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The subversive messages hidden in The Wizard of Oz
BBC Reel ^ | July 12, 2019 | Nicholas Barber

Posted on 08/15/2019 7:02:29 AM PDT by 4Runner

The script scoffs at the idea that power and prosperity come to those who merit them, even when it is dealing with Dorothy herself. She kills one Wicked Witch by crash-landing a house on her, and kills another (Margaret Hamilton) by splashing her with water. In both cases, the killings are accidents, the results of pure chance rather than Dorothy’s bravery or virtue. (Any water-soluble witch who leaves buckets of the stuff sitting around her castle is asking for trouble.) But in both cases, Dorothy is instantly hailed as a conquering heroine, just as the Wizard was when he touched down in Oz. The message is that people will march behind any authority figure who makes a splash, however undeserving they may be. It’s a subversive message in 2019, and it was even more pointed in 1939, when fascist dictators were stomping across Europe.

(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.com ...


TOPICS: History; Music/Entertainment; TV/Movies
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To: Savage Beast


My kind of Dorothy.  Zooey in "Tin Man."

81 posted on 08/15/2019 10:28:59 AM PDT by sparklite2 (Don't mind me. I'm just a contrarian.)
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To: Savage Beast

Right


82 posted on 08/15/2019 10:50:39 AM PDT by Conserv
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To: 4Runner

I thought the movie sucked and was hoping the tin man would touch a match to the scarecrow.....


83 posted on 08/15/2019 11:00:04 AM PDT by Hot Tabasco (I'm in the cleaning business.......I launder money)
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Marking


84 posted on 08/15/2019 11:08:48 AM PDT by AllAmericanGirl44
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To: yuleeyahoo

...Superman busied himself with common problems that the ordinary man felt helpless against.
________________________________

Wasn’t he called The Man of Tomorrow, in the beginning?


85 posted on 08/15/2019 11:12:14 AM PDT by reformedliberal
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To: Boogieman

” but the yellow brick road leads to the Emerald City, so is he saying fiat currency is inevitable?”

The Wizard of Oz is an allegory for the Populist Movement of the 1890’s and the Election if 1896.
The Populist Party ran James Weaver an advocate for farmers and laborers. The Populist Party platform was The Omaha Platform and the main issue was to cause inflation which would help the indebted farmers by increasing the money supply with the free coinage of silver.
Politicians in Washington DC were influenced by Big Business which supported the gold standard and the “yellow brick” road led to Washington DC.
When the President leaves in the hot air balloon has the words “Omaha Platform” is written on it. When the balloon is released and raised the President has no idea how to control the inflation.
Wicked Witch of the West represent nature which controlled the Plains Indians and the farmers. Her evil existence melted when Dorthy threw a pail of (directed) water on her, Irrigation (which came during the New Deal) was represent by the directed water.
flying monkeys were the Plains Indians - notice they really do damage to the scarecrow.
Scarecrow represents farmers.
Laborers were represented by the tin man whose joins needed oiled as their hours per day had increased. Due to the mechanization of factories, the workers had become extensions of the machines. Workers no longer set the pace of work or completed and entire product resulting in loss of pride or love (heart) for their labor.
In 1896, the Democrat took over the Poplist plans of free coinage of silver. Wm Jenning Bryan (Cowardly Lion) became the Dem. candidate after his famous Cross of Gold Speech.- cross of gold given to the Lion who then states, “I’m speechless. In addition, Jenning was a pacifist during the Sp.Am War which is why is is wearing a “yellow” ribbon in his hair.
Munchkins were the powerless immigrants who lived in the cities.
Wicked Witch of the West represented the Industrialists who exploited immigrant labor and American laborers by hiring the low paid immigrants.
There is more but this is probably more than desired by most.


86 posted on 08/15/2019 11:14:41 AM PDT by texteacher
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To: bgill
Garland had to have her boobs tied down flat. Always hated the story. Especially Dorothy

The so-so story was written in 1900. The 1938 movie is an all-time favorite for the planet for the brilliant way that it introduced color into film, changing the industry forever, and for the music that endures to this day.

87 posted on 08/15/2019 11:18:03 AM PDT by Teacher317 (We have now sunk to a depth at which restatement of the obvious is the first duty of intelligent men)
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To: Salamander

So that’s why :)


88 posted on 08/15/2019 12:20:47 PM PDT by mylife (The Roar Of The Masses Could Be Farts)
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To: Savage Beast
I cannot image Shirley Temple singing Over the Rainbow. I don’t think Judy was miscast at all! I loved her as Dorothy.
89 posted on 08/15/2019 12:27:43 PM PDT by EnquiringMind
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To: sparklite2

“My kind of Dorothy. Zooey in ‘Tin Man.’ “ [sparklite2, post 81]

So glad sparklite2 posted this one.

The 2007 TV miniseries is a compelling & tense part-way re-imagining filled with intriguing notions: parallel universes, returning from exile, growing into leadership, discovering one’s destiny, atoning for blunders, liberating one’s family, and sticking together in the face of overpowering threats and daunting challenges.

Zooey is her adorkable self as a college student/waitress, vaguely suspecting she doesn’t fit in anywhere but utterly clueless about what comes next.

Also adduces fine performances from Neal McDonough as Tin Man, Alan Cumming as Scarecrow, Raoul Max Trujillo as Lion, Blu Mankuma as Toto (instructs Dorothy, shape-shifts into the small dog), Richard Dreyfuss as Wizard. Kathleen Robertson as Dorothy’s evil sister is unctuous, insincere, petulant, willful, and poisonously vengeful; but not Evil (the Witch is that). Dorothy stiffens everybody’s spine for the final battle.

Auntie Em and Uncle Henry are robots. Steampunk motifs abound. Landscape backdrops are breathtaking.

Hokey? Sure. Royalty takes on the direst of challenges and is found neither craven nor corrupt. For once. Everybody on the side of Good does their best, but it still falls to Dorothy to take the final step to vanquish Evil. She saves the realm, her sister, and her true parents.


90 posted on 08/15/2019 1:36:14 PM PDT by schurmann
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To: texteacher

If that isn’t true, it sure should be. LOL


91 posted on 08/15/2019 1:56:33 PM PDT by sparklite2 (Don't mind me. I'm just a contrarian.)
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To: morphing libertarian

Forgot to mention that as an adult, I enjoyed reading “A Barnstormer in Oz” by Phillip Jose Farmer, the story of Dorothy’s adult son (Hank?) of course finding his way to Oz, and his appreciation of its wonders as an adult, that she had seen as a child.

Might be worth a read to you.


92 posted on 08/15/2019 1:58:49 PM PDT by treetopsandroofs
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To: mylife

Yep!

And it’s also why I’m likely to be squashed running into the road to save a butterfly or something.

:D


93 posted on 08/15/2019 3:52:53 PM PDT by Salamander (Death makes angels of us all, and give us wings where we once had shoulders, smooth as ravens' claws)
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To: Salamander

I hate monkeys. I will always hate monkeys, even into the afterlife.


94 posted on 08/15/2019 4:42:06 PM PDT by GingisK
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To: yuleeyahoo; reformedliberal

Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster were both Jewish. They said long ago that Kal-El was a Moses type: Outer space was the river Nile, and the spacecraft was the reed basket.

He was sent to rescue the commoners (slaves) from their imprisonment and suffering.


95 posted on 08/15/2019 5:55:44 PM PDT by YogicCowboy ("I am not entirely on anyone's side, because no one is entirely on mine." - J. R. R. Tolkien)
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To: GingisK

Same here.
Yikes.


96 posted on 08/15/2019 8:09:53 PM PDT by Salamander (Death makes angels of us all, and give us wings where we once had shoulders, smooth as ravens' claws)
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To: Salamander

I was taken to all of those as a kid, PLUS Songs of the South. ...The latter movie (now banned by racists) had many subliminal messages. It was a fantastic movie for a kid!

Aside... Wishing the best for your hubby’s swift recovery.


97 posted on 08/16/2019 4:36:05 AM PDT by octex
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To: Ouderkirk

Judy Garland was born in 1922. She was 16 when they began filming and 17 when the movie was released. About 5 years older than 11 year book Dorothy but hardly a “20’s” something old movie Dorothy. To me she acts 16, albeit a bit precocious for 16 but I’ve met a few her age like her. The Disney company, for example always has had an knack for finding such “young/old” actors and actresses with some preternatural ability to light up the TV and movie screens....it isn’t natural I believe!


98 posted on 08/16/2019 4:46:45 AM PDT by mdmathis6
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To: texteacher

Your posting reminded me of why I hated my English Lit teacher in HS!

She would give us reading assignments and require us to submit papers describing what it all REALLY meant.

I don’t think anyone in the class got an A, because no one lived in the wacky teacher’s fantasy world.


99 posted on 08/16/2019 4:48:36 AM PDT by octex
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To: Ouderkirk

For some reason Shirley Temple didn’t want the gig or was busy. I think it was because she couldn’t sing.


100 posted on 08/16/2019 4:54:23 AM PDT by central_va (I won't be reconstructed and I do not give a damn.)
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