The Wizard of Oz (Classic Movies)

The cache is NOT at the above coordinates, but that is a good spot to park while headed off to see the Wizard … on your way to finding this cache (and getting back to Kansas).

BE SURE TO WRITE DOWN THE LETTER CODE ON THE LID OF THE CONTAINER, AND IN THE FRONT OF THE LOGBOOK (SAME CODE) WHICH IS USED IN THE “CLASSIC MOVIES" FINAL CACHE which is linked below.

Welcome to the ninth Classic Movies cache by the 3 Williams Kidz geo-team. The idea is that you will have to watch the movie to get the answers to the questions below; there are one, maybe two exceptions, for trivia’s sake. Since the entire script is available – and easily “searchable” -- online, I have tried to come up with questions that you cannot answer by searching the Internet, so some of these questions are pretty obscure.

Here are all the geocaches in the Classic Movies series:

1. Casablanca

2. The Great Escape

3. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

4. Cool Hand Luke

5. Patton

6. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid

7. The Godfather

8. High Noon

9. The Wizard of Oz

10. Gone With the Wind

And the FINAL cache: Classic Movies FINAL cache

If you are willing to watch one of Hollywood’s finest classic movies, get the TV and video player ready, maybe pop some popcorn, and have a pen and paper ready to answer the below questions, which are NOT IN THE ORDER they are presented in the film (just one part of the difficulty rating).

The cache is located at North AB CD.EFG West HIJ KL.MNO

Latitude:

A: Dorothy runs into the yard of her farm for the first time; there are two things hanging from a rope that extends between two trees. One is a triangle, used to "ring the dinner bell". What is the other? If it is some laundry, A=1. If it is a flower basket, A=2. If it is a tire, A=3.

B: The Wicked Witch of the East (who had a house land on top of her) wears Ruby Slippers, and stockings that are what striped colors? If green and yellow, B=8. If black and white. B=9. If pink and blue, B=0.

C: The Cowardly Lion acts real tough until what happens that causes him to show his true, cowardly nature? If it is because Toto bites his ankle, C=3. If it is because the Tin Man swings his axe at him, C=4. If it is because the Scarecrow manages to scare him, C=5. If it is because Dorothy slaps him across his nose, C=0.

D: Toto escapes from within the castle of the Wicked Witch of the West! He runs down a staircase and across the drawbridge, which is being drawn up as he leaps to safety; how many horizontal planks of wood make up the part of the drawbridge that Toto runs across before leaping to safety? You can only see the ends of the planks as he leaps, and you can also see how many planks there are when the Scarecrow, Tin Man and Cowardly Lion return to the castle to rescue Dorothy. The number of wooden planks is D.

E: Once inside the Emerald City, Dorothy and her friends get a ride in a carriage pulled by a horse of a different color. When the carriage pulls up, the horse is white. But then, what color is the horse just AFTER they get into the carriage? (The horse later turns orange, then yellow) If the horse is green, E=4. If the horse is purple, E=5. If the horse is blue, E=6.

F: This wonderful, family favorite movie – even over 70 years after it was made – won how many Academy Awards? The number of awards it won is F.

G: The Wizard is going to return to Kansas with Dorothy; he even says he is from Kansas! The hot air balloon he took off in from a State Fair isn't from Kansas, though; written on the balloon, you can tell he took off from where? If Denver, G=6. If Austin, G=7. If Omaha. G=8.

Longitude:

H: How do Dorothy and her friends discover there is a man behind the green curtain? If it is because Toto pulls it open, H=1. If it is because wind blows it open, H=2.

I: Glinda, the Good Witch of the North, wears a gown decorated with many jewels. Her crown is tall and very ornate. The TOTAL number of rings she has on her fingers is I.

J: Dorothy's dream begins when she gets hit on the head by what? If a window frame, J=4. If a door, J=5. If a bookcase, J=6.

K: In what order does Dorothy meet her three traveling companions? If Tin Man, then Scarecrow, then Cowardly Lion, K=3. If Cowardly Lion, then Scarecrow, then Tin Man, K=4. If Scarecrow, then Tin Man, then Cowardly Lion, K=5.

L: What is Professor Marvel beginning to cook over the campfire, before Toto steals it and eats it? If a hot dog, L=3. If a chicken leg, L=4. If marshmallows, L=5.

M: The Munchkin coroner declares "The Wicked Witch is Dead" and shows the Certificate of Death. Then, we see Munchkin babies waking up -- all are girls, dressed in pink. The number of Munchkin babies is M.

N: The Wicked Witch of the West has cast a spell that has put Dorothy, Toto and the Cowardly Lion to sleep. What wakes them up? If it is because the sun shines in their eyes, N=2. It it is because Glinda conjures up a snowstorm, N=3. If it is because the Cowardly Lion’s snoring wakes everyone up, N=4.

O: If you are in the Haunted Forest and read the sign, how many miles is it to the Witches Castle? No matter how far it is, I'd turn back if I were you! The number of miles is O.

Hope you enjoyed the movie, and this puzzle ! If you have your solution, check it for accuracy at GeoChecker.com

Congratulations to weblookie for FTF !!!

Some trivia, from The Internet Movie Database, at www.imdb.com:

Margaret Hamilton said that whenever she saw the scene where Frank Morgan as the Wizard is giving Dorothy's friends gifts from his "black bag" (a diploma for the Scarecrow, a ticking heart for the Tin Man, and a medal for the Cowardly Lion), she got teary eyed, because "Frank Morgan was just like that in real life - very generous".

The film received a mention in the Guiness Book of World Records as the film to which a live-action sequel was produced after the longest period of time (Return to Oz was released 46 years after The Wizard of Oz).

Margaret Hamilton, a life-long fan of the Oz books, was ecstatic when she learned the producers were considering her for a part in the film. When she phoned her agent to find out what role she was up for, her agent simply replied, "The witch, who else?"

To compensate for the extreme make-up demands on this film, MGM recruited extra help from the studio mail room and courier service. As most of the Oz extras required prosthetic devices (false ears, noses, etc.), and since application of prosthetics requires extensive training, the recruited make-up artists were each instructed in one area of prosthetic application and then formed an assembly line. Each extra would then move from one station to another to complete make-up application each morning.

Many of the Wicked Witch of the West's scenes were either trimmed or deleted entirely, as Margaret Hamilton's performance was thought too frightening for audiences.

During the haunted forest scene, several actors playing the Winged Monkeys were injured when the piano wires suspending them snapped, dropping them several feet to the floor of the sound stage.

Terry (Toto) was stepped on by one of the witch's guards, and had a double for two weeks. A second double was obtained, because it resembled Toto more closely. Judy Garland very much wanted to adopt Terry after the two spent so much time together shooting the film. Unfortunately, the owner of the dog wouldn't give her up, and Terry went on to a long career in films. She died in 1945 and was buried in her trainer's yard.

According to lead Munchkin Jerry Maren, the "little people" on the set were paid $50 per week for a 6-day work week, while Toto received $125 per week.

"Over the Rainbow" was nearly cut from the film; MGM felt that it made the Kansas sequence too long, as well as being too far over the heads of the children for whom it was intended. The studio also thought that it was degrading for Judy Garland to sing in a barnyard. A reprise of the song was cut: Dorothy sang it to remember Kansas while imprisoned in the Witch's castle. Judy Garland began to cry, along with the crew, because the song was so sad.

The Cowardly Lion's facial makeup included a brown paper bag. Actor Bert Lahr couldn't eat without ruining his makeup. Tired of eating soup and milkshakes, he decided to eat lunch and have his makeup redone.

When filming first started, Judy Garland wore a blonde wig and heavy, "baby-doll" makeup. When George Cukor assumed the role of intermediate director (after MGM fired the original director and before they found a replacement), he got rid of the wig and most of the makeup and told her to just be herself.

The horses in Emerald City palace were colored with Jell-O crystals. The relevant scenes had to be shot quickly, before the horses started to lick it off.

The Munchkins are portrayed by the Singer Midgets, named not for their musical abilities, but rather for Leo Singer, their manager. The troupe came from Europe, and a number of the Munchkins took advantage of the trip to immigrate and escape the Nazis. Professional singers dubbed most of their voices as many of the Midgets couldn't speak English and/or sing well. Only two are heard speaking with their real-life voices - the ones who give Dorothy flowers after she has climbed into the carriage.

The film had five different directors. Richard Thorpe shot several weeks of material, none of which appears in the final film. The studio found his work unsatisfactory and appointed George Cukor temporarily. Cukor did not actually film any scenes; he merely modified Judy Garland's and Ray Bolger's makeup. Victor Fleming took over from him and filmed the bulk of the movie, until he was assigned to Gone with the Wind. King Vidorfilmed the remaining sequences, mainly the black and white parts of the film set in Kansas. Producer Mervyn LeRoy also directed some transitional scenes.

The theatrical trailer for the 1998 theatrical re-release (viewable on the 2000 Warner Bros. DVD) features the Kansas footage in black and white instead of its proper sepia tone. The sepia tone footage was restored to the film during its 1988 restoration and was thus available; but Warner Bros. choose to show it in its black and white form for the trailer.

A reference to something in the book not included in the script can be seen in the movie. It is the kiss Glinda gives Dorothy on the forehead that protects her from the Wicked Witch, as none dare harm someone who bears the kiss of the Good Witch.

The color of the yellow brick road first showed up as green in early Technicolor tests. It was adjusted so that it would read properly as yellow in the early 3-strip color process, which in 1938-39, was still in its experimental stage.

The film started shooting on 13 October 1938 and was completed on 16 March 1939 at a then-unheard-of cost of $2,777,000. It earned only $3,000,000 on its initial release.

The ruby slippers were silver (like in the book) until MGM chief Louis B. Mayer realized that the Technicolor production would benefit from the slippers being colored.

The song "Over the Rainbow" was ranked #1 by the American Film Institute in 2004 on the 100 Greatest Songs in American Films list.

Ray Bolger, Bert Lahr, and Jack Haley had to eat their meals in their dressing rooms, as the make-up they wore frightened the other diners in the MGM cafeteria. Ray Bolger commented in an interview on the reactions that other MGM actors had upon seeing these "weird-looking characters" in the cafeteria.

Bert Lahr's costume weighed 90 pounds. It was made from a real lion skin and was very hot. The arc lights used to light the set often raised the temperature on the set to over 100 degrees F. Lahr used to sweat so profusely that the costume would be soaked by the end of the day. There were two people whose only job was to spend the night drying the costume for the next day. The costume was dry cleaned occasionally but usually, in the words of one of the crew members, "it reeked".

The House of Winston made a pair of real ruby slippers to celebrate the film's 50th anniversary in 1989. These are valued at $3 million.

Walt Disney was the unwitting impetus behind getting the film started. Louis B. Mayer was determined to come up with something that would equal the success of Disney's runaway smash, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs which had become the most successful film of all time in a matter of months. Walt originally wanted to make 'The Wizard Of Oz' after 'Snow White' but MGM owned the rights to the book. In the 80's the Disney studios made a semi-sequel Return to Oz.

MGM paid $75,000 for the film rights to L. Frank Baum's book, a towering sum at the time.

The scene in which the wicked witch tries to take off Dorothy's ruby slippers by using a magic force through her hands is the same scene depicted on the Electric Light Orchestra's album "Eldorado", but this album cover version is reversed from the one seen in the film.

There are a striking number of coincidences between events in the movie and musical cues (and lyrics) on the 1973 Pink Floyd album, "Dark Side of the Moon". It is highly improbable that the band had a print of the movie with them at Abbey Road, and few attempt to claim it to have been deliberate (David Gilmour dismisses it as nonsense), but the coincidences are remarkable nonetheless. If you begin the album on the third roar of the MGM lion (using the NTSC version of the movie, not the 25 fps PAL version which runs a little over 4% faster) the coincidences include (but are not limited to): • The line "balanced on the biggest wave" comes as Dorothy balances on the fence. • The song "On the Run" starts as Dorothy falls off the fence. • "The Great Gig in the Sky" begins when the tornado first appears. • The song "Us and Them" is played when Dorothy meets the Wicked Witch of the West. • The line "black and blue" is repeated when they are talking to one another (Dorothy in her blue outfit, the Wicked Witch in black). • The line "the lunatic is on the grass..." coincides with Dorothy meeting the Scarecrow. • When we first see Miss Gulch on her bicycle, the song "Time" starts with its bells and alarms. • Dorothy asks Professor Marvel what else he sees in his crystal ball as the line "thought I'd something more to say" comes along in the song "Time". • As the Scarecrow sings "If I Only Had a Brain", Pink Floyd sing "Brain Damage". • Side 1 of the original vinyl album (up to the end of "The Great Gig in the Sky") is exactly as long as the black and white portion of the film. • As Dorothy listens to the Tin Man's chest, the album ends with the famous heartbeat sound effect. This phenomenon is known as "Dark Side of the Rainbow," "Dark Side of Oz," and "The Wizard of Floyd." When the Witch tries to get off the Ruby Slippers, fire strikes her hands. This "fire" was actually dark apple juice spewing out of the shoes. The film was sped up to make it look like fire.

Nikko, the name of the head winged monkey, is the name of the Japanese town which houses the shrine featuring the famous Hear No Evil/See No Evil/Speak No Evil monkeys.

The name for Oz was thought up when the creator, Frank Baum, looked at his filing cabinet and saw A-N, and O-Z, hence "Oz."

When the wardrobe department was looking for a coat for Frank Morgan (Professor Marvel / The Wizard), they decided they wanted one that looked like it had once been elegant but had since "gone to seed". They visited a second-hand store and purchased an entire rack of coats, from which Morgan, the head of the wardrobe department, and director Victor Fleming chose one they felt gave off the perfect appearance of "shabby gentility". One day, while he was on set in the coat, Morgan idly turned out one of the pockets and discovered a label indicating that the coat had been made for L. Frank Baum. Mary Mayer, a unit publicist for the film, contacted the tailor and Baum's widow, who both verified that the coat had at one time been owned by the author of the original "Wizard of Oz" books. After the filming was completed, the coat was presented to Mrs. Baum.

In 1898, Dorothy Louise Gage was born to the brother and sister-in-law of Maud Gage Baum, wife of author L. Frank Baum. When little Dorothy died exactly five months later, Maud was heartbroken. Baum was just finishing "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" and, to comfort his wife, named his heroine after Dorothy, changing her last name to Gale in his second book. Dorothy Gage was buried in Evergreen Memorial Cemetery in Bloomington, Illinois, where her grave was forgotten until 1996 when it was rediscovered. When Mickey Carroll, one of the last existing Munchkins from the movie, learned of the discovery, he was eager to replace her deteriorated grave marker with a new one created by his own monument company. The new stone was dedicated in 1997 and the children's section of the cemetery renamed the Dorothy L. Gage Memorial Garden, in the hope that bereaved families would be comforted in thinking of their lost children as being with Dorothy from "The Wizard of Oz".

The "tornado" was a 35-foot-long muslin stocking, spun around among miniatures of a Kansas farm and fields in a dusty atmosphere.

The gray circle and zig-zag pattern interrupting the yellow brick road outside the main entrance of Emerald City spell out OZ.

Professor Marvel never returns Dorothy's picture of Aunt Em.

Dorothy's iconic red slippers now live at the Smithsonian Institution, and are so popular that the carpet in front of the attraction has had to be replaced numerous times due to wear and tear.

In the book "The Making of the Wizard of Oz" the author mentions that following the accident in which Margaret Hamilton was burned they had to remove the green makeup from the burned area. To do so they used the strong solvent acetone which, when rubbed on the burned areas, caused agonizing pain.

The Scarecrow face makeup that Ray Bolger wore consisted, in part, of a rubber prosthetic with a woven pattern to suggest cloth. By the time the film was finished the prosthetic had left a pattern of lines on his face that took more than a year to vanish.

In the famous "Poppy Field" scene (in which Dorothy fell asleep) the "snow" used in those camera shots was made from 100% industrial grade chrysotile asbestos - despite the fact that the health hazards of asbestos had been known for several years.

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