Walt had long been a fan of L. Frank Baum's "Oz" books. In fact, back in the mid-1930s, just as Disney Studios was starting to search for a story that would serve as a suitable follow-up to "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," Walt had Roy inquire about the movie rights to the original "Wizard of Oz" book.
What a long path to completion. I was talking with a friend that has a 3 year old daughter the other day about appropriate children's movies. He mentioned that she likes the Wizard of Oz and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. My daughter is only 2 and while I think those movies might be a bit scary for her, I may have to give them a try. Why? Because if I have to watch Mary Poppins one more time I think I'm going to go nuts. I love the film but theres only so many times I can watch it.
I spoke to a couple of people this morning about the movie Oz the Great and Powerful and they seemed to enjoy it, said it sufficiently freaked their kids out. But that's what the Wizard of Oz is supposed to do, freak kids out. I know that I will never forget how scary I thought the Wicked Witch was when I was a boy. -Perhaps the best movie villain ever?
- That's what the Wizard of Oz is supposed to do, freak kids out.
It's strange how our best-remembered children's stories have a streak of evil running through them. It wouldn't take much to turn Snow White into a horror story or Treasure Island into a crime drama, would it?
No it really wouldn't. It seems to be a trend that goes back pretty far too. Take a look at the Grimm Fairy tales. The majority of them are extremely brutal, yet I grew up reading them.