You want amazing? Here's an anecdote from Harmetz' book about the making of the movie: When the wardrobe department was looking for a coat for Frank Morgan (Prof. Marvel / The Wizard), it decided it wanted one that looked like it had once been elegant but had since "gone to seed." They visited a second-hand store and purchased an entire rack of coats, from which Morgan, the head of the wardrobe department and director Victor Fleming chose one they felt gave off the perfect appearance of "shabby gentility." One day, while he was on set in the coat, Morgan idly turned out one of the pockets and discovered a label indicating that the coat had been made for L. Frank Baum. Mary Mayer, a unit publicist for the film, contacted the tailor and Baum's widow, who both verified that the coat had at one time been owned by the author of the original "Wizard of Oz" books. After the filming was completed, the coat was presented to Mrs. Baum.
You should check it out. There is a youtube video of it synced up. Some people say you can restart the album after it ends, but it doesn't really work the second time around. It wasn't as good as I remembered it when I saw the youtube video, but the first time I saw it I was umm... in an altered state.
I just wanted to add the book was written as a political satire with Dorothy's shoes being sliver- to represent the miners. The lion was William Jennings Bryant and they were going to Washington to protest. Then it became a hit as a children's book. Fun?
I just read up on this. The satire angle appears to be a fairly popular interpretation among scholars, but it is not an undisputed fact that Baum intended the work as a satire, or that the lion is Jennings Bryan. Seems Baum himself never acknowledged those claims.
This theory was first put forth by Henry Littlefield in 1964, over 60 years after the original book was published. It can be made to fit, but there's no evidence that Baum intended the story to be taken this way, and plenty evidence that the places and characters were drawn from things in Baum's own life. It's also undercut by Baum's own introduction to the book, in which he says that the story "aspires to being a modernized fairy tale, in which the wonderment and joy are retained and the heartaches and nightmares are left out," and "was written solely to please children of today."
It's probably worth noting though that Baum was also a notorious liar (I suppose we'd say troll these days), which is a fair reason to doubt him on his word.
Okay? I've done my fair share of reading about Oz and Baum and haven't come across a reputation as a "notorious liar." Even if that's the case, though, there's still no evidence that Baum intended the books as any sort of political satire or allegory.
The interpretation I was familiar with, which I learned in an American History class, is one of satire of the dispute regarding monetary policy. Supposedly, the silver shoes represent, well, silver, while the Yellow Brick Road represents the gold standard, which leads to lies and deception, represented by the Wizard of Oz (oz as in "ounce") living in a city the color of paper money, with no actual value. The Cowardly Lion represents the politicians who don't have the courage to stand up for what's right; the Tin Man represents the heartless industrialists, with their constant need for oil; and the Scarecrow represents the brainless farmers. Ultimately the silver shoes are all that Dorothy needs to get back home, after being led astray by gold and the promise of a better future. Probably just a theory, but a fun way to see the book and the movie from a different perspective.
Technically, she didn't have any slippers in the book, as they were actually called the Silver Shoes. But, yes, it should accept silver, or specify that it's asking about the movie in that question.
In addition, the Winged Monkeys aren't the only animals the Witch sends after them in the book. Before she sends them, she sends bees, crows, and wolves, all of which get defeated.
It's been at least 7 years since I saw this film for the last time, and probably 8 or 9 since I read the (children version of the) book. Even so, I managed to get 19/23 (83%)! Very proud of myself, considering it was not one of my favourite movies -- but must say, I only got some of the answers thanks to pop songs from the 60s and 70s. So, I also must thank sir Elton John, America and The Seekers for helping me with the answers!
(but that shouldn't be an answer)
Also, matching a 43 minute record to a 101 minute film is never going to be easy.
In addition, the Winged Monkeys aren't the only animals the Witch sends after them in the book. Before she sends them, she sends bees, crows, and wolves, all of which get defeated.