Average Rating: 
Rating:  - A true family classic
Like most Americans of my generation, the annual television broadcasts of "The Wizard of Oz" were a part of my childhood. I still remember the delight I felt as a child when Dorothy would open the door of her cabin and step into the land of Oz--suddenly the screen would explode with color. This was a family film that wasn't afraid to be scary--I was terrified by the scene in which the flying monkeys captured Dorothy and Toto and attacked their friends, tearing the Scarecrow to pieces in the process. Years went by and I fell out of the habit of watching "Oz.' Of course, I was aware of its status as a pop icon. However, what surprised me upon a recent viewing is how well the flm holds up. This is truly a film that has something for all ages. Now I can appreciate the wonderful performances, the classic songs, and the well-written script. This truly belongs on any list of essential American films. And those flying monkeys still scare the hell out of me.
Rating: - The best family picture of all time
For an amusing evening some time, sit down with someone else who grew up watching Danny Kaye introduce "The Wizard of Oz" every spring and try to list all the lines from this movie that have made it into the popular culture. I'll start the ball rolling with "I have a funny feeling we're not in Kansas any more," and you can take it from there.While it's wonderful to be able to own this for home use... we recently had the immense pleasure of seeing this in the theater, in its restored glory. Our daughters (11 and 7) had seen the film many times at home, but our son Charlie, 2, had not. When Dorothy opens the door in Oz and the world outside, for the first time in the film, is all in glorious Technicolor, Charlie's intake of breath could be heard throughout the theater, and his hushed "Ohhhh!" as he raised his finger to the screen was worth the price of admission. Yes, it's a magical place, over the rainbow. Another fun evening's entertainment -- imagine what the film would have been like with some of the originally planned cast members. Buddy Ebsen would have been a fine Tin Man (as anyone who's seen him dance opposite Shirley Temple can attest). But as dear as Little Miss Temple is, I can't really imagine her as Dorothy; Judy Garland's wistful, longing, on-the-verge-of-maturity rendition of "Over The Rainbow" is such a motion picture icon that it's hard to imagine it done with the bright, sweet tone of "The Good Ship Lollipop" or "The Codfish Ball." On the other hand, W.C. Fields, originally considered for the role of the Wizard, would have brought an even greater sense of charlatanism and trickery to the character. I can just imagine his gin-soaked drawl as he says, "Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain!" And the languorous Gale Sondergaard, originally considered as the Wicked Witch of the West, could be perhaps the only villainess to bring more subdued, seething sexuality to her role than Glenn Close's incomparable Cruella de Vil. Just imagine, she might have been responsible for an entire generation of young men growing up with a series of complexes that Freud himself would have trouble pinning down. But as it is... the film is really just about perfect. Yes, it's a filmed stage play in most shots, with relatively fixed camera positions and cuts that conveniently fade to black just as the actors are about to dance off the stage floor and crash into a backdrop. And none of that matters once Leo roars and the music starts; the film is magic, Oz is magic, and for the time that it's on the screen (large or small), that magic lives again for anyone who watches it.
Rating: - If you are new to DVDs, this should be your first purchase!
Of the DVDs I own or have rented, this one is the most impressive. The special features are numerous and incredible. Who knew that Buddy Ebsen was originally cast as the Tinman or that Ray Bolger had a wonderful dance scene that was deleted from the final cut of the movie? I especially enjoyed the interviews with the cast and the commentary on the other vintage movies that were also released in 1939 (if only we were so lucky to have as many outstanding movies to be released in one year as were released in 1939). Besides the special features that make this DVD a must own, the sound and picture qualities are superior. Since I was old enough to remember, I watched The Wizard of Oz on TV every year. Now, I get to watch it with my daughter in all of its glory and splendor on DVD. Though the hallway to the Wizard doesn't seem nearly as long and the Wicked Witch is not quite as scary (as when I was a child), the magic of the movie remains. If you loved the movie as a child and you are looking for an exceptional quality DVD that your family will enjoy for years and years, you must buy this DVD! Recapture the magic of the first time you saw The Wizard of Oz by watching it on DVD.
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