...The Wizard of Oz The Wizard of Oz is a classic American film interpreted from L. Frank Baum’s book published in 1900. We have all seen the film as a child and enjoy it equally as adults. It is a film we watch repeatedly to experience the wonders of our imaginations. There are many key elements that have made this film a notorious childhood memory as well as an American classic that we have treasured for generations. How could we forget the magical characters, the music, and the outstanding cinematography? The theme of the film can be summed up simply from one of the many notable phrases, “there’s no place like home”. Dorothy, a Kansas farm girl dreams of a better place and life. During a tornado she is struck in the head and there begins her journey to Oz. There she meets magical characters, many of which travel on with her also in search of better things. Who can forget the Munchkins, the first of the strange but charming characters Dorothy encounters? Dorothy and her dog Toto also come across the wicked witch the of the west and Glenda the good witch, introducing the good vs. evil of the fairy tale. She sets out on her quest to find a way home when she stumbles upon the Scarecrow who is in search for a brain, the Tinman in search of a heart and the Lion in search of courage. There are parallels to the characters she meets in relation to her family and neighbors back in Kansas, therefore reinforcing her homesickness and the determination to return...
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...In the Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum, the main protagonist, Dorothy, is portrayed as a selfless, kind girl, but if you begin to read between lines, it will become more clear that Dorothy only helps others to conquer her personal fears, she unintentionally improves the land of Oz and while her friends go out of their way to help her she only helps them a scarce amount of times in meaningless ways. To begin with, Dorothy realises that she has to make her journey alone, she is fearful. In land of the Munchkins, Dorothy pleads with the Witch of the North, “to go with (her)”. Alas the Witch cannot do that so she gives “Dorothy her kiss … no one will … injure a person who has … (received) a kiss” from the Witch of the North, for the power of good is far stronger than the power of evil. Unfortunately, she doesn’t succeed in gaining companionship with the Queen, but she accepts the companionship of the Scarecrow, the Cowardly Lion and the Tin Woodman. Dorothy is not alone anymore and her new friends prove to be quite helpful in diminishing the fears she has. Furthermore, When Dorothy arrives in the Land of Oz, she is greeted as a sorceress by the Witch of the North. Dorothy denies title of a sorceress. She explains to the Witch “... (she) is an innocent, harmless little girl…” who never in her life has killed anyone or anything in her life. If Dorothy could choose to “…kill the powerful Witch…” by herself and not get anything out of it what do you think she would do? All of the...
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...tale, Dorothy Gale and her dog Toto are caught in a tornado's path and end up in the fictitious Land of Oz. Here she meets some memorable friends and enemies in her pursuit to meet the Wizard of Oz who everybody says can help her return home and perhaps award her new friends their goals of a brain, heart and courage. This 1939 adaptation utilizes several of Harold Rosson’s cinematographic elements which highlight the explicit meaning of the film: in her mundane black and white life Dorothy dreams to escape her troubles, however while in the colorful land of Oz she attempts to find maturity through lessons to find power and her inner self. In this scene, Rosson uses a shot/reverse shot technique, which alternates characters, which in this scene shows both sides of the conversation. Accompanying the shot/reverse shot is the technique of an eye-line match revealing whom Dorothy is talking to. The camera movement along with editing technique enables the viewers to see from both Dorothy and Oz’s point of view. The initial dolly out represents who holds power in this scene, as the camera dolly’s out from Oz we see Dorothy and her friends in a wide shot looking up to the ‘powerful’ Oz. As Dorothy tries to regain from the initial intimidation factor the camera Dolly’s out toward Oz, however upon requesting to keep his promises Oz regains power. As the conversation between Dorothy and Oz gets heated, the camera cuts to focus on Toto following by the use of a pan shot, this opens up the floor...
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...Many people have read or seen the movie “The Wizard of Oz”, but how many people can say that they know why it was created. People see this as a cute children’s story that teaches them that it is fine to be different and that each person has their own special quality that makes them who they are. However, the story was written by Frank L. Baum, to show how life was defining Populism. The three characters Tin Woodman, the Scarecrow, and the Cowardly Lion help to define it. The Tin Woodman in the book and movie was the character that “did not” have a heart. The Tin Woodman was made up of all tin to represent that he was a hard worker. During this period laborer had to work hard or they would be fire. Many workers started working harder than ever and basically becoming the machines. This shows how Populist view of evil Eastern influence on honest labor which could hardly be more pointed. The one thing bad about being made of all tin is that when it rains you start to rust. From the point of being a worker over time you start to put too much on your body and your body starts to give out. The Lion in the book and movie was the character that wanted to have courage. The Lion represents Bryan himself. In 1896 Bryan lost the election to become the Eastern laborer. Bryan feels like he lost because his competitor pressured the voters by having all of his workers believe in him. The Lion was being used to show the importance of silver. Silver is worth a lot and should...
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...I am on my way to see the Wizard of Oz. I am asking for a new heart so I can love again. I found a yellow brick road that would most likely lead to the great Wizard of oz’s castle. I found some friends on the way to the castle. The trip was long and hard but we made it there after what felt like years. When I saw the wizard I was in awe he had a great throne. I was very nervous and a little excited. I was about to back out and go home but my friends encouraged me to stay. The wizard asked me what I needed I was trembling in fear. I told him I need a heart to love again. I said “I need a heart to love again because I want to marry the munchkin girl but I need a heart to do that. The wizard asked for more reasons so I gave him more....
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...movie The Wizard of Oz? When I was a little girl, the movie would fill living rooms across America every fall, on a Sunday night, with the magical story of the yellow brick road and the trip to Oz. I would look forward to it for weeks; we would sit down as a family with big bowls of hot buttered popcorn and watch the 2-hour adventure of a girl from Kansas unfold. Recently, my granddaughter received a pair of ruby sequined slippers. Suddenly she was tapping her feet and trying to figure out how to make the shoes transport her to another land. She became very curious about the story and wanted to learn more about Dorothy and her little dog Toto. As an adult grandparent watching the movie, and by...
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...The Wizard of Oz-Expository #4 Throughout The Wizard of Oz written by L. Frank Baum Dorothy is looking for a way to get back to Kansas but she doesn’t realize that she’s had the power to all along. At first the characters are confused as to why Glinda didn’t just tell Dorothy that she was capable of getting back all on her own. Glinda makes the comment “She had to learn it for herself.” What she meant was that Dorothy had to learn that there truly is no place like home and that she has everything that she could ever want in her very own backyard before she had to the power to return to Kansas. At the beginning Dorothy sings a song where she's wishing for beyond. She wants to find “somewhere over the rainbow.” But all those dreams, hopes, and...
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...Magical creatures in magical lands offer a story like no other. The epic poem The Odyssey by Homer and the film The Wizard of Oz by Victor Fleming, both focus on a heroic main character struggling to get home. The Wizard of Oz presents Dorothy Gale as the savior for her new friends and local residents of Oz. The Odyssey does the same, illustrating Odysseus as the savior for his crew, as well as his family in Ithaca. Dorothy and Odysseus share many different character traits that depict heroism, however, they have many different approaches to achieving their goal of going home. Dorothy and Odysseus share some similarities of heroism. For example, they both are depicted as brave, loyal, and determined. Dorothy is brave because she stands up...
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...Devin Latham AP US History Taray 16 March 2016 Wizard of Oz The book Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum is a fictional novel about a young lady named Dorothy who lives with her aunt Em and uncle Henry on a farm in Kansas. On this said farm, one day a tornado comes through, destroying everything and picking up the house with Toto (Dorothy's dog) and Dorothy inside, while Dorothy tries to stay calm, as she falls asleep in the process. This slumber took her into a fantasy involving good witches and bad witches, munchkins, a Lion, a Tin Man, and a Scarecrow. While being suck in this dream land, Dorothy’s main goal is to find a way home, and along the process she meets as previously stated, the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Lion. These characters...
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...The author of this article, Quentin P.Taylor believes that “The Wizard of Oz” was simply a story to entertain and not teach. She believes that the story is not a pro-populist fable or an anti-populist fable, instead she thinks that the story is a way to mock the populist movement and the politics. L. Frank Baum wrote that Oz was written just for the pleasure of the children of today's world,but no one really seems to believe that, for one fourth of a century no one seemed to think the story had a different meaning until a high school teacher wrote and published an essay saying that he believed that Oz was a figuration of the populist revolt. Littlefield (high school teacher)said that Baum(author of The Wizard of Oz)had written about current events and politics around the 1800s and 1890s during which the formation of the...
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...The Wonderful Wizard of Oz In the Wizard of the Oz L. Frank Baum uses colors throughout the novel to represent the regions. Yellow symbolized the color of the Winkies Country. The color blue defined the Country of the Munchkins. However, the color red displayed the Country of the Quadlings. In the Story of The Wizard of Oz, blue is represented for the munchkins. The munchkins are the eastern region of the Land of Oz being ruled by the wicked witch of the east. The munchkins Country is imposed by the color blue, which is worn by most the munchkins Also blue is the Munchkins' favorite color. The Eastern Part of the munchkins Country is described as rich, beautiful, fertile, pleasant, and inhabited by friendly people. Baum applies...
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...a free spirit, young teen runaway, an intoxicated high school kid on prom night, and a girl who faces grief and hopelessness, are forever changed when the main character, Leila, crashes into their lives. As Leila tests her new car on this long open road ahead of her, she also puts herself to the test. In this case, the “road” symbolizes her path of life, what her potential purpose is, and how she will overcome her insecurities to achieve success and discover her true self. Identity is usually established by late adolescence or early adulthood and is shaped by various components. The knowledge that we hold our own power and that we are our own master can be both frightening and exhilarating. jjjjjAs expressed in the popular novel, The Wizard of Oz, Dorothy met a Scarecrow who fancied having a brain, the Tin Woodman who expressed the need for a heart and the Cowardly Lion who needed courage. What many wouldn’t have noticed is that as the four friends and Toto were journeying through the Land of...
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...The Wizard of Oz- A Film Analysis ENG:225 Introduction to Film Professor Daniel Burrello April 20, 2015 The Wizard of Oz - A Film Analysis The 1920's and 30's marked the beginning of a new world for movie directors and audiences alike, prompting directors to challenge traditional American values and push the filming process to new boundaries. The early part of the 20th century was tainted with the Great Depression and the beginning of World War II, millions of Americans were losing their jobs, and security became a big concern for the people of the States. Although citizens struggled during these times, they remained hopeful as cinema became the drug of choice through the expensive use of color and sound to transfer audiences from reality to a fairy tale place. Director Victor Fleming's classic film, The Wizard of Oz (1939), gave the audience an 'identity', touching on social attitude and the way people play a powerful role in their own lives through escapism and symbolism throughout the film. In 1939, MGM director Victor Fleming, in collaboration with Harold Rosson as cinematographer, released the classic blockbuster fantasy film The Wizard of Oz, starring Judy Garland as young and innocent Dorothy Gale, a young girl from Kansas who is swept away during a tornado along with her dog Toto. During her adventure in the land of Oz she kills The Wicked Witch of the West played by Margaret Hamilton, and embarks on a journey to find the almighty and powerful Wizard played by...
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...Week 2 Assignment Instructor: Catherine Cousar ENG225: Introduction to Film One of the most beloved fantasy movies of all times that holds a special place within many people’s hearts is the famous “Wizard of Oz”. This movie is a musical that was created and directed by Victor Fleming in 1939 with the help of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Malcolm Brown, William A. Horning and Jack Martin Smith as the production designers (that were never credited) and Cedric Gibbons as the art director. (IMDb, n.d) This movie is about a young, girl from Kansas named Dorothy Gale played by Judy Garland who dreams of another life. Dorothy lives on her auntie Emily (Clara Blandick) and uncle Henry’s (Charley Grapewin) farm, and has friends named “Hunk (Ray Bolger), Zeke (Bert Lahr) and Hickory (Jack Haley). All of the mentioned friends play a vital roles as The Scarecrow (Ray Bolger), The Cowardly Lion (Bert Lahr) and The Tin Man (Jack Haley)” in the film. (IMDb, n.d). At one point, Dorothy decides to run away and find a new life with her dog Toto. During a storm and trying to get back home, Dorothy finds herself in a strange place, The Land of Oz. The scene I have chosen to analyze is “The Cowardly Lion” staring Dorothy, Toto, the Scarecrow, Tin Man, and the Lion. The importance of each character in the scene is the Lion tries to seem brave, while the Tin Man and the Scare Crow are scared of him. Toto runs away from him and Dorothy saves Toto. She teaches the Lion a lesson on picking on people...
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...Culture Event – Wicked, The Untold Stories of the Wizard of Oz Tami M. Linton Professor James Allen HUM 112 March 11, 2012 Cultural Event – Wicked, The Untold Stories of the Wizard of Oz The cultural event I participated in, was Wicked, The Untold Stories of the Wizard of Oz. I saw this Broadway musical production on Sunday, March 11 at Chrysler Hall in Norfolk, at 6:30 pm, attending with me, was my mother and two sister-in-laws. I love plays and musicals, however I wasn’t sure what to expect when we arrived that evening, as this was my first encounter of a professional level performance. The excitement in the highly attended diverse crowd could be felt even before the show started. As soon as the lights dimmed and the show started, I was engaged, and was taken through to the end. Wizard of Oz is a well known story; however there is more to the lives of the two witches of Oz than the story tells. Wicked is based on the relationship of Glenda the Good Witch and Elsaba the Wicked Witch of the West, whom were childhood friends, and through a series of events became viewed more as enemies. Glenda was the popular, pretty and ambitious girl, while Elsaba was the smart, serious, misunderstood, ugly girl with emerald green skin. A main turning point in their friendship came when both girls fell in love with a handsome man. Smitten by both girls, the handsome man fell for the pretty Glenda. Infuriated by betrayal and rage that her looks had been the reason for his decision...
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