This film basically takes the OZ story and turns it on its head. Oz is still a magical place, but at a much reduced price. Most of the story takes place in Kansas. They don't even get to Oz until 45 minutes into this 80 minute film and when they get there it still looks like Kansas. This film gets away from trying to tell a story about the magical land of Oz and tries instead to capitalize on certain genres that were hot during the day, such as action-adventure, cliff-hangers and most notably, slapstick comedy.
In fact, this film looks like it was built around one of it's supporting stars. A man, who after this film, would start a career that would put him in the annals of film-comedy legends. A man, who would be half of one of the most successful comedy teams ever. He also ends up being a major silent-to sound survivor. The success he would have in the silent era would be even better in the talkies. Oliver Hardy would be cast as the tin woodsman in this film and the attention this film pays to slapstick and vaudeville turns this film into a plotless mess, but with plenty of comedy skits and some really impressive stunt work, even by Hardy himself. It's like the producers saw in Hardy his future. His first real pairing with Stan Laurel wouldn't happen for another three years, but the man in the Scarecrow role, also the Writer, Producer and Director of the film, Larry Semon, has a a striking resemblance to Stan Laurel.
The plot of the film dulls down the enchanted aspect of Oz. My guess is it involved a weak budget. Even the three main farmhands end up not even being real. What I mean is, The Scarecrow isn't a scarecrow-man, but Semon's character just gets in a scarecrow costume, just to avoid trouble and keeps it on for the rest of the film. Same with the Cowardly Lion. It's just a costume, that the black character, Snowball, played by Semon-film regular Spencer Bell (credited in film as the not-PC correct, "G. Howe Black"), puts on to scare some bad-guys. Hardy's tin woodsman is just him putting metal parts on himself as a disguise and protection.
Another weird plot change involves the three farmhands and their connection to Dorothy. In the 1939 MGM classic, Judy Garland is 17, playing a character, that for all purposes, is 15, so fairly close in comparison with character/actress age. The three farmhands are just three old guys who manage Antie Em's farm. In this film Dorothy is 18, played by Semon's wife, Dorothy Dwan, who is 19 in this film, so also character/actress accurate. Dorothy has to be 18, because it is decreed in Oz that when Dorothy reaches womanhood and turns 18 she inherits the crown of Oz, so the plot develops from there. The odd part of this equation, after seeing MGM 1939, is in this film, two of the three farmhands have a more amorous mission to accomplish with Dorothy. It's weird seeing the tin woodsman and the scarecrow hitting on Dorothy to be their wife.
There are some special effects tricks that the producers try to accomplish in the film with some success, especially for 1925. There also are a lot of impressive stunts done in typical silent film fashion. There also are some nicely stylized camera shots and use of lighting. The film tries its best with some interesting set pieces and camera trickery. Unfortunately, the film is a mess in plot design. It is one skit after another with a miniscule plot arc tying them all together. It manages to exhibit all the negatives that silent film had. Those things that probably annoyed even movie-goers back then. A spastic mess, speeding quickly past the screen, with flashes of sparks and gems, which crashes and burns, because it is one big thematic cliché that was getting old even then. Thankfully, Oliver Hardy's resume' explodes after this film was released.
5.4 (D- MyGrade) = 6 IMDB.
In fact, this film looks like it was built around one of it's supporting stars. A man, who after this film, would start a career that would put him in the annals of film-comedy legends. A man, who would be half of one of the most successful comedy teams ever. He also ends up being a major silent-to sound survivor. The success he would have in the silent era would be even better in the talkies. Oliver Hardy would be cast as the tin woodsman in this film and the attention this film pays to slapstick and vaudeville turns this film into a plotless mess, but with plenty of comedy skits and some really impressive stunt work, even by Hardy himself. It's like the producers saw in Hardy his future. His first real pairing with Stan Laurel wouldn't happen for another three years, but the man in the Scarecrow role, also the Writer, Producer and Director of the film, Larry Semon, has a a striking resemblance to Stan Laurel.
The plot of the film dulls down the enchanted aspect of Oz. My guess is it involved a weak budget. Even the three main farmhands end up not even being real. What I mean is, The Scarecrow isn't a scarecrow-man, but Semon's character just gets in a scarecrow costume, just to avoid trouble and keeps it on for the rest of the film. Same with the Cowardly Lion. It's just a costume, that the black character, Snowball, played by Semon-film regular Spencer Bell (credited in film as the not-PC correct, "G. Howe Black"), puts on to scare some bad-guys. Hardy's tin woodsman is just him putting metal parts on himself as a disguise and protection.
Another weird plot change involves the three farmhands and their connection to Dorothy. In the 1939 MGM classic, Judy Garland is 17, playing a character, that for all purposes, is 15, so fairly close in comparison with character/actress age. The three farmhands are just three old guys who manage Antie Em's farm. In this film Dorothy is 18, played by Semon's wife, Dorothy Dwan, who is 19 in this film, so also character/actress accurate. Dorothy has to be 18, because it is decreed in Oz that when Dorothy reaches womanhood and turns 18 she inherits the crown of Oz, so the plot develops from there. The odd part of this equation, after seeing MGM 1939, is in this film, two of the three farmhands have a more amorous mission to accomplish with Dorothy. It's weird seeing the tin woodsman and the scarecrow hitting on Dorothy to be their wife.
There are some special effects tricks that the producers try to accomplish in the film with some success, especially for 1925. There also are a lot of impressive stunts done in typical silent film fashion. There also are some nicely stylized camera shots and use of lighting. The film tries its best with some interesting set pieces and camera trickery. Unfortunately, the film is a mess in plot design. It is one skit after another with a miniscule plot arc tying them all together. It manages to exhibit all the negatives that silent film had. Those things that probably annoyed even movie-goers back then. A spastic mess, speeding quickly past the screen, with flashes of sparks and gems, which crashes and burns, because it is one big thematic cliché that was getting old even then. Thankfully, Oliver Hardy's resume' explodes after this film was released.
5.4 (D- MyGrade) = 6 IMDB.