Timeless

Rating: 10/10 (24 September 2013)

"And you, and you, and you were there." All of Dorothy's friends look at her as if she was crazy, assuring her that her adventure was just a dream. Was it really just a dream? How could it be, when it seemed so real? In Viktor Fleming's, "The Wizard of Oz", dream is made into reality and reality into dream. "The Wizard of Oz" is a classical masterpiece in which breathtaking design, performance and a heart-warming storyline combine to create a movie in its very own category.
In Kansas, a twister hits Dorothy's home and she is hit by a window, falling into her dreamland of Oz. We follow Dorothy (Judy Garland) on her quest for the Wizard of Oz, in the land of munchkins, evil and good witches, and many more interesting characters. The Scarecrow (Ray Bolger), Cowardly Lion (Bert Lahr), and Tin Man (Jack Haley) are just some of the friends, with their own problems, that she meets on her way. The story is all about "following the yellow brick road" as "we're off to see the wizard."
The screenplay was adapted from Frank T. Baum's story chronicle, The Wizard of Oz. It was produced by Mervyn Leroy and acted out by a first class list of actors. Perhaps the most important factors of this movie are the Technicolor (this is the first movie in color), the songs (that you'll never forget and never get enough of), and the ubiquitous theme/moral of "there's no place like home."
The plot is very easy to follow and straightforward. Despite the seemingly unrealistic storyline of wizards, a land of munchkins, flying monkeys, and bad witches flying on broomsticks, viewers can't help but fall into the fantasy of it all and imagine there really is such a place "somewhere over the rainbow." The characters are all believable and you seem able to relate to them and know at least one person in your life like them. People love the Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Cowardly Lion for their loyalty and personal quirks, and loathe the Wicked Witch of the West for being so sinfully evil. The dialogue is also very amusing, with a deeper meaning than most would conceive at first. There are many hidden messages of friendship, loyalty, and seeing what's right in front of you all along.
The actors are very convincing as their characters, all seemingly to step right out from the original story. Judy Garland perhaps was the best choice for Dorothy because the viewer just can't help but fall in love and sympathize for her when they see those big brown eyes staring back at them from the screen. She has a raw performance in which you can feel each emotion through her expression. From the moment Dorothy opens her front door after landing in Oz and exclaims "Oh!" the screen is filled with bright and vibrant color, a sharp contrast from the dull black and white from a second before. The significance of this is not lost, as the use of color is artfully done throughout the movie. The Technicolor sets the film apart because it is the first picture to be in color. During the movie the ever present yellow brick road takes the viewer through a journey of colorful and unique places, like the charming Munchkin Land and eerily spooky Haunted Forest.
This film is one that's timeless for a good reason. The acting is wonderful as is the set, themes, and dramatic aspects. The "Wizard of Oz" was one of a kind when it first came out and 75 years later it still touches people's hearts. The movie keeps the audience's interest and you walk away from it smiling. After watching the movie, it will give you a deeper respect for what you are and have. As Dorothy says, "There's no place like home," well, there's no movie like the Wizard of Oz.