The Wizard of Oz premiered on this day in 1939 in California, one of the first films that used beautiful colour in its glory. Imagine seeing this film on the big screen for the first time? It would have been breathtaking; the film had a huge impact on popular culture but there were many others. Here are nine films that changed the world of cinema…
1. Jaws
Everyone dismissed Spielberg while he was making Jaws, no one realised the impact that a film about an evil shark would have on popular cinema. Like it or not, the reason we have the big summer openings is because of Mr. Spielberg’s shark inspired horror. Jaws was one of the first films to open on screens simultaneously, 450 screens to be precise, therefore making it the first summer blockbuster. Is that a good or bad thing? We’re still not sure.
2. The Wizard of Oz
Yes, there had been films that had used colour before but none had used it quite like the Wizard of Oz; no other film quite stuck in the popular imagination like Dorothy’s tale in the fictional land of Oz. When the colour first burst on to the screen, dismissing the black and white, the world of cinema changed. Here was one of the first colour blockbusters, a huge success which has been loved for generations. And that soundtrack? Just amazing.
3. Gone with the Wind
Whether or not you are a fan of Gone with the Wind (and if you are not, there is no reasonable explanation for it), you have to admit that every big budget film since the release of the 1939 masterpiece has tried to match its scope as the massive production that it was or its emotional intensity. Few films, if any, have really achieved this. That scene following Gettysburg? Second to none.
4. Citizen Kane
Named by most critics as the finest film ever made, this debut feature from Orson Welles virtually disappeared after release, not even making back the costs of producing it. However, after becoming quite popular in French film critic circles, the film depicting the life and times of Charles Foster Kane and the obsession a reporter had with what his last word meant “Rosebud” soon began to get the attention it so thoroughly deserved. Very few filmmakers have not been influenced by Welles work, many citing it as the best film ever made. A social commentary, a political commentary and mostly a discussion on the loneliness of the human condition, Citizen Kane was all things to everyone.
5. Pyshco
Alfred Hitchcock is known as the Master of Suspense, but everyone thought he had lost the run of himself when he decided to adapt a novel by Robert Bloch which was loosely inspired by the life of murderer Ed Gein. Violence and sexuality to the extent that was depicted in Psycho had never been seen on the big screen before, even Hitchcock himself decided to go with black and white as a safer option to tone down the extreme horror. Now, it looks tame to us, back then Psycho was quite a big deal. Hitchcock even made some slight changes to the final film to keep the censors happy.
6. Scream
Horror was in a serious rut by 1996, that was until Wes Craven came along with Scream. Arguably one of the greatest game changers in cinema, Scream combined horror and comedy in the same film, not only changing the future of horror but poking fun at its past. Although Neve Campbell’s character Sidney says that the girl in horror films is stupid for going up the stairs when attacked, this is the very thing she does when under attack herself. Many films which intended to make fun of Scream missed the entire point, it made fun of the entire horror genre while still being a hugely popular horror. Quite the achievement.
7. Deep Throat
If the 1960’s were about freedom and liberation, the 1970’s were certainly about exploring that freedom. Sure, pornography was commonplace but Deep Throat was the first porn film to not only hit the mainstream, but to have a plot and character development with a relatively high production standard. Deep Throat had a huge impact, not only on the porn industry but on the film industry itself.
8. Star Wars
The year is 1977, but really the important time was “a long time ago, in a galaxy far away”… No one knew the impact Star Wars would have on cinema, except George Lucas. Lucas was so aware of how successful the film would be, he even waived his fee as director for the project and instead trademarked the merchandise. Think of the millions! Fans were obsessed with the franchise, to a level only perhaps witnessed with Star Trek previously. The entire series spawned a new type of superfan. Star Wars is so embedded into popular culture that everyone is aware of that line, even those who have never seen it. “Luke, I am your father.” NOOOOOOOOOOO. You get the picture.
9. Reservoir Dogs
Yes, there have been some amazing scripts over the years, but none that produced quite the same level of wit as Tarantino’s Reservoir Dogs. The film was a revelation, his script one of the most dialogue heavy that Hollywood had seen in quite a while, but no one could deny his talent or his love of film. Tarantino was like a film magpie, watching whatever he could get his hands on and putting it to good use. He came out of left field and Reservoir Dogs inspired a whole new generation of independent filmmakers to pursue their talents after making back its $1.2 million budget.
