MUBI

On any level you care to look at it, this is an amazing film. Occasionally the Hollywood dream factory came through with something that more than justified its existence and this is one such example. Filled with imagination, talent and creativity, this film will never go out of style – I can’t believe it doesn’t have more fans on this site, but I think that is because so many people have taken it for granted so long, it is so woven into the fabric of people’s movie-going experiences from their earliest years.

It is believed to by the most-watched film ever made, and the reason for that is the irresistable feeling that there seems to be magic imprinted onto every frame of the film. It is perhaps the first overt fantasy film to be widely accepted by mass audiences, and the elements of the fantastic are too whimsical and warm to be denied. Judy Garland gives a great performance, as does the supporting cast, and the songs and musical numbers are justly legendary. It may not be the deepest or most complex movie ever made, but one cannot deny it’s one of the most enjoyable, and if the purpose of film is truly to whisk the viewer off to another world, it is one of the most successful.