Wizard Of Oz (U)

Who dosen't love wizard of oz???? come on its a all time classic everyone loves!! great storyline! fun songs in the film to sing along with!! the land of oz as well seems so great!!! i really like this film I've liked it since I was little! I dont think you can grow out of liking this film!!

Once again Christmas is upon us and the usual suspects of movies is about to hit the small screen. White Christmas, The Great Escape are two of the most famous, but this year sees something a little different on my screen, The Wizard Of Oz on DVD! Wow, what a fantastic film so ahead of its time.

If you just stop to think that this film was made in 1939 over 60 years ago! It still has all the magic and appeal it had way back then.

The Wizard of Oz is based on a book by L. Frank Baum, about a Kansas girl who goes on an amazing journey 'Over The Rainbow'.

The film opens in dreary Kansas but most importantly the film starts in black and white and only when Dorothy (Judy Garland) and her little dog, Toto arrive in the Land Of Oz does the movie transform into glorious colour, what a superb idea. What amazes me most is the imagination of the story; characters' appearing in different guises from Kansas to Oz, the Scarecrow in Oz is Zeke in Kansas and the Wicked Witch in Oz is the nasty Miss Gulch back home. Did you know that Margaret Hamilton who played the Wicked Witch has appeared in over 70 movies! Her penultimate being the animated Journey Back To Oz in 1974.

The film won an Oscar for 'Over The Rainbow' and the wonderful Herbert Stothart's scoring. As the film was made prior to 1968 it carries no official rating but as its suitable for all ages this does not matter. For the very faint hearted there are some eerie moments in the forests and the flying monkey scene can give you nightmares, (I know). But in true fairy tale fashion the film has a musical happy ending, with the classic song 'Ding Dong The Witch Is Dead!'.

But what about the DVD I hear you cry well there is just too much too mention it all, but with long lost footage, musical outtakes, cast interviews, radio broadcasts and the usual trailers to whet your appetite all I can say is its truly worth it.

I don't know a single soul that does not know at least one song from the film. They achieved the awe inspiring visuals without the vast array of modern special effects, a fantastic cast acting their pants off and thoroughly enjoying themselves too. It harks back to happier times when the simpler things in life were appreciated for what they were. If you think long and hard about it, The Wizard Of Oz has to be The Greatest Movie of all time, a true American Classic! (In my opinion). Pure Magic.