Oh, Toto, We’re not in Kansas anymore: The Wizard Of Oz (1939)

It is said that there wasn’t a better year in the history of cinema than 1939. The work of such directors as George Cukor, Billy Wilder, and William Wyler continues to highly occupy rankings of the best, timeless movies. These lists complete Victor Fleming, along with the adaptation of the novel “The Wizard of Oz “, a wonderful creation of Technicolor, the embodiment of children’s fantasies.

There are many reasons why the film has an unflagging audience interest. Some viewers are simply avid fans of classic cinema (yes, musicals once occupied the Oscar nomination lists, although here “The Wizard … ” lost to “Gone with the Wind”), some of them are curious about  the breakthrough role of Judy Garland, and some try to satisfy their curiosity, searching for the sensation, and they believe that the famous song Somewhere over the Rainbow  was sung by the actress when under the influence of, still legal back then, the amphetamines. Well, as long as there is Hollywood, there always were doctors with bags full of “boosters” that help actors fight the exhaustion during the long hours on the set. How’s in that particular case? The answer may forever remain within the walls of MGM studio.

The plot the film focuses on the hiking theme, where both the heroine and her three companions wander in Oz in search of the great and powerful wizard, hoping that he will be able to make their wishes come true. As in fairy tales and real life, is not the destiny but the journey itself that turns out to be an interesting experience and an important lesson for the heroes, because the courage, heart, and brain which the characters ask for – they already have, even before the arrival to the palace – they just had to discover it in themselves. That’s how it goes, usually what we search far away can be found on our doorstep, so if anyone has forgotten this simple truth, “The Wizard of Oz” is a suitable proposal for spending cozy Sunday morning.

The inspiration for this movie was the latest trends – an absolute renaissance of velvet and suede, especially in burgundy and ruby shades and white and blue stripes, which recently dominate on shirts and dresses – it is not surprising that the association with  Dorothy, that little girl from Kansas, occurred to me itself. I think that if her modern counterpart also wanted to follow the yellow brick road she would look like me

Ah, and those shoes.
Well, not only in Cinderella shoes have magical powers. Dorothy’s ruby slippers are probably the most famous pair of shoes in the history of cinema. Their value is valued at over three million dollars. What is interesting, in the book shoes are silver. The filmmakers decided to change them into a ruby hue that better emphasized the novelty of Technicolor.

The film costumes are recognizable almost all over the world: Dorothy’s clothing, blue dress and white shirt (in real pale pink so that in Technicolor its tone could be more intense), a gown of the Good Witch of the South, a costume of Scarecrow are one the most frequently copied disguises during costume balls and Halloween parties. What is more, Cowardly Lion’s costume was made of genuine leather (not a fan of that, to be honest) and was sold at auction to an anonymous buyer for more than three million dollars. For comparison, Dorothy’s dress was purchased for one and a half million, also during an auction.

Like the movie, the iconic costumes etched into pop culture, where next to white dresses from “Seven Years Ich “or little black dress from “Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” though in different adaptations always appear unchanged. As if the creators don’t want to violate specific sacrum, they refresh the film and they are faithful to Fleming’s and Cukor’s perspective, respecting the supremacy of the original.