The Wizard of Oz (1939)

American Film Institute's Top 100 Films: No. 10

Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain. - Wizard of Oz

Even though the movie will always have a special place in my heart (I was a flying monkey in my first school play in fourth grade) I will probably never really enjoy this movie. Although watching it now as an adult I like it more than I did, it still does not hold my attention for very long. Which is funny, considering the similarities it has between one of my favorite films, Alice in Wonderland. Observe...

• Alice falls asleep and is transported to the magical Wonderland, Dorothy is knocked out and transported to the magical land of Oz.
• Each little girl has a pet - while Toto goes with Dorothy, Alice's kitten is left behind.
• Each girl sings one song in the movie - although Judy Garland's was without a doubt more well-done and more memorable.
• At one point in the film, each girl has an angry, unattractive older woman after her - the Wicked Witch of the West or the Queen of Hearts
• Each of these women have a small army she sends to do her bidding - the Witch's flying monkeys and the Queen's playing cards
• Both have a feline friend/escort - Alice's Cheshire Cat and Dorothy's Cowardly Lion
• Each movie features a number of inanimate objects and animals having human characteristics..... rabbits, playing cards, scarecrows, etc.
• Drug references (the poppy's ((opium)) in Oz.... virtually everything in Alice's Wonderland)
• The two girls even dress the same, with a white shirt and blue jumper
• Each movie has a submissive male character who is supposedly in a position of power - The Wizard and the King of Hearts
• The realization at the end of the movie everything was just a dream.

There are probably more similarities, but I'll leave that up to the reader to ponder. Overall, I had more fun looking up information about the movie than watching it. For instance, many people find L. Frank Baum's story to contain both political and social satire pertaining to the day. "The little girl from the midwest (typical American) meets a brainless scarecrow (farmers), a tin man with no heart (industry) and a cowardly lion (politicians) and a flashy but powerless wizard (technology). Although the little people keep telling her to follow the yellow brick road (gold standard), in the end it's her silver slippers (silver standard - the original book featured silver, not ruby slippers) that help her get back to the good ol' days." Overall, a much bigger fan of the Stephen Schwartz musical Wicked than the movie.

2.5 stars out of 5