Edits were also made to reduce the Wicked Witch’s screen time after young audiences were frightened by the character. These illusions were also cut to reduce running time, though the props-including a bunch of colored flowers-can still be seen in the background of the throne room console. When Toto pulls back the curtain to reveal The Wizard as a fraud, actor Frank Morgan initially did a series of sleight-of-hand magic tricks in an attempt to appease Dorothy and company. This justified his reasoning for getting a statue, and the “contraption” Aunt Em references. Jack Haley’s Hank makes a slight reference to the Tin Man, but a sizeable portion of his dialogue is cut, leaving him with the strange line, “Someday they’ll erect a statue to me in this town.” Aunt Em then admonishes him for “fiddling with that contraption.” What contraption? Originally, Hank had shown Dorothy his latest invention-made from metal, of course-that could control the weather and keep them safe from cyclones. The original film was 11 minutes longer.ĭuring the farm scenes in Kansas, each of the three farmhands have dialogue referencing the characters they become in Oz. They were not severely hurt, but this was before the technology we have today.”Įdits and Cut Scenes: Early edits were made to The Wizard of Oz for several reasons. They had to put men in those costumes that had harnesses and battery packs built in to make the wings bob up and down, and then fly them from the top of the soundstage to swoop down onto the set,” Fricke explains. When the Flying Monkeys Swoop Down and Abduct Dorothy and Toto in the Haunted Forest: Several of the piano wires used to fly the actors playing the Winged Monkey’s snapped as they swooped down into the Haunted Forest to attack Dorothy and company. When Dorothy and the Scarecrow Encounter the Talking Apple Trees: A split-second glimpse of Judy Garland in black shoes when she should be wearing Ruby Slippers as she and the Scarecrow scramble away from the Apple-throwing trees. Keep an eye out as she cuts the Scarecrow down from his post in the corn field and throughout “If I Only Had a Brain.” When Dorothy Meets the Scarecrow in the Corn Field: Judy Garland’s braids shift from long to short and back again several times during the scene in which she first meets the Scarecrow. The cart was driven back and forth to create the resulting effect of the funnel cloud swooping and twisting across the prairie.ĭorothy’s Bed During the Tornado: The framework of Dorothy’s bedroom was constructed on a tilting cart that would jolt the set about, heaving furniture and tossing Dorothy about as she is swept up into the cyclone and dropped back down again. Hung from rigging above the set, the bottom was attached to a cart driven by two stagehands concealed beneath the soundstage floor. The Cyclone: The on-screen cyclone was constructed from chicken wire wrapped in muslin. Here, Fricke shares 17 moments that fans should watch for on the big screen, and dispels one grand myth surrounding The Wizard of Oz. Playbill spoke with John Fricke, the preeminent Wizard of Oz historian and author of seven books on both Oz and its star-Judy Garland, to glean an expert take on the film. The musical film is a touchstone for millions across the globe who have grown up under its spell. See how well you know what went on behind the curtain.MGM’s 1939 classic The Wizard of Oz, filmed in the dawning days of Technicolor-and decades before CGI and high-tech special effects-is a hand-crafted cinematic achievement anchored by its extraordinary cast: Judy Garland as Dorothy, Ray Bolger as The Scarecrow, Jack Haley as The Tin Man, and Bert Lahr as The Cowardly Lion. Plus, without The Wizard of Oz, we wouldn't have the fantastic soundtrack from Wicked! In honor of the film's 80th anniversary this year, we've found some of the most magical (and weird!) details about The Wizard of Oz. With its lovable characters, memorable songs, and sweet message, Frank L. Despite its slow start, the movie gained a second life after being shown on television, and has since continued to delight audiences for generations. You may or may not know this, but The Wizard of Oz actually wasn't the smash hit that you might think it was when it debuted (more on that later). MGM's studio film about a young farm girl from Kansas who gets swept up in a tornado and taken to a magical land has become a timeless classic since it first wowed audiences with its wholesome story (and innovative color film technology) in 1939. Dorothy ( Judy Garland) was right about one thing: there really is no place like home.
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