Why Does WICKED Use Silver Shoes and Not Ruby Slippers Like in THE WIZARD OF OZ?

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As a seasoned gamer and pop culture aficionado with a soft spot for all things Oz, I can’t help but marvel at the intricate web of creative liberties and legalities that surround Dorothy’s ruby slippers. Over the years, I’ve spent countless hours immersed in various adaptations of L. Frank Baum’s original tales, and it’s fascinating to see how each iteration adds its unique spin to the story.

In awe of those magical Ruby Slippers from “The Wizard of Oz”, I can’t help but wonder about their fascinating journey through cinema history. The iconic footwear, adorned by the enchanting Judy Garland in the 1939 classic, have been sold for unbelievable sums on numerous occasions over the past eight decades. However, what’s intriguing is why those silver shoes grace the screen in the stage adaptation of “Wicked”, instead of their vibrant red counterparts? The secret lies in the rights—Universal Pictures doesn’t have the permission to use the ruby slippers, as they were purely a creation born from the 1939 MGM musical. On the other hand, silver shoes align with L. Frank Baum’s original novel description, making them open for anyone to utilize in their adaptations.

When MGM created “The Wizard of Oz” movie, they made various alterations to L. Frank Baum’s book. For instance, in the novel, there are two Good Witches: the Good Witch of the North and Glinda, the Good Witch of the South. The MGM musical combined these characters into a single one. Additionally, since technicolor was a recent innovation, MGM decided that the ruby slippers would stand out more on screen than silver ones, so they changed them. However, because the ruby slippers were exclusive to the movie, MGM (later Warner Bros.) was able to trademark them. Consequently, while Baum’s “Oz” books are no longer under copyright protection, MGM (and now Warner Bros.) holds the rights to the concept of the ruby slippers, preventing other studios from using them in their productions.

In the musical Wicked, it references various elements from the 1939 movie more than Baum’s original novel. For instance, Glinda remains the sole “Good Witch” in Oz in Wicked, while Elphaba is portrayed as green, a trait not present in the book. The creators of Wicked managed to give Elphaba green skin without encountering legal issues because numerous other pop culture witches have green skin, such as Witch Hazel from Looney Tunes. However, Elphaba’s shade of green in Wicked cannot be identical to the one used by Margaret Hamilton in 1939. This same rule applies to green witches in shows like Once Upon a Time, Oz, the Great and Powerful, and more recently, Agatha All Along. For now, ruby slippers are confined to the original film due to legal restrictions.

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2024-11-27 03:02