The most well-known version of The Wizard of Oz is the 1939 version starring Judy Garland. The film was plagued with problems from the start, with the original director, Richard Thorpe, being fired after only three days. His replacement was George Cukor, who left less than a month later to film Gone with the Wind. Next came Victor Fleming, and finally, King Vidor in 1939 to finish the movie after Victor Fleming left to replace George Cukor as the director of Gone with the Wind. The film is based on the book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, written by L. Frank Baum in 1900. The story revolves around Dorothy, a Kansas farm girl who is swept up in a tornado and transplanted to the magical world of Oz. There she befriends and helps three unique personalities (the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion) as she and her dog Toto journey to the Emerald City in hopes of finding their way home. During its original theatrical run, The Wizard of Oz was only moderately successful. It wasn't until the movie premiered on TV that its fan base began to grow. The film became a holiday tradition for many, often airing at Christmas or Easter. During its first few holiday airings around 1960, The Wizard of Oz routinely pulled in 45 million viewers or more, cementing it as the classic it deservedly is. Today, fans of The Wizard of Oz need not wait for a special occasion to watch the film. A number of DVD releases have hit store shelves, including a three-disc "Collector's Edition." This version of the film includes the original mono soundtrack along with an updated 5.1 surround soundtrack for an enveloping theater-like experience. Also included are a host of extras, giving fans insight into the film's problematic production through deleted scenes, commentary tracks, and featurettes. |
