The Wizard of Oz opened to millions of people in 1939. It was the very first feature film to be shown in color. Just imagine how that audience felt when Dorothy first walked out of her black and white Kansas home and into the world of Munchkin Land and into beautiful Technicolor.

It must have been the feeling of pure magic. Some people can argue that it was the only reason why audiences were able to sit through the three and a half hour-long Gone With the Wind, which was released the same year as Oz. They must have been so enriched with the colors that the film seemed to go by at a quick pace. I will have to disagree. To the eyes of the audiences in 1939, Technicolor was such an amazing spectacle, it could now be compared to our reactions when watching mega robots blow each other up in the streets of Los Angeles, like in the film Transformers.

The problem with the films these days that makes people drop their jaws in wonderment is that they are not any good. They lack story, emotion, and characterization, three key components that make a film special and a true treat to watch. Films in the past, like the Wizard of Oz, exercise all three components. When I watch the film at home, I am engaged by its true beauty.

From frame to frame you are transported to the character’s dimension. All of the money that went into producing this film was put into great effect. Each set, backdrop, effect was well crafted and astonishingly detailed. Compared to today’s special effects, they look more realistic and believable. In almost every special effects film these days, the effects are degrading to the film itself by overpowering the characters and taking away from the story.

However, I did say “almost.” The original Star Wars trilogy is pure brilliance. George Lucas created a “Space Opera,” which is made up of every single entity that a perfect film is made of. It has the incredibly detailed storyline, the likeable characters, witty humor, and stunning visual effects. At the end of Empire Strikes Back, when Luke finds out that Darth Vader is his forbearer, we, the audience, flipped.

Other than bits and pieces of Return of the Jedi, hardly any aspects of the first three films are laughable. If you can fall in love with two robots named C3-PO and R2D2 and a giant gun blasting gorilla, that must mean something! You do not really get that effect from the last trilogy. It seems as if half the audience that went to see it was very disappointed and the other half simply enjoyed it. And very few absolutely loved it.

I happened to enjoy the last three films as a whole. I had to look at them as a big budget special effects film with the lack of characterization and entertaining plot. Its downfall is the enormous amount of special effects being used that overpowers the film. George Lucas’ first wrong move was not using sets (like in the original trilogy), instead he used green screens 90 percent of the time, therefore dropping the realism aspect completely.

Every year when films are released, I see these amazing trailers that grab my attention fully, but the film itself in no way rises to its expectation. I wonder how much longer Hollywood is going to dismiss themselves onto poor taste. It seems poor taste dominates those films that are actually good. In the back of my head I know the reason: it’s because these are the films that a big majority of the public want to see.

In 2008, there were only a handful of special effects-heavy films released that were somewhat enjoyable. These were: Indiana Jones and the Kingdome of the Crystal Skull (which lacked the passion that the others were full of. There was too much substance and not enough context), The Forbidden Kingdom (which had gorgeous cinematography, but the story had no derived path), The Incredible Hulk (which relied mostly on fast paced special effects and action, the character building and development is barely even noticed). Other than Cloverfield (which was truly the most breathtaking special effects film of 2008, because the story, effects, and characters meshed perfectly together).

Still, Cloverfield is no Wizard of oz or Star Wars. Only the Lord of the Rings trilogy can be even considered in the category of Oz and Star Wars. Again the ingredients of awesome filmmaking is present within those films. Other special effects heavy films that are spectacular are Close Encounters of the Third Kind, ET, A.I., 2001: A Space Odyssey, Back to the Future, Clash of the Titans, etc. If you notice, most of the films I have listed were made either in the 60s, 70s or 80s.

In conclusion, context must always come before substance. There has to be a well-crafted script, defining characters, and a thought-out production in order for the effects to do any justice to the film.

So why did the movie going audiences of 1939 sit through three and a half hours of southern bickering? Because of this thing called Technicolor? No. The film is actually GOOD.

Cheers!

P.S. For a great mix of story, characterization, effects, and self indulgence, go and see Watchmen.

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