, to the story. Prime Minister Kruel (Josef Swickard) maintains a tenuous grip on power in the Land of Oz, thanks in part to his advisors, the Wizard (Charles Murray) and Ambassador Wikked (Otto Lederer). Opposing him is the populist Prince Kynd (Bryant Washburn). Where, asks Kynd, is Dorothea, Princess of Oz? She’s been lost since infancy—eighteen years ago now—and it’s time the Prime Minister produced her.

Sound familiar? No? Already we’ve seen Oz reduced to a banana republic ruled by achingly bad comedians. But that’s OK, because we now leave this mess of camera-muggers for the Kansan farm.But wait… eighteen years... Dorothy’s eighteen? This girl looks even older than that. The actress is Dorothy Dwan (and Semon’s wife; insert joke). Unless Kansas is a vacation destination for Vegas showgirls, she just doesn’t belong. Yeah, she’s secretly the Princess of Oz, but that don’t explain the rouge.

Larry SemonDorothy’s such a hottie, you can’t blame the two farmhands for trying their luck. Semon plays the nicer of the two; he’s scripted to be lovable, though he isn’t. His opposition is a larger, less klutzy, less lovable man played by Oliver Hardy. Hardy, of course, would later pair with Stan Laurel to form a legendary comedic team. I doubt this film would have topped his resumé, even in 1925.

The scene in Kansas leave you begging for a cyclone—or a hurricane or an earthquake—anything to bring it to an end. Try to avoid your watch as Semon delivers some of the most cliché’d (and plot-deadening) slapstick comedy you’ve ever seen. Bee stings? Eggs in the pants-pocket? Mud puddles? Where’s my cream pie, Larry?

Ugh. Even Hardy can’t save this crap. But a shout-out must go to Semon’s Uncle Henry, played by the incredibly fat actor, Frank Alexander. He’s as round as the ‘O’ in Oz, and he’s the only one who made me laugh every time he tried. He even sits on a cactus! A cactus in Kansas! That Larry Semon: nothing gets in the way of his gags, that’s for sure.

Which brings me to ‘Snowball,’ the third farmhand. He’s played by Spencer Bell, a black actor who also went by ‘G. Howe Black,’ probably in films even worse than this one. Snowball likes to take his breaks in the watermelon patch, and why not? Watermelons are even harder to grow in Kansas than cacti. Just don’t sneak up on him, ’cause he scares easily.

(Racist images are part of many old film comedies; as a fan, you have to shake your head and move on. But Semon really had no excuse. Just try to find anything this brutish in the work of Keaton, Chaplin, Lloyd or even Arbuckle.)
Kruel’s agents (OZ KGB?) mercifully kill the farm scene with their arrival, via biplane. After threatening the Gales at gunpoint (yes, you can pack heat in Oz), the entire crew is taken to the Emerald City, where further hilarity ensues.

Why yes, we are delivered the Scarecrow, Tin Woodsman and Cowardly Lion, though only briefly. Semon’s straw-man costume is a trick, making it appear as though the Wizard can cast spells on inanimate objects. Hardy prat-falls into a pile of scrap metal and emerges in accidental get-up. Snowball stops quaking his knees long enough to disguise himself as a lion, though that backfires when he meets a real lion. And away we go.

You wonder how so much money could be spent so poorly. The Wizard of Oz actually looks great. It’s cleanly shot, with an abundance of costumes and elaborate sets. Semon’s cast is strong, particularly Hardy and Alexander. But his gags destroy the narrative flow, and by abandoning all but the basest elements of Baum’s book, he denies himself a good story to fall back upon. Nor does The Wizard of Oz go far enough the other way. A dishy, adult Dorothy could have been Step One toward a funny, adult-oriented variation, but Semon’s humour is too juvenile to execute it. The movie even fails as basic slapstick. The gags are old and telegraphed; the characters are witless. The big stunts (such as Hardy and Semon falling from a grain elevator) don’t work either, because Semon’s trick camerawork has them hit the ground like rubber balls. One should think twice about abusing the laws of physics, especially in a fantasy film. If these two can’t be killed by a fifty-foot drop, what else can make us fear for them?

***
The Wizard of Oz is the worst film I’ve ever profiled on this site, and will likely remain so. I can recommend it only as a curiosity, but really, isn’t that what it’s always been? And isn’t that why I watched it, even though I knew its reputation well? If nothing else, it reminds us what good years 1910 and 1939 were for the Oz story. But do those movies really need Larry Semon’s help? They've already got the brains, the heart, and the nerve.

Where to find The Wizard of Oz:
MGM’s three-disc release of The Wizard of Oz (1939) includes a complete version of the 1925 film, along with The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1910); The Magic Cloak of Oz (1914); His Majesty, The Scarecrow of Oz (1914); and a 1933 animated short, The Wizard of Oz. Look for it all here:
http://thewizardofozdvd.com/

2010-04-11 23:51:20

Clarissa3782
Reviews: 18
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2.5

Can you remake a classic?

Influenced by the incredible success of Tim Burton’s recent 3-D release “Alice in Wonderland”, and following James Cameron’s epic sci-fi tale Avatar, there has been talk floating around that Warner Brothers is moving forward with a remake of the childhood classic “The Wizard of Oz”.
There are two possible projects on the table, both very different from one another, yet each putting a different spin on the original Frank Baum story which was made into the 1939 film starring Judy Garland.

There are probably many people out there who think that this is an obvious choice, that this story allows for amazing creative opportunities on the big screen. But is it really okay to take something so beloved as “The Wizard of Oz” and remake it to fit the current film interests of the mainstream public?

Though this story has been remade before- The Wiz which was released in 1978 and starred Michael Jackson- Warner Brothers is just trying to cash in on the 3D craze that is attracting millions of people to the theatres worldwide. Pushing aside what is already an amazing movie to make the money they know a film of this nature would bring in.

The Wizard of Oz is an absolute classic and should remain untouched. Would any studio ever consider “remaking” classics such as Gone With the Wind, Citizen Kane, or even the original Star Wars films just because the technology has advanced since the orginal film was produced? I think not!

Half of the appeal of The Wizard of Oz is the wonder it created on the screen in the 1930s. The original filmmakers were ahead of the game and brought to life a fantasy world that amazed young and old alike when the real world they lived in was so dark. I think remaking it would take away from the reason the film was made in the first place.

Really, would you put a fresh coat of paint on the Mona Lisa when you think its starting to look shabby compared to the
paintings of today?

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Recommendations: Wizard of Oz

2010-04-09 03:45:55

ChrisEdwards
Reviews: 93
Points: 0 (Level 1)
Reviewer

The Wizard of Oz (1925)

Larry Semon’s The Wizard of Oz achieves by association what other films achieve by quality. It’s been restored, re-scored and redistributed ahead of better films with less notoriety. It’s a wreck, but the car’s very famous, if you know what I mean. I wish I could ask Semon, a slapstick comedian, former vaudevillian, magician and cartoonist, what merit he saw in his script. It scrapes and claws the bottom of the gag barrel, turning what could’ve been a run-of-the-mill bad film into something offensively awful. Contemporary audiences didn’t much like The Wizard of Oz, but the film is downright appalling to modern viewers, who can compare it to their gold-standard: the 1939 Judy Garland classic. Readers of Silent Volume can also compare it, negatively, to its 1910 predecessor, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. The 1910 short departed radically from its source material, but we can forgive that, partly because it was a short, and partly because...

(Read More...)

2010-04-11 23:51:20

Clarissa3782
Reviews: 18
Points: 0 (Level 1)
Reviewer

Can you remake a classic?

Influenced by the incredible success of Tim Burton’s recent 3-D release “Alice in Wonderland”, and following James Cameron’s epic sci-fi tale Avatar, there has been talk floating around that Warner Brothers is moving forward with a remake of the childhood classic “The Wizard of Oz”. There are two possible projects on the table, both very different from one another, yet each putting a different spin on the original Frank Baum story which was made into the 1939 film starring Judy Garland. There are probably many people out there who think that this is an obvious choice, that this story allows for amazing creative opportunities on the big screen. But is it really okay to take something so beloved as “The Wizard of Oz” and remake it to fit the current film interests of the mainstream public? Though this story has been remade before- The Wiz which was released in 1978 and starred Michael Jackson- Warner Brothers is just...

(Read More...)

2010-04-09 03:45:55

eternality_tan
Reviews: 159
Points: 0 (Level 1)
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3.5

3.6

3.7

4.4

3.8

Wizard of Oz, The (Victor Fleming, 1939)

THE SCOOP
Director: Victor Fleming
Plot: Dorothy Gale is swept away to a magical land in a tornado and embarks on a quest to see the Wizard who can help her return home.

Genre: Adventure/Family/Fantasy/Musical
Awards: Won 2 Oscars - best score, and song. Nom. for 4 Oscars - best picture, cinematography, art direction, and special effects. Nom. for Golden Palm (Cannes).
Runtime: 101min
Rating: G

IN RETROSPECT
A masterpiece of the classical Hollywood studio system, The Wizard Of Oz is one of the best American films ever made. Directed by Victor Fleming, who takes sole directorial credit despite some sequences shot by other filmmakers like King Vidor (who shot the Kansas scenes in sepia tone), this highly watchable musical drama can be enjoyed by anyone regardless of age. 1939 represents the pinnacle of Fleming’s directing career, helming this and the beloved Gone With The Wind in a one-two success unrivalled in contemporary cinema, perhaps only mirrored by the triumph that is Spielberg’s Schindler’s List and Jurassic Park in 1993.

Based on the book by L. Frank Baum, The Wizard Of Oz tells the story of a farm girl named Dorothy Gale (Judy Garland) who gets swept away by a tornado into the Land of Oz. There she meets three unforgettable characters – Scarecrow (lacking a brain), Tin Man (lacking a heart), and the Cowardly Lion (lacking courage) – who accompany her to find the Wizard to get her back to Kansas. At the same time, they have to face a nasty Witch hell bent on getting that magic ruby slippers Dorothy is wearing.

The Wizard Of Oz is a story told with energy and vigor. Its characters are live-action but seem animated because they exaggerate their movements and behave queerly. The Tin Man gets rusty easily and needs to be oiled often. The Scarecrow walks with difficulty as he is stuffed with straw. The Cowardly Lion whimpers and would hide at the sight of a mouse (if there is one). Each of them is developed so vividly that in the end when Dorothy has to part ways, it leaves us with a genuinely emotional farewell scene.

As a musical, The Wizard Of Oz offers numerous song-and-dance numbers such as “Off to See the Wizard” which never fail to enlighten, almost coaxing viewers to stand up and groove to the rhythm. These occur in the scenes in the Land of Oz, bringing out the jovial, stress-free, and optimistic mood of the place which is fantastically realized through the use of beautiful physical sets and colorful matte paintings. Although a keen observer can tell where the set ends and the matte begins, the picturesqueness of it all eliminates any negative thoughts of the film’s visual quality.

Fleming’s picture has its moments of splendor and a fair share of quotable quotes. Yet the most unforgettable sequence does not occur in sumptuous color. It occurs in Kansas and it wins the film one of its two Oscars: the nostalgic and utterly wistful “Over the Rainbow” performed by Garland. The Wizard Of Oz is highly rewatchable and has a universal appeal. While this is considered Fleming’s work, it is important to note that its success is largely “the triumph of the producer’s art.” (Newman). MGM’s Mervyn LeRoy should take equal, if not more, credit for this gem of a film.

SCORE: 9.5/10
[www.filmnomenon.blogspot.com]
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED!

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Recommendations: Toy Story 3 (Lee Unkrich, 2010), To Kill a Mockingbird (Robert Mulligan, 1962), The Visitor

Singapore's Most Prolific Film Blogger @ www.filmnomenon.blogspot.com

Last updated: 2010-03-13 23:00:35 by eternality_tan

2010-03-13 22:59:59

pickledwookiee
Reviews: 16
Points: 0 (Level 1)
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The Wizard of Oz

Sorry, but I didn't care for this movie. I know its a classic, but I just can't get into it. Good Witches and Bad Witches.... Flying Monkeys, and Judy Garland. Judy is young and beautiful, but she's just too unrelistic. The perfect makeup, the cute pigtails, the fairy princess attitude... She's just not human enough. She's perfect. I like to relate to my charaters. Also, a witch with absolutley no heart. She scared me when I was 12. Although this film has its weaknesses, it does have some good messages. The scarecrow, the tinman, and the lion all need change, and are satisfied at the end. That saved the movie. If you call them the main characters, its not so bad. It was a good movie... for its time. The first of fantasy films.

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2010-03-14 13:54:54

eternality_tan
Reviews: 159
Points: 0 (Level 1)
Reviewer

Wizard of Oz, The (Victor Fleming, 1939)

THE SCOOP Director: Victor Fleming Plot: Dorothy Gale is swept away to a magical land in a tornado and embarks on a quest to see the Wizard who can help her return home. Genre: Adventure/Family/Fantasy/Musical Awards: Won 2 Oscars - best score, and song. Nom. for 4 Oscars - best picture, cinematography, art direction, and special effects. Nom. for Golden Palm (Cannes). Runtime: 101min Rating: G IN RETROSPECT A masterpiece of the classical Hollywood studio system, The Wizard Of Oz is one of the best American films ever made. Directed by Victor Fleming, who takes sole directorial credit despite some sequences shot by other filmmakers like King Vidor (who shot the Kansas scenes in sepia tone), this highly watchable musical drama can be enjoyed by anyone regardless of age. 1939 represents the pinnacle of Fleming’s directing career, helming this and the beloved Gone With The Wind in a one-two success unrivalled in contemporary cinema, perhaps...

(Read More...)

2010-03-13 22:59:59

AlexDelarge
Reviews: 71
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4.5

Wizard of Oz: Humbug

Dorothy is spirited away by a vicious gale and transposed to the magical Land of Oz, where she must discover the secret power within herself to return home. Adapted from the wonderful L. Frank Baum book, the film differs greatly from the source but Director Victor Fleming has captured the beautiful quicksilver essence of the tale, a story of self-discovery concerning friendship and courage in the face of constant danger.

If understood in the context of the era, as the threat of Nazi Germany looms large upon a land on the brink of a great World War, this film acts as both escapist entertainment and a parable concerning the need for allies to defeat a wicked despot. The film begins in sepia tones, a dusty rural life of hardship and trauma, her beloved dog Toto court ordered to be destroyed by her devilish neighbor, while we meet the other farmhands and a mystical marvelous stranger. Then the finger of god wreaks destruction and Dorothy is knocked unconscious to wake in a saturated Technicolor world somewhere over the rainbow.

The musical numbers and vivid landscapes are now stuff of cinematic legend, gorgeously rendered with grand set designs and painted backdrops that give an illusion of depth and dreamlike reality. But the screenplay portrays Dorothy “the small and meek” as reactionary, a little girl whose face is awash in tears and seems to be confounded by difficult decisions, always relying on her friends to save her, while Baum’s book portrays our little protagonist as a feminist ideal, a girl who takes action and becomes a leader and it’s her friends who rely upon her.

Judy Garland’s freckled innocence imbues Dorothy with perfect grace and naiveté, and her lovely voice is like an ethereal melody. The Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Cowardly Lion supply the slapstick humor and amusing alliteration, while a nightmarish thread is woven into this tapestry of imagination. A good children’s story must have moments of dread and fear otherwise it becomes mawkish, and the green visage of the Wicked Witch and her flying monkeys, or the fiery image of Oz the Great and Terrible are moments of mature apprehension.

Finally, the humbug wizard grants the wishes of our champions, but his magic is only in his keen insight as they have already displayed the very traits they believed lacking: he only gives them awards to reflect their accomplishments. Dorothy also discovers that the power to go home was always within her grasp, and with three clicks of her ruby slippers she discovers that there is indeed no place like home. Final Grade: (B+)

Recommendations: The Birds, Breathless (Jean-Luc Godard, 1960), Funny Games

All reviews copyright Korova, Ltd. Visit Alex at his Home Theatre Blog, http://korovatheatrepresents.blogspot.com/

2010-03-03 20:20:40

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