Would The Wizard Of Oz have been this successful ??

[Princess Barbie]

This movie has always been in my top 10 movies of all time.I was wondering, what if this entire film was shot in black and white, and there was never any technicolor scenes?? Would people remember this as fondly?? Im curious to hear some thoughts.

[Crimson King]

Originally Posted by Princess Barbie

This movie has always been in my top 10 movies of all time.I was wondering, what if this entire film was shot in black and white, and there was never any technicolor scenes?? Would people remember this as fondly?? Im curious to hear some thoughts.

It was groundbreaking in MANY ways (the sepia tone then Technicolor that you mentioned is one major reason), just like Citizen Kane. It's got music, drama, action and even comedy,etc.), THERE'S SOMETHING FOR EVERYBODY! One of those great films that ALL sexes and ages can enjoy, I'm a 37 year old straight male and still love the film every time I view it, at least once a year! This is my nephews (ages 6 and 9) favorite film by the way!

[seeweda]

I think it would of still been a big movie but would it still hold up to kids today probably not. It would of probably gotten the colorization treatment though at some point if it was filmed in black & white. Especially when Ted Turner bought the rights to it with the Time/Warner merger.

I would also bet if it had been filmed in black & white Hollywood would of pumped out a remake by now.

[Al_The_Strange]

Funny thing is, if I remember right, this film wasn't that well-received at the time of its release. It kinda worked againt all odds and found popularity over the years that followed.

I do believe that the interplay between color and B&W is an integral part of the film's style, and helped reinforce the interplay between fantasy and reality. Without that, I do believe that the film would have lost some of its power. I would even think that it would have been remade at some point between the 40s and now (not counting "Tin Man") if that was the case.

But as it is, it's now a classic, and untouchable!

[SpaceDog]

I think it doesn't make a lot of sense to deconstruct a film to the sum of it's parts. Surely part of the enduring magic of the Wizard of Oz is the transition from sepia to color - but asking whether removing that element would make it cease to be a classic would be like asking whether it'd be the same without Judy Garland. Or the songs. Or the munchkins.

A great many things go in to making a film special. I spend much less time wondering what if they did something differently and much more time appreciating the fact that they did it right in the first place.

I'm thinking my neice and nephew need to see this the next time I'm home.

[P@t_Mtl]

Originally Posted by Princess Barbie

This movie has always been in my top 10 movies of all time.I was wondering, what if this entire film was shot in black and white, and there was never any technicolor scenes?? Would people remember this as fondly?? Im curious to hear some thoughts.

It would not have made much of a difference. The movie did not gain cult status until the days of television and for the first 20-25 years of TV the majority of people only saw it in B&W afterall

[Grand Bob]

I think the movie would have lost much of its' impact without color. The transition from sepia to color is one of the most dramatic and memorable parts of the movie. Without color, the green skin of the wicked witch would never have been noticed, "The horse of a different color" might have had alot of people scratching their heads, and those ruby slippers...

[Snowmaker]

I'm surprised Hollywood has not remade this movie yet.

[SpaceDog]

Originally Posted by Snowmaker

I'm surprised Hollywood has not remade this movie yet.

The Wizard of Oz (MGM 1939) will never be remade. That style of Hollywood musical has come and gone. I know that we'll be seeing a lot more Oz material coming to theaters though, including new adaptations of the Wizard of Oz, but it would be a mistake to call these remakes.

[Al_The_Strange]

Originally Posted by Snowmaker

I'm surprised Hollywood has not remade this movie yet.

It has been...sorta...

[EricJ]

Originally Posted by SpaceDog

I think it doesn't make a lot of sense to deconstruct a film to the sum of it's parts. Surely part of the enduring magic of the Wizard of Oz is the transition from sepia to color -

It was also keeping in line with the book:
L. Frank Baum wanted to use the new medium of Color Printing, and not only wrote in that every region in Oz was color-coded (Emerald City being the obvious example), but that, in the first paragraphs of the story, "Everything in Dorothy's Kansas world was grey..."
Which makes you appreciate the idea of why she's singing a song about a rainbow at the beginning of the movie.

[MyBlu-rayBrotherEd]

Originally Posted by Snowmaker

I'm surprised Hollywood has not remade this movie yet.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1617650/