This movie was so magical! I understand now that this wasn't the first colour movie but it was still so impressive! Some of the effects were legendary and the songs were so catchy! Can't wait for Return to Oz! Thanks for watching! Have a great day! :)
If you enjoy catchy songs, and have already seen all the Harry Potter movies, be sure to watch the three free Very Potter musicals. You don’t have to edit them for copyright
The Wizard of Oz is one of my favorite movies and I loved your reaction. I'm really looking forward to Return to Oz, but be aware Return is a sequel to the original novel and not the 1939 musical film. Also, Return is not a musical. Even so, I really like Return to Oz as a great children's fantasy film.
"When Dorothy stood in the doorway and looked around, she could see nothing but the great gray prairie on every side. Not a tree nor a house broke the broad sweep of flat country that reached the edge of the sky in all directions. The sun had baked the plowed land into a gray mass, with little cracks running through it. Even the grass was not green, for the sun had burned the tops of the long blades until they were the same gray color to be seen everywhere. Once the house had been painted, but the sun blistered the paint and the rains washed it away, and now the house was as dull and gray as everything else." - The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
I was obsessed with this movie as a young kid and grew up in Alaska - but my paternal grandparents were in Kansas. My mom remembers me sobbing on a flight to see them and holding my red blanket. She was confused because I loved my grandma more then anyone on planet earth. Turns out I was staring at my blanket because I wanted to catch the moment it lost its color as our plane landed.
The struggle is real. Here in Kentucky, as everyone knows, the grass is exactly the same blue color as the sky, and navigating gets to be a problem as you can well imagine.
The tornado in The Wizard of Oz was made with chicken wire wrapped in muslin cloth which was spun along a track while dust and a wind machine were applied to it.
The transition from sepia B&W to full vivid color through that door has got to be up there as most amazing/influential/game changing moments in cinematic history.
The quick cut inside the house just before she opens the door to the color world, was actually filmed in color. They had her wear a white and brown dress, and set dressed the house really drab, so it would come across as Sepia tone. I'm not sure if they painted Judy's skin though, as the shadows may have hid it.
@@trekkiejunk they actually had Judy’s stand-in open the door. They filmed her from the back. If you notice as she opens the door, she backs up out of frame, then Judy steps into the frame and takes it from there
Fun fact: If you look closely at the wallpaper in Dorothy’s Kansas bedroom you’ll see that it’s covered in poppies which foreshadows the poppy field in Oz.
Actually, there were lots of feature films that were in color prior to this, but the way they introduced the color in this one is still one of the best moments ever. That was definitely Judy Garland’s actual voice, she is still considered one of the greatest singers that ever lived.
The actual crow that mocks the scarecrow was played by Jimmy the crow, a well-known trained bird seen in many Hollywood movies at the time. He appears in It's a Wonderful Life filmed a few years later.
@@patrickmurchison9145 Dr. Google answered. He was actually a raven, appearing in over 1,000 films. His first movie was You Can't Take it with You in 1938, directed by Frank Capra, who used him in every movie he made. His last appearance was in a movie in 1954. What happened to him after that isn't known but his human companion (trainer) died in 1956. The birds was 1963. It is said he could do anything an 8yo human could.
4:30 "Is this her actual voice? Because it's beautiful." *heavy sigh* Yes, honey. That IS her actual voice. She had that voice when she was only 16 years old. She was one of a kind.
Yes it’s her voice. From a very young baby Judy Garland performed and always had a voice beyond her years. Until this movie they were trying to work out what to do with her cause she wasn’t a “bomb shell” and wasn’t a certain Temple. So this was major for her. Also the witch used to be a primary school teacher
Scarecrow & Tin Man didn't get poisoned by the poppies because they're not flesh and blood beings. "Horse of a different color" is an old expression that, when used in conversation, basically is equivalent to "well, that's totally different then." The film just took the literal interpretation. The actor Frank Morgan actually played 5 roles in the film: Professor Marvel, the Wizard, the doorman who let them into Emerald City, the horse-carriage driver and the sobbing castle guard. The last identifiable cast member who passed away (about 5 years ago) was the Munchkin who handed Dorothy the lollipop, Jerry Maren.
This is one of the movies that was on television annually as I was growing up in the '70s. When I was in 6th grade I read the novel on which the movie is based. It is even more amazing and fantastical than this vision portrays. Other annual movies that I grew up with include Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968) and Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971). Both are "G" rated musicals which include fun dance numbers, bigger than life protagonists, and a cast of quirky characters.
Same. Late fall was the annual airing of this film, late summer was the airing of Grease, and I think Sunday nights were airings of the Carol Burnett show. All were must-see TV.
In the film, there is no real time or opportunity to set up the witch's allergy to water, although her affinity for fire may be a bit of a clue. In the book, Dorothy is enslaved for many days, but we are told that the witch did not dare to steal her shoes even when Dorothy was bathing, because she was too afraid of water (and did not enter her room at night because she was afraid of the dark).
I like that you often react to older, forgotten classics, as opposed to what's necessarily hip and happening today. I am an old soul, I would much rather sit down to watch Gone with the wind or this as opposed to a Marvel movie. Keep up the great work
It's hard to think of The Wizard of Oz as forgotten, since movies and TV shows still reference it. But it does appear that so many from the younger generation have not seen it, and I'm very grateful to the reactors on TH-cam that have taken the time to watch it and keep films like this and others from this era alive.
@@davidfox5383 the general young people aren't aware of even classic Hollywood movies. Old movies to them are from the 80s. So it is good that people like Ollie put them out there.
I hope Ollie will be interested enough to read it. The Buddy Ebsen story and poor Margaret Hamilton's brush with fire are just two of them. And wonder if anyone will ever react to "Under the Rainbow"....
Over the years I think I read all of them. I was in an advanced class in junior high school, and we had to do a presentation on any subject we wanted. I did mine in the making if The Wizard of Oz. 😁
Check out two of Judy’s films. A Star Is Born. She inexplicably lost the Oscar to Grace Kelly. And her last film. I Could Go On Singing. The hospital scene is a master class in acting
Your comment about there never being a direct remake of this one has an interesting twist. This IS the remake. Dorthy's adventures in Oz had been previously put to film in both 1925 and 1910.
Your take on the witch is exactly the premise of the book “wicked” that the musical was based on (worth picking up if you are a reader). Just a perspective flip “which” can mean everything to a story. Protagonists are just who an author decides to stan.
Loved your comments. You should look up a little more about Judy Garland. She was definitely not dubbed. She was one of the biggest musical stars of the 20th century.
The "brown" in the black and white footage is called "Sepia" or "Sepia Tone." Early photography of the mid 19th Century usually looked that way. Since audiences were already used to "grey-based" black and white films, they wanted to make the bookend scenes appear even more antiquated to the audience. At the time, audiences probably had photos of their grandparents in sepia tone, so it would convey the message of being antiquated to the modern 1939 audience.
Sepia was a slightly different method of developing film which actually held up longer over the years. It was also liked as it gave a warmer tint. But being more resistant to fading, it was the sepia ones that survived the best and fostered the connection of vintage. Sepia is the name in Greek or Latin of a type of cuttlefish whose ink sac is brownish but the name is only connection to the photographic process.
@ Joey McDaniel -- Which ones do you like most? I always wished she recorded something a little more jazzy, but most of what i have heard has been more string-ballad heavy. Some of "That's Entertainment" with Nelson Riddle is ok. And yes, i know Carnegie Hall is legendary.
@@trekkiejunk to be honest, I don’t think I’ve ever heard a Judy recording that I didn’t love. She has an amazing range and excellent control of her voice.
@@trekkiejunk I love the studio albums she did for Capitol, which include *Miss Show Business* (1955), *Judy* (1956), *Alone* (1957), and a fascinating original concept album called *The Letter* (1959), written especially for her by Gordon Jenkins.
It’s interesting that you mention the trap door. This was actually the scene of a really bad accident on set. Things malfunctioned, and the actress that plays the witch was very badly burned.
@@MrTbk1701 Same. Also, fun fact, the wicked witch was also a substitute ballet instructor for my Mom's class when she was young. And that's how I knew about the burn accident.
@@DigiVixenthey said Margaret Hamilton had an accident from the burn where she disappears she had to be in the hospital for a few days and after she recovered she asked the director that in parts where she disappears if they could use smoke instead of fire
I love that you watched this so close to the muppet movie. Two ICONIC movie intro songs about rainbows! Note: I was obsessed with this movie as a young kid and grew up in Alaska - but my paternal grandparents were in Kansas. My mom remembers me sobbing on a flight to see them and holding my red blanket. She was confused because I loved my grandma more then anyone on planet earth. Turns out I was staring at my blanket because I wanted to catch the moment it lost its color as our plane landed.
The witch flying out of the castle was a miniature, with wire removal done in post-production. It really wasn't the dark ages of visual effects, but a golden age. Arnold Gillespie was a genius and it was the likes of him and Ray Harryhausen who masterminded all of the techniques that inspired later generations, who just improved on the same methods over the decades. The horse was a simple effect: they used Jell-o mix and colored him! In the first shot you can see the horse trying to lick it off.
Hiding wires (such as for numerous scenes with flying monkeys, both miniature and full-size) was done in-camera by lighting the scene carefully and dulling down the wire to not make reflections. No computers to later remove wires back then, what is usually called wire removal today.
This film was revolutionary in so many ways in it's day. The largest production that MGM had ever attempted, and by all definitions of the term. The most brilliant.The finest of the finest were hired to help create this. From the stellar wardrobe, to the Incredible art direction , sets, and groundbreaking effects.The reason the film looks so clean , is that this is the most cared for and cherished film of all time. This version was digitally mastered and cleaned in ultra HD, bringing it back to the condition that moviegoers would have seen in the theaters in 1938. The Tornado scene that you spoke of was a stroke of genius. You should go watch the making of the Wizard of OZ. it goes into detail of how all the incredible physical effects were created. Its was a film born of massive talent and love . That is why it stands up today under scrutiny , as one of the greatest classics of all time .
THE very definition of what a classic film is. No matter how many years go by and no matter how many times I have seen it (more than I could ever begin to estimate) it has never EVER failed to make me smile and bring me happiness, if even for a short while. No wonder it is so timeless. Everyone should see it at least once in their life, and I can almost guarantee it won't be the last. It lives on and on and on, generation after generation.
I remember in the 80's before this movie was put on VHS it was shown on TV once a year and that was always such an event. And can you believe Somewhere Over the Rainbow was almost cut out of the movie!
The water thing isn’t mentioned earlier in the movie. But considering how incredibly popular, the books were at the time, it would’ve been common knowledge that the wicked witch can be defeated with water.
12:35 Think of the land of Oz like that of a compass with the Emerald City at its heart. In the original series of Oz books, written by L. Frank Baum, the Land of Oz was divided into four quadrants and each was designated a particular color: Winkie Country = Yellow, Gillikin Country = Purple, Munchkin Country = Blue, and Quadling Country = Red. Therefore, the red brick road goes towards the Quadling Country.
"Over the Rainbow" was composed for this film (written specifically for Judy Garland). It won the Oscar for Best Song (E.Y. Harburg - lyricist, Harold Arlen - composer). Those two contributed the entire score (orchestrated by Herbert Stothart, another Oscar winner for this film).
My favorite film of all time, along with 2001: A Space Odyssey! Growing up in the late 60s and early 70s, in middle class suburban Texas before recorded media, the annual network showing of this movie was as important to us kids as birthdays and Christmas. To answer your question about the witch melting: it is not explicitly mentioned that water will kill her, but heavily hinted in "Over the Rainbow" when Judy sings (and yes that is her voice, which she was famous for all her life and the song WAS written for the film) "where troubles melt like lemon drops"! There are many making-of books and videos...the tornado was a 30-foot tall spinning muslin sock running on an upper and lower rail with dust poured into it so it came out of the bottom. It was then rear projected onto the live-action. You will get lots of views and trivia (and misinformation, like hanging Munchkins) on this...because the movie is SO well loved. I'm glad you enjoyed it so much as an adult, Oliver!
The killing of the witch by water comes from the book, but it would certainly have been a surprise to first time readers or viewers of the film who hadn't read the book, because the traditional way of killing a witch was by fire.
Fun fact my grandma was actually friends with the actress who played the wicked witch and she said she was one of the nicest people she's ever met and one of the biggest animal lovers ever 😂
The film was designed to take full advantage of 3-strip Technicolor, but it wasn't the first film to use that process, and feature films in earlier color processes date back to the early 1920s during the silent era. But because Technicolor purged its storage vaults in the late 1940s when studios didn't see any value in most of their old films, many of the early color films are only known in B&W prints made from compositing the B&W negatives, or are lost entirely. But there are definitely 1930s color films still around. And the diminishing of visible grain was actually produced during the Technicolor process. The sepia tone of the B&W scenes was a dye applied to the B&W positive.
There were also many atempts to use a 2 strip color process during those years. It suffered from not having the full range of colors that 3 strips made possible. As for the sepia tone, I clrealy remember that there was a restoration of the film and re-release in theaters in the 90's that removed the sepia tone in favor of straight gray tones.
Yeah, 2-strip came first and used green and red filters with the positives then dyed blue-green and orange-red so some colors couldn't be reproduced correctly. Three-strip died out as color negative film originally developed for still photography became available in higher speed that could adequately capture unblurred motion. Martin Scorsese's film _The Aviator_ changes color grading as the movie progresses to represent the dominant color process in Hollywood film-making at that time.
When I was a kid the witch and the flying monkeys didn't bother me. What terrified me was the tornado, and even now in my 60s I have to fight back panic every time we have a tornado warning. Fortunately I've never seen a real one.
They've had color films since 1895, but at that time they were hand-colored. Artists had to go in and paint every frame of the film using tiny paintbrushes. In 1903 the first 'natural color' process was invented, meaning that the film itself developed color. The first commercial natural color film, 'A Visit To The Seaside', came out in 1908. It was a short, just eight minutes long, meant to be shown with other shorts, as was normal at the time. In 1912 a full length documentary in natural color, called 'With Our King And Queen Through India', was released. In 1914 the first feature length narrative film in natural color came to theaters, entitled 'The World, The Flesh, And The Devil.' So, when 'The Wizard of Oz' debuted, color films had already been around for 44 years.
There's a special effects documentary on this movie. The tornado, from what I remember, was wire and cloth connected at the top and bottom on a lathe that spun. Then it was steered through a wooden track. The effect still holds up. The trap door you spotted was where Margaret Hamilton was severely burned from the flames as she was dropped through the floor.
1939: The Wizard of Oz and Gone With the Wind....set the benchmarks for so many productions until 2 years later when Citizen Kane ended up becoming THE STANDARD by then rookie amateur director Orson Welles
Gone With The Wind, also filmed in 1939, was also filmed in color! Gone With The Wind was seen by more paying costumers than any other movie in history, however, The Wizard Of Oz has been seen by more people on television than any other movie in television history! Even more than Gone With The Wind!
Oh, yeah, Garland was famous for her voice, and so is her daughter, Liza Minnelli. You should check out more movies with each of them (Minnelli hasn't made as many).
Of the numerous pre-Oz color feature films mentioned in the comments, I haven't spotted Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937). Yes, animated, but obviously the film itself was color and the impact was tremendous. It was a key impetus for M-G-M doing Oz. There were many color animated shorts from Disney starting in 1935.
No, Judy Garland is considered one of the best female vocalists of the 20th Century. That was all her, although she had a sad life, eventually succumbing to her longtime addiction to drugs which the studios started her on as a child.
Color film was around long before sound. It's rare, but there are some silent movies that are in color or in shades of color. Color film of the era was not only very expensive, but it was also prone to burning up while going through a projector while being shown. The operator would hopefully come to the rescue, stop the film, edited out the burned pieces and continue the movie. The movie "Gone With The Wind" was in color and came out the same year as Oz. Another color film from the time is The Adventures of Robin Hood. Good stuff!
This is one of my all time favorite films and it still mesmerizes me as an adult the same way it did as a child. Judy Garland was so beautiful and her voice simply angelic and breathtaking. RIP Judy It truly is a magical and spectacular and brilliant and iconic movie that will stand the test of time and will always be one of the most incredible films in cinema history.
Thank you, Kiddo. I've enjoyed a lot of reactions to the Wizard of Oz, but the one scene folks seem to be confused about is the field of poppies. The witch casts poppies because where does opium come from? "Poppies, poppies will make them sleep." It's been known since poppies first bloomed.
Others may have said this already, but color was actually used in film going back as early as c. 1900, when a lot of movies (e.g. many of those by George Melies) were painstakingly hand-colored after being shot on black and white film. Another early technique was tinting, where a single color was applied to each scene, so that while everything was still monochrome, outdoor day scenes were yellow, night scenes were blue, etc. The first use of natural color - i.e. color captured directly in filming rather than applied after the fact - was a short documentary film from 1908 called A Visit to the Seaside. It used a process called Kinemacolor, a "two-color" process that reproduced reds and greens pretty well but didn't really capture blues. One of the more famous movies to use this early two-color process was The Phantom of the Opera, which is mostly in black and white but has a ball scene filmed in two-strip Technicolor. In the 1930s, a new and much better color process was created by Technicolor, using three colors instead of two, and thus able to more faithfully replicate all the colors seen by the human eye (which has three types of cone cells). There were a few movies that used this process earlier, but The Wizard of Oz was the first really big production to use the new three-color Technicolor. So while it's not technically the first color film, it was still unlike anything people had seen before, and the richness of color would have been pretty amazing to people at the time.
The Nelson Eddy-Jeanette MacDonald film version of Victor Herbert's operetta *Sweethearts* (1938) features Frank Morgan (The Wizard) and Ray Bolger (The Scarecrow) together in a Technicolor feature film a year before *The Wizard of Oz.*
Technicolor actually dates to the early 1900s with the first color Technicolor feature appearing in the late 1910s Silents era, and the process has continually been improved since. The oldest surviving full Technicolor feature is 1922's _The_ _Toll_ _of_ _the_ _Sea_ and the earliest Technicolor Process 4 version (which the _Wizard_ _of_ _Oz_ used) appearing in 1935 including _The_ _Little_ _Colonel_ (with Shirley Temple) and _Becky_ _Sharp_ (with "Good Witch" Billie Burke). Of course, Technicolor was hardly the only color process out there then or now. _The_ _Wizard_ _of_ _Oz_ really took advantage of the possibilities of creating a fantasy feeling by amping up the saturation and using hyper-natural color in the sets. _Gone_ _with_ _the_ _Wind_ was also Technicolor - 1939 was a great year in cinema.
The original a star is born from 1937 too is an earlier one that pops into mind. On a side note I've recently found a few two colour flicks and really been liking that look. Not sure what it is though it's like 3d minus the nausea and headaches. The king of jazz from 1929 is a perfect example of this.
In the original book, Emerald City was perceived green as everyone was required to wear green glasses. In the sequels, it was truly all green, and the four corners of Oz, including Munchkinland, each had its own identifying pervasive color.
I think red was the land of the Quadlings, as opposed to the Munchkins? - and yes, the story is about the abuse of power, how the accidentally powerful lack good sense like everyone else, and how service should, but does not guarantee reward or advancement.
From what I've heard 1939 is concerned one of the greatest years in movie history. So there was so much competition that year that the wizard of oz got forgotten in the shuffle. It wasn't until television came around in the 50s and the movie showed regularly that it became loved and cherished. On a side note I love seeing people your age opening themselves up to older films. When I was a kid my grandmother showed me the movies she watched when she was a kid and I became hooked ever since.
Oliver, it’d be cool to see you react to a few other old movies, black and white: “12 Angry Men” - some of the best writing and acting you will see, engages from the start. “King Kong” - original version, one of the first adventure blockbusters, follow it up with Peter Jackson’s remake. “Night of the Hunter” - killer thriller with some artsy style, starring Robert Mitchum. “Treasure Of The Sierra Madre” - Humphrey Bogart in a compelling story about greed.
The sepia to color effect was actually practical, Dorthy's stand in had sepia colored clothing and the inside house set was painted sepia, the whole scene was filmed in color. I have an explanation at the end of a reaction mashup on my channel.
I knew most of what you typed there, except for the Dorothy part. That was a stand-in wearing the brown dress, not Judy? I didn't know that. Your name fascinates me, and i'm going to have to check out your channel.
12:12 she was supposed to get down the trapdoor safely before the explosion but her broom and hat caught on fire, burning her second degree on her face and third on her hand…. She didn’t felt they burn that much but saw they skin on her hands all gone. Then they had to use alcohol to remorse the makeup. It was very painful to her but she bravely didn’t screamed like the witch “melting”
I'd really love to see your reaction to one of the documentaries about the making of the film. Your surprise and perspective will be memorable, even if I don't get to see. I would recommend one, but every time I see a new one I'm still mesmerized. Also, I have seen the scene where it looks like a guy hangs himself in the background. Back in the VHS days, I advanced frame by frame. That is what it looked like!
I got into a fight with my friend over Return to Oz because she was in love with Wizard of OZ forever, but she never read the books, so she didn't get that it was an adaptation of the next two books.
25:30 - They actually do the “Ore-O” chant joke for these guys in ‘Wreck It Ralph’ IIRC. They go to a candy land and the guards are Oreos, they do this scene and chant.
You're right about the water/witch issue. In the children's book "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz," the witch carefully avoids water, though no one knows why. In this film, however, there was no setup for melting the witch with water. Thanks.
Also wanted to say, it was a pleasure seeing you revisit this film as an adult. This is one of the few movies like "It's a Wonderful Life" that I don't mind sharing over and over. Don't know if anyone has mentioned this yet, but the tornado was made with (so I read years ago) a few pairs of pantyhose with a very powerful fan turned on it. then made to travel over a scaled down landscape with lots of dirt. I believe the background in that scene was rear projected, the kind-of forerunner to green screen. Simply, it's a huge, transparent movie screen with the image reverse projected on the back, so you could see the image the right way around on the front. People would just stand in front of it. Very simple, but effective.
You are indeed participating in a moment of majestic Cinematic history by viewing this Film. Imagine for a moment what it would of been like for a regular person in the 1940s to go to the Cinema or Movie theatre and see a film like this or Gone with the Wind on the big Screen. There is nothing today that could match how profound that feeling, indeed how profound that moment would be.
The tornado is actually a twisted piece of fabric, and the background is actually a rear projection screen. Add some debris blowing and you've got a realistic tornado scene
Watch closely just after Dorothy bops the Lion on the nose. He carries on so much that Judy Garland has to stifle laughing by holding Toto close to her face.
As a world-renowned singer, Liza Minelli's mother, Judy Garland, did all her own singing in each of her films. (See Garland's daughter's Oscar-winning performance in Bob Fosse's Cabaret [1972], also starring Jennifer Grey's dad, Joel Grey; you know Jennifer Grey from Dirty Dancing.) The beginning and ending were not shot in black & white, but sepia tones, like early photographs. Margaret Hamilton's face was burned during the powder flash in Munchkinland. Speaking of which, more than 120 little people were hired to play Munchkins. The tornado scene, featuring a long stocking, was the most expensive in the entire movie.
Such a great movie! Even if it flopped on release, it has become a legendary part of cinema history. I still tear up at the Wizard's comment to the Tin Man "And remember, my sentimental friend, that a heart is not judged by how much *you* love; but by how much you are loved by others."
I think by not knowing the witch’s only weakness & not setting it up is pretty cool because first off she seems “all powerful” which makes her really scary & second Dorothy didn’t mean to kill her, the water was used to save the scarecrow so yes the surprise effect that the water could kill the witch keeps Dorothy innocent. She never intended to kill anyone I think she meant to steal the broom.
One of the classics my man! Love watching your fresh reactions to all the iconic scenes. Judy Garland was only 17 when the movie came out (so possibly around 16 when filmed) and even then she sang like someone who's been doing it for years. Funny you mentioned the red road, I've always kind of wondered where that went too! Maybe someday someone will make a spinoff movie about the red road, haha. You're becoming one of my favourites my man, keep it up!
I don't think there is a red road in the books, though a reasonable guess would be that the red road might go to the Quadling country, Oz's southern region, which favors the color red, and is the real home of Glinda, who in the books is the Good Witch of the South, rather than the North. However, L. Frank Baum did write a book called *The Road to Oz,* in which someone takes the other fork of the Yellow Brick Road (the one Dorothy and the Scarecrow didn't take).
Of course, in addition to having a superb natural vocal instrument, Judy had been doing it for years. She made her first stage appearance at age two, toured with her two older sisters as a vaudeville act beginning around age six, and made more than a dozen movies (including seven feature films) between 1929 and 1938.
There is a set up about the witch melting by water when the Scarecrow says he's not afraid of a witch except for a lighted match. Foreshadowing Scarecrow might need water, which conveniently is in a bucket ready for Dorothy to throw on the flames. The witch likes to use fire and water puts out fire. But her melting is meant to be a surprise like the wizard being fake. What disturbs me the most is that the witch for however old she was never bathed.
This was not the first color movie. The same year, Gone with the Wind, a best picture winner in 1939, and full of vivid color. Really enjoy your reactions!
I commuted weekly to Kansas to work for about a year. Driving to and from the airport, scanning the landscape, I commented to my co-worker, "It feels like I am in the wizard of OZ."
4:40 Yes, Judy Garland had a great singing voice. Did live performances & cut records throughout her career while acting too. She did a great job acting in "Judgement at Nuremberg" with Spencer Tracy and Richard Widmark. 4:45 The "actor" for Toto was named Terry. The little Cairn Terrier who was in a bunch of movies, including appearing as Rainbow in (sniff) the movie "Fury" with Spencer Tracy in 1936. 7:30 You should be able to find a documentary on youtube about make the Wizard of Oz, complete with explanations of how they constructed the special effects. The earliest full length color movie I've ever seen was an odd futuristic film "Things to Come" from 1936. 12:59 I think the Munchkins were all played by adults and I'm still petty angry at them for not sending at least two of their soldiers along with Dorothy for protection on her way to the Emerald City...they had enough gratitude to put a bust of her in their Hall of Fame, but not enough to provide guards for her hike to see the Wizard.
As for the tornado/cyclone: The "tornado" was a thirty-five-foot-long muslin stocking, photographed with miniatures of a Kansas farm and fields. Gillespie rigged up a gantry crane, rotated by a motor, that traveled the length of the soundstage. The base of the tornado was fastened to a car below the stage, where the crew moved it along a track. Ray Bolger, who was a good friend to Judy Garland, was a famous eccentric dancer. Here's a sample: th-cam.com/video/pZV6KcnXZ9g/w-d-xo.html The Tinman was supposed to have been played by Buddy Ebsen, who later became famous as Jed, on "The Beverly Hillibilles" and "Barnaby Jones", but the makeup was toxic and almost killed him. Here's something of what we might have seen: th-cam.com/video/MW2cSNeMBbY/w-d-xo.html Margaret Hamilton, who was the Wicked Witch, in real life, was a lovely lady (a lot of famous movie villains were sweethearts in real life). She had been a kindergarten teacher before her acting career, and was always concerned about the children's reactions to her character. That great appearance and disappearance in Munchkinland was almost fatal to her because of badly handled effects. Oh, yes, that was Judy Garland singing! She was known as the little girl with the great, big voice. She has one of the unmistakable singing styles and expressions in movie history. A sample: th-cam.com/video/e1-E2xRXULU/w-d-xo.html (that's Mickey Rooney, who worked a great deal with her. Here he's playing lyricist Larry Hart in the movie "Words and Music"). One of her most famous moments: th-cam.com/video/UzyPMRo8ZUQ/w-d-xo.html
Vocally and appearance-wise, judy was at the top of her game in Meet Me in St Louis. Her version of Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas (which was written for the movie) is the best version ever. And she and the director Vincent Minnelli fell in love during the making of the movie, and you can tell by the way he shot her and made her look gorgeous.
your reaction to this wonderful film is one of my favorites - it was a joy seeing you take it all in and appreciate it's artistry. my theory on the water and fire issue with the witch: the scarecrows worst enemy can only be extinguished by the witches worst enemy. humans of course would benefit from water in a fire but hey, she's a witch who makes her entrance in a ball of flames. once again a pleasure watching a younger person appreciate a true classic. cheers!
P.S. yes it was Judy Garland's real voice. the directors (yes there was more than one) wanted the song to be a big over-produced show stopper - instead they went with a drab barnyard, Garland's vocal delivery being flawless but somewhat melancholy - wise choice.
I like the Wicked Witch way better than her Kansas equivalent Elmira Gulch. The Horse of a Different Color was coated in something akin to a sequence of different gelatin in various colors.
That bit where it changes to colour - the entire set was in sappier (brown and white), and Dorothy was also painted up in it - she goes out of camera for a frame or two, then she takes off the makup and ... tada!
Bro I’ve watched this movie probably 1000 times and you pointed out things I’ve never noticed like how the witch puts Toto in the basket in real life too to show the symbolism. Good eye!
I hate to be pedantic but background paintings are not matte paintings. By definition, a matte painting is when the live action and painting are filmed separately and combined with black "mattes" blocking off part of the image. The reason the color of movies from this era holds up so well is because they were actually recorded on black and white film, which doesn't fade and deteriorate as quickly as color. They would actually run three strips of film through the camera. The image was split up and filtered into the three primary colors. Since three strips of film were being run the camera had to be soundproofed. They were huge. And since the light was split up, the sets required an enormous amount of light. I know you did a reaction to Rope. Do a google image search on the camera used for that. It is amazing it was as mobile and smooth as it was in that movie.
This movie was so magical! I understand now that this wasn't the first colour movie but it was still so impressive! Some of the effects were legendary and the songs were so catchy! Can't wait for Return to Oz!
Thanks for watching! Have a great day! :)
If you enjoy catchy songs, and have already seen all the Harry Potter movies, be sure to watch the three free Very Potter musicals. You don’t have to edit them for copyright
Hi Oliver, I like the forward of the wizard of oz starting in 1939 with World War 2 1939 to 1945.
The Wizard of Oz is one of my favorite movies and I loved your reaction. I'm really looking forward to Return to Oz, but be aware Return is a sequel to the original novel and not the 1939 musical film. Also, Return is not a musical. Even so, I really like Return to Oz as a great children's fantasy film.
@Benny Ford She would have loved the movie!
@@tltatt I will keep this in mind! Thank you!
I live in Kansas and can confirm that we are still in sepia tone.
"When Dorothy stood in the doorway and looked around, she could see nothing but the great gray prairie on every side. Not a tree nor a house broke the broad sweep of flat country that reached the edge of the sky in all directions. The sun had baked the plowed land into a gray mass, with little cracks running through it. Even the grass was not green, for the sun had burned the tops of the long blades until they were the same gray color to be seen everywhere. Once the house had been painted, but the sun blistered the paint and the rains washed it away, and now the house was as dull and gray as everything else." - The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
East Kansas is pretty green actully
I was obsessed with this movie as a young kid and grew up in Alaska - but my paternal grandparents were in Kansas. My mom remembers me sobbing on a flight to see them and holding my red blanket. She was confused because I loved my grandma more then anyone on planet earth.
Turns out I was staring at my blanket because I wanted to catch the moment it lost its color as our plane landed.
@@VonPatzy lol! That's hilarious
The struggle is real. Here in Kentucky, as everyone knows, the grass is exactly the same blue color as the sky, and navigating gets to be a problem as you can well imagine.
The tornado in The Wizard of Oz was made with chicken wire wrapped in muslin
cloth which was spun along a track while dust and a wind machine were applied
to it.
The transition from sepia B&W to full vivid color through that door has got to be up there as most amazing/influential/game changing moments in cinematic history.
The quick cut inside the house just before she opens the door to the color world, was actually filmed in color. They had her wear a white and brown dress, and set dressed the house really drab, so it would come across as Sepia tone. I'm not sure if they painted Judy's skin though, as the shadows may have hid it.
@@trekkiejunk they actually had Judy’s stand-in open the door. They filmed her from the back. If you notice as she opens the door, she backs up out of frame, then Judy steps into the frame and takes it from there
@@trekkiejunk It was her double and yes, they did paint her skin.
@@trekkiejunk regardless it still works. a seasoned film buff of course would notice
Fun fact: If you look closely at the wallpaper in Dorothy’s Kansas bedroom you’ll see that it’s covered in poppies which foreshadows the poppy field in Oz.
Actually, there were lots of feature films that were in color prior to this, but the way they introduced the color in this one is still one of the best moments ever. That was definitely Judy Garland’s actual voice, she is still considered one of the greatest singers that ever lived.
The actual crow that mocks the scarecrow was played by Jimmy the crow, a well-known trained bird seen in many Hollywood movies at the time. He appears in It's a Wonderful Life filmed a few years later.
Was Jimmy in "The Birds" or had he retired or died at that point?🤔😄
@@patrickmurchison9145 Dr. Google answered. He was actually a raven, appearing in over 1,000 films. His first movie was You Can't Take it with You in 1938, directed by Frank Capra, who used him in every movie he made. His last appearance was in a movie in 1954. What happened to him after that isn't known but his human companion (trainer) died in 1956. The birds was 1963.
It is said he could do anything an 8yo human could.
@@johnnehrich9601 Cool!!! Thanks!!
4:30 "Is this her actual voice? Because it's beautiful." *heavy sigh* Yes, honey. That IS her actual voice. She had that voice when she was only 16 years old. She was one of a kind.
Yes it’s her voice. From a very young baby Judy Garland performed and always had a voice beyond her years. Until this movie they were trying to work out what to do with her cause she wasn’t a “bomb shell” and wasn’t a certain Temple. So this was major for her.
Also the witch used to be a primary school teacher
"Over the Rainbow" was written for this movie, as was the rest of the music, by Harold Arlen.
That song was almost cut from the movie because LB Mayer hated it.
@@capricemadrid5353 Good thing cooler heads prevailed.
Mayer did respect Arlen, though. He would often call him "my genius."
@@capricemadrid5353 And it won an Oscar
Scarecrow & Tin Man didn't get poisoned by the poppies because they're not flesh and blood beings.
"Horse of a different color" is an old expression that, when used in conversation, basically is equivalent to "well, that's totally different then." The film just took the literal interpretation.
The actor Frank Morgan actually played 5 roles in the film: Professor Marvel, the Wizard, the doorman who let them into Emerald City, the horse-carriage driver and the sobbing castle guard.
The last identifiable cast member who passed away (about 5 years ago) was the Munchkin who handed Dorothy the lollipop, Jerry Maren.
This is one of the movies that was on television annually as I was growing up in the '70s. When I was in 6th grade I read the novel on which the movie is based. It is even more amazing and fantastical than this vision portrays. Other annual movies that I grew up with include Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968) and Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971). Both are "G" rated musicals which include fun dance numbers, bigger than life protagonists, and a cast of quirky characters.
Same. Late fall was the annual airing of this film, late summer was the airing of Grease, and I think Sunday nights were airings of the Carol Burnett show. All were must-see TV.
Yup! They would air Oz and the musical "Annie".
Looked forward to the annual showing on TV, since VCRs were not a thing yet. Lol
From the moment this film starts, with that incredible theme dropping to start the credits, it is a masterpiece. Easily the best intro of all time.
In the film, there is no real time or opportunity to set up the witch's allergy to water, although her affinity for fire may be a bit of a clue. In the book, Dorothy is enslaved for many days, but we are told that the witch did not dare to steal her shoes even when Dorothy was bathing, because she was too afraid of water (and did not enter her room at night because she was afraid of the dark).
I like that you often react to older, forgotten classics, as opposed to what's necessarily hip and happening today. I am an old soul, I would much rather sit down to watch Gone with the wind or this as opposed to a Marvel movie. Keep up the great work
Thank you!!!
hip... is that a 1940s expression?
Gone With The Wind, which by the way, was released the very same year.
It's hard to think of The Wizard of Oz as forgotten, since movies and TV shows still reference it. But it does appear that so many from the younger generation have not seen it, and I'm very grateful to the reactors on TH-cam that have taken the time to watch it and keep films like this and others from this era alive.
@@davidfox5383 the general young people aren't aware of even classic Hollywood movies. Old movies to them are from the 80s. So it is good that people like Ollie put them out there.
This is probably the most well-documented film production ever. Just about anything you want to know about, there are five books to tell you.
I hope Ollie will be interested enough to read it. The Buddy Ebsen story and poor Margaret Hamilton's brush with fire are just two of them. And wonder if anyone will ever react to "Under the Rainbow"....
Over the years I think I read all
of them. I was in an advanced class in junior high school, and we had to do a presentation on any subject we wanted. I did mine in the making if The Wizard of Oz. 😁
Check out two of Judy’s films. A Star Is Born. She inexplicably lost the Oscar to Grace Kelly. And her last film. I Could Go On Singing. The hospital scene is a master class in acting
The Wizard of Oz is the ultimate chick flick. It's a movie about two women trying to kill each other over a pair of shoes.
Best comment ever! 🤣😂
@@torontomame --Well, except it is an old joke from someone's stand-up act. I can't remember's whose though.
"A young woman arrives in a new place and kills someone immediately. She teams up with three strangers to kill again."
Your comment about there never being a direct remake of this one has an interesting twist. This IS the remake. Dorthy's adventures in Oz had been previously put to film in both 1925 and 1910.
Your take on the witch is exactly the premise of the book “wicked” that the musical was based on (worth picking up if you are a reader).
Just a perspective flip “which” can mean everything to a story.
Protagonists are just who an author decides to stan.
Loved your comments. You should look up a little more about Judy Garland. She was definitely not dubbed. She was one of the biggest musical stars of the 20th century.
The "brown" in the black and white footage is called "Sepia" or "Sepia Tone." Early photography of the mid 19th Century usually looked that way. Since audiences were already used to "grey-based" black and white films, they wanted to make the bookend scenes appear even more antiquated to the audience. At the time, audiences probably had photos of their grandparents in sepia tone, so it would convey the message of being antiquated to the modern 1939 audience.
Sepia was a slightly different method of developing film which actually held up longer over the years. It was also liked as it gave a warmer tint. But being more resistant to fading, it was the sepia ones that survived the best and fostered the connection of vintage.
Sepia is the name in Greek or Latin of a type of cuttlefish whose ink sac is brownish but the name is only connection to the photographic process.
Sad fact: For the snow in the poppies scene they used asbestos.
Yes Ollie….you are basically Dorothy. 😊 You should check out Judy’s albums. One of the finest voices ever. And you better believe in Oz!!
@ Joey McDaniel -- Which ones do you like most? I always wished she recorded something a little more jazzy, but most of what i have heard has been more string-ballad heavy. Some of "That's Entertainment" with Nelson Riddle is ok. And yes, i know Carnegie Hall is legendary.
@@trekkiejunk to be honest, I don’t think I’ve ever heard a Judy recording that I didn’t love. She has an amazing range and excellent control of her voice.
@@trekkiejunk I love the studio albums she did for Capitol, which include *Miss Show Business* (1955), *Judy* (1956), *Alone* (1957), and a fascinating original concept album called *The Letter* (1959), written especially for her by Gordon Jenkins.
@@trekkiejunk so what’s your favorite Trek? It’s TOS for me. Was hooked in ‘66 as a kid. Loving Strange New Worlds!
Ollie you should review Judy. It’s about Judy Garland’s final tour in England. Flashbacks show scenes from this film too.
It’s interesting that you mention the trap door. This was actually the scene of a really bad accident on set. Things malfunctioned, and the actress that plays the witch was very badly burned.
I’m glad you said this I was going to but I’m glad you did.
The first vanish was the only one to have fire in it for this reason. The rest of them used only smoke.
@@MrTbk1701 Same. Also, fun fact, the wicked witch was also a substitute ballet instructor for my Mom's class when she was young. And that's how I knew about the burn accident.
@@DigiVixenthey said Margaret Hamilton had an accident from the burn where she disappears she had to be in the hospital for a few days and after she recovered she asked the director that in parts where she disappears if they could use smoke instead of fire
She was using the water to put out the fire on the scarecrow. She did not know it would harm the witch.
So different seeing this as an adult - so much is foreshadowed and the Wizard of Oz seems much more like the primary villain.
I love your reactions to movies. You are young but you are smart. You know what's what. I really enjoy watching your reactions. Keep it up!
Judy Garland was one of the greatest singers of all time. That is all.
I love that you watched this so close to the muppet movie. Two ICONIC movie intro songs about rainbows!
Note: I was obsessed with this movie as a young kid and grew up in Alaska - but my paternal grandparents were in Kansas. My mom remembers me sobbing on a flight to see them and holding my red blanket. She was confused because I loved my grandma more then anyone on planet earth.
Turns out I was staring at my blanket because I wanted to catch the moment it lost its color as our plane landed.
The beginning and end are not "black & white", they're sepia-toned, which is the brown-tint you see in old photos or faux-aged photos.
The witch flying out of the castle was a miniature, with wire removal done in post-production. It really wasn't the dark ages of visual effects, but a golden age. Arnold Gillespie was a genius and it was the likes of him and Ray Harryhausen who masterminded all of the techniques that inspired later generations, who just improved on the same methods over the decades. The horse was a simple effect: they used Jell-o mix and colored him! In the first shot you can see the horse trying to lick it off.
knowing what jello is made of, that's extra messed up,lol
Hiding wires (such as for numerous scenes with flying monkeys, both miniature and full-size) was done in-camera by lighting the scene carefully and dulling down the wire to not make reflections.
No computers to later remove wires back then, what is usually called wire removal today.
This film was revolutionary in so many ways in it's day. The largest production that MGM had ever attempted, and by all definitions of the term. The most brilliant.The finest of the finest were hired to help create this. From the stellar wardrobe, to the Incredible art direction , sets, and groundbreaking effects.The reason the film looks so clean , is that this is the most cared for and cherished film of all time. This version was digitally mastered and cleaned in ultra HD, bringing it back to the condition that moviegoers would have seen in the theaters in 1938.
The Tornado scene that you spoke of was a stroke of genius. You should go watch the making of the Wizard of OZ. it goes into detail of how all the incredible physical effects were created. Its was a film born of massive talent and love . That is why it stands up today under scrutiny , as one of the greatest classics of all time .
THE very definition of what a classic film is. No matter how many years go by and no matter how many times I have seen it (more than I could ever begin to estimate) it has never EVER failed to make me smile and bring me happiness, if even for a short while. No wonder it is so timeless. Everyone should see it at least once in their life, and I can almost guarantee it won't be the last. It lives on and on and on, generation after generation.
I remember in the 80's before this movie was put on VHS it was shown on TV once a year and that was always such an event.
And can you believe Somewhere Over the Rainbow was almost cut out of the movie!
The water thing isn’t mentioned earlier in the movie. But considering how incredibly popular, the books were at the time, it would’ve been common knowledge that the wicked witch can be defeated with water.
12:35 Think of the land of Oz like that of a compass with the Emerald City at its heart.
In the original series of Oz books, written by L. Frank Baum, the Land of Oz was divided into four quadrants and each was designated a particular color: Winkie Country = Yellow, Gillikin Country = Purple, Munchkin Country = Blue, and Quadling Country = Red. Therefore, the red brick road goes towards the Quadling Country.
"Over the Rainbow" was composed for this film (written specifically for Judy Garland). It won the Oscar for Best Song (E.Y. Harburg - lyricist, Harold Arlen - composer). Those two contributed the entire score (orchestrated by Herbert Stothart, another Oscar winner for this film).
My favorite film of all time, along with 2001: A Space Odyssey! Growing up in the late 60s and early 70s, in middle class suburban Texas before recorded media, the annual network showing of this movie was as important to us kids as birthdays and Christmas. To answer your question about the witch melting: it is not explicitly mentioned that water will kill her, but heavily hinted in "Over the Rainbow" when Judy sings (and yes that is her voice, which she was famous for all her life and the song WAS written for the film) "where troubles melt like lemon drops"! There are many making-of books and videos...the tornado was a 30-foot tall spinning muslin sock running on an upper and lower rail with dust poured into it so it came out of the bottom. It was then rear projected onto the live-action. You will get lots of views and trivia (and misinformation, like hanging Munchkins) on this...because the movie is SO well loved. I'm glad you enjoyed it so much as an adult, Oliver!
I'm glad you enjoyed the reaction! This movie was so magical and I hope it sticks around for many future generations to come!!!
The killing of the witch by water comes from the book, but it would certainly have been a surprise to first time readers or viewers of the film who hadn't read the book, because the traditional way of killing a witch was by fire.
Are you the same David Fox who founded Midwest Restaurant Supply?
@@billolsen4360 Not me.
Fun fact my grandma was actually friends with the actress who played the wicked witch and she said she was one of the nicest people she's ever met and one of the biggest animal lovers ever 😂
Thanks for doing this, Loved it.
The film was designed to take full advantage of 3-strip Technicolor, but it wasn't the first film to use that process, and feature films in earlier color processes date back to the early 1920s during the silent era. But because Technicolor purged its storage vaults in the late 1940s when studios didn't see any value in most of their old films, many of the early color films are only known in B&W prints made from compositing the B&W negatives, or are lost entirely. But there are definitely 1930s color films still around. And the diminishing of visible grain was actually produced during the Technicolor process. The sepia tone of the B&W scenes was a dye applied to the B&W positive.
There were also many atempts to use a 2 strip color process during those years. It suffered from not having the full range of colors that 3 strips made possible. As for the sepia tone, I clrealy remember that there was a restoration of the film and re-release in theaters in the 90's that removed the sepia tone in favor of straight gray tones.
Yeah, 2-strip came first and used green and red filters with the positives then dyed blue-green and orange-red so some colors couldn't be reproduced correctly. Three-strip died out as color negative film originally developed for still photography became available in higher speed that could adequately capture unblurred motion. Martin Scorsese's film _The Aviator_ changes color grading as the movie progresses to represent the dominant color process in Hollywood film-making at that time.
When I was a kid the witch and the flying monkeys didn't bother me. What terrified me was the tornado, and even now in my 60s I have to fight back panic every time we have a tornado warning. Fortunately I've never seen a real one.
LOL I WAS TERRIFIED OF THE WITCH. On behalf of Toto mostly. 😂😂
The witch against which all witches have been measured since.
"and you little dog too!" really makes her evil in the eyes of kids
They've had color films since 1895, but at that time they were hand-colored. Artists had to go in and paint every frame of the film using tiny paintbrushes.
In 1903 the first 'natural color' process was invented, meaning that the film itself developed color.
The first commercial natural color film, 'A Visit To The Seaside', came out in 1908. It was a short, just eight minutes long, meant to be shown with other shorts, as was normal at the time.
In 1912 a full length documentary in natural color, called 'With Our King And Queen Through India', was released.
In 1914 the first feature length narrative film in natural color came to theaters, entitled 'The World, The Flesh, And The Devil.'
So, when 'The Wizard of Oz' debuted, color films had already been around for 44 years.
There's a special effects documentary on this movie. The tornado, from what I remember, was wire and cloth connected at the top and bottom on a lathe that spun. Then it was steered through a wooden track. The effect still holds up. The trap door you spotted was where Margaret Hamilton was severely burned from the flames as she was dropped through the floor.
1939: The Wizard of Oz and Gone With the Wind....set the benchmarks for so many productions until 2 years later when Citizen Kane ended up becoming THE STANDARD by then rookie amateur director Orson Welles
For the Munchkins, only about a dozen of them were children, they also hired over 100 little people to play Munchkins.
Gone With The Wind, also filmed in 1939, was also filmed in color! Gone With The Wind was seen by more paying costumers than any other movie in history, however, The Wizard Of Oz has been seen by more people on television than any other movie in television history! Even more than Gone With The Wind!
Oh, yeah, Garland was famous for her voice, and so is her daughter, Liza Minnelli. You should check out more movies with each of them (Minnelli hasn't made as many).
"Cabaret" and "Arthur" were Liza's two standout movies.
This has some of my favourite cinematic moments. One being Mrs Gulch turning into the witch in the twister and of course turning to technicolour
"All we owe, we owe her." No chocolate cream-filled cookies were involved. Best. Mike.
I thought it was “All we owe, we owe on”… I had heard it was a commentary on taxes.
Of the numerous pre-Oz color feature films mentioned in the comments, I haven't spotted Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937). Yes, animated, but obviously the film itself was color and the impact was tremendous. It was a key impetus for M-G-M doing Oz. There were many color animated shorts from Disney starting in 1935.
I love that the guards outside King Candy's Castle in Wreck It Ralph are all Oreo's doing and saying exactly the same as the Wicked Witch's guards.
No, Judy Garland is considered one of the best female vocalists of the 20th Century. That was all her, although she had a sad life, eventually succumbing to her longtime addiction to drugs which the studios started her on as a child.
Color film was around long before sound. It's rare, but there are some silent movies that are in color or in shades of color. Color film of the era was not only very expensive, but it was also prone to burning up while going through a projector while being shown. The operator would hopefully come to the rescue, stop the film, edited out the burned pieces and continue the movie. The movie "Gone With The Wind" was in color and came out the same year as Oz. Another color film from the time is The Adventures of Robin Hood. Good stuff!
This is one of my all time favorite films and it still mesmerizes me as an adult the same way it did as a child.
Judy Garland was so beautiful and her voice simply angelic and breathtaking. RIP Judy
It truly is a magical and spectacular and brilliant and iconic movie that will stand the test of time and will always be one of the most incredible films in cinema history.
Thank you, Kiddo. I've enjoyed a lot of reactions to the Wizard of Oz, but the one scene folks seem to be confused about is the field of poppies. The witch casts poppies because where does opium come from? "Poppies, poppies will make them sleep." It's been known since poppies first bloomed.
Others may have said this already, but color was actually used in film going back as early as c. 1900, when a lot of movies (e.g. many of those by George Melies) were painstakingly hand-colored after being shot on black and white film. Another early technique was tinting, where a single color was applied to each scene, so that while everything was still monochrome, outdoor day scenes were yellow, night scenes were blue, etc.
The first use of natural color - i.e. color captured directly in filming rather than applied after the fact - was a short documentary film from 1908 called A Visit to the Seaside. It used a process called Kinemacolor, a "two-color" process that reproduced reds and greens pretty well but didn't really capture blues. One of the more famous movies to use this early two-color process was The Phantom of the Opera, which is mostly in black and white but has a ball scene filmed in two-strip Technicolor.
In the 1930s, a new and much better color process was created by Technicolor, using three colors instead of two, and thus able to more faithfully replicate all the colors seen by the human eye (which has three types of cone cells). There were a few movies that used this process earlier, but The Wizard of Oz was the first really big production to use the new three-color Technicolor. So while it's not technically the first color film, it was still unlike anything people had seen before, and the richness of color would have been pretty amazing to people at the time.
The Nelson Eddy-Jeanette MacDonald film version of Victor Herbert's operetta *Sweethearts* (1938) features Frank Morgan (The Wizard) and Ray Bolger (The Scarecrow) together in a Technicolor feature film a year before *The Wizard of Oz.*
Technicolor actually dates to the early 1900s with the first color Technicolor feature appearing in the late 1910s Silents era, and the process has continually been improved since. The oldest surviving full Technicolor feature is 1922's _The_ _Toll_ _of_ _the_ _Sea_ and the earliest Technicolor Process 4 version (which the _Wizard_ _of_ _Oz_ used) appearing in 1935 including _The_ _Little_ _Colonel_ (with Shirley Temple) and _Becky_ _Sharp_ (with "Good Witch" Billie Burke). Of course, Technicolor was hardly the only color process out there then or now. _The_ _Wizard_ _of_ _Oz_ really took advantage of the possibilities of creating a fantasy feeling by amping up the saturation and using hyper-natural color in the sets. _Gone_ _with_ _the_ _Wind_ was also Technicolor - 1939 was a great year in cinema.
The original a star is born from 1937 too is an earlier one that pops into mind. On a side note I've recently found a few two colour flicks and really been liking that look. Not sure what it is though it's like 3d minus the nausea and headaches. The king of jazz from 1929 is a perfect example of this.
In the original book, Emerald City was perceived green as everyone was required to wear green glasses. In the sequels, it was truly all green, and the four corners of Oz, including Munchkinland, each had its own identifying pervasive color.
I think red was the land of the Quadlings, as opposed to the Munchkins?
- and yes, the story is about the abuse of power, how the accidentally powerful lack good sense like everyone else, and how service should, but does not guarantee reward or advancement.
Actually there was a kind of remake, called the wiz 1978
From what I've heard 1939 is concerned one of the greatest years in movie history. So there was so much competition that year that the wizard of oz got forgotten in the shuffle. It wasn't until television came around in the 50s and the movie showed regularly that it became loved and cherished. On a side note I love seeing people your age opening themselves up to older films. When I was a kid my grandmother showed me the movies she watched when she was a kid and I became hooked ever since.
Oliver, it’d be cool to see you react to a few other old movies, black and white:
“12 Angry Men” - some of the best writing and acting you will see, engages from the start.
“King Kong” - original version, one of the first adventure blockbusters, follow it up with Peter Jackson’s remake.
“Night of the Hunter” - killer thriller with some artsy style, starring Robert Mitchum.
“Treasure Of The Sierra Madre” - Humphrey Bogart in a compelling story about greed.
I second 12 Angry Men!
Idk if anyone mentioned yet, but the tornado was created by using a huge fan with a large piece of silk, if I recall correctly
The sepia to color effect was actually practical, Dorthy's stand in had sepia colored clothing and the inside house set was painted sepia, the whole scene was filmed in color.
I have an explanation at the end of a reaction mashup on my channel.
I knew most of what you typed there, except for the Dorothy part. That was a stand-in wearing the brown dress, not Judy? I didn't know that. Your name fascinates me, and i'm going to have to check out your channel.
12:12 she was supposed to get down the trapdoor safely before the explosion but her broom and hat caught on fire, burning her second degree on her face and third on her hand…. She didn’t felt they burn that much but saw they skin on her hands all gone. Then they had to use alcohol to remorse the makeup. It was very painful to her but she bravely didn’t screamed like the witch “melting”
I'd really love to see your reaction to one of the documentaries about the making of the film. Your surprise and perspective will be memorable, even if I don't get to see. I would recommend one, but every time I see a new one I'm still mesmerized. Also, I have seen the scene where it looks like a guy hangs himself in the background. Back in the VHS days, I advanced frame by frame. That is what it looked like!
I got into a fight with my friend over Return to Oz because she was in love with Wizard of OZ forever, but she never read the books, so she didn't get that it was an adaptation of the next two books.
25:30 - They actually do the “Ore-O” chant joke for these guys in ‘Wreck It Ralph’ IIRC. They go to a candy land and the guards are Oreos, they do this scene and chant.
Always a classic! Been looking forward to this one Ollie
Hope you enjoyed it!
You're right about the water/witch issue. In the children's book "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz," the witch carefully avoids water, though no one knows why. In this film, however, there was no setup for melting the witch with water. Thanks.
Also wanted to say, it was a pleasure seeing you revisit this film as an adult. This is one of the few movies like "It's a Wonderful Life" that I don't mind sharing over and over.
Don't know if anyone has mentioned this yet, but the tornado was made with (so I read years ago) a few pairs of pantyhose with a very powerful fan turned on it. then made to travel over a scaled down landscape with lots of dirt. I believe the background in that scene was rear projected, the kind-of forerunner to green screen. Simply, it's a huge, transparent movie screen with the image reverse projected on the back, so you could see the image the right way around on the front. People would just stand in front of it. Very simple, but effective.
You are indeed participating in a moment of majestic Cinematic history by viewing this Film. Imagine for a moment what it would of been like for a regular person in the 1940s to go to the Cinema or Movie theatre and see a film like this or Gone with the Wind on the big Screen. There is nothing today that could match how profound that feeling, indeed how profound that moment would be.
This movie will only get better and better the more you watch it; really doesn't get old.
The tornado is actually a twisted piece of fabric, and the background is actually a rear projection screen. Add some debris blowing and you've got a realistic tornado scene
Watch closely just after Dorothy bops the Lion on the nose. He carries on so much that Judy Garland has to stifle laughing by holding Toto close to her face.
As a world-renowned singer, Liza Minelli's mother, Judy Garland, did all her own singing in each of her films. (See Garland's daughter's Oscar-winning performance in Bob Fosse's Cabaret [1972], also starring Jennifer Grey's dad, Joel Grey; you know Jennifer Grey from Dirty Dancing.)
The beginning and ending were not shot in black & white, but sepia tones, like early photographs.
Margaret Hamilton's face was burned during the powder flash in Munchkinland.
Speaking of which, more than 120 little people were hired to play Munchkins.
The tornado scene, featuring a long stocking, was the most expensive in the entire movie.
Such a great movie! Even if it flopped on release, it has become a legendary part of cinema history. I still tear up at the Wizard's comment to the Tin Man "And remember, my sentimental friend, that a heart is not judged by how much *you* love; but by how much you are loved by others."
Great video, as always. And kudos on the Keith Haring t-shirt!
I love the KH Tee as well!
I think by not knowing the witch’s only weakness & not setting it up is pretty cool because first off she seems “all powerful” which makes her really scary & second Dorothy didn’t mean to kill her, the water was used to save the scarecrow so yes the surprise effect that the water could kill the witch keeps Dorothy innocent. She never intended to kill anyone I think she meant to steal the broom.
Correction. "Gone With The Wind" came out the same year and it was also in color. Both films had the same director Victor Fleming.
One of the classics my man! Love watching your fresh reactions to all the iconic scenes. Judy Garland was only 17 when the movie came out (so possibly around 16 when filmed) and even then she sang like someone who's been doing it for years. Funny you mentioned the red road, I've always kind of wondered where that went too! Maybe someday someone will make a spinoff movie about the red road, haha. You're becoming one of my favourites my man, keep it up!
Thank you for watching and I am glad you are enjoying the reactions!!! :)
I don't think there is a red road in the books, though a reasonable guess would be that the red road might go to the Quadling country, Oz's southern region, which favors the color red, and is the real home of Glinda, who in the books is the Good Witch of the South, rather than the North. However, L. Frank Baum did write a book called *The Road to Oz,* in which someone takes the other fork of the Yellow Brick Road (the one Dorothy and the Scarecrow didn't take).
Of course, in addition to having a superb natural vocal instrument, Judy had been doing it for years. She made her first stage appearance at age two, toured with her two older sisters as a vaudeville act beginning around age six, and made more than a dozen movies (including seven feature films) between 1929 and 1938.
There is a set up about the witch melting by water when the Scarecrow says he's not afraid of a witch except for a lighted match. Foreshadowing Scarecrow might need water, which conveniently is in a bucket ready for Dorothy to throw on the flames. The witch likes to use fire and water puts out fire. But her melting is meant to be a surprise like the wizard being fake. What disturbs me the most is that the witch for however old she was never bathed.
This was not the first color movie. The same year, Gone with the Wind, a best picture winner in 1939, and full of vivid color. Really enjoy your reactions!
I commuted weekly to Kansas to work for about a year. Driving to and from the airport, scanning the landscape, I commented to my co-worker, "It feels like I am in the wizard of OZ."
You make a great point about the possibilities of having two or more differently colored roads.
4:40 Yes, Judy Garland had a great singing voice. Did live performances & cut records throughout her career while acting too. She did a great job acting in "Judgement at Nuremberg" with Spencer Tracy and Richard Widmark. 4:45 The "actor" for Toto was named Terry. The little Cairn Terrier who was in a bunch of movies, including appearing as Rainbow in (sniff) the movie "Fury" with Spencer Tracy in 1936. 7:30 You should be able to find a documentary on youtube about make the Wizard of Oz, complete with explanations of how they constructed the special effects. The earliest full length color movie I've ever seen was an odd futuristic film "Things to Come" from 1936. 12:59 I think the Munchkins were all played by adults and I'm still petty angry at them for not sending at least two of their soldiers along with Dorothy for protection on her way to the Emerald City...they had enough gratitude to put a bust of her in their Hall of Fame, but not enough to provide guards for her hike to see the Wizard.
As for the tornado/cyclone:
The "tornado" was a thirty-five-foot-long muslin stocking, photographed with miniatures of a Kansas farm and fields. Gillespie rigged up a gantry crane, rotated by a motor, that traveled the length of the soundstage. The base of the tornado was fastened to a car below the stage, where the crew moved it along a track.
Ray Bolger, who was a good friend to Judy Garland, was a famous eccentric dancer. Here's a sample: th-cam.com/video/pZV6KcnXZ9g/w-d-xo.html
The Tinman was supposed to have been played by Buddy Ebsen, who later became famous as Jed, on "The Beverly Hillibilles" and "Barnaby Jones", but the makeup was toxic and almost killed him. Here's something of what we might have seen: th-cam.com/video/MW2cSNeMBbY/w-d-xo.html
Margaret Hamilton, who was the Wicked Witch, in real life, was a lovely lady (a lot of famous movie villains were sweethearts in real life). She had been a kindergarten teacher before her acting career, and was always concerned about the children's reactions to her character. That great appearance and disappearance in Munchkinland was almost fatal to her because of badly handled effects.
Oh, yes, that was Judy Garland singing! She was known as the little girl with the great, big voice. She has one of the unmistakable singing styles and expressions in movie history. A sample: th-cam.com/video/e1-E2xRXULU/w-d-xo.html (that's Mickey Rooney, who worked a great deal with her. Here he's playing lyricist Larry Hart in the movie "Words and Music").
One of her most famous moments: th-cam.com/video/UzyPMRo8ZUQ/w-d-xo.html
Vocally and appearance-wise, judy was at the top of her game in Meet Me in St Louis. Her version of Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas (which was written for the movie) is the best version ever. And she and the director Vincent Minnelli fell in love during the making of the movie, and you can tell by the way he shot her and made her look gorgeous.
*Things to Come* (1936) was originally made in black and white. I suspect you've seen a colorized version.
your reaction to this wonderful film is one of my favorites - it was a joy seeing you take it all in and appreciate it's artistry. my theory on the water and fire issue with the witch: the scarecrows worst enemy can only be extinguished by the witches worst enemy. humans of course would benefit from water in a fire but hey, she's a witch who makes her entrance in a ball of flames. once again a pleasure watching a younger person appreciate a true classic. cheers!
P.S. yes it was Judy Garland's real voice. the directors (yes there was more than one) wanted the song to be a big over-produced show stopper - instead they went with a drab barnyard, Garland's vocal delivery being flawless but somewhat melancholy - wise choice.
I like the Wicked Witch way better than her Kansas equivalent Elmira Gulch.
The Horse of a Different Color was coated in something akin to a sequence of different gelatin in various colors.
That bit where it changes to colour - the entire set was in sappier (brown and white), and Dorothy was also painted up in it - she goes out of camera for a frame or two, then she takes off the makup and ... tada!
Judy Garland singing Over the Rainbow is iconic but you'll be blown away hearing Patti LaBelle's version!
The Yellow Brick Road symbolizes the Golden Path of Heroes. By choosing the path, Dorothy learns to become a Hero.
Thank You Ollie. Beautiful movie. Amazing. Great reaction. God bless You
There is a documentary called the marvellous land of oz narrated by angela Lansbury, this tells you everything about the making,
Bro I’ve watched this movie probably 1000 times and you pointed out things I’ve never noticed like how the witch puts Toto in the basket in real life too to show the symbolism. Good eye!
I would love to see you react to "Oz the Great and Powerful" which is a Disney Made prequel to this movie!
My mom and I used to sing "Oreos we waaant some".
Now I want Oreos
I hate to be pedantic but background paintings are not matte paintings. By definition, a matte painting is when the live action and painting are filmed separately and combined with black "mattes" blocking off part of the image.
The reason the color of movies from this era holds up so well is because they were actually recorded on black and white film, which doesn't fade and deteriorate as quickly as color. They would actually run three strips of film through the camera. The image was split up and filtered into the three primary colors. Since three strips of film were being run the camera had to be soundproofed. They were huge. And since the light was split up, the sets required an enormous amount of light.
I know you did a reaction to Rope. Do a google image search on the camera used for that. It is amazing it was as mobile and smooth as it was in that movie.
The tornado was made of a sheathe of burlap bags full of dirt, dragged behind a pickup truck. It is extremely real looking.
Margaret Hamilton appears in an episode of "Mister Rogers Neighborhood", which may be on TH-cam.