Returning to the silver screen for an impressive four showings this month, Emagine Entertainment in cooperation with Fathom Events will present The Wizard of Oz, which made its debut in 1939. [1-3]
- January 27 (Sunday), with showings starting at 2:00pm and 5:00pm
- January 29 (Tuesday), with showing starting at 7:00pm
- January 30 (Wednesday), with showing starting at 7:00pm
The plot summary on IMDb is straightforward enough.
Dorothy Gale is swept away from a farm in Kansas to a magical land of Oz in a tornado and embarks on a quest with her new friends to see the Wizard who can help her return home to Kansas and help her friends as well.
If you feel the need to do further preparation and are undeterred by spoilers, two of the better, longer overviews are just a mouse-click away (on the computer, that is — as opposed to the heals of magical ruby slippers). [4]
Encyclopaedia Britannica devoted five long paragraphs to its attempt, springing from the L Frank Baum children’s book published in 1900. This, they said, a “modern fairy tale with a distinctly American setting, a delightfully levelheaded and assertive heroine, and engaging fantasy characters ….” Turner Classic Movies, which was responsible for this Fathom material, is another good option. [5,6]
For broader indications of just how popular this now-eighty-year-old movie continues to be, studio Warner Brothers itself gave The Wizard of Oz its own extensive section on the web just five years ago — complete with fanciful animations and material for downloads. Licensed products remain hot items for purchase in the mainstream. [7-9]
In 1996, the late Roger Ebert attempted to provide important historical context to the film for contemporary audiences, including its signature approach of alternating between black and white, and color presentation. [10]
The switch from black and white to color would have had a special resonance in 1939, when the movie was made. Almost all films were still being made in black and white, and the cumbersome new color cameras came with a ‘Technicolor consultant’ from the factory, who stood next to the cinematographer and officiously suggested higher light levels. Shooting in color might have been indicated because the film was MGM’s response to the huge success of Disney’s pioneering color animated feature, ‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs’ (1937).
Right here at home, performances featuring The Wizard of Oz content were a mainstay of the marionette legacy of Meredith Bixby. [11]
Tickets for The Wizard of Oz at Emagine Theatre can be purchased online or at the door. But do remember to confirm dates and times on their website before making final plans to be sure nothing has changed since the information above was first published here.
References
- Emagine Entertainment (showtimes).
- Fathom Events (home page).
- “The Wizard of Oz (1939)” IMDb.
- “The Smithsonian Unveils a Painstakingly Restored Pair of Dorothy’s Famous Ruby Slippers From ‘The Wizard of Oz‘” Sarah Cascone (October 19, 2018) Artnet News.
- “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” Patricia Bauer and Cathy Lowne (November 6, 2018) Encyclopaedia Britannica.
- “The Wizard of Oz (1939)” TCM: Turner Movie Classics.
- “75th Anniversary: The Wizard of Oz” Warner Brothers.
- “The Wizard of Oz” WB Shop.
- “The Wizard of Oz” Hallmark.
- “The Wizard of Oz” Roger Ebert (December 22, 1996) Roger Ebert.
- “A Brief Look Back On The Meredith Bixby Marionette Story, Part I: History Can’t Be Packed Away In A Single Box” Dell Deaton (September 20, 2018) Saline Journal.
