The Bootleg Files: The Wonderful Land of Oz

Posted on November 22, 2024 by Phil Hall

BOOTLEG FILES 886: “The Wonderful Land of Oz” (1969 kiddie matinee feature).

LAST SEEN: On YouTube.

AMERICAN HOME VIDEO: On public domain-friendly platforms.

REASON FOR BOOTLEG STATUS: A lapsed copyright.

CHANCES OF SEEING A COMMERCIAL DVD RELEASE: This is just what The Criterion Collection needs!

On this particular day – November 22, 2024, to be precise – most moviegoers are fixated on the release of the big-budget musical “Wicked.” But since I prefer the rat-a-tat-tat from a different drum, I am venturing to a lower rent corner of the Yellow Brick Road to celebrate the no-budget 1969 feature “The Wonderful Land of Oz.”
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The Bootleg Files: The Magic Christmas Tree

Posted on December 25, 2020 by Phil Hall

BOOTLEG FILES 752: “The Magic Christmas Tree” (1964 holiday season fiasco).

LAST SEEN: On YouTube.

AMERICAN HOME VIDEO: On public domain labels.

REASON FOR BOOTLEG STATUS: No copyright on the film opens it to endless duping.

CHANCES OF SEEING A COMMERCIAL DVD RELEASE: Who the hell would want to offer a 4K restored version of this thing?

Some crummy movies are so cluelessly terrible that they’ve earned the designation of being “so bad they’re good.” The 1964 atrocity “The Magic Christmas Tree” doesn’t fall into that genre. Instead, it needs to be shoved into the category of “so bad they’re terrible.”
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