Pop Culture Movies and More: The Wizard of Oz (1939)

After a tornado hurls through Kansas, Dorothy and her dog, Toto, are swept away in their home to the colourful and vibrant Land of Oz. To find their way back home, they must embark on a journey to the Emerald City, where the Wizard of Oz resides by following the yellow brick road. On the way, they bump into a Scarecrow who wants a brain, a Tin Man who wants a heart, and a Cowardly Lion who wants courage. They are all hopeful that the Wizard will be able to fulfil their wishes. However, they must survive perils put in place by the Wicked Witch of the West, who is out for revenge on Dorothy after she accidentally killed her sister, the Wicked Witch of the East with her house. This is probably one of the most iconic films ever made and a true cult classic. It was a great accomplishment in the 1930s and is astonishing now as it was then. The opening and closing credits, and the Kansas sequences, were filmed in black and white and then coloured in a sepia-tone process. When the film moves to the magical land of Oz the movie changes to colour, which is visually awe-inspiring. This film knows how to fully utilise the ability to make a colour film by using so many vibrant and beautiful colours. From the bright yellow brick road to the shimmering Emerald City, this film uses its colour wisely to produce such an appealing and colourful film, which was so ahead of its time. Colour films wouldn't become widely used till the late 40s, however, mostly in the few, but by the 50s they started to show up more and more, which shows how groundbreaking this film really was. There are so many prominent and unforgettable characters too, each giving an incredible performance. Also, the film has many musical numbers with so many amazing songs that are very catchy like: 'Follow the Yellow Brick Road', which is so iconic. I have very fond memories of this film as I'm sure so many others do as I saw it when I was young with my family and is definitely a film for the whole family to enjoy. Especially with the amazing switch to colour, which when shown to younger audiences is sure to leave them in awe as it did me and love to see others share that reaction. One of the coolest details that I completely missed on my first few viewings, is that the other workers on the farm turn out to be the characters Dorathy meets with in the magical land. With all 3 taking on the roles of the Scarecrow, Tin Man and the Lion, which I somehow never realised until the end when Dorathy returns and we see them again and it just clicked with me. Each of the friends Dorathy makes along the way is equally brilliant and full of joyful characteristics that make them so fun to watch, further making us root for them in their own needs. The Wicked Witch of the West on the other hand is a frightening villain and certainly one of the most recognisable in that category. She is a terrifying foe who has scared children for years with her evil acts and scenes. The Wizard of Oz is most certainly a cult classic and is referenced still to this day in all kinds of media. From the house flying in the tornado seen in the background of the film reference filled: Ready Player One (2018), to the greatest crossovers in gaming: Lego Dimensions (2015), the video game filled with film franchises brought together in one massive Lego story. It shows that this film has really stood the test of time, becoming so iconic and beloved that it is frequently brought back many years later. Overall, this is such a phenomenal film that cannot be missed for its incredible accomplishments, with beautiful bright colour visuals, happy and memorable musical numbers and a charming story filled with entertaining characters. This is a film which everyone can find something to enjoy, bringing so much happiness to people of all ages to this day. The definition of the must-see when it comes to a movie recommendation.