The Wizard of Oz 4K UHD 80th Anniversary (1 Viewer)

[darkrock17]

 

[Will Krupp]

View attachment 62176

Listen, I don't know what to tell you, buddy. You seem determined to dig your heels in. I don't care what you "got" google to tell you about the "debut." It's just an algorithm and, in this case, It's giving you wrong information.

The definition of the verb "debut" is "to perform in public for the first time." We already know that WIZARD OF OZ "debuted" much earlier than that. Can you at least concede that it was seen in public prior to August 25th? I hope? If so, your google answer is already wrong.

See, I can make it give me a wrong answer, too:

 

[darkrock17]

For 80 years now the general public knows August 25th as Oz's release date is all I can say to that.

 

[Camper]

Wow. Just sad. It actually "debuted" in public much earlier at the preview where they then made cuts because it was deemed too scary. Anybody know the date of the preview?

Of course there will be some technical reason that -- "to perform in public for the first time." -- doesn't apply to the preview -- right?

 

[Will Krupp]

Anybody know the date of the preview?

According to the John Fricke book that was released as a companion to the film's 50th anniversary, the full list of previews and towns is lost. There was definitely a preview (one of the earliest if not actually the first) on June 16th at the Pomona Fox Theater where it ran 112 minutes. There was also a preview on June 27th and one (date unknown) in San Louis Obispo. It was turned over for final negative cutting on July 6th and ran 101 minutes. The scenes must have been removed sometime over those three weeks.

 

[Camper]

Well all I can say is that I'd give a lot to see that 112 minute cut -- a whole lot.

And would the "beehive" scene been a part of that? I have heard it was not finished (adding in the animated bees) -- would they have enough time to complete that in time for wide release? Or was that cut earlier?

 

[Will Krupp]

And would the "beehive" scene been a part of that? I have heard it was not finished (adding in the animated bees) -- would they have enough time to complete that in time for wide release? Or was that cut earlier?

It was supposedly in the Pomona cut (without the final animation.) Audiences were very willing to give "previews" a wide berth in terms of finishes since they knew they were incomplete rough cuts (often the music wasn't even finalized yet)

I just see now that the first preview was held in either Santa Barbara or San Bernadino and after that first preview (and prior to Pomona) "The Jitterbug" and the Ray Bolger solo extension to "If I Only Had a Brain" were cut.

Interestingly, the excision of the "Beehive" scene resulted in a continuity error with Dorothy and her companions lined up in the wrong order. Because it was very noticeable, they flipped the film for that shot so their order matched up with the scene right before the cut. To do this, they had to print the flipped shot through the base rather than the emulsion, which is why that one shot has always looked softer than any other in the movie.

 

[Camper]

I realize why they cut so-called "scary" parts because the movie was aimed at kids.
But were the other scenes cut simply for time or because the audiences didn't like them?
If it was because the audience is didn't care for certain material then it's a case of the people have spoken but if they just got cold feet about the length of the movie then that would be kind of a shame since all the footage or most of it was eventually lost.

 

[darkrock17]

It was supposedly in the Pomona cut (without the final animation.) Audiences were very willing to give "previews" a wide berth in terms of finishes since they knew they were incomplete rough cuts (often the music wasn't even finalized yet)

I just see now that the first preview was held in either Santa Barbara or San Bernadino and after that first preview (and prior to Pomona) "The Jitterbug" and the Ray Bolger solo extension to "If I Only Had a Brain" were cut.

Interestingly, the excision of the "Beehive" scene resulted in a continuity error with Dorothy and her companions lined up in the wrong order. Because it was very noticeable, they flipped the film for that shot so their order matched up with the scene right before the cut. To do this, they had to print the flipped shot through the base rather than the emulsion, which is why that one shot has always looked softer than any other in the movie.

I've never noticed that, here's the scene; point it out to me.

 

[Camper]

The Flopped scene I believe occurred right before that clip. You can tell because the Tin Man's hat is tilted in an in the opposite direction than it usually is and the rivets on his chest are on the opposite side of the seam that runs down the middle. That's a pretty famous continuity error that I first read about in the 80s perhaps. I think it's right after he snaps and his fingers and says "beehive bah..."

 

[Robert Crawford]

You guys kill me!

 

[Camper]

How is that?

 

[Robert Crawford]

How is that?

Just the constant arguments and the need to be right and/or have the last word on some subject matter like the release date for "The Wizard of Oz".

 

[Will Krupp]

I've never noticed that, here's the scene; point it out to me

Camper is right, it's immediately before this clip. When the Tin Man puts out the witch's fireball with his hat, he's on the left side of the screen and the scarecrow is on the right. There's a cut to the witch disappearing into a puff of smoke and then a brief close up of Dorothy. The next shot (starting with "I'm not afraid of her!") is the flipped one, with the scarecrow now on the left of the screen and the Tin Man on the right. You can see it's noticeably less sharp due to the red and green negatives being exposed on the matrices through the base. (Ironically enough, for once, the blue negative was exposed through the emulsion since that one was flipped in camera and always exposed through the base.) Right AFTER that shot was originally the beehive scene and they moved around so that they were no longer standing in the right order. It left a noticeable error when the scene was cut so it was flipped to minimize the gap.

 

[PMF]

[...]Meanwhile, here in Australia, I can't find even one retailer offering this. I would have thought this would be an international release!

"All in good time, my little pretty. All in good time."

 

[Cranston37+]

Just the constant arguments and the need to be right and/or have the last word on some subject matter like the release date for "The Wizard of Oz".

It's more that some have been examining Oz like the Zapruder film over the last month

 

[PMF]

It's more that some have been examining Oz like the Zapruder film over the last month

And just a small part of what makes HTF the lovable family that we are.

 

[moviebuff75]

After the cut line, the post-1998 versions contain a weird voice in the background. It sounds like "Hold him." It is eerie.

 

[Will Krupp]

It's more that some have been examining Oz like the Zapruder film over the last month

Back....

and to the left.....

Hmm. You MAY have a point. Not an especially KIND point perhaps, but a point nonetheless! Touche, sir!

 

[Tony Bensley]

After the cut line, the post-1998 versions contain a weird voice in the background. It sounds like "Hold him." It is eerie.

It just sounds muffled to my ears. A bit of off camera vocal direction (!), perhaps?