While this set is a dream come true for fans of the 1939 WIZARD OF OZ, it is even more so for those of us who have waited for years to see quality prints of the various silent film versions especially the 1925 feature directed by and starring Larry Semon. This version (along with ones made in 1910 and 1914) has long been available only in substandard editions that feature copies taken from a worn, faded 16mm print with terrible music and voiceover narration of the intertitles. Turner Entertainment/Warner Home Video has not only given us a beautifully restored print with silent film tints and proper speed correction, but they have also given us an appropriate new score from Robert Israel which goes a long way in enhancing the viewing experience.
While this version cannot compare with the 1939 film, it does have a lot to offer the silent film enthusiast. Director Larry Semon who plays the Scarecrow was one of the top silent comics of the early 1920’s. It was he who gave Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy their first big breaks. In fact Hardy plays the Tin Man here. Semon was known for his outrageous large scale sight gags and frenetic chase sequences which made his movies very expensive to produce. This WIZARD, just like the ones before it, was a financial flop and brought about the end of Semon’s career. He died in 1928 at the age of only 39 and virtually all of his films were forgotten.
As you watch this movie, try and put all thoughts of the 1939 version aside and think of this as a comic fantasy featuring the L. Frank Baum characters with heavy doses of slapstick thrown in. Under those conditions you’ll find the 1925 version has something to offer especially in this gorgeous new transfer although be prepared for some offensive racial stereotyping concerning the Black farmhand played by Spencer Bell (he’s billed as G. Howe Black) . However he does save the day as The Cowardly Lion.
The 1910 and 1914 films which are much closer in spirit to the OZ books (Baum himself produced the 1914 versions) have never looked this good before. Neither has the 1939 version. And so you have it, a collector’s edition that lives up to its name and is worth the money. Check out other reviews for descriptions of the 1939 film and all the many extras that come with this set. OZ lovers rejoice and silent film fans do the same for now we have something to celebrate.
The Capsule Critic 