In Search of Oz

Caligula with Mary Beard

July 2013 •English

What is true and what is false in the hideous stories spread about the controversial figure of the Roman emperor Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (12-41), nicknamed Caligula? Professor Mary Beard explains what is accurate and what is mythical in the historical accounts that portray him as an unbalanced despot. Was he a sadistic tyrant, as Roman historians have told, or perhaps the truth about him was manipulated because of political interests?

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: The Making of a Movie Classic

February 1990 •English

Documentary about the making of the 1939 MGM classic film The Wizard of Oz. Includes interviews of cast and crew members, their families and fans of the film.

World Cup's Most Shocking Moments

January 2010 •English

Richard Bacon and guest presenter Peter Crouch look back on the 50 greatest shocks in the history of the World Cup, covering the last six tournaments and including moments such as Maradona's 'Hand of God', Zinedine's Zidane's headbutt in the 2006 final and England's penalty pain. Featuring first-hand accounts from people who were there, such as David Seaman talking about getting lobbed by Ronaldinho, John Barnes exclusively revealing how Gazza nearly rapped on World in Motion, and Graham Poll talking about his infamous third-yellow-card moment.

L. Frank Baum: The Man Behind the Curtain

October 2005 •English

A featurette on L. Frank Baum, author of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and other children's books.

Prettier Than Ever: The Restoration of Oz

November 2005 •English

A documentary short about the restoration of the classic 1939 film The Wizard of Oz.

Because of the Wonderful Things It Does: The Legacy of Oz

October 2005 •English

A featurette about The Wizard of Oz (1939).

We're Off to See the Munchkins

January 1993 •English

The last eight surviving Munchkins from The Wizard of Oz share their memories in this 1993 documentary hosted by Oz historian John Fricke.

The Wizard of Malta

October 1981 •English

Douglas Davis presents his interpretations of The Maltese Falcon (1941), The Wizard of Oz (1939), and Napoleon in the triptych style of the finale of the Abel Gance version of the latter.

A Tribute to the Wizard of Oz

January 1999 •English

A tribute to the characters and makeup artists from the Wizard of Oz, as performed and created by some of the top makeup people in Hollywood. On September 12, 1998, a group of top makeup artists gathered in Studio City, CA, to pay tribute to Jack Dawn and his team from the seminal 1939 classic, The Wizard of Oz.

Oz: The American Fairyland

June 1997 •English

The first part tells of the life and works of L. Frank Baum, along with his career as a writer and filmmaker, centering on the creation of Oz. This portion continues with the effect of Oz after his death, with novelties, dolls, radio, stage, and screen adaptions, and advertising gimmicks based on his work, culminating with MGM's Wizard of Oz (1939). While discussing some of the major alterations between the book and the film, such as MGM making Baum's real-life adventure a dream. The second half is about interpretation of Oz by other artists, including Helen Kish, Barry Moser, Barry Mahon, Evelyn Copelman, Robert Tonner, Robin Woods, Michael Hague, Lizbeth Zwerger, Pavel Arsyenov, and Charles Santore. The documentary concludes with an analysis of Baum's work and its profound effect on American culture.

The Whimsical World of Oz

January 1985 •English

A promotional piece for the Disney film "Return to Oz", that also traces the history of the Oz books and films.

To Oz! The Making of a Classic

September 2009 •English

A look into how L. Frank Baum's classic novel was transformed into one of the most beloved films of all time including archival interviews, behind-the-scenes footage, and rare musical outtakes.

Wiz on Down the Road

January 1978 •English

A short promotional film on the making of “The Wiz” (1978). Includes a brief history of Oz portrayals in film and behind the scenes interviews.

The Wizard of Oz in Concert: Dreams Come True

November 1995 •English

This production consists an abbreviated script and highlights most musical numbers from the 1939 film.

Creating The Wizard of Oz on Ice

January 1995 •English

Behind the scenes in the making of “The Wizard of Oz on Ice”.

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: The True Story

April 2011 •English

This iconic American story was written in 1900 by L Frank Baum, a Chicago businessman, journalist, chicken breeder, actor, boutique owner, Hollywood movie director and lifelong fan of all things innovative and technological. His life spanned an era of remarkable invention and achievement in America and many of these developments helped to fuel this great storyteller's imagination. His ambition was to create the first genuine American fairytale and the story continues to fascinate, inspire and engage millions of fans of all ages from all over the world. This documentary explores how The Wonderful Wizard of Oz has come to symbolise the American Dream and includes previously unseen footage from the Baum family archives, still photographs and clips from the early Oz films, as well as interviews with family members, literary experts and American historians as it tells the story of one man's life in parallel to the development of modern America.

The Making of the Wiz Live!

November 2015 •English

Go behind the curtain in The Land of Oz with NBC's "The Making of The Wiz Live!" The hour-long special will give an exclusive backstage look at this highly anticipated television event.

Coppola, un hombre y sus sueños

February 1999 •Spanish

Alan Shearer's Euro 96: When Football Came Home

June 2016 •English

Alan Shearer looks back at England's Euro '96 campaign and their eventual defeat on penalties to their arch rivals Germany in the semi-final.

Yellow Brick Road

July 2005 •English

A group of disabled actors prepare for and perform a one night only performance of The Wizard of Oz.