Oliver! (1968)

Rating:80%
Okay we're only less then two weeks away from Les Mis. So with that said, it's time to review another musical best picture winner. So here's my review for Oliver!

Plot: Oliver Twist is a young boy who grows up in a workhouse. One day the other boys make him ask for more gruel which causes him to be kicked out of the workhouse and sold to work fora children's funeral. Eventually he escapes however, and comes to London where he meets another boy named Dodger who takes him to Fagin who trains him to become a pickpocket.

This was a well done movie as an adapted musical. I mean I've seen the actual show so I know, and comparing that to this film, they adapted it pretty well. The setting was well done, it had some fairly nice and cheery choreography, and the characters were very well displayed - most notably Ron Moody as Fagin hands down. I mean If you enjoy the story of Oliver Twist and are also a fan of the musical, then you'll enjoy this. It does leaves out a couple of songs that are from the musical and some songs are played at different scenes then were they are in the musical, but most of the ones that are left out aren't that big anyway and how some of the songs are placed aren't that important. Besides, when it comes to this musical, the important thing is that it plays is bigger numbers such as "Consider Yourself", "Pick a Pocket or Two", "Oom-Pah-Pah", and of coarse "Reviewing the Situation". Now does this movie deserve to have won best picture during its year? I don't know since I haven't seen all of the other nominations from that year, but from what I understand, no. The one argument I've heard is that 2001: Space Odyssey was the real big deal and that Oliver! only won because people really liked musicals back in the 60's. Would I agree? Mostly. I mean the only other nomination I've seen form that year was the second half of The Lion in Winter which was pretty good from what I remember so that one at least possibly should've won . But with 2001: Space Odyssey - now bear in mind that I've only seen that movie once and that I apparently have to see it a second time to get it according to my brother - I think what really kept that film from even being nominated was how it was really slow and not everyone was going to get it, especially if you have not read the book. So really it's just a matter of dumb luck that that film just didn't get the buzz that it gets today which is why this film won.

So that's my review for Oliver! It probably should not have won considering the other films from that time, but even if it shouldn't have, it's still a very enjoyable film that was an excellent adaption to the musical, I hope that Les Mis is just as good of an adaption at the very least. ...Well actually that's not true. I want that film to be super, ultra loyal to the musical and be so awesome that I want to buy it the moment it comes out on blue-ray...or else...