Mar31

color?

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 thinking back to the first couple of times

that i saw ‘the wizard of oz’ on the big screen

it never consciously occurred to me that the film

changed from black and white to color

until suddenly later

when watching it again

it hit me

aha!

it was clear as day

it had changed into color in the middle of the film!

why did I not notice this before?

my mind just accepted it without question

I must have been so into it

as i traveled with dorothy from kansas to oz and back.

and fought off the flying monkeys

that I didn’t even notice this dramatic change

no other explanation.

—

In the 1939 movie “The Wizard of Oz,” the transition from black-and-white to color occurs when Dorothy arrives in the Land of Oz. 

While color films were becoming more common in the late 1930s, many movies were still primarily shot in black-and-white. The use of color in “The Wizard of Oz” was a significant and innovative choice that added to the film’s magical quality. The vibrant colors of Oz contrasted sharply with the sepia tones of Kansas, enhancing the thematic elements of the story.

For many viewers, the transition served as a stunning visual surprise, symbolizing Dorothy’s escape from the mundane world into a fantastical realm. The moment has since become iconic in film history, but at the time, it was a creative risk that paid off, leaving a lasting impression on audiences.

—

I do clearly remember the very first time I ever saw color on our tv. It was 1961 and I was 4 years old. We just bought a color tv for the first time and turned on Walt Disney’s Wonderful World of Color, which opened with full color fireworks! Wowwwwww!!!!! 

 

 

—

“colour is a power which directly influences the soul.”

– wassily kandinksy

 

 

—

source credits: MGM studios, NBC tv

 

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67 responses »

  3. The things kids take for granted today!

    I still need to watch Wizard of Oz. I must be one of the few people who still has not seen it. Wicked was very enjoyable and I’d love to see how the original measures up.

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  5. “Color in a picture is like enthusiasm in life”. – Vincent van Gogh
    “I am crazy about two colors: carmine and cobalt. Cobalt is a divine color and there is nothing so beautiful for creating atmosphere. Carmine is as warm and lively as wine… the same with emerald green” … Vincent van Gogh

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  11. Margaret Hamilton was the real star of that movie. That poor woman had to put on all that green makeup and had to have someone feed her at lunch so her makeup wouldn’t get messed up. Nevertheless, she did a magnificent job, and totally against character, because she was a sweet woman who loved children.

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  15. I saw it once as a little child, and I did not notice the change in and out of color – it might have been the flying monkeys that also scared me. But I did notice when I was a little older. I remember I thought it was a great idea to convey the real world and the fantasy world.

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  18. I do remember the black and white beginning, then the color, but it’s been so long since I have see the movie. Color makes everything better, since that’s what our world looks like. LOL We don’t see in black and white but some noir films wouldn’t have the same impact in color. They need to be colder and more sinister. LOL

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  19. The Wizard of Oz was must see tv when we were growing up. I never thought of the color change as a storytelling technique – weird! I remember the movie playing on the tv one of the last times I visited her. Ironic isn’t it.

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  20. I didn’t even know about the change from b&w to color when I was a kid, because I only saw the movie on TV and my family didn’t have color TV. I also never saw the whole movie from beginning to end as a child because it scared me too much. Can’t remember how old I was when I finally had the courage to stick it out to the end… probably about the time I was old enough to vote. :-)

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  21. It’s funny what our minds do and don’t notice. One year we all dressed as characters from the Wizard of Oz. The best costume went to my colleague, Kathy, who dressed as Dorothy and sat down on the ground under a house she had built. I was with my buddy Jack when he Googled flying monkey costumes. That struck me as hysterical.

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  24. It the late 1970’s, our oldest son was three and squatting on the floor mesmerized by a special showing of the Wizard of Oz that my wife and I were watching on our black and white television. When the color portion came on, he did not know what he was missing but we did and finally bought a color television.

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