eng225 film due asap

Eng 225 Week 3

The Wizard of Oz is a great classic; this movie has stood the test of time. For a movie that was made in the late 1930’s is still a favorite of many and still generating revenue and has been remade. The most memorable remake was named the Wiz and had several famous people from Michael Jackson to Diana Ross. From the characters down to the music it was nothing short of brilliant. To be able to capture the magical world of Oz in black and white takes great creativity and talent. The film that starts off with black and white sepia tones. The main character Dorothy’s is in Kansas battling a horrible tornado. The movie is filmed in three point lighting as to capture the wonderful and exaggerated facial features of the characters; it is also able to effectively capture the oncoming tornado lighting up the sky from a distance. The effective use of key lighting, fill lighting, and backlighting really captures the dangers and gloominess of the tornado. The tornado is a main and important part of the movie, as is Dorothy’s Ruby red shoes. Once the storm passes the main character finds her far away from home in a fantasy world. With each of the many characters Dorothy meets while she is trying to find her way back home the lighting changes, for example when she meets the munchkins highlighting is used to express the positive and happy nature of the scene. From the cowardly lion to the tin man the director makes you fall in love with the characters and there different quest or search. And the same could be said for the wicked witch, the lighting and music added to the darkness and mean spirit or her character and the director made sure at the end of the day this character was not liked. The witches’ voice screeched of evil and her eyes full of hate. The green of her face and the mole on her nose that everybody remembers. For the makeup and facial defects to steal be remembered by viewers is huge that goes to prove that he little things and paying attention to detail can make or break a film. Part of the Mise en Scene, the lighting is particularly effective and helps to transform the viewer and actually take them to a different place.My belief is that the director worked hard to make the fantasy of the movie come to life and to have the the viewer to experience this fantasy world. The Wizard of Oz genre is Adventure as well as musical and fantasy, most successful movies appeal to the masses so being classified in more than one genre added to likeability of the movie. As Dorothy returns home the director returns back to the sepia tones of black and white that started the film, signifying Dorothy’s return home. The lighting director made excellent choices for this film by doing so it effectively captured the mood of the different scenes as the emotions changes from happy to sad, or safe to danger filled. Had the lighting been different the movie would not have been the same, the music coupled with the great lighting is what made the movie a great success. And saving the best for last the costumes were well thought out. Dorothy’s blue and white plaid dress and famous shoes is always a top seller every Halloween and this happens year after year. And the costume would not be complete without the famous shoes. Originally in the book the shoes where not red or sparkly but in fact they were silver. The decision to change the shoe color was obviously a great one. When making executive decisions in regards to a film it’s amazing how the hair color or name of the character or even the shoe color can have such a major impact on the audience and can ultimately lead to the success or demise of the film. Not many directors of black and films can say they had the success that this movie had. So this movie is considered a classic and for great reason.