The Road to Oz: the evolution, creation, and legacy of a motion picture masterpiece (2019)
By Jay Scarfone and William Stillman
Unmatched, The Road to Oz is the definitive resource in the making of the 1939 MGM film, considerably the most common entry point for the general population into the world of Oz, even before the book. The authors Jay Scarfone and William Stillman weave together meticulous research, rare archival materials including behind the scenes images from their private collection, early drafts of scripts and revisions, set design concepts, casting announcements, the film’s critical reception, and more to thoroughly document how MGM’s The Wizard of Oz has become the classic it is today. The Road to Oz also includes an analysis of recently discovered audio transcriptions of Wizard of Oz radio programs from 1931-32 and 1937-38, including their influence on the MGM film, as well as the revelation of an operetta that may have inspired the composition of “Over the Rainbow.” Also included is a young Judy Garland’s journey to immortality as Dorothy, including dispelling the Shirley Temple casting rumors, and media resources of the era married with contemporary interviews that make you feel like you were there!
The NY Times’ The Wizard of Oz, Produced by the Wizards of Hollywood, Works Its Magic on the Capitol's Screen (1939)
Article by Frank S. Nugent
As fantasy films were considered extraordinarily risky and box office poison for movie studios pre Disney’s 1937 Snow White, the tides are noticeably changing in Frank Nugent’s 1939 New York Times review of The Wizard of Oz, heralding its spectacular visuals and storytelling. He calls every designer a wizard in their own right while applauding the believability of the cast and the general appeal for youngsters. Post The Wizard of Oz, it became less and less a folly to make a fantasy picture in Hollywood and studios were clamoring for the next fantastical script!