Throwback- The Wizard of Oz

The Wizard of Oz was a very popular movie that came out in 1939 and stars Judy Garland as Dorothy, and also includes Ray Bolger, Jack Haley, Bert Lahr, and Frank Morgan, with Billie Burke, Margaret Hamilton, Charley Grapewin, and Clara Blandick as the rest of the main cast. It is classified as an American musical fantasy film. This movie was based on the children's book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, which was written by L. Frank Baum in 1900. We all know what it's about: a girl and her dog get magically transported to a magical land (after a tornado picks up her house and takes her there) where she meets many strange, but interesting characters while she is trying to find out how to get back home. In the end, she realizes she always had the power to return by using her ruby slippers, so she does and is very happy to see her family in the end. Even though this movie is one of the best known movies of all time, when it initially released in theaters, it wasn't a major box office hit, only accruing $3 million on a $2 million budget; however, re-releases of this movie help make up for this and the movie later went on to win several awards. The Wizard of Oz was nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Picture, but it lost it to Gone with the Wind. Telecasts (showing it on televison) of The Wizard of Oz started in 1956, which re-introduced it to the general public, making it an annual tradition and became one of the most famous films ever made. The Library of Congress named the film the most-watched film in history. In addition, the film is often ranked in the Top 10 Best Movies of All Time. Many well-known quotes are taken from this movie and are used in pop culture.