filmlover Posted July 2, 2006 Share Posted July 2, 2006 I was just watching an original short production TCM has promoting The Wizard of Oz, in which several stars talk about their personal memories of the film. And it made me recall a funny memory that I thought others might get a kick out of us because the father in the anecdote is so much like us: I was at a special Saturday matinee revival of it a good number of years ago. The film was playing and I was enjoying it but suddenly I hear crying from the row behind me. The scene on screen was one with the Wicked Witch, and this little girl behind me, who was probably about five years old, pleaded in tears to her father, "I want to go home! I'm scared!" And the father said, "No, no, you'll like it. It's a classic." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattHelm Posted July 3, 2006 Share Posted July 3, 2006 I remember when I was a kid, closing my eyes while watching the movie on TV, at the part when the witch made her entrance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hlywdkjk Posted July 3, 2006 Share Posted July 3, 2006 Happy to see ya MattHelm! Glad I am not alone on that count. I was terrified often. I was hiding behind the couch when the Winkies had our heroes trapped in the corner tower of the wall just before the liquification. Kyle In Hollywood Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 3, 2006 Share Posted July 3, 2006 My memory: As a kid I watched the Wizard Of Oz but it wasn't until I was in my 20's while watching it with my girlfriend , I saw for the first time that it went from Black and White to color when Dorothy was in OZ. We didn't have a Color TV as kid at home. My girlfriend didn't believe me, But I enjoyed it that night like I was a kid again. Real Story Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midge Posted July 3, 2006 Share Posted July 3, 2006 Cris, I believe you. I had the same experience that you did! What a shock it was when the Witch first made her entrance. What? Her face is green?!? All those years of watching the movie, and I had no idea. In black and white, her face looked normal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cagney69 Posted July 3, 2006 Share Posted July 3, 2006 The part that use to scare me was when the witch's crystal ball went from Aunte Em to the witch. "I'm frightened Aunte Em I'm frightened". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattHelm Posted July 3, 2006 Share Posted July 3, 2006 Hi Kyle, The funny thing is, I was ok with the witch from then on. There was something about her entrance though that I couldn't bear. Waiting for that scene was like waiting for a doctor to give you a shot in the arm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackBurley Posted July 3, 2006 Share Posted July 3, 2006 "The part that use to scare me was when the witch's crystal ball went from Aunte Em to the witch. "I'm frightened Aunte Em I'm frightened"." I always found that the most chilling too. The image of domestic safety -- Auntie Em -- becomes the image of darkness and danger -- The Wicked Witch of the West. Subconciously it suggests they are one. The evil within the good. I'm scared. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TOOMANYNOTES Posted July 3, 2006 Share Posted July 3, 2006 Keep Repeating.....It's Only a Movie.....It's Only a Movie.....It's Only a Movie! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackBurley Posted July 3, 2006 Share Posted July 3, 2006 You jest, but you also hit the nail on the head. This movie is so mired in childhood fantasies. I think I really thought it was real, as a child. I know I later had a confusing period when I came to terms with Judy Garland vs. Dorothy Gale. I thought those were two different people. It hadn't occurred to me that this was the same actress. In college I took a class in the History of Hollywood Musicals. It began with a discussion of the best examples of the genre. The professor suggest The Wizard of Oz. Until then, it never occurred to me that it was a musical; as if it were in a genre of its own. Apparently this movie messed with my head... Regarding the usage of color, I mentioned this in my TCM profile as one of the seminal moments of my personal classic movie history: discovering that the horse of a different color really was just that... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GarboManiac Posted July 3, 2006 Share Posted July 3, 2006 Two memories: First, as a kid, I thought Glenda was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen! I was totally shocked when, as a young adult, I discovered it was Billie Burke, for cryin' out loud! Oh, well, Florenz Ziegfeld married her, and he knew his stuff! Second, I was terrified of those monkeys! A sky full of evil winged primates was enough to give me nightmares! And, when they landed they wisked Dorothy off into the night, tore up Scarecrow, and beat up Cowardly Lion and Tin Woodsman! Oh, my!! But, now one of the funny parts of the movie is after the monkeys have left, and Ray says something like first they took my arms and threw them over there, then they took my legs and threw them over there! Tin Woodsman responds with, "Well, that's you all over!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rainee Posted July 3, 2006 Share Posted July 3, 2006 Cris, I had the same experience, not seeing Wizard in color until my late teens. That was almost 40 years ago and I remember it like it just happened. The world was a frightening place then (assassinations, war, riots..some things never change) so the witch didn't seem that scary. TWoO gave me a feeling of hope and peace, home could be a sanctuary from the chaos outside the door. I still get that feeling watching it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TOOMANYNOTES Posted July 3, 2006 Share Posted July 3, 2006 As I Always say "Home Is Where The Bills Come" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CineSage_jr Posted July 3, 2006 Share Posted July 3, 2006 First, as a kid, I thought Glenda was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen! I was totally shocked when, as a young adult, I discovered it was Billie Burke, for cryin' out loud! Oh, well, Florenz Ziegfeld married her, and he knew his stuff! Actually, it's Glinda, not "Glenda." And Burke was 54 in 1939, which is like 64 now, or more. Of course, next to Burke (in OZ, anyway), Miriam Hopkins sounds like Ann Sheridan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hlywdkjk Posted July 3, 2006 Share Posted July 3, 2006 Hiya JackBurley - I don't know at what age I noticed the horse actually changed colors during its quick little trot in a circle. Amongst all the excitement about being inside the Emerald City, seeing all the beautiful people and the joy being expressed by everyone, looking at the horse was easily overlooked. Though I still don't know why they just didn't walk to the salon. But it was an even later age when I noticed Frank Morgan was playing more than just The Wizard in the Emerald City. Boy, did I feel silly for not noticing THAT earlier. Kyle In Hollywood Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hlywdkjk Posted July 3, 2006 Share Posted July 3, 2006 Whoops! Darn goofy javascript errors making duplicate posting errors again. Message was edited by: Kyle ot remove a duplicate posting Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GarboManiac Posted July 3, 2006 Share Posted July 3, 2006 Thanks, CineSage! Glinda! I don't think I ever really knew. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackBurley Posted July 4, 2006 Share Posted July 4, 2006 "I don't know at what age I noticed the horse actually changed colors during its quick little trot in a circle. Amongst all the excitement about being inside the Emerald City, seeing all the beautiful people and the joy being expressed by everyone, looking at the horse was easily overlooked. Though I still don't know why they just didn't walk to the salon. But it was an even later age when I noticed Frank Morgan was more than just The Wizard in the Emerald City. Boy, did I feel silly for not noticing THAT earlier." The funny thing about the horse is that we never considered the dialogue to be odd when we saw it in black/white: Dorothy: What kind of a horse is that? Liveryman: Why, that's the horse of a different color you've heard tell about! It wasn't until we saw it in color, that we muttered with wonder, "Ah, so that's what they were talking about!" Why take the carriage to the Wizard's portal? Well, they've come such a long, long way already -- and by foot! They deserved to rest their gams for the final 20 feet. You know those ruby slippers could cause some aching feet. Another odd line was, "I've sent a little insect on ahead of you, to take the fight out of them." This line is said by the Wicked Witch of the West to Nikko (the flying monkey), and refers to the Jitterbug -- a scene that was cut from the film, but they retained the line. And yes, I believe the recognition of the many Frank Morgan characters was one of the last for me to realize too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
filmlover Posted July 4, 2006 Author Share Posted July 4, 2006 Another funny thing is how we accept so much of the movie just on face value. But I was thinking how cynical we are now and how this movie could never really be made the way it is because we (everyone) would make fun of its "niceness." And also in watching it this time, I got thinking about how the Wizard tells them to get the Wicked Witch's broom and they say they would have to kill her to get it. And they know that is the only way to get the things they want. It made me think that this little girl Dorothy and the others are actually going out with the knowledge they are going to kill someone. Makes you wonder if they discussed ways to do as they headed to the Witch's castle. "I say we poison her." "No, I say I cut her head off with my axe." "Naw, just stab her when she's sleeping." Sad to be cynical. lol, but this may be one of the few times the Code didn't say that if someone killed someone they would also have to die. And I have also thought about, though she is now back on the farm at the end, isn't Miss Gulch just going to come and take Toto away again? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackBurley Posted July 4, 2006 Share Posted July 4, 2006 'Makes you wonder if they discussed ways to do as they headed to the Witch's castle. 'I say we poison her.' 'No, I say I cut her head off with my axe.' 'Naw, just stab her when she's sleeping.'" But of course the four discussed it. They have brought the props along for this premeditated murder: The Tin Woodman is already equipped with his axe; but as I recall, someone someone is carrying a big atomizer of poison, and another has a very large net... They have a plan, it just goes awry when the monkey air force arrives. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hlywdkjk Posted July 4, 2006 Share Posted July 4, 2006 Regarding weapons, The Scarecrow does pull a silver pistol out of nowhere at some point. And as to the color - in the mid-sixties, one never really knew what to expect to see on a color televsion set. Green Faces? Saw those some nights while watching Ed Sullivan. The technology was spotty and reception was iffy in rural areas like where I grew up and the broadcast station was a long way away. After seeing the Emerald City arrival scene again tonight, it is impossible NOT to notice the horse changing colors. But I am guessing (hoping) in the mid-sixties, the print for the film was old and so washed out that the colors didn't have such a brilliance then. The everchanging equine pallette is front and center today. But my tv screen is at least twice the size of what I grew up with also. There are a lot of details that one can see without being two feet from the screen now. And I wonder how many folks fell in love with Art Deco as adults after seeing the Emerald City as a child and have never put the two together. Kyle In Hollywood Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThinMan15 Posted July 4, 2006 Share Posted July 4, 2006 >this may be one of the few times the Code didn't say that if someone killed >someone they would also have to die. Ah, but the witch was the evil one who had to die according to the Code, since she tried to kill Dorothy for the shoes! > And I have also thought about, though she is now back > on the farm at the end, isn't Miss Gulch just going > to come and take Toto away again? I was once a member of a message board that debated that in great detail (one of the participants was a lawyer, yet) and according to the situation and laws, things don't look good for Toto. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattHelm Posted July 4, 2006 Share Posted July 4, 2006 And I wonder how many folks fell in love with Art Deco as adults after seeing the Emerald City as a child and have never put the two together. I thought people didn't have ceilings in those days, looking at all those Art Deco sets of the 30s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattHelm Posted July 4, 2006 Share Posted July 4, 2006 I too thought she was a hot chick much, much younger than she actually was. When I saw her in other contemporary movies when I was older, I was like ... "Huh?" I don't know if they could replicate that special effect, even today. Only in Oz. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackBurley Posted July 4, 2006 Share Posted July 4, 2006 "And I have also thought about, though she is now back on the farm at the end, isn't Miss Gulch just going to come and take Toto away again?" I think I always assumed that Elmira Gulch died in the tornado. The last time we saw her she was madly pedaling in the cyclone... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts