August 25, 1939 - Wizard of Oz Hits Theaters Nationally

Depicting the novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum the film stars Judy Garland, Ray Bolger, Jack Haley, Bert Lahr, and Frank Morgan, with Billie Burke, Margaret Hamilton, Charles Grapewin, Clara Blandick and the Singer Midgets as the Munchkins

Due to it's cutting edge special effects, release in technicolor, and the fact that this was MGMs most expensive production to date, Oz has become one of the most recognizable and popular movies ove the years.  However upon its release and despite positive reviews and being nominated for two Academy Awards (best Picture - Lost to GWTW, and Best original song, Won with "Somewhere Over the Rainbow"), overall Oz initially was a box office failure. 

            

Initially Oz was going to be filmed as a fantasy film, but MGM felt audiences wouldn't relate and made the amazing, colorful, song and dance filled portion a dream. Casting problems, filming delays, and set problems plagued the MGM set, and post production wasn't much easier, having to compose the backing score and special effects in a limited amount of time.

A fact I didnt know, in the scene where the film goes from the black and white farmhouse into the wonderful world of Oz, it wasn't shot in black and white. It was too expensive and tedious to "stencil print" (hand tinting each scene) so they painted the interior sepia tone, and had a fill in for Dorothy's back wear a sepia toned dress, so when the camera switched to Oz, Garland could step out in her blue dress against the sepia background.

The film grossed approximately $3 million (equal to $47,437,500 today) against production/distribution costs of $2.8 million (equal to $44,275,000 today) in its initial release. It did not show what MGM considered a large profit until a 1949 re-release earned an additional $1.5 million (equal to $13,819,327.73 today).

It wouldnt let me embed, but heres the first 7 minutes of Dark Side of the Moon synced to Oz :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iY59IK2e65Q&feature=related

Dear Hollywood, You suck.

I was getting ready for bed the other day when my boyfriend walks in and says "I have something I think you should know, but im kinda scared to tell you." Im thinking, oh great, cheating?  Drained the bank account?  "okaaaay . . . ." I say.  He makes me sit down, takes a deep breath and says "some dude is going to remake the Wizard of Oz... AND Yellow Submarine" and backs away from me quickly.

After I stopped throwing things and cussing everyone from MGM to this Zemeckis character and the vein stopped pulsing in my forehead, I ran to the Internet to look it up.  I was surprised (and relieved) to learn this was actually pretty old news and both projects were DEAD IN THE WATER (as they should be). 

I dont know if my heart can take much more of this crap, Hollywood.

True Grit, Creature from the Black Lagoon, Bad News Bears, Clash of the Titans, Star Trek, Superman, Karate Kid, Smurfs, Planet of the Apes,ARTHUR, War Games, Rear Window (Disturbia), FOOTLOOSE, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, Ladykillers, Taking of Pelham 123, Wolfman, Total Recall, and The Women. Just to name a few from the past 5 years.

Since you are obviously trying to keep the bottom line Hollywood,  I have a suggestion for you.  Instead of butchering classics and selling it as the greatest thing ever when you couldn't even come up with an original thought,  how about this:  Re-release whatever movie you are planning on mutilating to the big screen.  No casting budget, no costly computer animation, just re-release the original.  We don't have to sit through your hack job, you don't have to pay anyone, but you'll still turn a profit.  Everyone wins.

I dont care if your childhood dream was to re-direct Gone With the Wind in your own vision.  I dont care if the only reason you got into movies was to up the special effects in Oz.  If you want to do something good for society, re-release those great films that inspired you to the big screen.  Dont ruin them.

Can you imagine how different it would be if kids were flocking to see Philadelphia Story instead of Final Destination 107?  If they had the choice to go see The Snake Pit instead of Miley Cyrus? Cool Hand Luke instead of Cowboys and Aliens? 

 Since 99% of what comes to theaters is absolute crap anyway, why not just let the golden age carry you for a while so directors who actually care can get a leg up while all you big-money powerhouses stop taking up screen space with your junk that no one will remember in a year anyway?