Wizard of Oz

A celebration of the 75th anniversary of the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer movie musical, this new book The Wizard of Oz offers a rare glimpse into the creation of the classic film, its creator L. Frank Baum, the Academy Award-winning score, the leading lady, and the Oz phenomenon that continues to captivate the world. Although Oz creator L. Frank Baum died twenty years prior to the release of MGM's celebrated film, his fascinating career and story, as told in this new book, will surprise even the most devoted Oz fans. Prior to MGM's 1939 release of the movie, Baum's book was featured as a Broadway musical, with songs by the justifiably forgotten Fred R. Hamlin, and two bizarre silent movies. The enduring appeal and lasting influence of The Wizard of Oz are discussed in a special chapter by creator's great-grandson Roger Baum. The Wizard of Oz will lead the reader down the proverbial yellow brick road to discover: The seven flawless decisions MGM made to adapt Baum's sprawling children's book into a movie musical. The groundbreaking moviemaking techniques, MGM's second full-length Technicolor film. The surprising story behind Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburg's superlative score, which includes ?Over the Rainbow," considered the greatest movie