10 Movies That Pushed The Boundaries Of Visual Effects

8. The Wizard Of Oz (1939)

One of the most famous and recognisable movies of all time, The Wizard of Oz created some stunning visual effects which continue to stay with us almost 80 years after its release. The most effective visual isn't technically a 'special' effect, but its use transforms the entire movie into something entirely different: Technicolour. Hollywood had returned to black-and-white following the Great Depression of the 1930s, and the aspect which dazzled audiences of the time was the sheer vibrancy of the colours in the land of Oz, contrasted against the drab sepia tones of the real world. It's arguable that The Wizard of Oz had a huge impact on the movie industry's return to colour filming. There were plenty of special effects in the Wizard of Oz though, like the use of matte paintings to create the distant Emerald City as Dorothy and friends follow the Yellow Brick Road. Matte paintings had been used as backdrops previously, but The Wizard of Oz boosted their popularity so much that they were used consistently well into the 1980s, with this more primitive visual effect bringing to life the technologically-advanced worlds of Star Wars and Blade Runner, among others.

If you're wondering how the tornado was created, they used a 35-foot silk wind sock that was twisted by air blowing from a fan, on a miniature of the farm. Dust was sprayed into its base to mask the solid edges and give the effect of earth being thrown up. Simples.