Sacred and Secular Spaces

 The Wizard of Oz (1939)

Based upon the 1900 novel of a similar name by L. Frank Baum, The Wizard of Oz remains a cultural phenomenon that has hardly been rivaled before or since -- a film that scarcely needs any introduction. It is widely regarded as one of the most beloved films in history, with the Library of Congress even officially naming it the world's "most-watched move," and its influence has stretched far beyond the original expectation or intention of Baum or the creators of the film. As such, numerous interpretations of the story's themes have appeared both in the mainstream media and along the fringes of Internet discussion alike, much of it centering around religion. Though the themes are not as explicit as in the other two films from this segment, it is difficult to deny the presence of the sacred spaces in particular that appear in this work. 

From the beginning, the viewer experiences a clear sense of dualism in the Realm of Oz, with the "good" and "bad" witches that occupy different areas and draw from different magics within this fantasy world. In fact, magic seems to permeate the world immensely, and much of its inhabitants' "worshipping" stems from one having magical prowess. The Yellow Brick Road itself could even be seen as a sacred space, because it flows to the Emerald City, where the greatest "wizard" of the world resides. Of course, we learn that this wizard is nothing but a humbug, and yet the narrative point still stands: he was previously well-respected and revered, the ultimate authority of Oz. His rise to power is unknown and unexplored in the film (a shame, I would add), but his chamber is one that inspires religious awe, with the enormous floating head surrounded by flames, endlessly demanding respect all while holding the supposed key to fulfilling one's greatest desires. As such, the Emerald City feels almost like Rome in our world, where religion is state-sponsored, even if that religion is not wholly traditional. In any case, if the parallels to real-world religions were accidental, I would be very surprised. 

Many have made the case, however, that The Wizard of Oz is a criticism against religion, with the Emerald City's leader secretly being a fraud and the magic of each main character ultimately being found within themselves. Perhaps this is true; many Christian schools certainly saw it as such when banning the original book. In any case, this film takes a slightly more hands-off approach to religion than Agora, similarly to Martha Marcy May Marlene (the Wicked Witch of the West and her monkeys could be a stand-in for a type of cult mentality, even, though this is likely a stretch). Whether intentional or not, the sacred spaces bleed through the film's cheery elements and set-pieces in a way that is sometimes difficult to ignore and always shrouded in unanswered questions. 

The Wizard of Oz (Roger Ebert)

The Wizard of Oz (Variety)