The Wizard of OZ by L. Frank Baum was a hugely successful book that generated movies almost from the get-go. I've looked at a few of the silents as we've been going along. Now I'd like give some snapshot reactions to some of the more famous OZ film efforts.
The 1925 Wizard of OZ is a wild ride. Mostly it's a comedy vehicle for Larry Sermon who portrays the Scarecrow and is supported by Oliver Hardy who is briefly the Tin Man. This movie famously failed because the studio collapsed and despite some decent reviews the movie just didn't get to theaters. Larry Sermon was the man behind the production and played the Scarecrow and sadly he lost a lot of money. This loss haunted him until his death.
There's no denying that the 1939 The Wizard of OZ is a blockbuster and was intended as such. Special effects were brought to screen to give the viewer a colorful notion of what OZ might be like. I was introduced to the land of OZ by way of this movie which played every Spring on CBS (as I recollect). Judy Garland was a top-notch celebrity even in the 60's when I was growing up. There's little to say. It's a classic and fun to watch.
Filmation's Journey Back to OZ is notable for its cast which includes Liza Minnelli, the daughter of Judy Garland. Dorothy ends up back on OZ where she meets Jack Pumpkinhead (Paul Lynde) who becomes her ally to save the Scarecrow from the evil witch Mombi (Ethel Merman). We only briefly get new looks at the Cowardly Lion (Milton Berle) and the Tin Woodman (Danny Thomas) because basically they profess to be too busy to help out. There's lots of running around from the exact same green elephants, but animation is expensive.
Return to OZ might be my favorite OZ movie. This 1982 production from Walt Disney is darker than the lavish 1939 musical and actually casts a girl in the role of Dorothy. She is thought to have mental issues because she won't stop talking about her trip to OZ and Aunty Em decides she needs medical treatment. She's just about to get electro-shock therapy when a power failure saves her. Rescued by Ozma she runs to a river and is swept away only wake up in OZ with her chicken Bellina. She meets Jack Pumpkinhead, and Tik-Tok among others. The Scarecrow has been captured by the Gnome King and they need to save him.
Tin Man was a SyFy Channel production. It's a mini-series that updates many of the details of the classic Baum tale, some in quite ingenious ways. Neal McDonough plays the title character, not a man of metal but a man of metel it turns out. The "Scarecrow" is a man who has had his brains removed and his head zipped up. The "Cowardly Lion" is a man from from a race that can read minds. D.G. as she's called in this one is a princess who has been transported to Earth under the care of two well-meaning robots and has had her memory wiped. Richard Dreyfuss appears as the "Mystic Man" or wizard in tihs one. The story is her searching for her memories and family. It's okay, but too long.
OZ the Great and Powerful is a missed opportunity. The problem for me was casting, as I find James Franco an incredibly unlikable actor. The Witches are fine but my favorite parts of this movie is Finley the flying monkey who serves as the Wizard's sidekick and the China Doll who tags along. These two seem to capture the charm which is missing from many of the other characters. The visualization of OZ is tremendous though, and the movie might be recommended just for that aspect.
And that's a wrap. I've had a great deal of fun exploring OZ over the last several months. I have to say the novels are not as strong as I expected given the praise I've seen heaped on them over the years, but it was fascinating to see how Baum created each of them.
Next month something completely different.
Rip Off
The 1939 version of The Wizard Of Oz always seemed to be a yuletide fixture on British TV when I was a kid or that's how I remember it anyway. I suppose you've heard of the notorious "hanging munchkin" controversy when one of the actors playing a munchkin allegedly hanged himself and can be seen in the background in one of the scenes.
ReplyDeleteI've heard of that rumor and looked for the figure and not found it. Great story if a bit dark.
DeleteImagine being in the movie theatre in 1939, watching Judy Garland step through the doorway of her house into Munchkinland as the screen blossoms into magnificent color. It perfectly symbolizes the transition from the drab reality of Kansas to the wonder and adventure of Oz.
ReplyDeleteI bet there were people in that theatre who had no idea that moment was coming, maybe even people who had never seen a color movie before. It must have been absolutely mind-blowing.
I'd imagine almost no one knew of the transition to color. Without the internet to spoil such things, it was easier for films to deliver surprises.
DeleteIt was interesting to see the China Doll in RETURN TO OZ. I don't know if Baum used her people again in other books, but the section with the China People in the first novel was-- odd. I know it's an episodic novel, but they really contribute nothing to the story. Since one bio claimed that Baum used to tell the Oz stories to kids before writing them, maybe one night he didn't have any good material for a new episode-- saw some china on his serving table or the like-- and thus the China People were born.
ReplyDeleteShe was a very well-crafted effect in the movie for certain. I'd say most of the novels are episodic quest tales, which makes them good nighttime reading, but doesn't really add up to a full-fledged novel.
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