“We’re Off to See the Wizard”
Drumroll please…
I am excited to announce that our first ‘Film of the Month’ pick is the 1939 MGM classic The Wizard of Oz. We selected this movie in honor of the 80th anniversary of its release, having premiered on August 25, 1939. This film, like L. Frank Baum’s book, has inspired many generations of readers and film enthusiasts, and is a must see classic for all viewers, from budding movie-goers to die-hard film geeks.
The iconic imagery of the film, from the yellow brick road to Dorothy’s ruby slippers, has crept into so many different facets of modern culture. Take for instance this print by illustrator Brian Gubicza that I recently purchased at the SoWa Open Market in Boston (featured below), which depicts an abstracted rendering of Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz in colorful shapes and repeated lines. You truly never know when or how iconic cinematic moments will creep into your daily life, whether mindlessly flipping through channels on the TV, surfing the internet, or leisurely browsing an outdoor art market.
“Dorothy” by Brian Gubicza, visit the online shop: goobeetsa.com.
We hope you enjoy watching The Wizard of Oz this month, regardless of whether this is your first viewing or your hundredth. If you own a copy of the film on DVD, Blu-ray, or (gasp) VHS, then great: dust off your old copy and watch it this month. If you need to rent the film, copies can easily be borrowed from libraries, rented through Netflix’s DVD service, or streamed via YouTube, Google Play, iTunes, Amazon Prime, and Vudu, with prices starting at $3.99. After watching the film, check back in with the blog on the last Friday of the month for our discussion and reviews of the film. So now, without further ado, go have a movie night, grab some popcorn, and have fun watching The Wizard of Oz!
Copyright © 2019 Sarah Crane
