This is the "B" movie of its day. The bad guys have names like Kruel, Wikked, and Vishuss, while the good guys are lead by Prince Kynd. The DVD has a simplistic musical background, one that might be part of a 1980'd Nintendo sound track. The printed words are read to us. The story is a slightly different version of what we have been used to seeing, but not as bad as Asylum's adaptation of "Moby Dick."
The production borders on camp. When the characters are introduced the actors who play the role are also printed on the screen. The restoration is excellent as the grainy aspect has been removed, although the film remains dark around the borders. The movie also includes Frederick Ko Vert, a female impersonator who wears peacock feathers. His appearance frightens the residents of Oz. Prince Kynd laughs at Frederick and says, "That's a lot of applesauce." Applesauce means "nonsense" but is sometimes used as a code word to describe a sexy female. This might pass as "adult humor" in that age. There is also much slap stick humor.
Oliver Hardy is not the fat man in this film. That is Fatty Alexander. Dorothy turns 18 and the farm hands are interested in courting her...reminded me of the SNL skit, Olsen twins turn 18. There is also a black man, Spencer Bell, eating a watermelon in the movie, something that wouldn't be there today. His real name is fictitiously listed as "G. Howe Black." The race jokes don't end there, there are more.
The plot has holes big enough to drive a truck through.
As entertainment for the family the movie would be a sad flop for modern times. However, if you are looking at the history of camp, history of bad senseless films, or history of racial humor in movies, it might be worth a peek. That large young man on the cover is Oliver Hardy. There was much in this film which reminded me of that later classic, "March of the Wooden Soldiers." The main special effect in this film was how they were able to splice film (lion scenes for one) and make it look realistic. Clearly this film proves movie goers smoked pot in 1925...how else could they watch it?
The production borders on camp. When the characters are introduced the actors who play the role are also printed on the screen. The restoration is excellent as the grainy aspect has been removed, although the film remains dark around the borders. The movie also includes Frederick Ko Vert, a female impersonator who wears peacock feathers. His appearance frightens the residents of Oz. Prince Kynd laughs at Frederick and says, "That's a lot of applesauce." Applesauce means "nonsense" but is sometimes used as a code word to describe a sexy female. This might pass as "adult humor" in that age. There is also much slap stick humor.
Oliver Hardy is not the fat man in this film. That is Fatty Alexander. Dorothy turns 18 and the farm hands are interested in courting her...reminded me of the SNL skit, Olsen twins turn 18. There is also a black man, Spencer Bell, eating a watermelon in the movie, something that wouldn't be there today. His real name is fictitiously listed as "G. Howe Black." The race jokes don't end there, there are more.
The plot has holes big enough to drive a truck through.
As entertainment for the family the movie would be a sad flop for modern times. However, if you are looking at the history of camp, history of bad senseless films, or history of racial humor in movies, it might be worth a peek. That large young man on the cover is Oliver Hardy. There was much in this film which reminded me of that later classic, "March of the Wooden Soldiers." The main special effect in this film was how they were able to splice film (lion scenes for one) and make it look realistic. Clearly this film proves movie goers smoked pot in 1925...how else could they watch it?