Question about the Wizard of Oz

[jameselliot]

I haven't seen it in years. We watched it tonight on TBS and there's a female narrator describing the action. I don't remember ever hearing this voice over before. It's almost like a version for the visually impaired. She even reads the end credits.  There's nothing on the web about this or who the narrator is. Does anyone have any info?

[markfp2]

A lot of TCM''s movies  have that, it's a description service for folks who are vision impaired. However you shouldn't be hearing it unless you wanted it.  The problem isn't at TCM's end, it's at yours.  Most likely you inadvertently activated by it by accidently pushing a button on your remote.  There should be one labeled maybe AUDIO or  SAP (for Second Audio Programming. ) or something like that.  The simplest way would be to check the manual that comes with your cable box or TV. That should explain how to do it.

If you don't turn it off, you may occasionally hear it on programming from other channels that use the description service too.

 

[txfilmfan]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audio_description#United_States

For TV, it was pioneered (as were closed captions) by PBS affiliate WGBH in Boston back in the mid 80s.

[Dargo]

Would this now beg the question: While listening to Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon, would a visually impaired person visualize this movie in their mind?

(...some of you here I'm sure will catch this one, won't ya)  

[TikiSoo]

I have wondered for YEARS as to whether the face of OZ was Frank Morgan's face with make-up (his voice was used) or a random actor in make-up?

7 hours ago, Dargo said:

While listening to Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon, would a visually impaired person visualize this movie in their mind?

I'm amazed someone married the two & posted it on YT as "The Dark Side of Oz". I could never synch it correctly with a record & videotape. Only "works" when high.

[Sepiatone]

I long wondered about that "wizard" image too, TIKI.  And the voice sure don't sound like Morgan, eh?  

And I wonder if what the OP mentions is the same as that "described video" the CBC mentions at the beginning of many of their TV shows.  And too, how would that work for when the visually impaired try watching PINK PANTHER cartoons?   

  I had a friend back in the late '60's who was blind at birth.  I called one Saturday afternoon and asked him what he was up to.  He said he was "watching" TV.  Slightly amused, I asked what he was watching.  He told me, "Pink Panther cartoons."      Now, he did often "watch" TV, being able to pick up on the story line  from the dialog.  But....  PINK PANTHER CARTOONS??     Of course, he did finally admit he was pullin' my leg.   

Sepiatone

[HoldenIsHere]

7 hours ago, TikiSoo said:

I have wondered for YEARS as to whether the face of OZ was Frank Morgan's face with make-up (his voice was used) or a random actor in make-up?

 

That's a good question, TikiSoo, and one that (to my knowledge) has not been  answered definitively .  One blog states that an anonymous actor played the Oz head  projected on the screen, but unfortunately the blog's author does not provide the source for this information.

[Janet0312]

You don't think that's Frank Morgan? I do.

 

[TomJH]

Frank Morgan's many roles in the Wizard of Oz

 

But did he play the Wizard we see in the Great Hall, as well?

 

 

See Rarely Seen Edit From Film Below For Answer . . .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Well, four out of five ain't bad).

[jameselliot]

22 hours ago, markfp2 said:

A lot of TCM''s movies  have that, it's a description service for folks who are vision impaired. However you shouldn't be hearing it unless you wanted it.  The problem isn't at TCM's end, it's at yours.  Most likely you inadvertently activated by it by accidently pushing a button on your remote.  There should be one labeled maybe AUDIO or  SAP (for Second Audio Programming. ) or something like that.  The simplest way would be to check the manual that comes with your cable box or TV. That should explain how to do it.

If you don't turn it off, you may occasionally hear it on programming from other channels that use the description service too.

 

Thanks but I never use the SAP button. 

[Dargo]

15 hours ago, TikiSoo said:

I have wondered for YEARS as to whether the face of OZ was Frank Morgan's face with make-up (his voice was used) or a random actor in make-up?

I'm amazed someone married the two & posted it on YT as "The Dark Side of Oz". I could never synch it correctly with a record & videotape. Only "works" when high.

Yeah, I found this last night after YouTube searching for it Tiki, and even watched some of it too.

(...although I noticed only at a very few points during it where there might be any true correlation or synch between the PF music and the film's visuals, but maybe that's just me)

[sewhite2000]

On 11/27/2020 at 8:41 PM, jameselliot said:

Thanks but I never use the SAP button. 

I'm pretty sure I've seen other threads complaining about this over the years. You  might just double check to make sure it's turned off? I don't doubt that the problem might be coming from some other source than the remote. I feel thankful this has never happened on my TV. I do recall it happening once some years ago on something I was watching on my parents' TV, and the problem wasn't with the remote. It was so maddening, I just had to stop watching. You have my sympathies. Hope it's not a continuing problem!

[txfilmfan]

There have been a couple of instances where the SAP channel was accidentally swapped with the main audio channel by the broadcaster.  This happened many years ago once on TCM, where the DVS track was playing on the primary audio channel.

 

[Sepiatone]

From what I can find out(on IMDb)  Morgan plays both phases( and faces) of the Wizard.  I long thought it was somebody else too.

Sepiatone

[musicalnovelty]

16 hours ago, txfilmfan said:

There have been a couple of instances where the SAP channel was accidentally swapped with the main audio channel by the broadcaster.  This happened many years ago once on TCM, where the DVS track was playing on the primary audio channel.

 

I recall one time it happened several years ago on TCM when the movie "42nd Street" was being run. We got the SAP commentary and couldn't turn it off.

[TikiSoo]

1 hour ago, musicalnovelty said:

I recall one time it happened several years ago on TCM when the movie "42nd Street" was being run. We got the SAP commentary and couldn't turn it off.

Did the narrator say "tappity tap tap" or "foot touches floor & makes noise"?  😝

[jakeem]

Does anyone know which Oscar-winning screenwriter is credited with the idea of filming the Kansas scenes in black and white and the Oz section in color?

[Sepiatone]

Something tells me you already know.  So why do you ask?

Sepiatone

[jakeem]

1 hour ago, Sepiatone said:

Something tells me you already know.  So why do you ask?

Sepiatone

Because the person of interest is topical.

[NipkowDisc]

in the movie the wizard refers to himself as simply the all-powerful Oz never as a wizard and he's got fangs too....

I always wonder why the wicked witch of the west isn't scared of ticking off this powerful malevolent being.

he looks mean enough to have her for breakfast.

[NipkowDisc]

2 minutes ago, NipkowDisc said:

in the movie the wizard refers to himself as simply the all-powerful Oz never as a wizard and he's got fangs too....

I always wonder why the wicked witch of the west isn't scared of ticking off this being.

he looks mean enough to have her for breakfast.

oh and by the way...where are Frank Morgan's oz fangs?

[Dargo]

13 minutes ago, NipkowDisc said:

in the movie the wizard refers to himself as simply the all-powerful Oz never as a wizard and he's got fangs too....

I always wonder why the wicked witch of the west isn't scared of ticking off this being.

he looks mean enough to have her for breakfast.

Actually here Nip, I'm kind'a surprised with you being such a big original Star Trek series fan, that you haven't yet mentioned the similar look of the great and powerful Oz with that of THIS guy from that series...

(...you're slippin' lately, dude...I'll just chalk this up to you still being bummed-out about the recent election results) 

LOL

[jakeem]

Here's the answer to my recent question: "Does anyone know which Oscar-winning screenwriter is credited with the idea of filming the Kansas scenes in black and white and the Oz section in color?"

It was none other than Herman J. Mankiewicz, who shared a 1941 Best Original Screenplay Oscar with Orson Welles for "Citizen Kane." 

Mankiewicz was attached to "The Wizard of Oz" film project early on, but eventually left without receiving a screen credit. But his idea about using black-and-white and color cinematography became one of the memorable aspects of the picture.

By the way, Netflix has dropped "Mank," David Fincher's much-anticipated film biography of the screenwriter. Gary Oldman (pictured below left)  portrays Mankiewicz.

[Sepiatone]

Really?   Geez....

My morning Free Press has a critique of it this morning.  I don't often read newspaper critic reviews, and I don't do the Netflix thing, so I wonder if there's a way I might get to check it out.   Maybe somehow it'll wind up on my cable's ON DEMAND list.  

Sepiatone

 

[jakeem]

38 minutes ago, Sepiatone said:

Really?   Geez....

My morning Free Press has a critique of it this morning.  I don't often read newspaper critic reviews, and I don't do the Netflix thing, so I wonder if there's a way I might get to check it out.   Maybe somehow it'll wind up on my cable's ON DEMAND list.  

Sepiatone

 

For now, it appears you'll have to do the Netflix thing. "Mank" was shown at a limited number of theaters last month and earned a little less than $100,000.