The wizard of oz is the cinematic equivalent of highend wine, in that it gets better with age. The film was shown as the last installment of the cbs anthology series ford star jubilee. Oscar is first introduced in baums first oz book titled the wonderful wizard of oz, published in 1900. Where was the first theater showing of the wizard of oz. The wizard of oz is a 1939 american musical fantasy film produced by metro goldwynmayer. Weve all seen judy garland follow the yellow brick road in the 1939s classic film, the wizard of oz, and hopefully most of us have seen. The land of oz 1960 episode of series shirley temples storybook 12. The wizard of oz, produced by mgm, was first released in theatres on august 25, 1939, then rereleased nationwide in 1949 and again in 1955.
The earliest surviving wizard of oz film from 1910. Mar 10, 20 the first cinematic treatment of oz was in 1908, as part of a compilation of stories adapted from baums books including nonoz works titled the fairylogue and radio plays. Not to be confused with the cinematic classic starring judy garland that would follow six years later, this animated short film is one of countless other celluloid adaptations of l. The wonderful wizard of oz is a 1910 american silent fantasy film and the earliest surviving film version of l. The wizard of oz, american musical film, released in 1939, that was based on the book of the same name by l. The wonderful wizard of oz is a 1910 silent fantasy film and the earliest surviving film. Watch the first wizard of oz film from 1910 film school rejects. Why the wizard of oz is the most popular film of all. With dorothy dwan, charles murray, oliver hardy, mary carr. When lyman frank baum penned his now immortal story of dorothy and her adventures in the land of oz, he had no way of knowing the effect.
It was first broadcast on television on saturday, november 3, 1956. With judy garland, frank morgan, ray bolger, bert lahr. Why the wizard of oz is the most popular film of all time. Guardians of the galaxy opening scene was inspired by the. Oconomowoc, wisconsin was the location of the first showing of the beloved 1939 film version of the wizard of oz. Salman rushdie on the 1939 mgm filmhis very first literary influence. Wizard of oz is a 1925 film, directed by larry semon in collaboration with frank joslyn baum and featuring a young oliver hardy.
This was done due to the lack of a suitable color film in 1939. George cukor subbed in for a week, long enough to get judy garland out of a blonde wig. The wizard of oz was a 1902 musical extravaganza based on the 1900 novel the wonderful wizard of oz by l. The wizard of oz starts out in black and white for the first scene and then once dorothy is in oz the movie changes to colour. The five day showing took place at the strand theatre. May 18, 2020 the wonderful wizard of oz, childrens book written by l. The wizard of oz was first performed as an onstage musical in 190203. This is due in part to its regular broadcast on network tv beginning in the 1950s. Heres what really happened behind the scenes of the wizard of oz. It ran on broadway for almost 300 consecutive nights in 1903. The wizard of oz 1908 fairylogue and radioplays, produced by the radio play company of america. Interesting facts about the wonderful wizard of oz. Aiming to encourage social distancing, the american film institute announced the launch of the afi movie club with the help of director and afi.
An absolute masterpiece whose groundbreaking visuals and deft storytelling are still every bit as resonant, the wizard of oz is a mustsee film for young and old. Widely regarded as one of the greatest films of all time, it is the. This is the original wizard of oz silent movie from 1910. Dorothy, heir to the oz throne, must take it back from the wicked prime minister kruel with the. Widely regarded as one of the greatest films of all time, it is the most commercially successful adaptation of l. Frank baums childrens book the wonderful wizard of oz, released in movie theaters in 1939 and nominated for an oscar award for best cinematography and color the internet movie database. As classic cinema goes, it doesnt get much more iconic. Steven spielberg and afi launch daily afi movie club with. Color or technicolor was not uncommon in the movies at that time, it was just more expensive to use in your film.
Apr 09, 2020 the similarities dont end with the first movie, since the sequel to guardians of the galaxy introduced us to an oz like figure in peters dad ego, who promises to give peter his hearts desire. According to the library of congress, the wizard of oz 1939 is the most watched film ever. In fact, the 1939 film the wizard of oz was the eighth film adaptation of l. The similarities dont end with the first movie, since the sequel to guardians of the galaxy introduced us to an ozlike figure in peters dad ego, who promises to give peter his hearts desire. The wizard of oz is a 1939 american musical fantasy film produced by metrogoldwynmayer. Dorothy, heir to the oz throne, must take it back from the wicked prime minister kruel with the help of three farmhands. The wizard of oz spawned two sequels, journey back to oz 1974, an animated film featuring the voice of judy garlands daughter, liza minnelli, and return to oz 1985. Steven spielberg launches afi movie club with the wizard of oz. Sep 23, 2019 actress and singer judy garland was the star of many classic musical films, including the wizard of oz, and known for her tremendous talent and troubled life. Frank baum was purchased in 1972 at sotheby parke bernet on behalf of a private collector. Somewhere over the rainbow the wizard of oz 18 movie. Arriving next march, oz the great and powerful is a film thats going to explore the origins of the wizard of oz. Mar 31, 2020 steven spielberg, an afi trustee and 1995 recipient of the afi life achievement award, introduced the first movie chosen 1939s immortal oscarwinning classic the wizard of oz with a.
The wizard of oz starring judy garland, frank morgan, ray bolger, bert lahr, jack haley, billie burke, and margaret hamilton release date. The wonderful wizard of oz 1910 first wizard of oz film. Actress and singer judy garland was the star of many classic musical films, including the wizard of oz, and known for her tremendous talent and troubled life. Aug 21, 2019 the wizard of oz spawned two sequels, journey back to oz 1974, an animated film featuring the voice of judy garlands daughter, liza minnelli, and return to oz 1985. The wonderful wizard of oz 1910 adaptations of the wizard of oz were among some of the first films ever made.
Dorothy gale is swept away from a farm in kansas to a magical land of oz in a tornado and embarks on a quest with her new friends to see the wizard who can help her return home to kansas and help her friends as well. Though not an immediate financial or critical success, it became one of the most enduring family films of all time. The difference is that while wine must remain unopened to increase in value, the film positively. The wizard of oz was not the first color movie, there were quite a few others before. An alphabetized version of the entire film, titles too.
A fragmented dust jacket for a first edition of wonderful wizard of oz 1900 by l. Where the black and white turns to color those few frames on the film were hand painted to give the transition a smooth effect where dorothy is looking out of the house door. The wizard of oz film by fleming and vidor 1939 britannica. The switch from black and white to color would have had a special resonance in 1939, when the movie was made. Interesting fact related to rare oz dust jacket from appraising rare and collectible childrens book. Mar 31, 2020 aiming to encourage social distancing, the american film institute announced the launch of the afi movie club with the help of director and afi trustee steven spielberg, who selected the wizard. It was a modest box officer winner when it was released on this day back in 1939, but mgms grand technicolor fantasy film, the wizard of oz. Technicolor also insisted that each studio hire at least one of its cameramen for each technicolor film. Frank baums 1900 childrens fantasy novel the wonderful wizard of oz. The wizard of oz may be almost 80 years old, but many of us know it to be one of the key films we watched growing up. The wizard of oz went through four directors, starting with richard thorpe, who left a month into filming.
Plus, without the wizard of oz, we wouldnt have the fantastic soundtrack from wicked. Jun 21, 2011 this is the original wizard of oz silent movie from 1910. The book was in the earliest binding state, but the presence. Then again, the wizard of oz is likely the first film many people saw, and when youre four or five, the witch and her minions can be really scary. Every day, afi will choose an iconic movie for the world to watch together, and some of them will come with video introductions from. Aug 25, 2019 the wonderful wizard of oz 1910 adaptations of the wizard of oz were among some of the first films ever made.
The movie is being directed by sam raimi, his first big blockbuster since he. The wizard of oz 1939 this is the classic version that everyone knows the fifth attempt at adapting the first oz novel, and the last time anyone would try to do it directly for a long time 11. The wizard of oz 1939 rotten tomatoes movie trailers. On august 25, 1939, the wizard of oz, which will become one of the bestloved movies in history, opens in theaters around the united states. Salman rushdie, a noted fan of the wizard of oz who wrote a pretty amazing bfi classics book on the film, believes that one of the things that makes oz so powerful is that it lays bare the. What was the first line in the wizard of oz answers. Oscar diggs, aka the wizard of oz, wizard, oz is a fictional character invented by l. Steven spielberg launches afis new movie club with the. The wizard of oz spawned two sequels, journey back to oz 1974, an animated film featuring the voice of judy garlands daughter, liza minnelli, and. That film may be a classic, but its far from being an original product that can be ruined by any remake, sequel or prequel. Much of the original music was by paul tietjens and has been mostly forgotten, although it was still wellremembered and in discussion at mgm in 1939 when the classic film version of the story was made. The famous musical tells a story of a young girl dorothy who gets lost in the land of oz and travels long and.
However, despite the book being named after his title of position as the self proclaimed wizard, oscar is not the focal point character. Steven spielberg, an afi trustee and 1995 recipient of the afi life achievement award, introduced the first movie chosen 1939s immortal oscarwinning classic the wizard of oz with a. The wonderful wizard of oz, childrens book written by l. The first stagemusical version, debuting in chicago. A modern fairy tale with a distinctly american setting, a delightfully levelheaded heroine, and engaging fantasy characters, the story was enormously popular and became a classic of childrens literature. So to sum this up, the wizard of oz was purposly filmed that way, and was never. Filming for the wizard of oz started on october, 1938 on the metrogoldwynmayer studio lot in culver city, california, with richard thorpe as director, replacing the original director, norman taurog, who filmed a few early technicolor tests and was then reassigned. Asked in wizard of oz who made the first version of the wizard of oz. Directed by victor fleming, george cukor, mervyn leroy.
The earliest film to ever have color was georges melies trip to the moon, and that was when they had to hand paint eve. All in one night, film critic and oz historian ryan jay interviews some of the greatest celebrities ever to have entered the emerald city. Watch the first wizard of oz adapted film from 1910 video. The first of its kind virtual wizard of oz con, celebrating all aspects of oz, with a starstudded evening benefiting broadway caresequity fights aids. Guardians of the galaxy opening scene was inspired by. The haunted forest gets a heck of a lot creepier when the lions quivering in fear, and the witchs look of glee when she finally has them cornered is bound to send a chill down the spine. The wizard of oz is the 1939 musical film by metrogoldwynmayer, directed by victor fleming and starring judy garland, ray bolger, jack haley, bert lahr, margaret hamilton, and frank morgan.
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