Colorful Wonderland

Rating: 10/10 (29 September 2018)

Imagination and fantasy to me is always one of the most crucial things to have in life because whenever we retreat everyday to whatever world we construct in our minds we fuel hope and belief that there really is more beyond where we are currently residing, but also become more than what we are.
This is one of my favorite fantasy films of all time, which is no surprise. I saw this film when I was about 7 years old, I really got into it because I love fantasy I really loved the Fairy Tales my mom read to me. I loved the film then and as an adult I still love watching it today, it just has so much going for it and not just was it a prime example of a fantasy film done right but also how we all saw film in general.
The production value is just fantastic even to this day it's just a feast for the eyes, from the use of mat painting which really gave the illusion of a broad land. Though it's true in some scenes you can easily tell it's a painting in the background but that didn't deter the film for me, in fact it just added to the value of the film making this film beautiful mix of the theatrical and film. Let alone I'd prefer mat painting most of the time over a CGI background anytime where with them even a grade schooler can tell the CGI is fake. The mat background is just beautiful, it's like certain pieces you can put up in an art gallery, from the hills to the emerald city. I really love the use of color, this film has more color than a craola crayon box or the film "Sin City" it not just helps bring out this fantasy realm but also feels like Dorothy has walked right into a painting, from the flowers, the ground, munchkin land just everything you just must see to believe.
The music is just great there are so many memorable songs that are just timeless classics. From "We off to see the Wizard" which is always a fun song. I even like the songs of both the "Scarecrow" and "Tin Man" singing about what they lack in life. But of course, no surprise my favorite song is "Somewhere over the Rainbow" it is just a beautiful song, it's one of my favorite songs of all time because it is so hopeful and optimistic. It's one not just about one's desire and wonder about going far away and finding something more and better in life but just simply about the dreams we all constantly hold to get us through a troubled existence.
The humor is great and hits at the right moments. One of my favorite humors scenes has been the one with the talking apple trees that complained about their apples being picked. That always cracked me up because of how absurd it truly is.
Character are great from the fabulous trio, The Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Cowardly Lion each of them have unique persona and great moments, it's fun when we see them all together and play off of each other much like "The Three Stooges" well kind of but at least with they have something to strive for which makes them easy to emphasize with and want to win because that's something we all do throughout our lives.
The Wicked Witch of the West is a villain played well by Margaret Hamilton, she's a villain you love to hate whom is kind of scary but funny at the same time. It's basically the Wicked Witch archetype but what makes her stand out is in her lines and delivery of them, let alone character whom is just a vanity obsessed jerk that is just tormenting people for no good reason or sick amusement and is obsessed with getting those red slippers just to get more power. Though to me it wasn't so much her that scared me as a kid it was really her minions the flying monkeys, they were just brutes let alone so darn many of them I was afraid they would fly down snatch me away or beat the crap out of me, in one scene they dismembered the scarecrow that's how bad they are.
But to me the true heart and soul of the film and story is the character Dorothy Gale whom is my favorite character. Judy Garland is just fantastic this is still my favorite role from her, she is Dorothy Gale just as Christopher Reeve is Superman and any other actor and actress that just fit like a glove for their role. Yeah there have been many other live action versions over the years but she is still the best one in my book. This was also Judy's debut in a main role which in turn helped launch her to stardom, and rightfully so, she really gave it everything she had and delivered. I really love how she has that every day person vibe to her, I thought she was inside and out, it's no surprise I did have a crush on her as a kid.
I really love the emotionality on her whenever she expressed sadness it really looked and felt genuine. You really emphasize or can relate to her in some way or another. The fact that she feels she's not where she belongs and dreams of going someplace far and having a better life or at least something more which is understandable I've always felt that way ever since I was a child. I even like that she's open minded and keeps optimistic, hopeful and a positive attitude even in the most difficult circumstances.
Other than being a fun adventure, this film does have deep substance a lot of things from the coming of age theme. The Dorothy character is a young teen that is near the verge of young adult hood which is always a time where were thinking about being and entering the adulthood world in some way or form. Dorothy throughout the adventure very much acts like an adult but maintains her innocence which makes her strong not just from getting though circumstances that are difficult or at least look that way at first but the fact she stays true to herself.
Which is part of the other theme which is about building identity, each of the three characters The Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Lion all represent personality aspects. They all think they lack something but have always had it all this time, throughout their journey they exercise those aspects. From the Lion whom has as much nervous and frightful energy than Shaggy and Scooby Doo, but he goes on and does the right thing despite what he feels which to me is what true courage really is, and they do say it's only when we feel some fear is when courage comes. And the Scarecrow whom really is exercising smarts from tricking the talking trees into throwing their apples and a plan to infiltrate the castle. But also, it's one Dorothy where throughout the journey she has stayed true to herself which is part of building identity to remember who we are as new things come along in life.
But also, what home really is, throughout the journey Dorothy is trying to find her way back home but the thing is even though the beautiful world of Oz isn't her home not is Kansas. She's really thinking about all the people that she left behind in Kansas and how much she is beginning to miss them. And that is truly what home is as an old saying goes "it's not the place it's the people". Both Kansas and Oz are her home because there are people in both realms that love her.
As long as we keep dreaming, home is never far away.
Rating: 4 stars