You are here:

The Wizard of Oz

Name: The Wizard of Oz
Director: Ted Eshbaugh
Released: 1933
Duration: 9 min

Representation Score

2.8/10

Limited

1933

Director

Ted Eshbaugh

Runtime

9 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

New Showbiz Analysis

This 1933 animated fantasy adheres to the conventional social and narrative structures of the early sound era. While featuring a female lead, the world-building relies on traditional hierarchies and standard escapist clichés. The film lacks complexity in identity and social issues, focusing on a straightforward journey through a homogeneous setting. Characters, though non-human, serve as archetypes without exploring deeper aspects of identity or social reality. Ultimately, the production prioritizes conventional storytelling over challenging cultural norms.

Watch this, not that →

Category Breakdown

Does The Wizard of Oz have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The story centers on a young protagonist and her companions, with no depiction of non-binary genders or same-sex relationships.

How does The Wizard of Oz portray gender?

Limited

Dorothy drives the plot, but she exists in a world dominated by male-coded and non-human entities within a traditional fantasy framework.

How racially and ethnically diverse is The Wizard of Oz?

Limited

The film is set in a homogenous Western landscape, with no indication of race-bent casting or ethnic metaphors.

How does The Wizard of Oz represent religion and culture?

Limited

It follows a traditional Western fairy tale structure, serving as an escapist fantasy without critiquing Western institutions.

Does The Wizard of Oz include disability representation?

Limited

The Scarecrow and Tin Woodman are represented as fantasy archetypes rather than nuanced depictions of disability or neurodivergence.

Present on Screen

Dorothy drives the plot, providing a strong female lead.

Limited or Absent

The film lacks diverse racial and ethnic representation.
Characters follow traditional clichés without exploring non-binary or LGBTQ+ perspectives.
Non-human characters are used as magical archetypes rather than nuanced depictions of disability.

Official Synopsis

A storybook opens to depict little Dorothy on the grey Kansas prairies, when suddenly a cyclone comes up, turns her world to color, and she lands on a Scarecrow, who promptly gets up and walks with her. Her dog Toto finds a woodcutter made of tin, so the Scarecrow oils him up and he accompanies them. They watch some animals reproduce before being ushered into the Emerald City by singing suits of armor and a lavish parade of overweight cops before meeting the Wizard, a devious little man who transforms eggs into uncontrollable forms, much to Billina's dismay.

How are these scores produced? →