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Movies / Upcoming / The Wizard of Oz
The Wizard of Oz

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The Wizard of Oz (1939)

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Reviews Counted:70

Fresh:70

Rotten:0

Average Rating:9.1/10

Consensus: An absolute masterpiece whose groundbreaking visuals and deft storytelling are still every bit as resonant. A must-see film for young and old.

Runtime: 5 hrs 4 mins

Genre: Musical & Performing Arts

US Box Office: $0

Synopsis: Judy Garland stars as Dorothy in a musical based on the classic children's book by L. Frank Baum. When Dorothy's neighbor, Miss Gulch, threatens to take away Dorothy's precious dog, Toto, Dorothy... Judy Garland stars as Dorothy in a musical based on the classic children's book by L. Frank Baum. When Dorothy's neighbor, Miss Gulch, threatens to take away Dorothy's precious dog, Toto, Dorothy runs away from home. Attempting to return, she and her house are caught in a twister and blown to the garish, color-saturated Land of Oz. The house lands atop Oz's Wicked Witch of the East, killing her and making Dorothy an instant celebrity. The Wicked Witch of the West, the sister of the deceased witch, soon arrives and threatens revenge. Dorothy must escape from Oz by following the Yellow Brick Road to the Emerald City, where the great Wizard of Oz can help her return to Kansas. Along the way, Dorothy picks up some new friends--the heartless Tin Man, the brainless Scarecrow, and the courage-less Cowardly Lion, each of whom hopes that the Wizard can offer him what he lacks. The long journey to see the Wizard is filled with dangers and traps planted by the Wicked Witch of the West--as well as lots of phenomenal musical numbers. Filled with extravagant sets and costumes and 40 minutes of rambunctious song and dance routines, Dorothy's adventures in Oz are pure delight. The film deservedly holds a precious place in the hearts of millions. [More]

Starring: Judy Garland, Jack Haley, Ray Bolger, Bert Lahr

Starring: Judy Garland, Jack Haley, Ray Bolger, Bert Lahr, Billie Burke, Margaret Hamilton, Frank Morgan, Clara Blandick, Charley Grapewin, Pat Walshe, Mickey Carroll

Director: Victor Fleming, King Vidor

Director: Victor Fleming, King Vidor
Screenwriter: Noel Langley, Edgar Allan Woolf
Producer: Mervyn LeRoy
Composer: George Bassman, Robert W. Stringer, Herbert Stothart, George E. Stoll
Screenwriter: Florence Ryerson
Producer: Arthur Freed
Composer: Harold Arlen

[See More Credits]

Reviews for The Wizard of Oz

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1 - 20 (sorted by rotten rating; Australian critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 3 4 >> >|
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This is a completely charming and wholly delightful film in a direction rarely attempted by Hollywood.

Full Review Source: Boxoffice Magazine | comment Comment
01/01/00
Boxoffice Magazine
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

The greatest flight of fancy ever filmed.

Full Review Source: E! Online | comment Comment
01/01/00
E! Online
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Lavish in sets, adult in humor, it is a Broadway spectacle translated into make-believe.

Full Review Source: TIME Magazine | comment Comment
05/12/08
TIME Magazine
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

A dazzling fantasy musical so beautifully directed and acted that it deserves its classic status.

Full Review Source: TV Guide's Movie Guide | comment Comment
01/01/00
TV Guide's Movie Guide
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Enjoy it as both a magical fairytale and a delirious camp classic.

Full Review Source: Times [UK] | comment Comment
02/05/07
Times [UK]
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

The songs and magic are still fresh, even if it isn't quite knowing enough, perhaps, for today's young audiences.

Full Review Source: Empire Magazine | comment Comment
05/12/08
Alan Morrison
Alan Morrison
Empire Magazine
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

No need to say that this film is a classic.

comment Comment
07/23/03
Alex Sandell
Alex Sandell
Juicy Cerebellum

An enduring masterpiece -- one of the best films ever made.

Full Review Source: ReelTalk Movie Reviews | comment Comment
08/02/02
Betty Jo Tucker
Betty Jo Tucker
ReelTalk Movie Reviews

Seeing The Wizard of Oz in a movie theater, the way God and Louis B. Mayer intended you to see it, is like being at Cape Canaveral for a space shuttle launch instead of watching it on television.

Full Review Source: rec.arts.movies.reviews | comment Comment
01/01/00
Bob Bloom
Bob Bloom
rec.arts.movies.reviews

No review available.

comment Comment
12/26/02
Brandon Judell
Brandon Judell
PopcornQ

Each scene in The Wizard of Oz is spectacular in its visual creativity. Each song is inspired.

Full Review Source: Apollo Guide | comment Comment
01/01/00
Brian Webster
Brian Webster
Apollo Guide

The movie--well, you know the movie. You know how great Judy Garland is as Dorothy, how memorable the rest of the cast is, how terrific Victor Fleming's direction is, and that the film's themes of the importance of home have helped it to resonate througho

Full Review Source: Bangor Daily News (Maine) | comment Comment
09/27/09
Christopher Smith
Christopher Smith
Bangor Daily News (Maine)

Victor Fleming's movie has never needed super-technique to be enchanting.

Full Review Source: Philadelphia City Paper | comment Comment
01/01/00
Cynthia Fuchs
Cynthia Fuchs
Philadelphia City Paper

No review available.

comment Comment
05/28/04
Daniel M. Kimmel
Daniel M. Kimmel
Worcester Telegram & Gazette

I don't find the film light or joyful in the least -- an air of primal menace hangs about it, which may be why I love it.

Full Review Source: Chicago Reader | comment Comment
06/26/07
Dave Kehr
Dave Kehr
Chicago Reader

The film is probably as entertaining now as it was in 1939.

Full Review Source: Filmcritic.com | comment Comment
07/03/04
David Bezanson
David Bezanson
Filmcritic.com

It's not simply a magical, whirling experience, but a ground breaker for visual and technological creativity, combining Hollywood forces with Hollywood genius to spawn strands of unique and original elements never before attempted at the movies.

Full Review Source: Cinemaphile.org | comment Comment
01/01/00
David Keyes
David Keyes
Cinemaphile.org

Deserves its gained reputation as an arty classic with a universal appeal.

Full Review Source: Ozus' World Movie Reviews | comment Comment
04/02/04
Dennis Schwartz
Dennis Schwartz
Ozus' World Movie Reviews

Warner Home Video's DVD invites you to watch the movie a dozen more times on top of the many dozens of times you've already seen it.

Full Review Source: Hollywood Reporter | comment 2 Comments
11/03/05
Douglas Pratt
Douglas Pratt
Hollywood Reporter

Some movies defy criticism and, because nothing bugs critics more than their superfluousness towards a film's general perception, inspire reactive critical insanity.

Full Review Source: Slant Magazine | comment Comment
10/24/05
Eric Henderson
Eric Henderson
Slant Magazine
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by rotten rating; Australian critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 3 4 >> >|
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Latest News for The Wizard of Oz

September 23, 2009: The World of The Wizard of Oz Opens in new window
With a new restoration appearing on DVD and Blu-ray next week, along with a one-day theatrical re-release, "The Wizard of Oz" is turning 70 in style. More...

August 24, 2009: Dakota Fanning Heading to Oz? Opens in new window
According to multiple reports, Dakota Fanning is set to star as Dorothy's granddaughter in a sequel (of sorts) to "The Wizard of Oz." Basil Iwanyk and Todd McFarlane are listed... More...

August 20, 2009: The Wizard of Oz Returns to Theaters in September Opens in new window
Mark September 23 on your calendars, "Wizard of Oz" fans -- that's when, for one night only, Warner Bros. will celebrate the 70th anniversary of the classic by returning it to... More...

May 14, 2008: Total Recall: Our Favorite Talking Animals
Now that the second film in Disney/Walden's big-budget reimagining of the Narnia series, The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, is heading to theaters, we here at RT thought... More...

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