11/29/2022
Our last film of the year is "The Wizard of Oz.” Today we think of Oz as a film classic, but in fact this status wasn't achieved until long after its original release in 1939. The film sold well enough abroad, but in the U.S was greeted with tepid box office. Even star Judy Garland somehow managed not to see the finished product until a year afterwards. It was also largely snubbed by the Academy — though in fairness the competition was unusually stiff in that legendary filmmaking year.
It took almost two decades and TV to establish the film's classic status. The transformation began with its debut on CBS in November 1956, followed a few years later with annual nationwide airings, usually right around Thanksgiving. TV turned Oz into a holiday staple, despite it being ruthlessly edited down to fit into a TV time slot, interrupted with commercials, and for most households, seen in black and white. Still, annual Oz viewings became a ritual across the country, cementing its standing as a cultural fixture.
The film’s decades-long tour of TV wound down just as the home video boom began, allowing Oz to finally be restored to its original release length and glorious Technicolor. More recently it’s been transferred digitally to HD, so it can now be seen as it was originally intended to be in theaters. Yet how many of the millions of Americans who were brought up on the “holiday Oz” have ever viewed the complete film, or anywhere but on the small screen? Now we can put that right, and just in time for the holidays. The Emerald City awaits, in a way most of us have never seen before!
With Judy Garland, Ray Bolger, Burt Lahr, Jack Haley, and Frank Morgan — none of whom were originally intended to be cast in their memorable roles! More about the film’s remarkable backstory at the screening. Also, we have a great new sound system. Come hear! (Running time: 1:42)
Friday, December 9, 2022
7:00 PM
Universalist Unitarian Church of Santa Paula
Free as always!
