A "Wonderful Wiz", Indeed

Rating: 10/10 (12 March 2017)

After reading the novel "Wicked" (which I was thoroughly bored/disappointed with) and then picking up the book "The Making of Oz" (which I enjoyed immensely), the natural progression led me to sit down and watch the original "Wizard of Oz" film for the first time in 10 years or so. As people have likely been saying for 70 years now, I was transformed into a small child once again, inwardly dreading the exact second the Wicked Witch first comes on the screen in a big puff of smoke and singing along to each and every song/dance number.
Everyone knows the story...Dorothy Gale from Kansas "travels" to the magical city of Oz, where she meets such characters as the Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Cowardly Lion, while trying all the while just to get home. During her travels, she is tormented by the Wicked Witch of the East, as well as entering into a love/hate relationship with the Wizard himself.
What really strikes me, though, is how well this film has held up over time. With the possible exceptions of Casablanca and Gone With the Wind (and I believe an even stronger case for "Oz" can be made than either of those two), this film has charmed the hearts and minds of both children and adults alike for an incredibly long time. Just think of all the children's movies (e.g. Disney, Pixar, High School Musical) and television programs (e.g. Cartoons, Nickelodeon, Disney Channel) that have came and went over the years, yet children (like the younger sister I recently watched the film with) still watch with wonder as Dorothy opens that door into the wonderful world of Oz.
Thus, there really isn't anything bad that can be said about The Wizard of Oz. It is the consummate children's film, filled with incredible color, silly acting, and plenty of singing and dancing, while it still holds its appeal to all but the most crotchety of older folks, as the filmmaking was so well-constructed that it stands the test of time.
It is a long-held tradition that the film is shown once a year on network television, and I would recommend adhering to that "regime", even if you go the DVD route. Trust me, it will never get old.