THE WIZARD OF OZ (1939) - RARE 1949 and 1955 TRAILERS

"The Wizard of Oz" is a 1939 American musical fantasy film produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Widely regarded as one of the greatest films of all time, it is the most commercially successful adaptation of L. Frank Baum's 1900 children's fantasy novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Produced by Mervyn LeRoy. Directed primarily by Victor Fleming (who left the production to take over the troubled Gone with the Wind) and King Vidor. The film stars Judy Garland as Dorothy Gale alongside Ray Bolger, Jack Haley, and Bert Lahr. Also Frank Morgan, Billie Burke, Margaret Hamilton.
Characterized by its use of Technicolor (cinematographer Harold Rosson), fantasy storytelling, musical score, and memorable characters, the film has become an American pop culture icon. It was nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Picture, but lost to Gone with the Wind, also directed by Fleming. It did win in two other categories: Best Original Song for "Over the Rainbow" and Best Original Score by Herbert Stothart and Harold Arlen. While the film was considered a critical success upon release in August 1939, it failed to make a profit for MGM until the 1949 re-release, earning only $3,017,000 on a $2,777,000 budget, not including promotional costs, which made it MGM's most expensive production at that time.
The 1956 television broadcast premiere of the film on the CBS network reintroduced the film to the public; according to the Library of Congress, it is the most seen film in movie history. In 1989, it was selected by the U.S. Library of Congress as one of the first 25 films for preservation in the National Film Registry for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".

[@kevinbutler1955NYC]

The 1955 rerlease trailer of the movie features a clip from"The Triumuphal Procession"number.

[@TheVideoLover3]

I saw this film when it came out for its' IMAX 3D re-release in 2013.

[@Rlotpir1972]

I assume it was in TV format.

[@morlockmeat]

This must've been marvelous on the big screen.

[@mediakira6621]

The music during the name call gives me chills

[@bettyottman1718]

Everyone loves the wizard of oz 1939 movie, it's like entering our own dreamworld where everything comes to life. 🌈🌈🌈🌈😗😗😗💓💓💓💓💓💗💗💗💗🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶

[@jasonnstegall]

Funny thing is, the 1949 trailer must have worked out…the film finally made a profit upon this rerelease, it’s 2nd. (The television legend was yet to follow, of course.)

[@carbootstudios2459]

3:30 even here you can still see the crane clear as day. No hanging whatsoever.

[@Rlotpir1972]

Technically, the 1955 reissue was stretched to the 16:9 widescreen format.

[@Puppetoons]

Yes I prefer if they left it normal aspect ratio as it appears the resolution suffers, don't know what it looked like when it was released but I saw it in 1962 at the Seattle Worlds Fair and the print was in its original aspect ratio in Technicolor and quite striking

[@alanchamberlain9902]

Anyone know the 1955 narrator? he has a great voice

[@jasonbeard4713]

The narration was taken from the 1939 theatrical and radio trailer. He also announced for other MGM trailers.

[@fromthesidelines]

That was Frank Whitbeck- MGM's head of publicity, who often announced their trailers in the 1930's and '40s.

[@alanchamberlain9902]

@@fromthesidelines Thanks his voice sounds so old school but really cool. It sounds like the time tbh 30s and 40s

[@fromthesidelines]

You're welcome!

[@michaelecheverry8989]

An RKO Radio Picture

[@michaelecheverry8989]

RKO Radio Pictures