#WIZARD OF OZ WITCH MOVIE#
#WIZARD OF OZ WITCH SKIN#

And then they go, Ohhhhhhhhhh!вЂ¦The picture made a terrible impression of some kind on them, sometimes a ghastly impression, but most of them got over it, I guessвЂ¦ Because when I talk like the Witch and when I laugh, there is a hesitation, and then they clap. They like to hear it but they donвЂ™t like to hear it. вЂвЂќI guess for a minute they get the feeling they got when they watched the picture. Her manic cackle followed her for the rest of her life, indeed in The Making of the Wizard of Oz(Aljean Harmetz) Hamilton revealed that she was often asked to reproduce the laugh: Now, itвЂ™s impossible to imagine anyone but Hamilton in the role.

#WIZARD OF OZ WITCH SKIN#

Copper-based, it could only be (painfully) removed with alcohol, for several weeks after completing her scenes, HamiltonвЂ™s skin retained a green tinge. The green makeup wasnвЂ™t without problems too. She was left with burns on her face and hands and spent several days recuperating in hospital. That mustвЂ™ve been quite a blow, considering what the actress went through during filming: during the scene when the Wicked Witch leaves Munchkinland in a flash of smoke and flames the trapdoor failed to open, and HamiltonвЂ™s costume caught fire. So perfectly cast was Hamilton that, when the film was sent for screen tests, audiences claimed her role was too scary, and many of her scenes were cut. I said, вЂYes?вЂ™ and he said вЂMaggie, they want you to play a part on the Wizard.вЂ™ I said to myself, вЂOh Boy, The Wizard of Oz! That has been my favorite book since I was four.вЂ™ And I asked him what part, and he said вЂThe WitchвЂ™ and I said вЂThe Witch?!вЂ™ and he said вЂWhat else?'вЂќ вЂњI was in a need of money at the timeвЂ¦.and my agent called.

In the DVD commentary for Oz, Hamilton describes her reaction to the role: By the time MGM were casting for the Oz role, Hamilton had completed five or six pictures for the studio. Not wanting to be typecast, she refused to sign a studio contract but kept her price low to avoid scaring off potential employers. FollowingВ the playвЂ™s success she relocated to Hollywood where, after reprising the role on screen, she soon found herself playing a variety of small but not insubstantial parts under directors including Frank Capra, Fritz Lang, Michael Curtiz and Busby Berkeley. Hamilton was a kindergarten teacher who started her career in community theatre and got her her first break in the 1932 Broadway production Another Language. Costume designer Adrian was also brought on board and tasked with upping the scare factor, although itвЂ™s unclear if that was a directive from Cukor or an implementation from the top. Although Cukor didnвЂ™t actually shoot any scenes he made a few key changes, including DorothyвЂ™s hair and make-up. If that sounds chaotic, thatвЂ™s because it was: the script underwent multiple rewrites, the original director (Roger Thorpe) was replaced with George Cukor who in turn was supplanted by Victor Fleming and finally, King Vidor, and Buddy Ebsen (the original Tin Man) suffered an allergic reaction to his aluminium-based make-up. ItвЂ™s unclear whether Sondergaard refused to embrace вЂuglyвЂ™ or if MGM decided she couldnвЂ™t, but she was dropped from the role three days before filming began and was replaced by Margaret Hamilton. The filmвЂ™s producer Mervyn LeRoy was concerned that the first screen tests were too beautiful, so a few blemishes were added. Initially, a more vampish look was favoured вЂ“ no doubt inspired by DisneyвЂ™s Wicked Witch ( Snow White, 1937) вЂ“ and Gale Sondergaard was engaged for the role. The Witch however, could have been very different. Gale SondergaardвЂ™s screen test for the role In fact, her instantly recognisable pointed hat was auctioned by Profiles In History in May 2010 with a guide price of $100,000 to $150,000 (although thereвЂ™s no word on the final sale price).

Of course, Hamilton wasnвЂ™t the first actress to play a witch on screen, but her creation has been incorporated into pop culture history and her appearance forms the stereotype we have of witches today.

#WIZARD OF OZ WITCH MOVIE#

вЂњIвЂ™ll get you my pretty, and your little dog too!вЂќ With that phrase, Margaret Hamilton secured OzвЂ™s Wicked Witch of the West a spot at the top of movie villain lists forever вЂ“ no mean feat considering that the film was released in 1939 and that her screen time in it was cut to 12 minutes because she was simply too scary.

Check out all the posts, where thereвЂ™s evil, dastardly wrongdoingsВ and malice aplenty! This post is my contribution to the Great Villain Blogathon, hosted by three wonderful (and non-villainous) bloggers: Silver Screenings, Shadows & Satin and Speakeasy.

Wizard of oz witch