Am I the only person who dislikes Wizard of Oz? I'm 30 and I've tried watching it several times. It wasn't because as a child, it scared me. I just didn't like it. When I tell people that, they never understand it. It's not one part of the movie or scenes that I don't like, I just don't like watching it. Is there anyone else that feels the same?
shareI think Wizard of Oz and Wily Wonka and the Chocolate Factory are the greatest childrens musicals ever.
Could it be the fact it's a musical that you don't like it?
I love it!!
shareI like it but I have a cousin who hates it. Years ago he was complaining about how Video Hound gave it 4 bones (a perfect score) but they gave his favorite movie Pi 2 bones.
shareI genuinely like it, in spite of all the overwhelming whimsy and horrible dialogue.
I hate "Mary Poppins", and am continually surprised that I liked "Oz", because it's SO not the sort of thing I usually like. So it's okay if you hate it.
I loved it as a kid. I don't think I would have thought anything about it as a 30 year old adult, and I might not care much about it today because old movies in general to not offer the fast pace and stimulation today's moviegoers seem to be used to and demand.
In general I like the older movies because they don't have axes to grind, products to sell, or try to pander to everyone. I like the morality of older movies, the simplicity and the great stories of most of them. When I say older movies though, I mean about pre-1950 movies, especially the pre-Hollywood Code movies, they are a kick.
I have to work hard to find 1 or 2 movies from today I want to see. The last one I had to see what Michael Moore, more of a documentary than a movie.
The movies of today pander to kids so much they are not really made for adults, except those who are stunted as adults or who can go back and access their childhood
Like most people, I love this film, "The Wizard of Oz", but I don't like the Wizard of Oz, in other words titular Wizard/Professor, the character. He is a despicable low-life. Let me explain. As we watch the film and get caught up in the adventure and fervently hope for poor Dorothy to make it back home to her Aunt Em, we tend to overlook the fact that the "Wizard" has no power to give Dorothy or her friends any of the things they request and which he promises. So he lies to them when he says he can do it. Worse by far than that, in order to cover up his fraud, he sends them off on what is clearly a suicide mission. In order to hide the fact that he is a nothing but a fraud and a conman, he sends them to go get the broom of the Wicked Witch of the West, knowing full well she would almost certainly dispatch them in a rather nasty fashion. It is only by a miracle and the magic of Hollywood that they make it out of that jam alive. Can you get any lower than that?
shareGood point. I love it when people deconstruct the meaning and symbolism of movies. However, you have to also remember this was all a delusional dream in the head of Dorothy too. It was she who knew subconsciously that the Professor Marvel / The Wizard of Oz / The Gatekeeper / The Carriage Driver / The Guard were all the same guy. It is in keeping with what used to be the American norm ... that we should be suspicious of fast-talking intellectuals & business people who were not to be trusted. I liked the original American stereotypes, they served us well, unlike today when they are manipulating us.
shareIn the movie it was a dream. In the book, it wasn't.
Personally, I don't think the Wizard intended for them to go on a suicide mission. He likely thought that they would be so frightened of the prospect that they would not go. If they didn't go he would not have to fulfill his promises to them.
In the end he did. Sort of. Part of the point of the story was, except for Dorothy who wanted to go home, the others already possessed the things they wanted from the Wizard. The Scarecrow had a brain; which he used throughout the story. The Tin Man had a heart; his emotional responses throughout the story. The Lion had courage; consistently through the story he enters dangerous situations to help Dorothy and the others.
The only thing the three lacked was an understanding that they had qualities they wanted. The diploma (in the book oats and other items put into his head), the watch, the medal, were just ways for the Wizard to display that they have brains, heart, courage.
My sister in law and her mother didn't like The Wizard Of Oz either and found it overrated, I used to be scared of the Flying Monkey's when I was little myself.
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