The Wizard of Oz some regard as ‘like a dream’, a kind of Alice in Wonderland motif set in America. It represents a means of witnessing the culture of the mid-west, but also a dream world that allows someone like Dorothy to find herself and her way home. Dreams influence films and vice versa. How those that made The Wizard of Oz convey the dream element was through key decisions in cinematography, lighting, and acting style. Such decisions generated a film that even now is regarded as one of the best in its genre. To begin, one must examine the cinematography of the film. The cinematography aspect of The Wizard of Oz follows several themes. One in particular, is the theme of “Dreams, Hopes, and Plans”. The dreams of Dorothy and her friends have been brought into focus via an acting out of what they desire most (Bulkeley, 1999).

The Tin Man wants a heart. Dorothy wants to get home. The Lion wants courage. The scarecrow wants a brain. These things or places represent what each character treasures the most. It is in desiring these things that they feel propelled to move forward with their quest. The cinematography aspect lends to reinforcing this theme through the introduction of the characters that help Dorothy get home. The Lion is shown constantly afraid, the Tin Man emotionless, and the scarecrow lacking memory and critical thinking skills....

Although Dorothy is not first introduced this way, when the tornado takes her to the land of Oz, her dream becomes getting home.
Cinematography is about visuals and how the camera moves and so forth. For the Lion’s introduction, he tries to be aggressive and mean, attempting to scare everyone including Dorothy’s dog. When he says he will go after Toto, the camera only focuses on him as he says: “I’ll get you anyway peewee.” Then it cuts to the dog and then after Dorothy slaps the Lion on his nose, it moves to him only again as he reveals he’s a coward. The same is done with Scarecrow when he gives silly directions to Dorothy. By the camera only featuring the character doing moments that reveal their desires or why they desire what they do, it reinforces the theme.

“Dreams, Hopes, and Plans” is a pervasive theme that even things like lighting help illuminate. The film used a combination of technicolor and all three lighting styles. Technicolor and high-key lighting was used in the Munchkin Land scene that signified happiness for Dorothy and the audience. When the characters met the wizard, the decision was low-key lighting to show fear. By using low-key lighting for dramatic and intense scenes and high-key lighting to ease someone into a new place, it provides the audience with the reassurance that…