The Wizard of Oz turns 80

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A film that was released before any of us were born is about to celebrate its 80th birthday.

If ever there was a movie that could touch the heart of millions, and demonstrate why we love movies: this is it.


Spanning time, generations, cultures and countries - this classic still brings a smile to us all. Do you have favorite scenes, characters, lines, themes or songs?

My favorite song is Over The Rainbow, in fact, it's one of my favorite songs of all time.

So many scenes to enjoy : I still laugh at the scene of the Cowardly Lion running down the hall and jumping out the window. Love to watch the Scarecrow start off on wobbly legs when he's let down from the pole, and then joyously dance. Those two are probably my favorite characters as well. And the 4 friends linking arms while going off on the yellow brick road never grows old for me.

Line (of the day) is when Dorothy asks how the Scarecrow can talk - and he observes that some people with no brains do an awful lot of talking.

Best theme- the joy of friendship.


All comments welcome

Happy Birthday to The Wizard of Oz - may you stay forever young.



Ghouls, vampires, werewolves... let's party.
The Wizard of Oz is my favorite MGM movie and I think my favorite scene is when Dorothy first steps into the very colorful Munchkinland. I'm always amazed at how brilliant the color was for a movie released in 1939 (And I'm colorblind!).

Of course, my favorite song is Over the Rainbow.




Believe it or not...I've only seen The Wizard of Oz once and that was only fairly recently. I liked it too. One of these days I'll have to rewatch it.
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A truly iconic movie that I've watched countless times.
Favourite scene is of course when the trees show the true, evil and vindictive nature that all trees possess.



Someone asked me in an interview awhile back, what is a song that you'd wished you'd written. Without hesitation I answered "Over the Rainbow".

The Harold Harlen/Yip Harburg song is arguably the finest song ever written for a musical.

~Doc



It is a film that i have grown to like more and more each time i watch it.
I didn't really like it after the first viewing, giving it a 4/10 in the book 1001 movies to see before you die. But then my children wanted to watch it, so i sat and watched it with them and i found it to be better than i last thought. I have watched it a few more times since then and like it more and more.



You can't make a rainbow without a little rain.
When does this hit public domain?

From Wikipedia:

"The 1939 version of The Wizard of Oz is the most well-known adaptation of The Wizard of Oz; in many respects, its popularity surpassed the original book. Its copyright was renewed in 1967,[3] so it will remain copyrighted for a 95-year term, entering the public domain in 2035."


Here are a couple of links about the copyright of The Wizard of Oz books and movies:

Is The Wizard of Oz in the public domain?

Copyright status of The Wizard of Oz and related works in the United States
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Those songs have been rattling around in my head off and on since I was 10. Considering just how old it is now, it's amazing how it still works as one of the defining pieces of Americana. I have to admit that when I was a kid, the twister scene scared the crap out of me.




You can't make a rainbow without a little rain.
Those songs have been rattling around in my head off and on since I was 10. Considering just how old it is now, it's amazing how it still works as one of the defining pieces of Americana. I have to admit that when I was a kid, the twister scene scared the crap out of me.

For me, the scariest part of the movie was the flying monkeys.



Its a good film, but that is as far as I will go with it. It was a fun watch. I am not sure if watching it in my late teens rather than early childhood had an effect, but it is what it is.
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For me, the scariest part of the movie was the flying monkeys.
Yeah, the flying monkeys were creepy, but compared to being swept away in a twister, I'd face a whole wagon full of them. I think that's what the Scarecrow would say anyway.



I can't help thinking that after Dorothy finally woke up, Miss Gulch is still going to get poor little Toto.
After being swept away still riding her bike, Miss Gulch probably landed in Iowa and was found by firefighters in a pile of debris.

I just looked at that clip I posted and noticed that the wind was blowing the wrong way in a couple of shots as Dorothy entered the farm house and tries to get in the storm cellar, fleeing from the storm. It should have been left to right unless they were in the southern hemisphere. Oh well, childhood fantasies shattered.

Nevertheless, it was about the most convincing tornado in movie history. I've been too close to a couple of them and it's still my favorite, even though I never woke up in Oz.



Yes indeed,and how different would it have been if-Shirley Temple had starred in it? [she was the original choice]an American film classic to be sure but some shady behind the scenes goings on..follow the yellow brick road!



I couldn't even imagine Shirley Temple singing any of those songs. Judy Garland had the perfect voice to play Dorothy.
Oh little Shirley would've sung them,it's hard to imagine because Judy's voice is the only one used,and by Judy being older with a trained voice of course we now couldn't imagine anyone else singing them.



Oh little Shirley would've sung them,it's hard to imagine because Judy's voice is the only one used,and by Judy being older with a trained voice of course we now couldn't imagine anyone else singing them.
Deanna Durbin could have done that role and sang it herself too.



Ghouls, vampires, werewolves... let's party.
Oh little Shirley would've sung them,.
She could have sung them, but not very well. I never liked Shirley Temple. Her voice was amateurish. MGM made a much better choice in choosing Judy Garland. No doubt about that.