[8.6/10] I revisited this one for the first time since childhood, and was blown away at how fully formed and surprisingly modern it is for something made in 1939. I wasn’t able to sit down and watch the whole thing with rapt attention, hence the lack of a full review, but I was still so impressed by this. The transition from sepia to color still packs a punch nearly eighty years later, and the sheer virtuosity of the production design, the camera work, the costuming, the songs -- everything that went into making Oz feel like a world and wondrous place unto itself -- is beyond impressive.
There’s a little filler here and there -- the poppies scene feels extraneous and the Cowardly Lion’s king song comes off as unnecessary -- but on the whole, this one’s great throughout. I love the satire of The Wizard not actually giving everyone what they sought, but rather emblems of it, with quiet commentary about impressions vs. substance that totally went over my head as a kid. At the same time, the songs are catchy and the story, while a little silly at times, does a nice job at capturing childhood wonder and fantasy land amazement, while finding an analogue for each of Dorothy’s real life friends and enemies and anxieties.
Overall, a colorful, wondrous, incredibly well-made film that absolutely holds up.
Review by drqshadowBlockedParent2020-01-30T19:30:00Z
Tough to find a film that's more universally recognized and adored than this one, and with good reason. It's charming and quaint, relic of a bygone era where naïveté was a-okay and being earnest wasn't seen as a handicap. Loaded with unforgettable lines and classic songs, nothing feels elbowed-in or insignificant, and I say that as a viewer with very little patience for musical interludes.
Sometimes it's nice to just climb into that time capsule and relive your own childhood (as I have to think a vast majority of the current population first saw it at that age), but it also serves as an impressive example of thoughtful, creative filmmaking. The famous mid-scene switch from sepia tones to full-blown Technicolor remains especially stunning, a masterful reveal that immediately brings the land of Oz to life with a roar, and the intense, colorful landscapes that light up every scene never let up. A few seams may show here and there, particularly around the matte paintings in recent HD transfers, but in some ways that works to the film's benefit. Clearly, a tremendous amount of love and care went into this one, and that still radiates as warmly today as it did almost eighty years ago.
Well-balanced, evenly paced and visually dazzling, it's aged stupendously and stands tall as a cornerstone of family cinema. My kids loved it, though they weren't as petrified of the flying monkeys as I was at their age, and I loved sharing it with them. Surprised to discover I still enjoy this as much as I do.