Bonus Movie Review: 1939: The Wizard Of Oz

[chezmax]

[Zip.ca] [IMDB] [Wikipedia]

So, as you might imagine from the last poll, J and I just watched The Wizard Of Oz (1939). This wasn't a Best Picture (it lost to Gone With The Wind, but it seemed like something I would watch, since I had never seen it before.

The DVD I just watched of it was an amazing restoration, so that in terms of film and audio quality, it didn't look like 1939 at all, although the effects are quite dated ;)

It was actually quite a bit more silly and camp* then I was expecting, but the film does have a certain charm that did make it an entertaining watch. The companions were rather more flamboyant than I was expecting, but I suppose about par for a musical. It's also amazing how much of the movie has become pop culture, with certain catch phrases and musical parts I've heard before ("Somewhere Over The Rainbow" and "I'll get you, my pretty, and your little dog, too!" being the most obvious).

I also really liked the contrast of Kansas (sepia) to Oz (oversaturated color; in fact, I'm pretty sure the water was dyed blue in Munchkinland).

So, to sum up: very silly, but worth seeing for the history.

*: Then again, these movies only seem camp to a modern eye, probably due to the influence of that very movie.

Comments

[mylostmarbles.livejournal.com]

0.o You'd never seen the Wizard of Oz!?! Really? Hun, have you been living under a rock?

Well now that you've watched that, I highly recommend a little mini-series called Tin Man. Highly, highly recommend.

[chezmax]

Well, I was under the rock that didn't see many old movies growing up, hence my current quest! :)

[jennyrhill.livejournal.com]

I can't believe you'd never seen it! Crazy talk!

If you really want a trip, watch movie they made randomly in the 80s of the sequel- Return to Oz. It's very... odd.

[whirling-woman.livejournal.com]

That movie scared me so much when I was young! O.O

[musesshadow.livejournal.com]

Probably in the top 10 favorites of all time.
But really? I mean, Wizard of Oz is like "must see viewing", just like the Rocky Horror Picture show... oh wait, I haven't seen that one yet...
nevermind.

[marnoch.livejournal.com]

There's always the 'Dark Side of Oz' that plays occasionally at the princess.

Haven't seen that one, but heard good things about it.

Wicked

[carlyhi.blogspot.com (from livejournal.com)]

I read the book wicked based on the witch of the west and thought it was one of the crappiest things I've ever read. Other people love it and they turned it into a musical.