Summer of Movies #7: The Wizard of Oz

I'm not even sure if I should review this. Not because it's bad, but because you already know that this is a great movie. You've seen this movie at least a hundred times, and you love it every time. But, what critic would I be if I didn't review any and all movies, even ones that are classics in the eyes of all 7 billion people on the planet. This is, of course,...

PLOT

Dorothy is a young girl living in Kansas looking for something more, something wonderful and nothing like her boring life on the farm. But when a powerful twister roars through Dorothy's family farm with Dorothy still in the house, she is transported to the land of Oz, a land full of color and life. She also discovers that on the way down, her house killed the wicked witch of the east, bringing peace and joy to half of the land. But Dorothy just wants to go home. She is then told the only way to get home is to meet with the greatest wizard of them all, the wizard of Oz. She then follows the yellow brick road, meets interesting characters and friends, and sings her way to the Emerald city, all while being followed by the wicked witch of the West, trying to stop her at every turn.

Did I even need to do that?

PROS

For the 1930's, this was THE most expensive movie ever made, and it shows. The set designs, the costumes, the special effects, everything is just amazing and surprisingly still hold up after 70 years. It's just fun to watch what they could do with the limited resources at their disposal.

The songs are a lot of fun and very catchy. While some songs are more memorable than others, there's never a bad song, in my opinion.

The Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Lion are the best part of the movie. The make-up, the actors, and their camaraderie all combine into some of the most memorable and lovable characters put on film.

The movie is just simple, it never gets complex or thought-provoking, which can lead to really aggravating or just boring films. But for some reason, it works here. I can't really explain it, but you'll never feel that there should be more there.

CONS

The acting. especially from Judy Garland as Dorothy, can get over the top and even laughable at sometimes. I know this was made back when sound acting on film was still new, but it's still a problem.

CONCLUSION

Everything I just said, you already know. This is a great film that still holds up today. While I won't say you can't live without it, I still consider it a classic and defiantly one you should re-watch, because I know you've seen this before.

RATING

RUN TO