‘Cursed Films II: The Wizard of Oz & Rosemary’s Baby’ – Review
Can a film be cursed? That’s the question posed by Shudder’s Cursed Films, which takes audiences behind the scenes of some of the greatest films of all time and their horrific behind-the-scenes history. While the first season delved into the likes of The Crow and Poltergeist, Cursed Film II takes us behind the scenes of such films as The Wizard of Oz and Rosemary’s Baby. And scandal, addiction, accidents and murder are all waiting here.
Beginning with Episode One, audiences learn of the sordid and scandalous history behind one of the Golden Age of Hollywood’s greatest ever achievements, 1939’s The Wizard of Oz. Starring Judy Garland as Dorothy Gale, we learn of the unhappy making of the film for Garland which saw her drugged up on barbiturates at the studio’s assistance and the eventual depression and unhappiness that followed her around for her whole life. We also learn of the accidental poisoning of star Buddy Ebsen due to the aluminium based silver paint that was applied to his body, and whose reaction would continue to impair him for the rest of his life. Other accidents also included the accidental burning of the Wicked Witch herself, Margaret Hamilton in a stunt gone wrong, along with the alleged orgies of the Munchkins, which all proved to be incorrect.
While often seen as one of the most charming narratives of all time, The Wizard of Oz was a film that had its many challenges, and this insightful documentary packs together some incredibly scandalous trivia that long time film fans will be very impressed with. But even with its sordid history, the magical legacy of The Wizard of Oz is not lost on the audience and even with all of the unhappiness of its film set, a classic was still made and it continues to enchant families and children the world over.
But while accidents and shenanigans followed the making of The Wizard of Oz, Episode Two, which focuses on the making of Roman Polanski’s classic horror film, Rosemary’s Baby, it could be said that the devil himself reached out and touched this production. With many spooky occurrences on set, the real tragedy of this film would be seen in the brutal Tate–LaBianca Murders where Polanski’s beautiful young wife Sharon Tate, who was also pregnant with their unborn child, was murdered by the crazed acolytes of the Manson Family on the evening of August 9, 1969. It was a shocking crime that enflamed the entire world and ended the free love era of the 1960s, and the connections to this frightening film are examined in Cursed Films II.
The insights into the making of Rosemary’s Baby and the awful parallels to the murder of Sharon Tate are frightening to witness, and Cursed Films II goes into dramatic depth here as we get some very dark insights into the tragic death of Tate. Her life was taken away in such a horrific and tragic manner and the connections to Rosemary’s Baby are investigated with incredible attention to detail by the production team. While the occult did not play a role in Tate’s death, the strange times of the late 1960s all came together to make this a terrifying yet fascinating documentary and audiences will have to look deeper.
Shudder’s Cursed Films II is a must-watch series for any fan with a leaning towards the horror genre, and its focus on strange film history is certain to keep you hooked the whole way through.
Image: Shudder
