Old Movie Classics: The Wizard of Oz

Sunday, December 27, 2009

The Wizard of Oz

All time Old Movie Classic from 1939.

The Wizard of Oz is one of the most watched movies of all time;
I don't believe that anyone over the age of 30 hasn't seen this movie, due to it always being run on TV as a Christmas Special. This film is in my Opinion Immortal and shall never disappear from the annals of Movie History. A children's favourite around the world, it is also enjoyed by "grown up kids" without exception. The imaginative story just captivates you from the first few minutes of the movie right up to the end. You can't find a better Old Time Movie Classic than this one.. It is simply unequalled as a Family fantasy movie, even to this day. It is considered officially to be the most watched film ever in the History of Movies, which is quite possibly true considering that it is shown more than once a year all over the world on hundreds of TV channels. Almost every single household in the World that has a TV has sat and watched this movie at least once. How many other movies can you say this about?

as the Wicked Witch of the West in The Wizard ...

Image via Wikipedia

Story Intro;
Dorothy lives on a farm in Kansas. When a nasty neighbor tries to have her dog put to sleep, Dorothy takes her dog Toto, to run away. But then a Cyclone comes, and picks her, her house, and her dog up and deposits them in the land of Oz. Things in Oz are strange and beautiful, but Dorothy just wants to get back home. She's helped by the Good Witch of the North, but she's also in trouble with the Wicked Witch of the West, who seeks revenge for the death of her sister; the Wicked Witch of the East, for which she blames Dorothy.
And so the plot thickens......
The Wizard of OZ was first released BY Metro Goldwyn Mayer and later re-released by Warner Bros. Pictures.

During her journey, she meets a Scarecrow (Ray Bolger), a Tin Man (Jack Haley) and a Cowardly Lion (Bert Lahr), who join her, hoping to receive what they lack themselves (a brain, a heart and courage, respectively). All of this is done while also trying to avoid the Wicked Witch of the West (Margaret Hamilton) and her attempt to get her sister's ruby slippers from Dorothy, who received them from Glinda.

Initially, The Wizard of Oz was not considered a commercial success in relation to its enormous budget, although it made a small profit and received largely favorable reviews. The impact it had upon release was reportedly responsible for the release of two other fantasy films in Technicolor the following year – The Blue Bird and The Thief of Bagdad. The songs from The Wizard of Oz became widely popular, with "Over the Rainbow" receiving the Academy Award for Best Original Song and the film itself garnering several Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture. In those days, Over the Rainbow was occasionally heard on live radio.

The film was first telecast in 1956, but not repeated until 1959. But from 1959 to 1991, The Wizard of Oz was an annual television tradition in the United States and through these showings, it has become one of the most famous films ever made.
t is still shown on television; although, beginning in 1991, it began to be telecast more often than simply once a year. The film received much more attention after its annual television screenings were so warmly embraced and has since become one of the most beloved films of all time. The Library of Congress named The Wizard of Oz as the most-watched film in history. Read More......

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