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The Wizard of Oz

The Wizard of Oz

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: OZ: An Adult Film That Kids Enjoy
Review: THE WIZARD OF OZ is a paradox: although made with a juvenile audience in mind, the completed film has an unexpectedly adult sensibility, and children enjoy it on one level while adults find it a considerably more complex experience. Like most fairytales, OZ deals in archetypes--but instead of merely referencing such archetypes, OZ specifies them in a uniquely literal way and transforms them into a brilliantly beautiful yet extremely menacing tale of innocence lost. It is a surprisingly psychological film, and any one foolish enough to scratch its surface will soon find themselves dealing with more "isms" than a roomful of research psychiatrists could explain.

Fancy "isms" aside, OZ is a tremendous amount of fun. For one thing, it MOVES: the story begins with a tone of breathless anticipation, and the film somehow manages to maintain that level of energy throughout its entire running time with never a lag. Although one or two of the famed special effects seem a bit dated, most are still exciting. This is particularly true of the famous tornado sequence, the first half of which (in which Dorothy races the storm home) still outstrips any special effects storm footage made to date. The look of the film, from the rich sepia tones of a painfully literal Kansas to the Technical vibrancy of a very surrealistic Oz, is as artful as a dozen famous painters rolled into one--and need we really mention the music, so famous that virtually every man, woman, and child in the western world can humm most of the score?

But all of this would be by-the-way if not for a truly amazing cast. Judy Garland is a remarkable Dorothy, with one foot in innocent childhood wonder and the other as firmly planted in a very sophistocated and extremely adult sense of humor (watch her very subtle series of double-takes during the Munchkin sequence), and the success of the film largely rests upon the success of her own performance. But this in no way disparages the rest of the cast, which plays broadly but with considerable self-depreciating humor; every one is sure to have their own favorite among the famous performances by Bolger, Lahr, Haley, Hamilton, Burke, and Morgan, and all are equally brilliant.

Although the original MGM DVD (now out of print) has been greatly praised, the Warner Bros. DVD is the widely available standard. Whatever its failings in comparison to the MGM DVD, it offers picture and sound quality far beyond anything seen on any VHS. There are also a number of extra bells and whistles that range from the very interesting, such as the Angela Lansbury-hosted documentary on the making of the film, to the ho-hum, such as old newspaper advertisements for the film. But whatever the merits of these extras, the real reason to buy the DVD is for the film itself: THE WIZARD OF OZ is as timeless, fascinating, disturbing, and beautiful today as it ever was and probably will always be. Put the kids to bed and watch the film with a critical eye--and you'll be amazed at what you've missed.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: wizard of oz
Review: Thi sdvd is great in addition to the movie itself it has many bonus features which if you are a fan of the movie you will love

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: superb moviemaking
Review: Well, what else is there to say about this movie that hasn't already been said? For decades, this film has been highly regarded as an well-acted, sweet, and outstanding movie that is recommended for the entire family. I almost feel weird commenting on this one, because it's been around for so long and there's almost absolutely nothing about it that hasn't already been mentioned by other viewers. I guess all I will say is that it was an outstanding, AWESOME movie, and I can't think of anything bad to say about it. This isn't the type of movie that easily scares young children, and that's good because so many movies that are aimed for little kids end up becoming too intense. "The Wizard of Oz" doesn't miss its target audience. Glinda, the Witch of the North is enchanting, the Munchkins are so cute, and Judy Garland does a wonderful job in her role as Dorothy. But we all know that. This is a movie that's destined to remain a well-loved classic for all the rest of time! I have a hard time believing that anyone could dislike this movie, but that's just my opinion.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Excelent
Review: The Wizard of Oz is a great children and adult movie. It has become a classic. But story is totaly different from L Frank Baums origanal book.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: "MGM'S CROWNING ACHIEVEMENT"
Review: "The Wizard of Oz" is, in my opinion, one of the three essential films from Hollywood's golden age ("Citizen Kane" and "Casablanca" are the others). It still has the power to enthrall viewers old and young alike. The story-telling is direct, lean and every musical note compliments the action completely. Despite having a number of directors, as well as now-famous bloopers (watch Dorothy's braids magically change length during her first meeting with the Scarecrow), the final product is near perfection. The film has a great sense of humor as well as lots of tension, which makes it exciting no matter how many times you see it. The character make-ups for the film are timely and ingenious because they don't overshadow the facial characteristics of the three actors beneath them. Even that could not be said for Jim Carrey and his frightening make-up as "The Grinch"! "The Wizard of Oz" is a once in a lifetime treat from Hollywood's Technicolor dream factory and its greatest studio, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. The DVD issue is phenomenal, with a print so clear that you can even see the black roots of Judy Garland's red dyed hair- CBS didn't even have a print that good over the years!

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: there's no place like home
Review: This is such a great movie for DVDs. The black and white and the color both look beautiful!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: here's a fun little thing to do when you are bored
Review: here's something to do when you have some time. I suggest that you have seen the movie before. but, Turn the sound of the film all the way down, and turn the sound of the album up as high as you can stand. first, get the album Dark Side Of the Moon by Pink Floyd. First load the Dark Side of the Moon CD into your CD player and hit PLAY (>) and then immediately hit PAUSE (II) so it is cued up and ready to roll. Be sure also to set your CD player to continuous replay. This in most CD players is done by hitting the "REPEAT" button twice. Hitting it once will usually repeat only the presently playing track so hit the button two (2) times and it will replay the CD over and over. The CD will play roughly two and a quarter times through the entire length of the movie.

Now start at the very beginning where the BLACK & WHITE MGM lion roars. After the BLACK &WHITE MGM Lion roars for the THIRD (3rd) time IMMEDIATELY hit the play button on the CD player.

The credits begin to roll, and the ambient noise that opens the album begins. You know the synchronicity will work if the music kicks in just as Produced by Mervyn Leroy pops up.

now, the coincedences that occour are just too cool. such as, when dorthey is on the fence balancing, the lyrics "balanced on the biggest wave" can be heard.
watch for the scene when she first reaches oz. too cool!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Forget the CARTOONS - try this with your 2 year old
Review: This movie replaces any cartoon that my daughter would want to watch. She has Dorothy's dress and I bought her the Ruby slippers from Target. Kids learn how to sing, make friends, know the difference between good and bad people. I was quite amazed at how much she loves this movie.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A true family classic
Review: Like most Americans of my generation, the annual television broadcasts of "The Wizard of Oz" were a part of my childhood. I still remember the delight I felt as a child when Dorothy would open the door of her cabin and step into the land of Oz--suddenly the screen would explode with color. This was a family film that wasn't afraid to be scary--I was terrified by the scene in which the flying monkeys captured Dorothy and Toto and attacked their friends, tearing the Scarecrow to pieces in the process.

Years went by and I fell out of the habit of watching "Oz." Of course, I was aware of its status as a pop icon. However, what surprised me upon a recent viewing is how well the flm holds up. This is truly a film that has something for all ages. Now I can appreciate the wonderful performances, the classic songs, and the well-written script. This truly belongs on any list of essential American films.

And those flying monkeys still scare the hell out of me.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: one of the best movies ever made
Review: Ok, who DOESN'T love the classic tale of Dorothy from Kansas with her dog Toto, and the classic characters he meets: the munchkins, two evil witches, miss Glinda of the north, the scarecrow, tin man, lion, and but of course, the great wizard. This tale has been told to many generations and will continue doing so. It's also the first of the movies in the early 1900's that got great acclaim, and for a very good reason.


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