Somewhere over the rainbow is a musical so beloved and adored that it is in a league of its own. The majority of people in the world have heard that iconic song, Somewhere over the Rainbow, that it’s become an ode to hope and love and has so many different meanings to different people. When thinking of a Musical which has some iconic heroes and villains this film immediately came to mind. It’s literally so recognisable that it’s been parodied so many times. The legacy of the film keeps going strong.
You meet someone called Dorothy and your mind jumps to The Wizard of Oz. You can’t help it, it’s just what you do. Dorothy is a hero in every sense of the word. She doesn’t have superpowers or martial arts skills, she has the brains, the heart, and the courage to overcome anything. The fact that the supporting characters, the Lion, the Tin Man and the Scarecrow, are meant to portray. It’s a journey of discovery within a strange environment, with a lot of enlightened music on the way. It’s something a lot of people can relate to, and it’s probably where the phrase “you’re the hero of your own story” comes from (it probably isn’t).
Dorothy has to overcome a lot of obstacles and learn more about herself in order to conquer the villainy in the film. In today’s world that would give her a transformation into a heroic character, but what his musical does brilliantly is that she doesn’t need to transform into a hero. Dorothy is pure of heart and that is such a strong message to send to kids and this is why people watch the film still, it’s lighthearted and uplifting and that’s what we love about film.
Within the story is a ying and yang concept with the friendly and helpful Good Witch of the North and the far more sinister the Wicked Witch of the West. After the death of the Wicked Witch of the East, it is down to the Wicked Witch of the West to play the role of the antagonist. In the film Oz, the Great and Powerful, we get a bit of background with her descent into the woman she becomes in The Wizard of Oz. Oz, the Great and Powerful lacks any musical numbers but it does make the character feel more human. In The Wizard of Oz, she is a straight-up villain, almost in a pantomime way. But in a story with munchkins, tin men, and lions that can talk it just fits with the story.
The Wizard of Oz is a fun film for all ages, and there really hasn’t been a film quite like it since then. Judy Garland gives us a hero to root for and Margaret Hamilton makes us want to boo at the television screens with glee. It may not that set a template for future films, but that’s what makes it unique.
Thank you for coming along and reading, but not singing, to my blog today. I’ll be back again next month with another blog in the Heroes & Villains series.
Thanks for reading today’s blog!
Alex Murray, the Head of Eyesight Productions
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