A wonderful story: Not long after seeing The Wizard of Oz, a little girl named Natalie Norris fell ill and was hospitalized. Her mother wrote to MGM and relayed her daughter's wish that she could get a visit from Dorothy. They called Judy, who was of course delighted to do it, and sent Natalie a letter telling her that they had a date. She wanted to come in full Dorothy kit, but by that time everything had been put away in storage, so Judy wore a simple frock and her own short hair, and Natalie didn't mind a bit. Judy chatted with her a while and even sang "Over the Rainbow" to her, bringing Natalie's mother to tears. Later, Natalie showed rapid improvement, and not only recovered, but later in life became a singer herself!

Its pretty common knowledge to Oz fans that Over the Rainbow was almost cut from the movie because it was thought to have slowed down the movie and that it was seen as undignified for an MGM star to be seen singing in a barnyard, but less known is that when Little Mermaid was going through test screenings Jeff Katzenberg apparently wanted to do the same thing with Part of Your World, and had to be convinced by Howard Ashman and Glen Keane to not do it, and they apparently invoked Over the Rainbow as an example of how an "I Want" song that had a slower pace relative to the rest of the film's action but conveyed alot of meaning and power in just a short period of time. So I guess in some way we have Oz to thank for Part of Your World staying in TLM lol

Honestly it makes a lot of sense that the Kansas and Oz scenes were directed by two different people. They feel different plus it makes sense narratively to have such different directing styles and tones for those scenes.

My son discovered The Wizard of Oz quite early on. I think he was nearly 3 when he first saw it. From that day forward, he insisted on watching it at least once a day for two solid years. Although today he swears he has absolutely no memory of ever having seen the movie, he nevertheless named his firstborn son Oz. :)

I was so happy to hear you started the year by declaring you’re a Full time KZfaqr. Also, delighted to see this topic being covered.

I was born in 1965 and grew up watching The Wizard of Oz once a year and it was an EVENT. That rainbow logo and music would send chills up my spine. And EVERYONE was watching -- the streets of my suburb would be empty that night. When VHS became a thing, it was one of the first I bought.

When I read Get Happy: The Life of Judy Garland, I really appreciated the context in which the author referenced the impact of the film: "Oz speaks to the feelings of the audience, not their intellects. That message, which they find comforting and inspiring....is that if a poor little girl from Kansas can walk down a perilous path, slay wicked witches, and stand up to mighty wizards, so too can they confront the threats, real and imagined, to their own emerging futures. Dorothy's pilgrimage ends when the movie ends.....when she realizes that she does not need protection. She can take care of herself, face the future, and determine her own destiny."

I love that you pick specific areas of film history and have a unique take on widely known films

Fun Fact: Margaret Hamilton - the Wicked Witch herself - was the kindest to Judy out of everyone onset & thats so heartwarming to me.I fully believe that many of the cuts were made to the film (such as The Jitterbug scene, Dorothy's return to the Emerald City, some of the extended dance scenes, and even Rainbow) were done just fully out of sheer disrespect that they had for the poor girl at the time that they didn't want her to shine anymore than she had to because she was LB Mayer's "little Hunchback" and not Lana Turner or Deanna Durbin. I remember Judy was on some talk show and Margaret called in and Judy was ecstatic and emotional and couldn't stop praising her for how kind she had been to her (or maybe it was the other way around and Judy called in to Margaret I honestly can't remember). Just goes to show how KINDNESS goes a very long way in this world - you NEVER know how just small gestures will make all the difference ❤❤

"She wasn't going to look like a Dorothea Lange photograph." And now suddenly that is all I want to see in a new Wizard of Oz adaptation.

One of the many projects influenced by WoO: Midsommar. Dani journeys from a dark (almost black and white) grim world to a bright fantasy land with three companions, each of whom are lacking in certain personal qualities. I'm counting Pelle as a guide, almost a Glinda figure. Drugged, she wakes up in a field and makes her way to a place where she is eventually treated like a queen. There's even a picture from the Wizard of Oz in Dani's room.

‘The Wizard of Oz’ was such a moment in Movie History. A great spectacle of Colour Movies.

this is fascinating, as a devout Wizard of Oz and Garland fan I can never tire of learning about the "behind the scenes" from one of the greatest films ever made. The Wizard of Oz was such a sparkling component of my complicated childhood. This movie means more to me than I could ever articulate through words. The vivid contrasting colors, the stunning costumes, and Judy Garland's groundbreaking performance will forever place a stamp on my heart, mind, and continue to inspire me with courage throughout my own journey down life's yellow brick road. No surprise I ended up to be a shoe girl ;) We would all be remised, if we failed to acknowledge that a large part of Oz's enduring success is solely because of Judy Garland's tremendous performance. This was the perfect breakout vehicle for Garland's blossoming star in that it fully displays her wide range of other worldly talents. Her acting is so utterly sincere, that as a little girl I felt her gut wrenching pain and fear as though her trails and tribulations were my own. Her awe inspiring vocal ability and innate musicality are perfectly captured in the song and dance sequences which were exquisitely choreographed. The musical numbers are never "fussy" but appear naturalistic, and lend the audience to believe all the more. Garland's performance is timeless and not only captures the imagination, yet lights it on fire, in a ruby red technicolor hue that could only be created by a true genius of her craft. Judy WAS Dorthy.

Growing up in the '60s, when there were only three networks (and no cable, streaming, home video or Internet) the annual sole airing of OZ during the Thanksgiving season in late-November was a culture-wide event... Those things, for better or worse (or for both), are gone today.

Speaking of noticing and appreciating different things with time, for me with this movie, it was 10 years ago- observing 20 Chinese 7th graders in Shanghai who were watching it for the first time. I was teaching an afterschool theater program, and I adapted the book into a 1-hour play. None of the members of the cast had ever seen the movie, so I showed it to them, in the original English with Chinese subtitles. I sat in the back of the room and observed the kids watching the movie. They were totally entranced. They laughed, they cried, they made vocal reactions, and when it was over, it took a couple of minutes for them to adjust back to being in a plain ol’ room. This movie had worked its magic on a group of kids born over 60 years after it was released, and raised in a completely different culture. And it took them on a journey. It made me love the movie not just because we watched it every year on TV in the 1970s and ‘80s when I was growing up. But rather because it truly is one of the greatest films of all time.

The idea that Dorothy was very nearly played by Shirley Temple I think gets a laugh, and there continues to be this misinformation surrounding how that actually went down (I think the timeline of the Clark Gable-Jean Harlow trade for Shirley falling through due to Jean's death doesn't line up with the production history, but it even gets depicted in Shirley's TV biopic), but ironically Shirley was closer to the age of Dorothy in the actual book than Judy was. There's no doubt that Roger Edens was correct that she didn't have the vocal chops for the part, but she was after all just a kid, and it would have been interesting to see if she could have pulled it off had they made it around the time she did Since You Went Away. As it is, The Blue Bird was basically Fox's answer to Wizard and was everything people thought would be wrong with Wizard and irreparably damaged her career, but she DID get a chance to do an Oz project for her 1950's television show, and it was arguably much closer to the source material. (interestingly both Judy and Shirley had close ties to the books and loved them since childhood, as both their parents loved to read it to them when they were little).

my favorite film of all time. i’ve just recently been championing it again to others too (literally just like you said, “y’all, we are so accustomed to this movie, but it’s such a weird movie and it’s so good”) so this is perfect timing! love all your videos. thank you 🖤

Its weird I almost thought there was gonna be some Puss in Boots The Last Wish joke somewhere in this vid, because its ALL over the internet right now and its clear that the Wizard of Oz was a blueprint of sorts for it,with a VERY similar message of "you've always had what you wanted all along" - even right down to Jack Horner mock quoting the Wicked Witch ("I'll get you my kitties and your little dog too"). Wizard was for me one of the first introductions to the idea that movies could be genuinely "scary," and I think Snow White, Pinocchio and Oz were generations of kids' intros to that idea as well. I honestly do think that Last Wish is one day going to be seen in the same light, and while I know that sounds crazy anyone who has seen it can get what I'm saying. Its THAT kind of film that is unafraid to be openly sentimental and yet can scare the hell out of adults and kids alike (the theater I was in several kids had to leave because the Wolf was "too scary").

Well done on becoming a full time KZfaqr, that's an amazing feat!! It's a staggering achievement to create a cinematic classic given the absolute chaos of this production

Hello BKR I just wanted to say I found your channel recently and I have binged the majority of your content in the last week! I really love how you focus on film from the female perspective a perspective often disregarded in the history of film. You have really made me appreciate so many women who had been sadly ignorant of and made me gain a deeper appreciation of some that I already adored. I have no clue if you’ll see this but I needed to say this. You make great content and I hope you know how people really appreciate it.

I only recently discovered your channel, and I am so impressed and delighted. I am not a big fan of Wizard of Oz (probably a reaction to the ubiquity you refer to at the beginning), but I may revisit it now. I had certainly heard all the disaster stories many times, but this breakdown of the strengths and weaknesses of these directors is a fascinating new view I'd never heard before. Keep up the wonderful work!

I still cry when I hear “Somewhere Over the Rainbow."

This is one of those channels that really begs the question “Why on earth don’t you have over a million subscribers?”. Your content is so polished and your presentation is always on point. You always find a new way of looking at an artist or movie and provide deep dive info that even hard core movie buffs find fresh and surprising. It always makes my day when you upload a new video. Thanks for all the great content!

What a wonderful video. As a long time watcher of your content, I'm thrilled to see what else you'll focus on now that you're full time. I think another reason this film is "weird" in its time is that it focuses on a female protagonist and antagonist, but they're not vying for anything that would normally be a woman's purpose in film at the time. There's no romance, and in fact there's only one married woman in the whole film, Auntie Em. I also think Cukor was right about the tone, because at the end you're not supposed to know if she actually traveled to Oz or it was all a dream, and in dreams we accept the weird and fantastical as completely ordinary.

The cutting out of the weathervane character was probably the biggest reason the movie didn’t the award for best picture. His wanting of a new apartment was so admirable and inspirational and yet they left all of it on the cutting room floor.

Always thought the Kansas scenes in The Wizard of Oz were so well done for their time. The use of matte paintings of expansive prairie and farmlands, the realistic yet unearthly farmhouse/barn compound, and despite the reddish-brown sepia color, this part of the film had an almost psychedelic feel to it.

This was amazing! I like how you explored the different directors and their impacts on this classic film.

My heart hits behind my EYES every time I see there’s a new BKR video!! I love this channel so GD much. I hope someone gives you a million dollars someday so you can make these like no ones got a tomorrow.

I love how you describe taking The Wizard of Oz for granted until a revisit really blew you away. It's such a delight when that happens.

You may only glance at this, but I love your videos. I’ve been subscribed for a very long time and I’ve never regretted waiting for your next video because they are so well pieced together and researched. They’re always worth the wait. I hope you continue these videos for many years to come.

I was one of those kids who eagerly looked forward to CBS's annual telecast. It wasn't until years later, watching it as an adult, that I realized what a profoundly weird and brilliant film it actually is. I think it suffers from being a childhood favorite. It's so much more subversive and existential than children can credit it for. I love this movie!

I have a friend who’s totally colorblind and he recently said he remembers watching this as a kid with friends and everyone else gasping at the transition or Oz while he couldn’t see what the big deal was 😂

I've said for years they should do a Feud-like series that's Wizard of Oz production vs Gone with the Wind production.

Thank you. This was a total eye-opener. I’ve watched and read everything about the filming of Wizard of Oz but never have seen this insight into the fact that this film had FOUR directors and so much pre-production chaos. It is a testament to the performers - and especially Judy Garland - that the focus of the film so tight and clear. We know that she paid a price, but your explanation describes how it happened, out of her control of course, and this is news. What a tenacious performer she was. I am of the generation that watched this film as a child from 1960 onwards through CBS, where it became iconic. Your reporting is excellent.

I went to see the 3D version in the theater about 10 years ago. I wasn't expecting much but the result was a really new experience. It was really like seeing it for the first time.

Being of a certain age, watching films many times was not part of my childhood experience. We went to see them once in the theater, or maybe saw them once on TV, but rarely was it possible to see them even twice, let alone endlessly as is the case today. The sole exceptions were Mary Poppins (which my sister and I loved so much that our parents took us to see it a second time in the theater) and The Wizard of Oz, which was on TV every Easter weekend throughout my childhood. I loved it, although when I was 5, I got so frightened when the Wicked Witch cackled right into the camera that I ran into the kitchen and had to be coaxed out from under the table by my mother. And my parents only splurged on a color TV when I was a teenager, so until then I never experienced the full wonder of Dorothy’s emergence into Oz. The power of the film for me is deeply rooted in those childhood experiences of it.

1956? My life. The first time I watched this, I cried at the flying monkeys and ran to my room. A year later, I had to man up and finish the film. And I became a veteran.

I wonder if you might find it interesting to do a sister video on the GWTW production. (Though totally understandable if you want to avoid… all of that!) the Cukor/Clark Gable situation was a bit nastier than what you mention in this video. “Woman’s director” didn’t just mean he directed women - it was a reference to his sexuality. Cukor was openly gay. Gable threw a hissy about being directed by a gay man and insisted a “masculine” director be brought in to direct him. Fleming actually directed every scene with Clark Gable. That movie had its share of drama!!

I’ve been researching the making of the movie for years and have always thought that the fact it was ever made at all, was a miracle. It was refreshing to see it from a different angle ! Great job !

I've always been amazed at how the magic of the Wizard of Oz survived all the turnmoil behind it. Thanks for taking on that question and providing more insight that what had already been discussed or written about. Your channel is great!

This film was an absolute treat when I was a child. My family and I would watch it every year! Years later, I bought it on VHS and then on DVD. I watch this film often, I never tire of it & never will. Thanks for this amazing video. I am a new subscriber, and look forward to watching more of your videos!

The Wizard of Oz is without a doubt my favorite movie. It absolutely holds up. I also think it’s an accessible entry point for modern fans to watch other old Hollywood movies. It’s short, concise, mostly in color, and Judy Garland grounds it in a reality that feels plausible.

I know so much about The Wizard of Oz that I watched this to see if it could offer anything new. I was pleasantly surprised by this video's analysis. I enjoyed learning about the directors and why they were brought on to the project. I didn't know I could still learn so much about one of my favorite movies:)

The Wizard Of Oz is fun and freaky and I haven't seen it in decades. The scenes are so memorable you don't forget them.

it'd be amazing if you did a little series on the wizard of oz, i'd die for a video from you on shirley temple's experiences, her film career ending movie the blue bird made as fox's compromise for her contractually not being allowed to be MGM's dorothy, and how they eventually cast judy garland. this video came out at a great time because i was having a rough day and i love your channel AND i love deep dives into the wizard of oz's production so this is like medicine ❤ great video

I’m glad Cukor was ultimately tasked with directing The Women. Great movie.

You are so ridiculously talented at what you do. The research you do, the editing, the focus on people or movies that don't typically get a lot of attention (at least on youtube.) I'm such a fan of your work and wish you so much success! Thanks for another great video.

Thanks for this very lovely look at the serendipity of the directors involved with "Wizard of Oz" - not for the first time, I had a chance, too, to reflect on the weird connections between "Oz" and "Gone With the Wind". I'm old enough to remember growing in the 60s and anticipating "Oz" broadcasts on our black and white tv - it was a long time before I understood the impact of the transition to color in the movie, and I think it's a tribute to the movie itself that it played so strongly in B&W. (I also remember that there was a periodic showing of Mary Martin in "Peter Pan" that we also always looked forward to).

every time i watch a bkr video i feel so inspired to watch movies. specifically to watch indie films, older films, foreign films, under-appreciated, forgotten, or otherwise out-of-the-mainstream movies. it's honestly a beautiful feeling to be motivated to seek out and engage with art. it's a rare thing and so special.

Your observations are so top-tier. BKR, you care about films, you *KNOW* films and it is endearing to see this kind of content, something which the oscar historians(lol) & 'who will/should win' channels could never pull off.

I found your channel yesterday on Nebula and immediately followed after watching the video on Dolly Parton. And now you've come out with one about Wizard of Oz?? Ahh I love it!!! Thank you for wonderful videos!

It wasn’t until I saw it twice that I really understood how good oz was. If anything it’s sad nothing taking place in that universe was so good. Especially for how queer it is in the source material.

Something I do want to point out that wasn’t mentioned here is that Judy Garland was actually not the first choice to play Dorthy originally the role was supposed to go to Shirley Temple but the reason they ended up going with Garland was because they felt that Shirley’s voice was too high for Over The Rainbow

That was absolutely incredible. Brilliant work. Diggin' the longer form.

Hi, just wanted to pop in to say I appreciate how much depth and context your reviews always provide 😊. I can't imagine how much time and clarity that must take, and so glad I discovered your channel...❤ it!

I was just watching What's My Line? Feat. Judy Garland, and you dropped this. Made my day 😍😍

Great job putting this together! I love all of the little details. There are so many movies that you mentioned that I have never seen. They are definitely going on my watch list. I love seeing big production scenes from the past.

I am of the age (almost 60) where the airing of TWOZ was indeed an event. We used to schedule slumber parties around it! It was a real treasure to look forward to. ❤️

I love your videos but hesitated to click on this one, as I expected it to focus on the same aspects nearly any other video out there recalling the making of this movie does. I'm glad I gave in though - you actually chose a different frame from which to analyze it than I've yet seen, sharing nuance of detail that was actually new to me! Thanks for providing new insight into one of my favorite movies!

the amount of time and effort you put into these videos is incredible! i’m so glad to have found such a channel ❤

Wow, this was so interesting! I didn't know any of this about the film and you explained the events and people involved so well. Another wonderful video, thank you!

BABE WAKE UP NEW BKR JUST DROPPED

Would you do a video on Babylon with historic context, or about Clara Bow? I’d love to hear your take!

This woman's narration is incredible! Her speech, the eloquence how she pronounces words, her tone. Has to be one of the most moving and seductive voices I have ever heard. Once again Incredible!🤩😘 🌬💀🏴‍☠️

The Wizard of Oz is an undisputed masterpiece. One of the greatest movies ever made, and maybe the best pure fantasy ever put on film. I was one of those kids who saw it for the first time on TV. I was maybe five or six, and Margaret Hamilton scared me so bad I had to put on my Batman Halloween costume to keep watching. Many years later, as a grown man, I saw it on the big screen, and my advice to you is if you get a chance to see it that way, do so. I left that theater with tears in my eyes and a smile on my face. One of the greats.

i love your videos so much.. a big part of it is the subject matter of course, but the way you tell these stories is so interesting and entertaining and effective. i just love it

Very interesting! I have watched other documentaries about Oz, but yours is the first that focuses mostly on the different directors and what they brought to the film.

Thank you for your terrific analysis of the making of The Wizard of Oz. What an interesting comparison of the directors on the picture, and done in your engrossing and well-researched style. Such a beautiful film deserves to be seen in a movie theater but as you mentioned, most of us saw it for the first time on TV in our living rooms. You really illuminated why this film has such resonance long after childhood. Cheers~

I have to say, I’ve skipped this video quite often because I thought I saw just about every documentary on “Oz”. But today I caved and watched. Thank you for teaching me a few new things! This video is so well done!

I'm so happy to see your stuff in my feed again!

I was just watching a doc about Wicked and you're coming up with a video about The Wizard of Oz. That's good timing.

I recently listened to the podcast What Went Wrong's episode about the making of this film. It was a fantastic episode, but that show just makes me love your channel even more! And, it definitely had me thinking "I need to see BKE's coverage of this!" Yay!

For me, regardless of what went on in the making of this film, it is the greatest movie ever made. I remember when I saw it that one time and the message of home came through to me. I cried like a baby watching the film end with that message. It is such a simple, simple thing. But, we're so obsessed with anything of value being something grand and extreme, we miss the profound and important things that surround us hidden in whispers. And, Judy Garland singing "Over the Rainbow" is guaranteed to make me start crying again out of the sheer beauty of the song and her performance.

I think the film that truly points out why Vidor was great for the Kansas scenes is his masterpiece “Hallelujah” with the beautiful Nina Mae McKinney.

Thank you for making this video! I love how you have taken a mess of Hollywood myths and ironed out the wrinkles and got us to the real story behind the film. 39 was a crazy year for films, and honestly, learning about the making of both Wizard of Oz and Gone With The Wind is even more fascinating now than the stories they convey. Thank you for making these videos. You love the same things I do, and it is so nice to have someone out there who appreciates how history is created. Oz is classic literature! Those books are a fantastic read that are entertaining. They didn't go too far into the crazy life of Oz. This movie is one of my childhood cornerstone films, I know I watched it as early as 2, so I have been watching it for 30 years now on the regular. As a former nanny, then mom, I really do watch it at least once a year and always happily. But when I read the books, I was so bummed they didn't really go so hard into the source material. It would have been a totally different movie! It's hardly anything like the book, and now the film has eclipsed the series, and if a true book adaptation does come along, this movie will be the gold standard that every Wizard of Oz is held against It is a little sad for fans of the book, but at least we have them to expand the world of Oz.

The gorgeous way you tell these stories! Im in love with it! Thank you so very very much!!!

One of my favorite movies, and I’m so happy that my three year old is now just as obsessed as I was.

Great essay! I would listen/watch to deep dives on Wizard of Oz, for hours!

My parents loved classical music and watching Warner Brothers cartoons gave me an appreciation of music

I remember watching The Wizard of Oz once a year and it was our highlight. Now kids watch whatever they want and have no appreciation or patience. So sad.

Super well done. Very well written. Very good job on this video. Thank you for this.

Wonderful, as always. Will be longing for your Stanwycktrospective til the day it drops tho. Patiently. You bring her up enough that I trust she's already in your pre-production mode/phase.

you're videos are amazing! i really appreciate what you do.

Out of all the background gossip I've heard about the Wizard of Oz over my 65+ years, *HOW* did I not know until this video that it involved 4 Directors and 12 Screenwriters!?! What a recipe for disaster, and yet... Well done, BKR!

I've missed you! Great vid as always!

Once again, an EXCELLENT video analysis of one of my all time favorite movies. Some of the information presented here I already knew, such as the "revolving door" of directors, but not the why. As far I am concerned this video, like many you have done, gave viewers new information and insights. It would be interesting to know Ms Garland's thoughts about a George Cukor influence on her performances following his excellent input on Wizard of Oz.

Learned so much about this landmark film, which I watched year-to-year on TV as a kid. Excellent coverage, production, and editing. Well, how could I forget that I'd already subscribed?

I had watched Oz probably four or five times before I discovered that all of the Oz sequences were in color. When we got a color television I was surprised to see the beautiful colors of Oz.

The seven dwarf Oscars caught me off guard

I love it when I get a notification!! Your videos are amazing ❤️❤️

I greatly enjoyed your informative and entertaining deep dive of all the complicated details the public rarely knows about. 👏👏

I have adored this movie ever since I was a kid. There’s just something so incredible and unique about it and I don’t think another movie has ever come close to capturing the magic this movie has.

👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽 this was so much more than a “making of” video. So well done .

I was born in 1999 and I watched The Wizard of Oz as an event every year as a kid. I cant believe it wasnt more celebrated in its time, its one of the most incredible, surreal films ever. I love it! And The Wiz is also an incredible remake.

approx. 8 min- thank you for explaining the primacy of producers pre-War 1930's. It is critical to explain to younger film fans.

Honestly I think part of wizard of oz appeal is Judy Garlands timeless voice, and not just her singing voice but talking voice as well. So full and rich compared to the light high Sopranos of the day.

This is my favorite movie of all time! I don’t remember when I first watched it because I was so little and because I watched it every single day for a year. I’ve seen it well over 1,000 times at this point. It’s one of those movies that never gets old, the magic is always there. I love it with all of my heart. Thank you for the wonderful video, though all of your videos are wonderful. ❤️

My favourite film of all time. So excited that you’re covering it.

I was shocked to see that rotating the room to make it appear someone is walking up the wall and on the ceiling was pioneered in 1919. I always thought the musical with Fred Astaire made in the 50s was the first to do it.

You are an amazing KZfaqr. Excellent as always.