10 Classic Films Critics Originally Hated

One of 2 in colour classics from director Victor Fleming in 1939 (the other being the increasingly controversial Gone With The Wind), The Wizard of Oz is considered one of America's most iconic and enduring classics. The film polarised critics, however, with acknowledgement of its music and technical achievements going hand in hand with knocks on its style, characterisations and take on the fantasy genre.

The Wizard of Oz proved unsuccessful for MGM at the time of release, failing to attract a wide audience despite the enormity of its production. 1956 would turn everything around for the twice re-released marvel when CBS premiered it on the small screen. Thanks to the explosive success of Peter Pan on Broadway the year prior, there was a renewed interest in musical fantasies leading to Oz's reappraisal.

Its near infinite re-runs in the decades since have made it the most-watched film of all time and a family tradition in the US. History has been kind to the grandest adaptation of L. Frank Baum's classic children's novel, with it now being considered a milestone for its groundbreaking use of Technicolour and impact on the fantasy, musical and children's genres.