I love this movie so much

If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

It's easily one of the freshest, sharpest and most enjoyable films of this year.

This is a very good adaption of L. Frank Baum's "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz". While the 1939 movie is pretty much unforgettable, it is not the most faithful to the book. This version, on the other hand, is.The animations may not be the greatest, but it is pretty decent for an anime from the early 80s. The character designs were not bad at all, and they seem to be based of of some of the illustrations from the later Oz books.The voice acting is also pretty good. Aileen Quinn is no Judy Garland, but she does do a good job of capturing the original character, and Elizabeth Hanna is perfect for the brief role of the Wicked Witch of the West.All in all, I'll give this movie a nine out of ten, and I highly recommend this version if you are a fan of the book and was disappointed by how much the 1939 movie strayed from the book.

I don't think it holds a candle to the timeless classic that is the 1939 film with Judy Garland, however it deserves to stand on its own and that's how I'm going to judge it now. I have to say I really like this animated version, and I have to say if there is anything that is superior over the 1939 film it is that it is closer to the book, there are a few changes but in spirit this version is very faithful. And the story itself is just charming, never dull and will appeal to children and adults I think. The animation may have some stiff character movements but the backgrounds and colours are very pretty. The score is great, the mix of light jazz and contemporary music is interesting and beautifully composed while never jarring, and the songs are very sweet without falling into the trap of being saccharine. The dialogue has its choppy moments and the lip-synching is sloppy but there are still some heartwarming and funny moments too. The characters live long in the memory, Dorothy is a very endearing protagonist, Scarecrow, Tin Man and Cowardly Lion are amusing in their own right and the Wicked Witch of the West is appropriately sinister while not being overly so. The voice acting is generally very good, and the dub for an 80s dub is actually not bad at all.Sure, Thick Wilson doesn't come across as cowardly enough and Lorne Greene is far too detached. However, Billy Van is a very charming Scarecrow while Elizabeth Hanna is dead-on, right from the cackling of the Witched Witch, whose role is small but still significant(Hanna really sounds like she's relishing every moment), to the benevolence of the Good Witch of the North. John Stocker appeals also as the Tin Man, almost melancholic and caring when he needs to be. But the best of the voice cast is easily Aileen Quinn- I happen actually to be a fan of Annie and her performance in it. She is simply adorable and puts a lot of spirit into a role that could be potentially vapid, and her singing voice is really extraordinary and very powerful. From experience with teaching primary school children singing for half-a-year to get some experience for studying singing at Birmingham, I will say that few people her age sing the way Quinn does, not everybody will like her voice but I find it unique and beautiful.Overall, a very well-done, entertaining and charming film, not the best version but fans of the book will be satisfied I think. 7.5/10 Bethany Cox

This movie may not be the greatest quality you will find in cartoons, but to me it's a gem! I watched this movie for the first time when I was 3 or 4, and continued to watch it about once every two months until I was about 9. After losing track of it for thirteen years I finally found a copy and watched it again. I have to say, even now when I am "all grown up" I still find this movie charming! I would recommend this movie to any parent with small kids. As a child, I remember being very excited by all the magic and mystery - and of course the excitement of fighting the Wicked Witch of the West. And of course there's a lot about friendship and loyalty in the story. If you want to get your kid really into fantasy/adventure stories, this version of Wizard of Oz is a good investment. Copies are hard to find nowadays because it's a very obscure, little-known cartoon, but they do exist. Personally, I'm going to try to keep my VHS copy in reasonably good condition until I have kids of my own in a few years!

This is one of the best screen adaptions of the "Wizard of Oz" tale I've seen. The story in this movie stays a lot closer to the novel than the Garland musical (which I love very much, don't get me wrong). The plot, as always, is the same: young Dorothy and her dog Toto get whisked away in a tornado to the magical Land of Oz and has to journey to see the mysterious Wizard, who lives in the Emerald City. Along the way she meets the Scarcrow, who wants a brain, the Tin Man, who wants a heart, and the Cowardly Lion who desperately wants some courage. The trouble is the Wizard won't grant any of their wishes until they defeat the Wicked Witch of the West for him.The animation in this movie, while not spectacular, seems to be fitting and it looks a bit like anime sometimes.This movie has some great songs. Sadly I don't know the names of the songs, and even worse I don't think they've ever been released on any sort of soundtrack but they are brilliant and Aileen Quinn's voice and song work in this movie is AMAZING. Her talent is worth seeing the movie for alone! Kids will love this. I saw this movie for the first time as a 5 year old and it captured me from the start. It can be a bit scary but it shouldn't be missed. 9/10!