Posted on 03/07/2013 12:39:31 PM PST by Perdogg
Were you really expecting "Oz the Great and Powerful," starring James Franco, to live up to "The Wizard of Oz," starring Judy Garland? If so, you're the one living in a fantasy land.
In reality, the best we could hope for is exactly what we got: a reasonably smart, imaginative spin on the 1939 MGM classic. By now, the world created by novelist L. Frank Baum more than a century ago feels like a myth without an origin, and "Oz the Great and Powerful" wisely avoids slavish loyalty to any canon. Instead, it tries to fashion a fresh story from old material.
(Excerpt) Read more at newsday.com ...
ping
As was the more recent “Tin Man” or whatever that was called
What, you didn’t see “The Wiz” starring Micheal Jackson?
I think your link is broken.
Saw it.
The first Mrs. Lurkin was greatly amused by the “Boogee People” number in Emerald City. Haven’t thought about that in a long time.
Hang on...I need to take another handful of grumpy pills.
My link works
Most of the negative reviews complain that it doesn’t slavishly follow the 1939 movie. Which makes me want to see it. Although the last time I watched the original I realized it’s REALLY weird, a lot weirder than I remembered. Kind of like the first time I watched Willie Wonka as an adult and figured out just how much Wonka hates kids. Both are completely different movies when viewed through grown up eyes in front of a brain that’s largely forgotten the movie.
Ahhh...it’s working now. Must have been my server here at work glitching out.
I hate to admit it, but I saw “The Wiz” in late 70’s (whenever it was released) at the Holloman AFB, NM base theater...paid money... and I actually liked it.
Haven’t seen it since, would probably hate it now.
This new version of “Oz” has excellent special effects, but I’m not sure if the story will be as entrancing. I’m also not a fan of James Franco, I have to say.
I never found the first one entrancing, I found it mostly silly and sometimes annoying. Which is why I’d gone so long without seeing it, then saw it again last year or the year before and was struck by the shear oddity of it, still not entrancing, but a lot more interesting than I remember.
My Daughter always loved all the Oz stories. We got her a book with all of them when she was only around 10. Same about the 1939 movie. She liked some of the newer ones but not some of them too.
She told me Rachel Weisz is her favorite actress. I don’t even know who she is. They are not taking the kids to see it because it might be too violent or intense.
I have read a few of the reviews and they are generally mediocre. I will wait until it comes out in dvd which probably won’t be all that long.
I saw a trailer for this just this afternoon when I was visiting a sick church member. It seems to have a lot of visual brilliance. Maybe it’s something some of my children would like to see.
**************************************
Yes, I meant that I wondered if the story of this new "Oz" would be as entrancing as its special effects. I still love "The Wizard of Oz", but I know that is partly for sentimental reasons.
Still, imho, "The Wizard of Oz" has stood the test of time. One of the reasons that I continue to watch some of the same classics over and over is because every few years or so I find something new to appreciate about them, or some new perspective in them that I never noticed previously.
Some of the best movies, imho, are much like medieval morality plays.
I saw this movie tonight and I would give it 2 stars out of 4. The story beyond the original concept was weak and clichéd, but it had some really touching moments and a strong finish. I thought the humor was too silly at times. Michelle Williams was absolutely gorgeous in this movie, Mila Kunis is beginning to look like the ‘Designing Woman’ Delta Burke, not the ‘First and Ten’ Delta Burke.
The only reason it got PG rating was if it had been given a G rating no one would have watched it. I thought the special effects made the movie look too phony, looked like they came from the John Carter movie. The flying monkeys looked fake not as scary as the original.
There is a clue in this movie as to why people voted for Obama; more of a moral rather than its intent. This movie is apolitical despite its liberal utopianism.
I thought the movie being 3-D really did not add anything to enhance the movie. Danny Elfman’s score was very good, which surprised me. This would be the perfect date movie to take a single mother and her young kids to see.
Thanks for the review. Might be something a few kids could see next weekend.
Saw it this PM, 3 out of 4 stars, felt like I was watching “Wicked”, it was really good. Loved the sepia opening traveling circus, Very Disney. Kids in the audience were loving it. MUCH better than the over hyped Hobbit!!!
You can bet they’ll do a remake of that one....with Beyonce as Dorothy.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.