LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth CAMP Film by Rob Rector A New View of Oz "Oz never did give nothing to the Tin Man, that he didn't already have." Until recently, you may have believed that America'
LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth |
CAMP Film |
by Rob Rector |
A New View of Oz
"Oz never did give nothing to the Tin Man, that he didn't already have." Until recently, you may have believed that America's cheesy ditty was the only 70s rock tune dedicated to the iconic film, Wizard of Oz. Yet those friends of Dorothy out there that may have a copy of the film in their video library may want to dust it off again, for there is a whole new way to experience the film. In the past few years, cinephiles with apparently way too much time on their hands (or illegal substances in their systems) have uncovered a curious relationship between The Wizard of Oz and Pink Floyd's magnum opus Dark Side of the Moon. What better time to put this to the test than the lazy, "hazy" days of summer? What you will need Obviously, a stereo and a DVD or VCR player should already be in place. To best optimize this little experiment, you should obtain a copy of the digitally remastered and repackaged Dark Side of the Moon CD, with the solid prism/triangle on the cover rather than the hollow prism/triangle. If you are a purist, the old vinyl LPs will also work just as well. Then, purchase The Wizard of Oz. It's recommended purchasing the digitally remastered THX 50th Anniversary edition (available for about $15 at Amazon.com). Any other items you purchase to "enhance" this little experiment are completely up to you and are not in any way, shape or form endorsed by the publishers of Letters. (I did not want to give Steve and Murray heart attacks). After mashing the two together, you will be pretty amazed at the results, as both scene and musical transitions take place simultaneously. What to do Turn the sound of the film all the way down, or off, and turn the sound of the album up to the decibel just before blood trickles from the ear. It will probably take you a few tries to get the sync lined up just right so be patient and remember, practice makes perfect. 1) Select the "continuous play" option of your CD player (the CD should play about 2 and a quarter times throughout the length of the film). 2) Place Dark Side of the Moon into your CD player and hit the "play" button, and immediately hit "pause," so that the album is cued and ready to go. 3) Start the video and fast forward past all the marketing tie-ins, previews, etc. (about five minutes worth on the THX version). 4) Now get the tape or DVD to the very beginning where the black-and-white MGM lion roars. After he roars a third time, immediately hit the play button on the CD player. 5) Sit back, grab a beverage and some munchies, and enjoy! 6) The credits begin to roll, and the ambient noise that opens the album begins. You will be able to rest assured of your synchronicity if the music kicks in as "Produced by Mervyn Leroy" appears on screen. Some items to notice If you want to experience this all for yourself, STOP READING THIS ARTICLE NOW. But if you want to sample some of the audio-phonic coincidences, by all means, follow the yellow brick road... Pink Floyd's lead singer Roger Waters utters, "... Look around..." which prompts Dorothy to do just that very early in the film. Dorothy also breaks into a trot while on the farm, just as the line "No one told you when to run" from the song Time is heard. The chimes in Time go off at the appearance of Mrs. Gulch (Wicked Witch of the West) on the bicycle and the chimes stop when she gets off the bike. "I've got a bike. You can ride it if you like. It's got a basket, a bell that rings and things to make it look good..." "... Home, home again..." as Professor Marvel tells Dorothy that she needs to go back home. The Great Gig in the Sky begins as the tornado appears and lasts exactly the length of the storm. (Another curious note: on the record, this song signals the end of the first side of the album and, ironically, as Dorothy slowly creaks open the door, the black and white portion of the film ends, Oz appears in brash color, when the cash register's first "cha-ching," from the song Money begins. The munchkins begin to dance to the tempo of Money. "... And everyone you meet..." is uttered as Dorothy meets the Tin Woodsman. And the album ends with a slowly beating heartbeat, which comes just as Dorothy bangs on the Tin Man's chest to see if he's got a heart. The coincidences are too numerous to list here, so explore and find them out on your own. So next time you're deciding on movie night, strap on those ruby red slippers and give it a whirl in the comfort of your own home, because "There's no place like home...." Rob Rector is co-founder and member of the Board of Directors of the Rehoboth Beach Film Society. |
LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth, Vol. 14, No. 8 July 2, 2004 |