[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.
