The Wizard of Oz: Color As A Tool

The Wizard of Oz is a classic. It's a film nearly everyone has seen and adored for years. It's past down from generation to generation, cementing itself as a timeless piece of cinema that people of all ages can enjoy. However, one of the aspects of the film that isn't delved into as thoroughly as one would hope is the brilliant use of color and its use as a storytelling technique that does wonders for the narrative.


The Wizard of Oz was one of the very first films to be presented in technicolor and to this day its look has managed to hold up tremendously, never appearing dated. Color plays an integral role within the narrative, mostly pertaining to Dorothy's transition from the real world into the magical land known as Oz. The opening half hour of the film is presented in a sepia tone, a popular practice for that particular time in cinema, to present the rather gloomy life Dorothy leads with her family in Kansas. You see her desire to travel and her immense curiosity of the world that surrounds her take hold, leaving her unsatisfied with her seemingly "ordinary" life. The use of the sepia palette helps express the bland nature of her every day life, the monotony and lifeless routines she has to endure and watch others she loves participate in. Simply, she wants something more, acting as a stimulus for her classic "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" ballad.

Then, the infamous tornado scene takes place in which it is seen tearing through Kansas with ease. The storm eventually reaches Dorothy's home and the tornado lifts her house off of the ground and sends it swirling into the land we all know as Oz. The transition of color in this sequence is absolutely incredible. Dorothy opens the door and color bursts through the screen, vibrant colors rocking the senses of the viewer. She steps outside her home and bears witness to a land of immense color, a land that appears simply magical. The sepia tone previously established is vanquished and color permeates the screen like it had never done before. Now this use of color is not only appealing to the eye, but it also serves a useful narrative purpose as well. Compared to the monotony of her life in Kansas, Oz strikes the viewer as the complete opposite setting. Dorothy is seen smiling incessantly, her mind running around trying to process the beauty and scale of the land around her. The joy Oz brings her is written all over her face, leading the viewer to the conclusion that she may have found what was over the rainbow after all. 

Also, the color green plays a central role in the film as well. The color infiltrates the film numerous times as Dorothy travels toward the Emerald City on the yellow brick road in order to the almighty and powerful Oz. I'm sure there have been a myriad of interpretations of the use of the color green in the film, but I personally think the color represents daunting or intimidating visuals through Dorothy's eyes. As Dorothy travels on her journey the Emerald City looms over the land, casting a considerable glow that causes Dorothy to be in awe as she inches closer to the gates of the city. When she first meets the Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Lion, green surrounds these characters before they are properly introduced. Dorothy appears cautious, leaning toward frightened as she approaches each of the main characters. Each character she meets initially intimidates or frightens her. Of course, you have to talk about the Wicked Witch of the West who's skin itself is green, giving her a ghastly and terrifying appearance. When she makes her first appearance, she terrifies Dorothy and sends shivers down her spine with her loaded threats and sharp, cruel words. Then, there's the Emerald City itself which is essentially all the color green. The citizens of the city dress in all green and Oz himself, when projected through the smoke, has a green appearance. Oz scares the life out of all the main characters before making his daunting request. In each occasion, the color green represented something Dorothy found frightening or intimidating, giving an uneasy essence to the color in general throughout the film. Though the color looks beautiful in the film, it proves appearances can be quite deceiving. 

Color gives The Wizard of Oz new layers beneath the spectacle and family fun that lies above the surface. The color serves the story well, implemented as an effective narrative technique that enhances the quality of the film incredibly. There's so much one could dissect in the film and I could even go on further about the wonderful use of color, but we don't all watch it to delve into the meaning of the colors it presents. We watch The Wizard of Oz to get swept up in the magic its able to provide and the warm, comforting feeling it is able to give us upon each viewing. The Wizard of Oz will always be a favorite of mine. It is not only a favorite of mine because it happens to be so much fun to watch and quote, but because of the fact that with each passing year I'm able to notice something new and extraordinary upon another viewing. Simply put, The Wizard of Oz is the gift that keeps on giving.