The Wizard of Oz

Movie: The Wizard of Oz, 1939; 103 min

Director: Victor Fleming

Actors: Judy Garland, Frank Morgan, Ray Bolger, Bert Lahr, Jack Haley

Summary:

Dorothy, a young woman from Kansas is swept away in a tornado to a magical land. She sets out to find the Wizard of Oz in hope that he will help her return home. On the way, Dorothy encounters a scarecrow, tin man, and cowardly lion, who accompany her on her journey.

Question 1: What is unique about the use of color in this film?

            This film was one of the first films to incorporate color into the typically black and white movies. What is interesting is that the movie begins in black and white, but then surprisingly switches into color. When the film is black and white, Dorothy is on her farm in Kansas and is living a boring life compared to life in the Land of Oz. Once she leaves her home and enters the magical world over the rainbow, the film switches into color. The color appears just as Dorothy steps into the magical land, giving the audience the feeling that they are experiencing the surprise and magic just like Dorothy. Without the color, the film would not have been as magical. This is what made the Wizard of Oz so unique and legendary.

Question 2: In what ways do the actors portray their roles differently compared to present day acting? Are there any other films where the actors portray their roles similarly?

            The Wizard of Oz was made in the earlier days of film, and since then acting has evolved. The film is more of a musical than any other genre because it contains numerous songs and some dancing. The acting is also different because the actors play their characters as if they were in a musical on stage. Their facial expressions are big and meant to extend out into the audience. The character’s voices are also different. For example, Judy Garland exaggerates her emotional reactions and voice throughout the movie. Except, this type of acting can be similar to the acting in present day movies that fall under the musical genre. For example, actors in musicals like Hairspray also exaggerate their characters. This is mainly because there is singing and dancing, and also because many movie musicals are originally meant for live performance on stage.