AMS Pictures’ film answers questions about the Judy Garland favorite
Joey Luft, son of Judy Garland, is one of many who appear in the docuseries. All photos are courtesy of AMS Pictures.
Grab the popcorn and some ruby slippers. A new three-part docuseries about “The Wizard of Oz” is in the works to commemorate the beloved Judy Garland classic’s 85th anniversary.
Here’s a sneak peek: Mysteries of Oz.
“It’s fascinating when you get to the heart of it; to the truth,” stated William Stillman, who along with Jay Scarfone, authored the book “The Road to Oz: The Evolution, Creation, and Legacy of a Motion Picture Masterpiece,” in a press release.
Author William Stillman
Author Jay Scarfone
Stillman, Scarfone and a diverse group of Oz fans including Garland’s son and granddaughter Joey Luft and Vanessa O’Neil; Jane Lahr, daughter of the late-Bert Lahr, The Cowardly Lion; “Wicked” author Gregory Maguire; Nichelle Lewis, star of Broadway’s new revival of “The Wiz,”are among many interviewed for the docuseries. The delve into the music and myths surrounding the making of the 1939 film, which Library of Congress recognizes as the most-watched movie in history.
Jane Lahr, daughter of Bert Lahr
Author Gregory Maguire
“I wonder if some of the thirst for discovering what goes on behind the scenes stems from knowing that nothing is truly that brightly colored,” Maguire stated in the press release. “And if it is that brightly colored, it’s false.”
The docuseries will highlight the film’s impact on diverse audiences, with a special focus on its significance to the LGBTQ+ community. Emphasizing inclusion and belonging, it explores how the film and Garland resonate with people of all ages, races and backgrounds. The series also examines Oz adaptations like “The Wiz” and “Wicked,” showcasing their contributions to Oz’s enduring legacy.
“We love someone who bears the weight of the world and remains fabulous despite it all,” stated drag queen Ginger Minj, a runner up on “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” stated in the release. “Many of us relate to her because we’ve been told we’re too fat, not pretty enough, or don’t sing well enough. Any criticism imaginable was thrown at this young lady, yet she still became a shining star.”
AMS has more than 40 years of history creating content for clients such as Lifetime, Reelz and HGTV.
Ginger Minj
Actress Nichelle Lewis of The Wiz
The docuseries is written and produced by Garland expert Randy L. Schmidt of Denton, a music teacher in the Denton Independent School District. Schmidt is the author of the children’s book “Becoming Judy Garland,” and he edited the book “Judy Garland on Judy Garland.”
“It’s such a part of those early fibers of who you are,” Schmidt said.
Planning for the film began in January while Schmidt and Steitfeld were traveling the film festival circuit for their project about Karen Carpenter, and Schmidt mentioned his love of both Garland and the film. They decided to explore all the stories each had heard over the years and debunk some urban myths.
“The movie is not the cursed production you might believe by reading about it online,” said Schmidt, who also wrote the successful book “Little Girl Blue: The Life of Karen Carpenter.”
One myth they were able to shatter is that someone died during an on-set accident and the body is seen on camera. Schmidt said what’s seen is crane, as in a live bird, spreading its wings in the background of one scene.
Also, despite press reports that all the Munchkins died, they spoke to a few surviving actors who played Munchkins when they were children. Elaine Merk, who was in elementary school when she appeared in the film and also acted in a few “Our Gang” pictures, is in the docuseries. Merk resides in the Los Angeles area.
Former actress Elaine Merk
Vanessa O’Neil, Judy Garland’s granddaughter
Filmmakers also learned The Cowardly Lion’s costume included lion hides.
“We hope to have (the docuseries) out by Novemberish to coincide with the film premiere of Wicked,” said Schmidt, who added there could be a film festival premiere of the docuseries.
The musical film adaption “Wicked” is scheduled to premiere Nov. 27. The Universal Pictures release stars Ariana Grande as Glinda the Good Witch and Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, The Wicked Witch of the West, and is a prequel story to Oz.
The docuseries is directed by Brad Osborne of Murphy. Andy Steitfeld of Plano is the executive producer.
Osborne, known for his work on similar projects about Shania Twain and both the the film and TV adaptions of M*A*S*H, said the docuseries is likely to satisfy armchair scholars of Oz.
“It’s magic…Everything just works,” he said.