The Wizard of Oz (1939)

This poster was created for the film's 10th anniversary in 1949, and the artwork is unique to this short re-release.

Few films have enjoyed such enduring popularity as the 1939 adaptation of L. Frank Baum's children's novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Judy Garland leads a delightfully kooky cast of characters through a colourful fantasy landscape, occasionally waylaid by a scheming witch or a cheery musical interlude. After being largely overlooked during her first two years at MGM, Garland established herself as a talented young actress in her performance in Oz. Her childlike features, along with charm and energy that she brought to the role of Dorothy, made her an instant hit with children and adults alike.

A particularly interesting feature of the film is its close attention to colour. Technicolor had recently developed the first three-colour camera, making available a full range of colours as opposed to the red-green hues of earlier techniques. Hollywood was cautious about adopting the new technology, apart from the added expense, it was necessary to film with very bright lights, which made on-set temperatures very uncomfortable, but it broadened the creative opportunities open to the directors.