The Wizard of Oz (1925)

I love this movie so much

Very very predictable, including the post credit scene !!!

Don't listen to the Hype. It's awful

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

I have to say that this is an interesting adaptation of L. Frank Baum's famous story "The Wizard Of Oz" - the most interesting thing about it being that it seems to have little to do with either L. Frank Baum or The Wizard Of Oz. The story, as it's told here, is really about the attempt of a wicked tyrant named "Kruel" to continue to oppress the inhabitants of a land called "Oz." In this version of the story, there is no wicked witch - nor is there a good witch for that matter. In fact, for the most part, Oz isn't really much different from - well - anywhere else. But the people of Oz are looking for their long lost princess. Into the picture bursts Dorothy (played by a actress named Dorothy Dwan) who gets blown into Oz by a Kansas tornado (OK, something familiar from Baum's story) and discovers her true identity.The story doesn't really revolve around Dorothy, though. Nor does "The Wizard" (played by Charles Murray) have a particularly important role. He's a charlatan of no great significance. The movie revolves around the characters played by Larry Semon, a successful veteran of silent films, who also directed and produced this, along with helping to adapt the book. He's the "scarecrow" character - although not a real scarecrow, just dressed up as a scarecrow, and most of the movie is about his unrequited love for Dorothy.I found this really quite bizarre. The most interesting thing about it might be that it features Oliver Hardy (of Laurel & Hardy fame) as the Woodsman, among other characters. It's not bad technically and has some decent enough effects for the day. The story is quite disjointed, although it does have some humorous moments. I'd have to believe that the reason a lot of people think it's so bad is because it just isn't "The Wizard Of Oz." It was a very expensive movie for its day, and basically was responsible for bankrupting Chadwick Pictures. Semon's career also seemed to go downhill pretty quickly afterward. Still, one shouldn't dismiss it so quickly. It may not be a very good movie and the story may not make a lot of sense, but you can't deny that it's a true historical curiosity. (6/10)

If you have only seen the public domain version of this film, chances are you despise it. I know I did. The public domain version is slowed down to play at a normal speed. It has an annoying score and a bored woman reading the title cards to you. It is absolutely torture to watch.Enter: Warner Bros' Three-Disc DVD of The Wizard of Oz (1939). This film appears on the third disc, digitally restored, with colored tints, and a brand new score. It's played at the correct silent film speed and is absolutely hilarious. I thoroughly enjoyed watching this version of the film. This film is much different from the story we all know. In this film, Dorothy is the rightful heir to the kingdom of Oz. However, King Krewl is out to make sure she doesn't find out. Larry Semon and Oliver Hardy are hilarious in their roles as farmhands who end up disguising themselves as a scarecrow and a tin woodsman.

This film SHOULD have bankrupted everyone associated with it, to concur with Walter Kerr! I saw clips of it years ago on PBS, with a soundtrack cobbled together from Copland's OUR TOWN score and other classical selections. Not half-bad, made me curious to see more, having just read the original Oz book. Then I saw the complete film years later on cable. Whaa-OH! Not GOOD, either! Twelve parts Semon's desperation slapstick to one part Baum gave me one walloping cinematic hangover! Those titles like the quote in the above summary! Those falls from towers, airplanes, haystacks--and don't forget the mud baths! That puking duck! That THING out of the basket! I'd recommend this only for the virulently curious and undaunted. Track down Richard Roberts' superb three-part CLASSIC IMAGES essay on Semon before you do--it's online, try the Semon entry in Wikipedia. You'll find it by far more amusing (and coherent) than this film!

I didn't read the book by L. Frank Baum so I can't say if this adaptation is faithful but it was adapted by his son for a screenplay. In this silent film version, everything is minimal but still it is entertaining at times. The cast stars Dorothy Dwan as Dorothy. The supporting cast has Oliver Hard from Laurel and Hardy as the Tin woodsman. The film has retained Dorothy, the scarecrow, the tin man, and the lion in it's cast. There are no special effects but there are large crowd scenes. The story is about Dorothy who is the rightful heir to the kingdom of Oz but the Wizard of Oz is doing everything he can to keep her from gaining the throne. There is no tornado or wicked witches but the wicked wizard. This film would be good for die-hard Wizard of Oz fans as well as silent film-buffs but for not much else.