Friends of Dorothy- Page 3

[best12bars]

Posted: 11/22/08 at 11:18am

Thanks, HellsBells2!

It's easy for me to prattle on about my favorite movie! And there's a reason why it's my favorite movie after all these years. I've analyzed it to death myself (not so much intentionally as subconsciously), and I"ve discovered new things and new ways of looking at it, as I've grown older.

The fact that the story worked as well for me when I was five as it does now is pretty incredible. Not that I see it the same way, by any means! But its strength is in how well it speaks to all people of all ages.

I'm fascinated by others who call this their "favorite movie of all time." A diverse group of people, even in the movie industry, from Spike Lee to Marlee Matlin. That says a lot.

[Jane2]

Posted: 11/22/08 at 11:27am

Besty, the one strong memory I have from seeing the film as a child is that I was frightened to death at certain parts of it.

One is the flying monkeys. To me they were too scary to watch!

Another very strong feeling of fright came when Dorothy's locked up in the castle, sees her auntie Em in the crystal ball, and then it suddenly becomes the face of the wicked witch!

The chanting of "oleo,leo dum", or however it goes, by the monkeys, scared me too.

Also, the big image of the wizard along with all the effects in his castle, and his voice booming was scary for me.

In general, the film scared me! I wonder if that's so for lots of other young people.

[StockardFan]

Posted: 11/22/08 at 11:31am

I found it a little scary as a child too, Jane!

[best12bars]

Posted: 11/22/08 at 11:42am

Definitely true, Jane.

The scary aspects of Oz are terrific for young kids. The iconic image of the Wicked Witch with her green face, black clothes and the red smoke and fire scared the hell out of me as a kid.

It's funny you mention the crystal ball shot being so frightening. That's another one that Arthur Freed and others had to fight for! Margaret Hamilton's role was trimmed down after initial internal screenings because they all thought she was just too frightening for young kids.

The fascinating thing to me is how much of a presence she has in our world today. She was recently voted #3 in the top movie villains of all time by AFI ... after 69 years! And she's only on screen for 12 minutes in the film. Twelve. That's it.

I do wonder what they cut! I know of two instances which you can still see in the final film:

When Glinda whispers to Dorothy in Munchkinland, "Keep tight inside of them. Their magic must be very powerful, or she wouldn't want them so badly."

And the Witch says, "You stay out of this, Glinda, or I'll fix you as well!" You can see her start to say more. There was more threatening dialog there. It was cut.

The editor cuts right to Glinda as we see the Witch start to say her next line. So it looks like she's interrupting her with, "Aren't you forgetting the Ruby Slippers?

But I want to know what the Witch was saying!

Later, when the Witch is watching them in her crystal ball, just as they are getting out of the Poppy Field, and she says, "But I'm still great enough to conquer her, and woe to those who try to stop me!" She shakes the Golden Cap at the head Flying Monkey (Nikko). And again, you can see her start to say something, as we fade to Dorothy and her friends skipping toward the Emerald City with "Optimistic Voices" playing.

The Golden Cap is never explained, but it's how the Witch commands the Flying Monkeys. But I want to hear her say more!

Anyway, I think (again) they were right in putting in just enough scary stuff, while not going too far for kids of that day. If they had alienated them, they would have been dead in the water with a movie like this.

Oh, and I agree... the flying monkeys descending on the forest is one of the most frightening images I remember as a young kid watching movies. It was just so surreal and overwhelming. Freaky-looking, gray monkeys with wings... hundreds of them... going after Dorothy and her friends.

Great, indelible stuff.

Updated On: 11/22/08 at 11:42 AM

[StageManager2]

Posted: 11/22/08 at 11:44am

The film never scared me. Then again, I had already been exposed to Freddy Krueger and Michael Myers as a young tot, so the Wicked Witch and the Flying Monkeys kinda paled in comparison. I was mainly fascinated by the fantasy aspect -- escaping to a make-believe world -- and, of course, the music. In fact, I've still got a cassette tape of me at age 9 singing "Over the Rainbow." Or should I say ATTEMPTING to sing. I've always been tone-deaf, and at the time I was still grasping the English language, so what you hear is an out-of-tune rendition with some mumbo jumbo thrown in. :-P

[best12bars]

Posted: 11/22/08 at 11:47am

I'm sure it's a classic, SM2!

I think that's why "Oz" works so well as a film. It doesn't rely on just the fear-factor, or the fantasy, or the music, or the story. People are drawn to it for many reasons.

... or like me! For all of those reasons.

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 11/22/08 at 12:27pm

Besty,

I have also read about the 'romance story' between Judy and the Farm hand. In more than a few places, and it's also talked about in one of the 'making of' extras that came out with the last DVD.

[miss pennywise]

Posted: 11/22/08 at 1:17pm

I love this movie, too. You know that, Besty. But there are quirks and flubs just like any other man-made product. When you've seen the movie over 100 times, you start to see things like that. It's actually FUN to be able to see those things! (For example, all the stuff they're carrying when they go through the forest. The net and bee atomizer and gun. Why do they have those things? If you know the backstory and what wound up on the cutting room floor and what have you, you understand. )

Regarding the "budding romance" between Dorothy and Hunk. The boxed set that came out a couple of years ago has some guy saying this. That's all I know. (BTW, when I was 11, I fell madly in love with a cute blonde steward on the Nieuw Amsterdam. Is "11" a "little girl"? Just wondering.)

So just because I'm playing around with the script or the lyrics, it doesn't mean I don't think the movie is as near to perfect as you can get in a film!

[Q]

Posted: 11/22/08 at 1:24pm

From the very first time I saw it as a child, what resonated with me was Dorothy's attempt to find a place to 'fit in' and be safe.

Even now, having found it after a life-long search, it's still what touches my heart the most.

[miss pennywise]

Posted: 11/22/08 at 1:27pm

I watched it s few weeks ago with my kids, and when she said, "Auntie Em, there's no place like home." I started sobbing.

There is something about Judy Garland's delivery of that line and the look on her face that just makes it impossible for me to be passive. It is probably the single most moving moment for me in all of cinema.

[Q]

Posted: 11/22/08 at 1:30pm

As to the original subject, I had no idea - I honestly thought it referred to the Judy connection.

Now I want to go and read some more about that Algonquin group!

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 11/22/08 at 2:06pm

I have always loved watching her hair change length from shot to shot, from longer to shorter.

[StockardFan]

Posted: 11/22/08 at 2:12pm

Miss P, you just made me tear up!

[miss pennywise]

Posted: 11/22/08 at 2:19pm

Stockard, I get choked up just thinking about that scene. Really. I'm starting to feel it right now. Judy was just so freaking PERFECT in that scene. The look in her eyes, the shape of her mouth, the quaver in her voice...and "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" in the background. You have to be soulless not to be moved by that scene.

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 11/22/08 at 2:39pm

And to think her daughter is in the UK about to open as The Wicked Witch of the West in a production of WOO! Here are some pictures of her WITHOUT the make-up. I'm waiting for her to send me picturs of her all made up!

http://hipcelebrity.blogspot.com/2008/09/lorna-luft-as-wicked-witch-in-wizard-of.html


Another Link

[miss pennywise]

Posted: 11/22/08 at 2:49pm

I love Lorna!!! LOVE her!!!

[best12bars]

Posted: 11/22/08 at 2:54pm

"(For example, all the stuff they're carrying when they go through the forest. The net and bee atomizer and gun. Why do they have those things? If you know the backstory and what wound up on the cutting room floor and what have you, you understand. ) "

The worst part is that the sign they read is misspelled.

It says "Witches Castle" (plural) instead of "Witch's Castle."

She didn't have any roommates that I know of ... unless THAT ended up on the cutting room floor too.

[miss pennywise]

Posted: 11/22/08 at 3:02pm

Well, you see there, Besty? Maybe "WHICH old Witch?" really IS logical! They're probably asking whether it's Maggie or one of her buds!

[StockardFan]

Posted: 11/22/08 at 6:58pm

I'm totally going to rent it tomorrow. Or hell, I might as well buy it, right?

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 11/22/08 at 7:15pm

I have to whole "Special Edition / Newly Restored / All the bells and Whistles version.


It's worth it.


And I have never thought of myself as a rabid fand, but I see that I own a copy of the outfit, stand up cut outs of the characters, and a special edition of the movie poster marked #2 out of 900 with an embossed logo.

And, I can call Lorna a good friend.

I loved her last message, "Okay, now, what do they take this green stuff off with??"

[best12bars]

Posted: 11/22/08 at 7:44pm

"And I have never thought of myself as a rabid fand, but I see that I own a copy of the outfit, stand up cut outs of the characters, and a special edition of the movie poster marked #2 out of 900 with an embossed logo.

And, I can call Lorna a good friend."



LOL No, Diva... You're not a rabid fan. No, not at all.

[Paul W. Thompson]

Posted: 11/23/08 at 12:44am

I addition to watching the length of Judy's braids change, I also love watching Toto disappear and reappear throughout the film. Like, where IS he, and then he shows up just in time to move to a new set. Thank God!

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 11/23/08 at 2:19am

I didn't even mention the ruby slippers that I made off of the original pattern...

Oy!

[BroomstickBoy]

Posted: 11/23/08 at 2:24am

This will ALWAYS be my favorite movie.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who noticed Glinda giving Dorothy "the magical kiss" on the forehead, reference to the book. And the use of the Golden Cap.

I never knew the humor was "vaudeville" humor, but then again I don't know much of vaudeville myself. Just bits and pieces. I'm 22, go figure. I thought it to be just uncomplicated jokes.


I'll never forget a moment where the Wicked Witch of the West scared the living hell out of me when I was a kid. I was 5 years old, walking through my school library with a classmate on an errand for our teacher and an upper grade class was watching the film. It was the scene where she's saying (with accentuations on the specific words if you know what I mean), "Those slippers will NEVER come off....as long as you're ALIVE. But that's not what's worrying me, it's HOW to do it. These things must be done DELICATELY...or you'll hurt the spell."

When the screen showed her face on "That's not what's worrying me..." I threw a total crying fit. Like almost DIVA hysterics....yeah, even at 5!

And now I can't get enough of her. Margaret Hamilton, the Wicked Witch, anything to do with the woman in green.

And am I the only one who found it amusing that, years later, listening to how she says "slippers", it's very precise....almost hissed....almost like a gay lisp. Well it sounded like that to me. She had very distinct mannerisms with the character, and I think I read somewhere that when Ana Gasteyer played Elphaba in Wicked, she was really channeling Margaret Hamilton's characterization into her own. I wonder if that was true.

[HellsBells2]

Posted: 11/23/08 at 8:24am

Does anyone think the Wizard would have been better portrayed by W.C. Fields (as it was written for) than Frank Morgan?