there's no place like home...

Rating: Null/10 (23 September 2005)

The movie shows two different settings: first was the Kansas setting with backdrop paintings of fields, hays, and lands. It shows a rural, pastoral, unsophisticated life in the farm. Second was the magical land of Oz.
The backdrop paintings in the film made it look like a fairy tale movie. It has indeed appeared like a storybook with all other aspects working such as colors, costumes and props. It was like a fairytale that audiences of all ages had come to love.
The costumes of the characters, from Dorothy down to the munchkins were all beautiful. Even the makeup of the characters was effective.
Having also learned what the cast and crew had to go through in filming this movie, one can't help but admire the outcome of the movie. Their efforts were really worth it now that after 66 years, the movie is considered one of the greatest film ever made and the number one movie for families.
Having learned that Judy Garland was 16 years old then and had to play 11 or 12 year old Dorothy Gale, it was not at all obvious that she was portraying a younger role. In fact, audiences would think that it would never be the same if someone else played the role.
The movie has lots of dancing and singing, which is good since they kept the audiences' attention. Plus the songs are catchy, that after watching the movie you'll find yourself singing the songs.
At the beginning of the movie, the color was sepia tone and actually not black and white. The sepia tone was used to emphasize the kind of atmosphere that Dorothy was living in, a dull, rustic, unsophisticated life at the farm.
In the land of Oz, everything was colorful. One would think that he/she is watching an animated movie or a cartoon for that matter.
The movie showed recurring shots of roads, both in Kansas and in Oz. They symbolized the journey that Dorothy would undertake in her transition from a child to a more mature person.
The Wizard of Oz is a wonderful movie made beautifully and colorfully. At first I thought it was a children's flick but the way the narrative was carefully made got me enjoying the film. It got the kid in me singing, learning and understanding that I don't have to look far because the home is where the heart is.
It is a kind of movie that would make you smile after watching it and you would think of the many times you wanted to get away (or even plan) from home. You would just sigh, because you know that Dorothy was right, indeed there's no place like home.