Rediscovering Magic: A Review of 'The Wizard of Oz'
‘The Wizard of Oz’ is the legendary story of a young girl, Dorothy Gale who is transported from Kansas to the colourful Land of Oz via a twister. She is joined by her dog Toto and new friends Scarecrow, Tin Man and Cowardly Lion in order to find the Wizard of Oz to help her get home. Their journey is not easy for they are pursued by the Wicked Witch of the West who wants to avenge the death of her sister.
Major issues of the ‘’The Wizard of Oz’’ exist as issues of identity, bravery, and the need to find one’s place in the world. Sharing the change of the mood from the harsh and oppressive black and white world to the fantastic and colorful Oz perfectly emphasizes the film’s message of the wisar within a person. Concentration on childhood with its main values such as friendship, messages of kindness, and courage are refined throughout the story.
Probably the most memorable performance is Judy Garland as Dorothy. She depicts youth and bravery of the character, and also sang one of the most memorable songs ‘Over the Rainbow’. Ray Bolger, Jack Haley, and Bert Lahr as the Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Cowardly Lion add more fun and emotion to the picture and all give soaring several touching performances which make the journey of their characters very personal.
Removing the narrative guide of the stage, and with the overseeing direction of Victor Fleming, the film, co-directed by King Vidor, brings vision completely to the foreground and transforms the familiar tale of Oz into a fantasy-adventure masterpiece. The directors have designed a visually colourful and emotionally engaging experience that would be as meaningful to the viewers as it will be today despite the passage of years have been passed.
The most popular and famous song in this film is ‘Over the Rainbow’ which was written by Harold Arlen and its words were written by E.Y. Harburg. The music enhances the plot, creating an emotive background fine in tune with the fanciful and exploratory thematic of the movie.
Black and white is replaced by color by cinematographer Harold Rosson, indicative of Dorothy, shifting from the monotonous to the fantastic. Every frame is beautifully fashioned, which provides the viewers with a fascinating world of Oz and makes a film unforgettable in the history of cinematography.
Most interesting for me was the work of Ned Nash on costumes – they seem so unusual and dreamlike, fitting the fantastic image of the movie, the design of Oz. Not only are all the sets vital for telling this tale, they are also the perfect finishing touch in adding that fabulous, magical touch to this movie.
What is important here is that for the audience of that time those special effects were probably sufficient to create the magical realism of Oz. The practical effects such as the painted backdrops originate a charm which corresponds to the retro feel that forms essence of the movie.
Blanche Sewell was responsible for the editing; the story is well paced; every action and musical number is in harmony. It does not feel like the film rushes through each of the latter aspects and magic because the film’s pacing lets audiences enjoy each frame set within the Land of Oz.
On the one hand, the film does not lag behind in events and emotions, but the pace does not overshadow the main character’s desire to get home and reveals the character’s desire to find friends in this process. Each scene is essential to the development of the story while no extraneous materials are being added to the scenes.
It has lots of great quotes, which are watched and learnt for generations. It is features of the conversations between characters, which are free- flowing, humorous, but are filled with wisdom and lesson adding to the depth of character and the plot.
Whereas ‘The Wizard of Oz’ is a much-acclaimed movie, some of today’s audiences may deem its impact old-fashioned. Nevertheless, it has interesting stories, actors, and directors that make it an interesting night of television. At some points this speeding feels unnatural but such criticisms are minor in this piece of an otherwise large cinematic classic.
