8 Film Musicals For People Who Don't Like Musicals

4. The Wizard Of Oz (1939)

At its release in 1939, this beloved American classic received three Oscar nods €“ for Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography and Best Special Effects. From the expressionistic sepia-toned opening where Dorothy's house is swept up by a devastating tornado, to her journey along the yellow brick road, to the dazzling Emerald City, you're in for a treat. The movie may already be over eighty years old and its then-groundbreaking special effects may feel outdated for a contemporary audience. Yet, even Sam Raimi's recent prequel €“ in all its CGI glory €“ pales in comparison, and barely managing to capture the intelligence and imagination of the original. Watching The Wizard of Oz today feels like travelling back to a time when children movies weren't plagued by self-consciousness and pop-culture references. As a matter of fact, rather than its visual splendour, it's really the purity and the honesty of the characters that draws you in. The story may take a darker turn once we meet the wizard, but overall it's an enchanting festival of witty, light-hearted songs and dance numbers. The movie won for Best Original Score and there's not a single dull song in the entire film. They are all iconic and catchy tunes, and when Judy Garland sings the Oscar-winning ballad "Over the Rainbow", time just stops. The Wizard of Oz was made a decade after the Great Depression, and just before WW2 started. When released, the message of the movie was clear: America was the greatest place to live. So stay put children, don't try to see if the grass is greener on the other side €“ because there's no place like home.