Last night Glenn and I watched The Wizard of Oz. It must be my zillionth viewing although I haven't seen it in years. We recently bought a Blu-Ray DVD player and just 2 weeks ago upgraded to a much larger digital component flat screen. So, what we are doing is revisiting favorite movies and classics we may or may not have seen - just to glory in the Blu-Ray visuals - oh, and the sound quality of our new TV is superb. Surprisingly, the black and white movies are striking in Blu-Ray. But, I digress. What I really wanted to talk about are two very interesting discoveries.
Discovery #1 - Glinda the good witch in The Wizard of Oz says a line I never heard before until yesterday. When the wicked witch departs after her initial threat to Dorothy in a large display of multi-colored smoke, Glinda the good witch says, "Oh, that smell of sulfur". I NEVER HEARD THAT BEFORE!! I truly believe it is an ad lib as it seems to me she is speaking out of character and the remark is offhand and very low key. I was shocked and deeply amused as well. "Oh, that smell of sulfur!" - clearly an unhappy complaining actress. What mystifies me is that the editor left it in. I mean such a remark is obviously referring to the visual effect - the huge clouds of smoke that the wicked witch disappears in. And Billie Burke as the good witch, Glinda, breaks character ever so fleetingly to snarl, 'Oh that smell of sulfur!"
Discovery #2 - Dorothy and her odd trio, the Tin Man, the Cowardly Lion and the Scarecrow are entering the forest to find the Wicked Witch so they can steal her broom for the Wizard of Oz. They cautiously walk along a path chanting 'Lions and tigers and bears - oh my." Look closely. You will see the Scarecrow carrying a gun - A GUN!! When did he get a gun? Why did I never see that gun in all the years - the many years of viewing this most familiar film. A GUN?? There are a few quick gun sightings and then it is gone. He never uses it. I can not for the life of me understand why I haven't spotted the Scarecrow brandishing a pistol before.
WTF!!
This is hilarious!! We're just watching it now and my husband had my listen because he noticed it years ago!! I couldn't believe that I have never noticed it before! !! And the pistol are you sure it's not the tin mans oil can!
ReplyDeleteWell, now you have me doubting the gun. I'll have to go back and check it out, Kristen. In the picture I posted it does seem like a gun.
DeleteLine is not said as an ad-lib or a complaining actress. Sulfur is associated with evil, fire and brimstone - evil witch, evil dead sister.
ReplyDeleteLine is in original script:
http://www.hadracha.org/en/vw.asp?id=1477
Thanks, T. I guess what really throws me is that in all my viewings of this film, I have NEVER heard that remark! It's to Billie Burke's credit that she made the remark sounds so "UN-acty"
DeleteI never noticed that sulfur line until lately watching, just does not seem like it would be scripted.. and I watched last nite and yes it does look like a silver pistol in the scarecrow’s hand! I believe Dorothy was carrying the oil can in her basket…
ReplyDeleteAlso.. Dorothy’s hair keeps changing lengths.. weird in one scene her left side pony tail is even longer than the right, then it’s even Lol
ReplyDeleteThey trimmed the length of the movie after the first preview. They're all carrying weapons initially and footage was cut showing the weapons vanishing. The witch's handiwork, I guess. The witch mentions in the previous scene about sending a insect on the way to take the fight out of them. A bug that bites them and then they go into a dance number, "The Jitterbug". That was cut, too.
ReplyDeleteThe smell of sulphur has always meant to me as Glinda referring to the Wicked Witch as " Rotten Eggs". Slang for pouting, not getting your way.
ReplyDeleteThe reason scarecrow is carrying a gun is because it was part of a scene that was cut out for timing reasons. Clearly they missed a lot as the other characters are carrying things as well that don’t make sense. They cut this part out where they dance the jitterbug.
ReplyDelete