There is no denying how fantastic the special effects for 1996’sTwisterhold up, especially when some moments can even beat what is seen inTwisters.From the science instrument, appropriately named Dorothy, to the codenames that Storm Par uses in the sequel, both movies recognize the Hollywood classic that came before them, the one that created a breathtaking tornado out of practical effects.The Wizard of Ozset the template back in 1939, soGlen PowellandDaisy Edgar-Jonescould race in front of a whirlwind of CGI effects to have audiences believe they’re in danger.
The Wizard of Ozis a treasured piece of cinema history that never fails to invite viewers into its Technicolor dream world. Even if Dorothy has to wake up from visiting the Land of Oz, fans can revisit it as often as they want.Judy Garland’s timeless performance as the misplaced farm girl and the iconic depiction of awicked witchthat has frightened generations of kids are instrumental in the film’s long-lasting impact. But then there are the innovative effects, especially when it comes to the twister.It holds up extremely well as the first tornado put onscreen, after all these decades since it carried Dorothy high up into the sky and over the rainbow.
The Wizard of Oz
This Silent Version of ‘Wizard of Oz’ Didn’t Have a Twister
14 years before the MGM classic, directorLarry Semonmade abizarre 1925 adaptationof theOzbooks byL. Frank Baum. It’s not as beloved or well-remembered as the 1939 film is for various reasons. There is a racist stereotype that is hard to ignore. The story shared little in common with the books or the 1939 version. And when it came to seeing how Dorothy (Dorothy Dwan) traveled to the Land of Oz, there was a storm but no funnel cloud. Lightning bolts strike as severe wind gusts send the miniature models of trees and the barn flying in the air.MGM’s adaptation would develop a more elaborate special effect to show the twisterthat carried the girl from Kansas to the fantasy realm where a yellow brick road led to the sparklingEmerald City.
A Tornado Brings Dorothy and Toto to Oz
In sepia-tinted Kansas, one bad day ends with an even worse storm.Dorothy Gale (Garland) and her little dog Toto attempt to run away from home to escape the clutches of Miss Gulch (Margaret Hamilton)when the dark clouds and blowing winds produce a tornado. “It’s a twister! It’s a twister!” is shouted around the Gale farm as everyone tries to take shelter. But Dorothy isn’t fast enough to return home, where her family and friends have already gone underground. Trees are uprooted, and the porch door flies off its hinges as Dorothy takes refuge in the house.
Here Are the 5 Types of Tornadoes That Blew ‘Twisters’ Away
No tornado is too big for storm chasers Daisy Edgar-Jones and Glen Powell.
The howling winds and flying debris get too volatile. A window panel becomes loose and smacks the back of Dorothy’s head, knocking her out. When she “wakes up,” her journey to Oz begins.Dorothy’s home is snatched into the “Suck Zone,“as Dusty (Philip Seymour Hoffman) fromTwisterwould say.The sequence is an iconic moment inThe Wizard of Oz, along with the characters, images, and songs that follow.The film that audiences continue to watch is a simple tale with all the right pieces in place. Astrange musical numberfeaturing the Scarecrow (Ray Bolger) was choreographed and filmed but ultimately cut for not fitting in well. This careful approach to ensuring the film was the best it could be went into creating the tornado as well.
How Did ‘The Wizard of Oz’ Create the Tornado?
According to a 2014Washington Postarticle,The Wizard of Ozwas the first depiction of a tornado in cinema — and it didn’t disappoint.A. Arnold “Buddy” Gillespie, the head of special effects at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, was given the task of finding a way to bring this specific weather phenomenon onto the screen. Time-wise, getting real footage of a tornado wasn’t an option and archival evidence was scarce. Thefirst photo of a tornadowas captured by a box camera in 1884 in Kansas; thefirst video footageof one wouldn’t be taken until 1951 in Corn, Oklahoma.The Wizard of Ozwould need to rely on hand-crafted ingenuity and Gillespie and his team went to work on what their funnel cloud would be made of. A rubber cone was tested, but it was deemed too rigid for the realistic movements needed.
In theWashington Postarticle,Jon Nese, a professor at Penn State’s Department of Meteorology, explained how Gillespie figured to use a “35-foot-long muslin stocking that they wrapped around chicken wire to give it a conical appearance.” A soundstage was then fit with a miniature version of the Gale property, with two important access points forthe “twister” in the background. It was attached to a gantry crane above, while the bottom went through the stage to be secured to a car on a track. Additionally, a rod went up the base of the muslin stocking. The gantry and rod (which also spun) pulled in opposing directions, which gave loose movements to the funnel cloud. The motion wasn’t the final step, a few more details were included to have you stare in awe and fear.
‘The Wizard of Oz’s Tornado Was Created Using Amazing Practical Effects
To be convincing to audiences, John Fricke, a historian with a specialty focused onThe Wizard of Ozand Judy Garland,explained toThe Wichita Eaglehow the gantry was hidden behind glass panels that were painted to look like clouds. Wind and debris were an important characteristic that Gillespie and his team didn’t forget. Dust was shot out of the base of the “twister” to add to the effect that the ground was being sucked up by the rotation. In thetest footage, if there was too much dust it would alter the footage to have an ominous tone.As the tornado gets closer, a terrifying black cloud swallows up the entire Gale farmhouse.Had this take been used, it looked like the house was destroyed, not kept intact as it got plucked into the sky.
This setup was an intricate creative effort and once the right footage was captured for the wide shot of the Kansas landscape,the “cyclone” was shown as a rear projection behind Judy Garlandas she filmed her scenes of Dorothy running into her house. The howling winds that are pushing her back, along with the dust and debris, seamlessly blended with the tornado footage in the background. Matte paintings transformed soundstages when the film reached the Land of Oz, but a tornado could only work with actual motion, and because of how thin the muslin material was, the dust went through it for more authenticity.
The final result has never lost its power.TheWizard of Ozearned the #55 spot on100 Biggest Weather Moments, a 2007 miniseries by The Weather Channel that was a countdown ofweather events. Interviews ranged from scientists, meteorologists, and celebrities, all of whom have marveled at the realism put into the practical effect. “When you get that tornado up front and in your face in a movie theater, and you’re about eight or nine years old, that leaves an impact,” said meteorologist Marshall Seese. Other movies since have formed their own funnel clouds for bigger thrills, butthe one from 1939 can’t be beaten, even by the sophisticated, modern-day digital effects that can increase the screen time for tornadoes.
‘Twisters’ Pays Homage to ‘The Wizard of Oz’
There aresand vortexes inMad Max: Fury Roadand a swarm of tornadoes that decimate Los Angeles inThe Day After Tomorrow.Oz the Great and Powerfultook viewers inside the vortex, and surelyWickedwill defy gravity with a tornado creation. DirectorLee Isaac Chungwent further than the 1996 original forTwistersin referencingThe Wizard of Oz. The sequel continued to pay respect to the fantasy classic with the codenames, “Tin Man” and “Scarecrow,” for Storm Par, the storm-chasing team. In a video forVanity Fairon the film’s inspirations, Chung confirmed that Dorothy’s wish to return home is turned into a theme for ex-chaser Kate (Edgar-Jones), who has self-exiled herself from Tornado Alley and comes to understand it’s where she belongs.
Lee Isaac Chung recreated the shot of Dorothy waking up to see family and friends around her, with Kate being surrounded by various characters who want to make sure she is okay in the finale. At 85 years and counting,the practical effects inThe Wizard of Ozthat brought a twister to life have never become outdated.TheTechnicolor Land of Ozthat Dorothy gets dropped off in is wonderfully vibrant, and the in-camera effect to show the transition into color is stunning. But the sepia-colored Kansas isn’t as bland as Dorothy may think. Sure, the farm girl does find out in the end that there is no place like home, but the tornado that glides around remains a scary and magnificent spectacle.
