Once in a while, a movie comes along and stays with the audience. These movies also have the ability to capture the interest of all ages, and remain a true classic for decades to come; in this case, it’s The Wizard of Oz. It was L. Frank Baum’s creative mind that originally had the idea of the children’s fantasy novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz in 1900, and from then on, it became a successful read. In 1939, The Wizard of Oz came to fruition on the silver screen, and ever since, it’s been considered one of the greatest movies of all time.
Of course, being that it was created in the late 1930s, times have changed, including the movie industry. Certain aspects might be outdated, while other parts are timeless; and when it comes to this movie, this rings true. It’s not so much about pointing out the bad, but seeing the progress this industry has made. The Wizard of Oz will always be a beloved movie to pass down from generation to generation, but methods and tricks of the trade might be a bit easier to achieve since the day Dorothy wandered from home and found herself in Oz.
Aged Poorly: Special Effects Included Dousing The Horses In Jell-O
These days, it’s incredibly important that any live animals on a movie set are handled with care and respect. Even though this might have been true on the set of The Wizard of Oz, today, coloring a horse with Jell-O might not be the first idea the special effects team goes to. Back then, there weren’t as many options to achieve the technicolor aspect the crew wanted, so they used flavored Jell-O powder to color the horses for the Emerald City scenes.
Even though it was essentially harmless, the scenes were shot quickly because the horses caught on and licked themselves clean. Today, the film crew might have safer and for this specific situation, rather than leaning on a food item to achieve the look.
Timeless: The Colorful Cinematography
The Technicolor film process was at the height of its popularity in the 1930s and 1940s and when MGM came out with The Wizard of Oz, they used the new 3-strip color process. This movie was the first of its kind to use it, and it’s safe to say it paid off. When Dorothy finds herself in Oz, everything seems brighter and more alive, and for that reason, it’s a huge contributor to why this movie was so successful.
The film crew didn’t look away from new practices in the film industry and even though they needed more professionals to come in to help out with this process, it was worth it. Some shots had to be shot well into the night because that was the only time the cameras were available, and without a doubt, it all paid off and the nod to this type of filmography is still considered genius today.
Aged Poorly: The Wicked Witch’s Makeup Was Toxic
It’s true that The Wizard of Oz set was more advanced than other movies of its time, but when it came to achieving the Wicked Witch of the West’s makeup, risks were taken. Actress Margaret Hamilton, who played the Wicked Witch, lived on a liquid diet to avoid any ingestion of the iconic green makeup because it could have truly made her sick.
In fact, after filming was finished, Margaret’s face stayed green for weeks due to the copper-based ingredients, which is something that wouldn’t happen today. These days, movie makeup is relatively safe, which lets actors and actresses get in and out of costume easier than before. Of course, there are still extensive makeup sessions to be done today, and makeup secrets the audience doesn’t know, but nonetheless, it’s much safer and healthier.
Timeless: The Wardrobe
The Wizard of Oz has a lot of great qualities, but without a doubt, one of the best is the costume and design. Since Dorothy comes from a flat, black, and white world, the whole aspect of Oz had to be bold and beautiful, including the costumes. It seems like no one was forgotten as the main character to the extras had expressive clothing on to really hone in on the fact that Oz is a dreamy world.
Every character had a look that suited them and although Glinda’s whimsical dress was beautiful to admire, there was something about Dorothy’s attire that really remains a vivid memory. Dorothy only wore one dress throughout the film, but paired with the iconic ruby-red slippers, and for that reason, it is one of the most recognized wardrobes in all of movie history. The costuming was before its time, and it still works today because of it.
Aged Poorly: Certain Scenes Caused Injuries On Set
When actors and actresses sign up to play a character in a movie, they likely know the consequences and risks of playing that character; but when it came to on-set risks for The Wizard of Oz, there were too many to count. In fact, there were so many serious accidents, that the Oscar-nominated special effects almost cost cast members their lives. For example, two of the flying monkey actors crashed to the ground when the wires failed to support them, and the Wicked Witch’s stunt double injured her left leg when a broomstick exploded.
At the time, a lot of these special effects hadn’t been done before, so there were many unknowns. There were no unions at the time, so the production companies could get away with a lot more back then; today, none of this would fly, and would be considered a major flight risk. The Wizard of Oz isn’t the only famous movie to have accidents on sets though, unfortunately, there is a handful of others that had bad luck as well.
Timeless: The Relevance Of The Storyline
Even though the original story was adapted in 1900 and the movie released in 1939, the timeless storyline is what keeps generations coming back to re-watch again and again. There are also invaluable life lessons that never grow old such as genuine human spirit, the importance of friendship, perseverance, and the difference between good and evil. Even though there are some movies out there that don’t necessarily age well on this level, The Wizard of Oz does.
Children and adults alike can take away from this movie by learning how to use their brains, heart, and to have the courage to go through life’s challenges. There hasn’t been a better life lesson that’s clear for all ages, and that’s why the storyline will always be relevant.
Aged Poorly: The Characters Are A Bit On The Creepy Side
While each and every main character was a pivotal and memorable key to the movie, it doesn’t mask the fact that the characters were a little scary for the younger audience, as well as diners around the MGM cafeteria. These days, it seems like production companies are more aware of crafting their characters so as to look innocent to children.
For example, The Scarecrow, Cowardly Lion, and The Tin Man often ate in their dressing room breaks instead of the dining hall to avoid scaring the public. To top it off, a lot of viewers at the time deemed the Wicked Witch to be too scary for young eyes because of the hard facial makeup the actress received for her role. The Wizard of Oz wasn’t the first or the last movie to use scary characters in kids’ movies, but today, characters from the reboot were much less terrifying.
Timeless: The Nostalgic Aspects
From the soundtrack to the iconic scenes of the foursome skipping to Emerald City, every moment of The Wizard of Oz could be pure nostalgic fuel. There are plenty of movies from the 19th century that have created nostalgia, but not like this one.
It doesn’t matter if a viewer is in their 80s or a young child, this film will stay with them for their entire lives. The sense of wonder and innocence children and adults feel when they watch this movie will bring them into the present and the past, which is what everyone craves when they’re feeling nostalgic.
Aged: All Of The Munchkins Have Passed Away
To really put the chunk of time that has passed since 1939 into perspective, of all the Munchkins in the movie, the last actor, Jerry Maren, passed away in 2018.
There are other cast members such as Judy Garland, who played Dorothy, that has also passed away, so realizing that a lot of the cast isn’t around anymore is a true testament of how much time has passed since the classic has been released.
Timeless: The Advanced Technology For Its Time
There isn’t any doubt that The Wizard of Oz cast and crew were risk-takers and privy to technological advances. While they used Technicolor extensively throughout the film, a lot of the special effects were relatively advanced for the 1930s as well. Perhaps they had the same idea as other films ahead of their own era, when they predicted the popularity of technological advancements as well.
From the processes used for the Wicked Witch’s schemes to the Wizard himself as a projection, people will always remember how beautiful this film was for its use of the relatively new three-strip Technicolor process. Even though The Wizard of Oz wasn’t the first movie to use the Phase 4 process, the special effects and technology will forever be cherished, which will make it a timeless memory forever.
