By Leeya
Four out of five stars: ★★★★☆
I’ve just finished watching the classic film “The Wizard of Oz” for the second time now. And, despite the problems that the film encountered during the production, this movie is well ahead of its time. However, viewers will be watching this film from a modern-day perspective making the technicolor and then exciting technology, almost blunt and not exciting. I will say, this dampens the excitement and feel of the movie a little bit. Nevertheless, this fun family movie that centers around a young girls’ experience in a new, magical world is perfect for kids and parents alike.
What is the movie about, you may be wondering? Well, the Wizard of Oz is about a girl named Dorothy who gets whisked away in a tornado to a land called Oz. In the world, she meets three friends: Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Lion. They all want something: a brain, heart, and courage. Dorothy’s wish is to get back to Kansas (her home), but in order to do that, they have to get to the Wizard of Oz. So, they follow the yellow brick road. Along the way, Dorothy meets her friends but runs into some trouble with the Wicked Witch. The witch wants her ruby shoes but Dorothy manages to avoid several encounters with her. Finally, they arrive at the Wizard of Oz but he says that they have to kill the Wicked Witch before he can grant their wishes! So, they try to do that but Dorothy and her dog end up getting captured…What happens next? You have to watch the movie to find out!
Judy Garland plays Dorothy, the main character, and let me just say that this is what makes the movie so good. She is the perfect Dorothy and plays a small-town girl with a dog perfectly. Her singing and acting skills are amazing and her personality really comes through on-screen. It is heartbreaking to know what she went through during filming. Ray Bolger, Jack Haley, and Bert Lahr play Dorothy’s friends: The Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Lion. They also do a special job and are so vibrant and friendly. Of course, you can’t ignore Margaret Hamilton as the Wicked Witch. Even if you watch this as an adult, she will still scare you and make you feel like she is coming for you. So, “watch out my pretty!” (hahaha)
Personally, I liked this movie. I think it had a good plot and fun songs and would be suitable for every age. However, teenagers and young-adults would most likely find this boring and too kid-oriented when watching it by themselves. The actors were very good and played their parts pretty well. It is definitely a classic. Although there were many problems during production with this movie, they managed to pull it off and make the Land of Oz look magical and whimsical.
While watching this movie, I learned that things are not always as they seem and you might have something that you think you don’t have. For example: The Scarecrow (one of Dorothy’s friends) wanted a brain but he had it all along. After watching the movie, this will make more sense however kids will learn valuable things from this.
Overall, I think kids and adults who have seen this in their childhood would like this because it is a fun story with lots of colors and everything is kid-friendly. The rating of this movie is PG. I would recommend it for people 6+ because little kids might find the Wicked Witch a little bit scary. Parents: You definitely have to see this classic with your kids and it is worth watching.