Am I the only one who finds The Wizard of Oz to be sorta overrated as a movie?

[smahala1991]

I mean it is an iconic film, but I also feel like it's not worth a repeat watch after 5 times.

[Static_In_The_Attic]

As for the Wizard Of Oz it was truly one movie that traumatized me for life. Everything was lollipops & candy drops as they say & then The Evil Dorothy came along. First the Wicked Witch Of The East was murdered when Dorothy’s house landed on her & after that Dorothy stole her shoes to dance around on the yellow brick road & on her quest to get home she murdered the Wicked Witch Of The West with a bucket of water. If you ask me the only witch in the movie was Dorothy.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/6exm2Hi28Xw

[Qdbrown]

I am old enough to remember when we only had four VHF stations back in the late 70's and early 80's. The Wizard of Oz would come on one of the stations the Friday before Easter. It was always magical as a kid. And I am a two generations before it was something you could only see at movie house/theater.

Being a classic, it's heavily quoted in movies films all through the ages. You can learn about the quotes, but it does help to understand the references, my pretty, pretty. Nevernind the man behind the green curtain.

[LiterarySeas]

I was always confused about the entire thing as a kid because I'd either fall asleep or get so bored I'd lose focus. And this is coming from an avid movie and musical fan.
For the time it was released, it was considered a great movie, but it hasn't aged so well. in my opinion thhe only reason it’s considered the greatest movie of all time is because that was what people thought of it a long time ago

[wpmason]

I can’t recall ever hearing anyone say it’s the greatest film of all time. That debate is reserved for Citizen Kane, Casablanca, and The Godfather.

[LiterarySeas]

@wpmason I once saw a documentary at school in Film of people saying it’s a cinematic masterpiece,

[LiterarySeas]

It's also included in lists of top-rated films of all time

[juliaanita]

@wpmason I'll vote Godfather, but Casablanca is a close second :)

[Crissy_J]

Compared to the junk movies we have these days, I’d say Wizard of Oz is a masterpiece. I think the set and costumes was perfect given the time. It’s no Ben-Hur or Cleopatra, but all the aesthetics fit it perfectly. I enjoyed watching old Hollywood black and white films growing up. The golden era of Hollywood had a lot more originality, charm and mystery.

[OlderAndWiser]

Have you ever watched it with the album Dark Side Of The Moon playing instead of the movie soundtrack?

[smahala1991]

One time in music class in high school

[Curmudgeon]

Someone beat me to this.

[OlderAndWiser]

@Curmudgeon Next time, get up a little bit earlier in the morning! :) :) :)

[DeltaCharlieEcho]

For it's entertainment value, yeah it's not a great movie after the first time; but in terms of it's significance both in adaptation and basically creating the advancements that would allow modern movies to be so visually stimulating, then it's underrated.

The thing is that we can't look at movies, media, or art, in terms of comparison against modern works because those modern works are built on the backs of all the arts that came before them. Much like we can't view the actions of yesterday through the lens of modern morality. It was a different time, with different morals, and different production techniques; enjoy it for what it is.

[Jazquee]

That's because your from the era that doesn't appreaciate old school films.
For its time it was an amazing show and it has good life lessons.. again not your time so understandable that you wouldn't get it.
I loved it as a child... Witch scared the shit out of me.

[Jazquee]

You probably feel the same about never ending story. But to my era a classic...

[EmbraceThePain]

I think a lot of people think similarly to you, but not just towards that movie but other movies as well. Perhaps it’s just a fact that a lot of things that are overhyped don’t stand up to the hype upon experiencing them. I think a lot of us create this fantasy or imagination in our heads when we anticipate something that is overhyped, so that when we actually experience it the thing doesn’t equal our idealistic imagination or fantasy.

[kyleelyn199723]

I’m with you on that. Actually I have always found wizard of Oz quite terrifying to watch

[CasuallySamsonite]

Nope, not alone on that. I wish they made a version (there was a book like this) from the "wicked witch's" perspective... I mean, if someone dropped a house on my sister and stole her shoes as if that was okay, I might be a little mad and unhinged too... js.

[888theGreat]

It was like Star Wars when it came out. Older people though it was out of this world outrageous at that time. It is clean non sexual movie that anyone could watch. 1939 and it cost $2.9 million , unheard of at that time. During great depression. I could see people upset that kind of money was spent on a movie with so many people starving. They probably didn't know how much was spent until years later.

[smahala1991]

It actually didn't get very popular until it was released in the sixties About 66/67

[smahala1991]

Re-released

[Vivaldi]

Gone with the wind (1939) was 4 million dollar budget.

[zagor]

Definitely. I had a classic old illustrated storybook of the Wizard of Oz as a kid. When I later saw the movie it paled in comparison and seemed kind of stupid and archaic.

Unfortunately the book was destroyed at some unremembered point in the past.

[nomazi]

I really wouldn’t find it overrated because I don’t see it pushed as much if that makes sense. It’s a good movie and it deserves its praise in my opinion. I know people who can watch movies in general 10+ times and not get tired of it though.

[Smashingdoozy]

Truthfully I've never seen it. The whole idea of it freaked me out as a kid and it still does to this day. Also feel like it's one of those movies that is best to watch at the time of release when it's more relevant.

[rachel776]

it's 80 years old, it was made for a different time and sensibility. and back then you couldn't watch it 5 times

[victoria5475]

I agree. I find the sight of clean yellow bricks to be unrealistic enough. Instead, try watching a historical movie, such as The Longest Day or A Bridge Too Far.

[SaoirseS]

I watched it once as a kid, and later with nieces and nephews. It was definitely a movie masterpiece for its time and is still an iconic film. I have no interest in watching it again though.

[Adam1978]

If you can watch a movie five times it must be great. Most movies you don't want to watch twice. And some not even ones. It must have gone a half decade before I rewatch most good movies.

[CapnHawk]

I've never watched it from beginning to end. It's not my cup of tea. However, I will say that 1939 was the greatest year in movie history.

[iseekpinetrees]

It was amazing for its time. But most movies aren't worth watching multiple times over and over.

[Djaay]

Not one single person on this question knows what that movie depicts. The wizard of oz was a movie of America and how the government holds fast to gain against its own people. ohhhhh... the blind herd.

[LeeannaDD]

For its time it was very good. I would rewatch it for nostalgic reasons

[SamA_nold]

I hate that movie. It's all my younger sister ever wanted to watch growing up, so now I hate it

[GoodGuyBreakingBad]

Yes, Wizard of Oz is overrated, Now they found the dress that Dorothy wore, now their wanting to make something out of that with a new movie