In Search of Oz

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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?

It is well known in economics academia that The Wonderful Wizard of Oz written by L. Frank Baum in 1900 is loaded with powerful symbols of monetary reform which were the core of the Populist movement and the 1896 and 1900 president bid of Democrat William Jennings Bryan. The yellow brick road (gold standard), the emerald city of Oz (greenback money), even Dorothy’s silver slippers (changed to ruby slippers for the movie version) were the symbol of Baum’s and Bryan’s belief that adding silver coinage to gold would provide much needed money to a depression-strapped, 1890s America. We believe Baum’s symbols represent the only solution to relieve the growing economic hardship here in America – and the rest of the world. Practically speaking, 2009 marks the 70th anniversary of the 1939 MGM release of the The Wizard of Oz movie, so interest will be very high. Even Oz websites put up by kids get millions of hits.