Rating: 
Summary: Caveat Emptor! (Buyer Beware!)
Review: I was told when I was small that if you can't say anything good about something then don't say anything at all. I have tried to follow this bit of advice in my various reviews. However when a genuine 1 star rating comes along I just have to speak out especially when it concerns my specialty, the silent film. As an earlier reviewer pointed out it is this type of presentation that gives silent movies a bad name. A substandard print transferred at the wrong speed with inappropriate musical accompaniment and worst of all a narrator reading the title cards! Even if all those flaws could be corrected the movie itself is not very good. The novelty of seeing Oliver Hardy in the role of the Tin Man can't overcome the film's many shortcomings including way too much slapstick and some really offensive racial hunor. It's too bad because considering the talent involved this had the potential to be a really good film. As a silent film enthusiast I can work my way through it but others beware. L. Frank Baum produced three OZ features around 1914 and they are much better than this film. Unfortunately the same company that released this travesty also released those with the same unnecessary narration and ill-fitting electronic music. They should be avoided at all costs (which isn't much). This applies to the VHS box set as well as the DVDs. Someday there will be properly restored versions of all these and then they will be worth exploring. Silent films that are properly presented can be a truly wonderful experience but not these turkeys.
Rating: 
Summary: It was okay...
Review: I'm not complaining about the quality of the film. I love old movies and this was no exception. I'm upset about the content. I had understood that Baum himself had helped with this movie. I read all 14 of his nooks on Oz and expected this to be more accurate to the book than the 1939 version with Judt Garland. Instead, this seemed to be worse.I'm not sure if it was Baum or Hollywood, but this to not keep at all with the original book. I was very dissappointed. As far as being an early movie, it was good. It just wasn't what I expected. Unless you want an accurate version, don't let my review disuade you. It was still a good movie. It was definitely a comedy.
Rating: 
Summary: RARE FOOTAGE, WERE TALKING 1925, COLLECTORS ONLY!
Review: im not gonna say this is a great film you will be impressed with by 100%, but im gonna say it is an extremely rare silent film,a part of history that im amazed still exists, or is available at all,all hard core wizard of oz fans should have this to "maximize" their wizard of oz collection,comments have been made about the audio soundtrack,ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS "TURN YOUR VOLUME OFF" TO EXPERIENCE THIS MOVIE AS A "SILENT" MOVIE LIKE IT WAS ORIGINALY INTENDED!,this dvd is offered at an almost "giveaway" price,*you watch,*this will go out of print soon and become a collectors item because of rareness alone,*serious film collectors only*
Rating:
Summary: Awful, just awful
Review: Imagine your local church putting on a production of "The Wizard of Oz" with costumes made out of sheets and a production budget of 80$. Imagine it being directed by someone without the least bit of background in direction or production. Imagine it starring the most untalented individuals. What you have is this piece of utter trash. Larry Semon was a very unfunny and crude physical comic who bought the rights to the Oz books in an attempt to give a boost to his slapstick career that was going nowhere. Between buying the rights and filming the first scenes of the elves workshop, he spent his entire budget. With no money left, he just turned on the cameras and filmed and filmed - without a script! Lots of pratfalls and endless grimacing. The result bombed - as it should have! This is one of the worst silent movies ever made. Semon was so devastated that he disappeared off the face of the earth. No one even knows when he died or where he was buried! He was never heard from again. Unfortunately, lots of Oz fans have sought out this mess - thinking that there must be some value to it. There isn't! Save your money!!
Rating:
Summary: Alright movie, bad music
Review: It's not really fair to call this movie, "Wizard of Oz", although it is based, very loosely, on that story. Essentially,Dorothy in this story is a 17 year old about to turn 18, when she is to discover she is the ruler of Oz. There are designs to keep her from ascending the throne by the evil Emperor Kruel and cohorts. The tin-man, cowardly lion, and scarecrow are disguises taken on by Dorothy's friends to avoid detection. The wizard is truly a shyster, and only vaguely useful.
The highlight is Oliver Hardy in an early role. The low points are stereotypifications of the one African American actor; especially a scene where he eats watermelon and a scene where 'dark meat' is referred to jokingly in regards to a lion's dietary preference. However, this actor was very humorous in the slapstick role he performed, and most of the main actors are involved in slapstick roles throughout.
There are some nicely done 'stunts' performed that seem amazing for the time. The print it was taken off of was very good, although the music and narration were not only unnecessary, but inapproprate. For the low dollar amount, this film is worth having in your collection. I'd much prefer the 1910 "Wizard of Oz" made by L. Frank Baum if it was available.
Rating:
Summary: Alright movie, bad music
Review: It's not really fair to call this movie, "Wizard of Oz", although it is based, very loosely, on that story. Essentially,Dorothy in this story is a 17 year old about to turn 18, when she is to discover she is the ruler of Oz. There are designs to keep her from ascending the throne by the evil Emperor Kruel and cohorts. The tin-man, cowardly lion, and scarecrow are disguises taken on by Dorothy's friends to avoid detection. The wizard is truly a shyster, and only vaguely useful.
The highlight is Oliver Hardy in an early role. The low points are stereotypifications of the one African American actor; especially a scene where he eats watermelon and a scene where 'dark meat' is referred to jokingly in regards to a lion's dietary preference. However, this actor was very humorous in the slapstick role he performed, and most of the main actors are involved in slapstick roles throughout.
There are some nicely done 'stunts' performed that seem amazing for the time. The print it was taken off of was very good, although the music and narration were not only unnecessary, but inapproprate. For the low dollar amount, this film is worth having in your collection. I'd much prefer the 1910 "Wizard of Oz" made by L. Frank Baum if it was available.
Rating: 
Summary: Little Known Early Role
Review: Just read the book "Silent Clowns" and found out that is Oliver Hardy in one of the roles prior to his legendary teaming With Stan Laurel.
Rating:
Summary: I don't think they're in Oz anymore!
Review: Nearly forgotten today, Larry Semon was a top comedy star during the 1920's, even rivaling Charlie Chaplin in popularity. His downfall, late in the decade, resulted largely from disastrous business decisions compiled by numerous personal problems. He was a creative and talented comedian, but seemed content to reuse the same gags again and again while overspending lavishly on his productions.THE WIZARD OF OZ displays all the virtues and faults of Larry Semon's work. For no good reason, Semon abandons most of the classic Baum story and replaces it with a Ruritarian satire about political operatives who would stop farmgirl Dorothy from taking her rightful place as Queen of Oz (are you still with me?). Dorothy Dwan (who was Semon's wife) was certainly an attractive and quite talented comedienne, but too mature to be a genuine Dorothy. Semon and Oliver Hardy are farmhand rivals for Dorothy's attention. Late in the film, almost as an afterthought, Semon disguises himself as a scarecrow and Hardy as a Tin Man. Semon's brief turn as the scarecrow is one of the film's best moments, making it all the more frustrating that he didn't film the original story. Babe Hardy doesn't have a whole lot to do, but he still brightens the film whenever he's onscreen. Ironically, Keystone comedian Charlie Murray is woefully underused in the title role.The film is an interesting curio and the source print for this tape very good. Unfortunately, it has a bizarre and inappropriate music track that will drive you crazy after a while. My advice would be to mute your TV and use your stereo to make your own musical accompaniment.
Rating:
Summary: Don't waste time or money.
Review: Only if you are the most die hard movie buff should you get this movie. It is interesting to see another version of the Wizard of Oz, especially with a Oliver Hardy appearence in it. But the production of the DVD is amaturish. The music switches back and forth from appropriate old piano music to a digital score that sounds like it was produced from "baby's first keyboard". Even more bizzare and annoying is the fact that the producers saw fit to have someone read the dialouge out loud every time a card pops up. It boggles my mind why anyone would think these are good ideas. The movie is easier to take if you watch it with one push of the fast forward. Its too bad that an old silent on dvd has to be ruined by idiotic "improvements". Hopefully this company won't have any more silents at their disposal to trash.
Rating:
Summary: Have to agree
Review: Other than catching an early Ollie Hardy and the few bits of the tale that do adhere to the Wizard of Oz, much of this is a showcase for Semon, who not only must have had an ego the size of Saturn, but who's a virtually unknown silent comediam today for an excellent reason -- he wasn't funny. He's the poor man's poor man's poor man's (yes I know I repeated it 3X; intentional) Chaplin
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