So if you ask the Internet what the most-viewed movie in the whole world is, it will tell you…Wizard of Oz.
If you try to ask the Internet where exactly it’s getting that information or what kind of numbers we’re talking, the web becomes a wee bit evasive. Take IMDb, for instance. In its Trivia section on Wizard of Oz, it says “a recent study” confirms it’s the most-watched movie ever. How’s that for specific?
But in the end, it doesn’t really matter what the Internet says. Know why? Because Clay Morgan and I happened to watch this documentary about Oz that Clay found from like the 1990s or something and its host was Angela Lansbury aka Jessica Fletcher aka Why do people even hang out with her on Murder She Wrote? It’s like asking to die. And she said Wizard of Oz is the most-viewed movie ever. If you can’t trust Angela Lansbury, who can you trust?
Because this was our 25th Gush, it was only right to do a BIG movie. In addition to chatting about the fun facts we dug up that were new to us, we also discuss:
- How Melissa used to be scared of flower fields
- How Clay used to be scared to watch Oz without his mom
- How probably everyone in the world is STILL scared of the flying monkeys
Do you like Wizard of Oz? Did it scare you as a kid? Are you the one person in the world who actually hasn’t seen it??
p.s. As always, you can check out all our movie fun (and subscribe!) at our YouTube channel.
Comments 16
YES!!! I’m still terrified of flying monkeys and that stinking music!!
Author
I think listening to Follow the Yellow Brick Road can get a little creepy ’cause it’s soooo repetitive and it’s sung so high-pitched!
Yes, I watch that classic at least once a year. The bad witch always scared me worse than the flying monkeys. 🙂
Author
Yep, she’s plenty scary, that’s for sure. Though, my fear of her lessened as I got older and realized all I’d really need to ever defeat her would be a water bottle. But the monkeys…?
I didn’t watch this one as a kid, so I don’t know whether it would have scared me or not. =) It is a great movie! I watched it so much as a teenager and listened to the soundtrack so much that I pretty much had every song memorized. Especially the lion’s song about being the king of the forest. (Even the spoken lines, ha.) I think I overdosed on the film, though, because I got a bit sick of it several years ago. Then I saw it in theaters when they rereleased it for one night, and that was such an amazing experience! Seeing it in a crowded theater with so many different people, from older couples to little kids, was so awesome and made me appreciate the film again.
Out of the three friends, I always liked the Tin Man the best. =) They’re all great, though.
Speaking of Mickey Rooney, I was sad to hear that he passed away. I absolutely love his four early musicals with Judy Garland.
Author
Ooh, this would be a pretty sweet film to see in theaters. It’s epic enough as it is, but like you, I’ve seen it enough times that I don’t generally get overly excited to rewatch it. But I’d totally jump at the chance to see it in a theater.
I think I like the Scarecrow the best. But that may be partially influenced from the couple times I’ve seen Wicked the musical…he’s such a great character in that, too. So the two kinda mix in my head to produce him as my favorite.
Sad about Mickey Rooney, yes. Know what I learned about Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland recently? They worked such long hours that they were regularly given amphetamines to stay awake and barbiturates to help them sleep at night. And that’s what hugely contributed to Garland’s drug addiction. Sad. The crazy thing is, if you watch some of their movies together, they way Rooney in particular acts really seems like he IS amped up on amphetamines. He’s so wild-eyed and crazy in some of them.
This is very time-sensitive as Once Upon a Time (the TV show) now has the Wicked Witch and the flying monkeys as featured characters…except if a flying monkey bites you, you can turn into one! Ah!! Makes them much scarier…
Author
AHHH so they’re vampire-like? CREEPY!
I know you and so many people like Once Upon a Time. I wish I liked it. I guess I only gave that first season a go for the first half or so. Maybe if I kept watching…I just could never latch on to any of the characters.
Some of the characters have had really cool character change journeys and arcs…I always enjoy watching a character change. That first season was really scattered because it kept focusing on a different character every episode. Now it’s much more cohesive.
I’ve always liked fairy tales and all that, so the show fascinated me. 🙂 And continues to do so!
Author
Someday I’ll try it again. 🙂 I prefer shows with a continuing storyline versus mainly episodic ones and so maybe that’s why I couldn’t get hooked the first season. Sounds like it’s changed in that way so who knows…maybe I will change my mind eventually.
Although, right now, all my TV energy is going into gearing up for 24. LOL!
This is one of those classics that you always think of as wonderful, but if you REALLY stop and think about it, it’s downright creepy. Flying monkeys…nope. No thank you.
Author
Definitely creepy…fun, but creepy. The amazing thing to me is that they apparently cut so much out of it for fear of it being TOO scary. Margaret Hamilton’s screen time was drastically cut before it was released. Makes me wonder how creepy it would’ve been if they’d left those additional scenes in.
Bad witch was definitely scarier than the flying monkeys. The first time I watched it, I thought the wizard was pretty scary, too. I was probably too young that time.
It’s a great movie, and I even have character ornaments for my Christmas tree.
Author
Yep, the bad witch is definitely scary…although I’ve seen Wicked enough times that now when I see Wizard of Oz, I always feel a little badly for her. 🙂
LOVE this movie! I remember way-back-when it only came on television once a year, and that made it even more special. My husband loves it too, and at one time, we had copies of the original, Return to Oz, AND The Wiz!
Author
Return to Oz! I think that movie creeped me out way more than the original! 🙂 But I loved it. I don’t know if I’ve actually ever watched The Wiz.