Dorothy (Judy Garland) is your average girl from Kansas. She lives with her Aunt and Uncle (why is never mentioned), and her little dog Toto (Terry) on a farm.
Trouble starts when Toto supposedly "bites" nasty old Mrs. Gulch (Margaret Hamilton), a mean woman who lives nearby. Gulch wants to take Toto away for biting her, and she gets her way by Sheriff's order. Toto escapes, however, and runs back to Dorothy.
Dorothy then decides to run away from home, but only ends up getting caught in a tornado. She receives a nasty blow to the head, only to awaken in a totally different land.
"I don't think we're in Kansas anymore, Toto."Dorothy states, as she emerges from the old farmhouse that has crash-landed in Oz, on top of the Wicked Witch of the East.
Dorothy is befriended by the Good Witch of the North, and the Munchkins, and is sent of her way to the Emerald City to meet the Wizard of Oz to try and get back home. Dorothy is given a pair of ruby slippers, which are coveted by the Wicked Witch of the West (Margaret Hamilton). And so, to get to the Emerald City, Dorothy must "follow the Yellow Brick road."
Along the way, Dorothy befriends the brainless Scarecrow (Ray Bolger), heartless Tin Woodsman (Jack Haley), and the Cowardly Lion (Bert Lahr). All three want to venture to the Emerald City to also ask the Wizard of Oz for help.
To do so, the quartet must venture through many obstacles and get past the Wicked Witch in order to meet up with the great and powerful Oz.
Some see L. Frank Baum's story containing adult themes; political and social satire. The little girl from the Midwest (typical American) meets up with a brainless scarecrow (farmers), a tin man with no heart (industry), a cowardly lion (politicians; one in particular at the time the story was written, William Jennings Bryan) and a flashy but ultimately powerless wizard (technology). Although the little people keep telling her to follow the yellow brick road (gold standard), in the end it's her silver (in the original story) slippers (silver standard) that help her get back to the good old days in Kansas.
Judy Garland is stunning as Dorothy, and her singing is exceptional. All three of her partners - Ray Bolger, Bert Lahr & Jack Haley - are all great in their own right, and Margaret Hamilton plays a very nasty Wicked witch.
There are a striking number of coincidences between events in The Wizard of Oz and musical cues & lyrics on the 1973 Pink Floyd album Dark Side of the Moon. It is highly unlikely that the band had a copy of The Wizard of Oz with them at Abbey Road. Few people claim it to have been deliberate, but the coincidences are remarkable nonetheless.
If you begin the album on the third roar of the MGM lion (using the NTSC version of the movie, not the 25 frames per second PAL version which runs a little over 4% faster), and the coincidences include but are not limited to:
- The line "balanced on the biggest wave" comes as Dorothy balances on the fence.
- The song "On the Run" starts as Dorothy falls off the fence.
- "The Great Gig in the Sky" begins when the tornado first appears.
- The song "Us and Them" is played when Dorothy meets the Wicked Witch of the West.
- The line "black and blue" is repeated when (Dorothy in blue, the Witch in black) are talking to one another.
- The line "the lunatic is on the grass..." coincides with Dorothy meeting the Scarecrow.
- When we first see Miss Gulch on her bicycle, the song "Time" starts with its bells and alarms.
- Dorothy asks Professor Marvel what else he sees in his crystal ball as the line "thought I'd something more to say" comes along in the song "Time".
-As the Scarecrow sings "If I Only Had a Brain", Pink Floyd sing "Brain Damage".
- Side 1 of the original vinyl album (up to the end of "The Great Gig in the Sky") is exactly as long as the black & white portion of the film.
- As Dorothy listens to the Tin Man's chest, the album ends with the famous heartbeat sound effect.
Weirdness aside, The Wizard of Oz is a timeless movie. It has been and can be enjoyed children of all ages, and even adults. It has many different themes and can be enjoyed on several levels. It is a classic, and should be viewed by everyone at least once.
Having just finished watching the restored three-disc DVD set, I must admit that this is one of the Classic American movies of all time. I can't say why this movie is so enjoyable, though, maybe it's the child-like qualities we all like to go back to. Maybe the film is a reminder of our childhoods and the great times we had. And yet, maybe the film helps us relive found memories of the past.
I don't know what is special about the film, but I do see why people love this film so much. The Story of Oz has been loved for over a century now, and it won't stop for a long time. But the film is just as popular because of its unique qualities, because it is such a wholesome movie. because of Oz's songs. Plug it in and see for yourself.
29-10-05
Plot: 
Although not as twisted as Lewis Caroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, it is still really weird. A talking Lion? A dancing Scarecrow? A Witch who wants some ruby slippers? Three dozen midgets who sing? A horse that changes colors? Woah. Defiantly messed up. Still, kudos to L. Frank Baum who did write an entertaining book.
Visual Effects:
The special effects are amazing for their day; the twister (with images) is cool, and so is the floating disembodied head of the "great and powerful Oz."
The black & white portions of the film were not black and white but rather sepia tone (which gives the orange effect). This works well with the film, and helps you go into a sense of awe as Dorothy walks into the technicolor Munchkinland.
Although the sets do look quite fake, and it's easy to tell where the backdrops begin and end. What you have to remember is that The Wizard of Oz (in terms of special effects) was the Star Wars of it's day. So what ever The Wizard of Oz lacks in set design it triply makes up in visual effects.
Sound:
There is no greater song in film history than the classic Over the Rainbow, ranked the #1 song of all time by the AFI. The song, like all of the songs in the film, is magical and special in it's own way to everyone. At least the Academy got it right and named Over the Rainbow the best song of 1939.
And yet, everyone has their own favourite song; it could be the aforementioned Over the Rainbow, or may be We're off to see the Wizard. It doesn't matter as a whole what you like, though, because all of the songs are very special and work together marvellously to make the film so wonderful and enjoyable for everyone.
Character Development:
There are many transformations in the way characters behave; Dorothy learns a valuable lesson in not running away from home; The Scarecrow gets his brains; the Tin Woodsman gets his heart; and the Cowardly Lion gains courage.
Atmosphere:
This film is a classic and any one who is into film will like this adaptation of the classic story. It may seem like a child film but is has adult overtones, as described above. Yet it works for both the young and the old. You can't help but love it.
Realism:
The Wizard of Oz is filled with child-like imagination that never ceases to amaze us. The producers must have had some child writing the script (uncredited!) because the film is so wonderful for both children and adults. It's not supposed to be realistic, it supposed to be a fantasy, and that's exactly what it is.
Warren’s Rating: 
Movies it was nominated with for Best Picture:
Dark Victory; Gone with the Wind *; Goodbye, Mr. Chips; Love Affair; Mr. Smith Goes to Washington; Ninotchka; Of Mice and Men; Stagecoach; Wuthering Heights
8.71/10 (Original rating 7.86) Is the movie worth your time to watch?
21-11-03
