History NightmareFuel / TheWizardOfOz

** Especially later when Dorothy sees Miss Gulch cycling past her window and transforming into the Wicked Witch of the East. Especially that laugh!

--->"It's a twister! '''It's a twister!'''"

* It may not be a horror film, but Creator/MargaretHamilton's performance as the Wicked Witch still runs on full-blown, unfiltered NightmareFuel. Everything about her is insanely terrifying if you're a kid, and still thoroughly unsettling if you're an adult. The acid green skin, the [[CreepyHighPitchedVoice eerie shrill voice]], the not-quite-human face... and admit it, the [[EvilLaugh creepy laugh]] has made everyone shiver at least once. And with all the scenes of her flying through the sky on a broomstick, [[FlashyTeleportation teleporting instantly in a ball of fire]], and watching the heroes through her crystal ball, there's the implication that [[ParanoiaFuel she can find you and hunt you down wherever you are]]! If anything, the fact that it's a family film makes her scarier: she's obviously a sadist with vast magical powers, but we never see her doing anything that violent...[[NothingIsScarier our imaginations get to fill in the details]].

* It may not be a horror film, but Creator/MargaretHamilton's performance as the Wicked Witch still runs on pure, unfiltered NightmareFuel. Everything about her is insanely terrifying if you're a kid, and still thoroughly unsettling if you're an adult. The acid green skin, the [[CreepyHighPitchedVoice eerie shrill voice]], the not-quite-human face... and admit it, the [[EvilLaugh creepy laugh]] has made everyone shiver at least once. And with all the scenes of her flying through the sky on a broomstick, [[FlashyTeleportation teleporting instantly in a ball of fire]], and watching the heroes through her crystal ball, there's the implication that [[ParanoiaFuel she can find you and hunt you down wherever you are]]! If anything, the fact that it's a family film makes her scarier: she's obviously a sadist with vast magical powers, but we never see her doing anything that violent...[[NothingIsScarier our imaginations get to fill in the details]].

** Baum’s interpretation of the Witch from the original book crosses the MoralEventHorizon at least a few times; e.g. her flying monkeys successfully killing the Scarecrow and the Tin Man by tearing them apart, threatening to feast on the Cowardly Lion and making Dorothy her slave.

** Pro wrestling manager [[SinisterMinister Father James Mitchell]] used a slowed down version as part of the entrance theme to his stable The New Church. For those unaware, in the {{Kayfabe}} mythology of ImpactWrestling, James Mitchell is literally the Devil's representative on Earth (basically, the Anti-Pope).

* This film basically invented MoodWhiplash, at least cinematically. First, "Over the Rainbow" cuts sharply to Ms. Gulch riding her bike with that frightening music. Next, the silly sights inside the twister are interrupted AGAIN by Ms. Gulch and her horrid {{leitmotif}}. Then the MassiveMultiplayerMusicalNumber in Munchkinland is stopped dead in its tracks by the Wicked Witch making her debut... Really, it just goes on like this with the Wicked Witch.

** The scene when she appeared in the Crystal Ball and said, "[[IllShowYouX I'll give you Auntie Em, my pretty!]]" That doesn't sound like much on paper, but she said it in a very threatening voice.

* It may not be a horror film, but Creator/MargaretHamilton's performance as the Wicked Witch still runs on pure, unfiltered NightmareFuel. Everything about her is insanely terrifying if you're a kid, and still thoroughly unsettling if you're an adult. The acid green skin, the [[CreepyHighPitchedVoice eerie shrill voice]], the not-quite-human face...and admit it, the creepy laugh has made everyone shiver at least once. And with all the scenes of her flying through the sky on a broomstick, teleporting instantly in a ball of fire, and watching the heroes through her crystal ball, there's the implication that she can find you and hunt you down wherever you are! If anything, the fact that it's a family film makes her scarier: she's obviously a sadist with vast magical powers, but we never see her doing anything that violent...[[NothingIsScarier our imaginations get to fill in the details]].
** The scene when she appeared in the Crystal Ball and said "I'll give you Auntie Em, my pretty!"

* In the same way that [[Series/DoctorWho hiding behind the sofa when the Daleks appear]] is a time-honored coming-of-age ritual for British children, every American child has hidden from the Flying Monkeys at least once. Whenever discussions of the movie come up, it's inevitable that ''someone'' will mention being terrified of the monkeys as a kid. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SESI19h4wDo It's easy to see why.]]

* When the Wicked Witch has our heroes cornered, she's positively gleeful about how Dorothy is going to watch each of her friends die before her. And then, with evil cheer, she says "How about a little ''fire'', scarecrow?" as she sets the terrified Scarecrow alight and he's ''screaming'' in fear. Thankfully Dorothy's able to put him out, but that is harrowing; if that bucket of water hadn't happened to be there, she would have had to watch her new friend burn to ashes.

* While we're at it, the scene with the twister is quite scary, given that the special effects look ''really damn good'' for such an old film, and --at least before Dorothy is knocked unconscious and the fantastical stuff kicks in-- the tornado's behavior is more accurate to real life than in many movies that came out over half a century later.

* Who here wasn't a little freaked out by the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jtie6r27JeU chant of the Winkies?]] That Music/{{Metallica}} saw fit to sample the chanting for a song about someone losing their mind says a lot.

-->"[[{{Hell}} She's gone where the goblins go!]] Below, below, below! [[MoodWhiplash Yo-ho! Let's open up and sing and ring the bells out!]]

* For those who don't live in countries affected by tornadoes, the first half of the Cyclone sequence is an entirely alien, terrifying experience. What seems at first like a particularly blustery storm escalates with frightening speed into absolute chaos, flattening fences and ripping trees from the ground, all while the wind grows to a deafening roar. Even seeing the twister emerge from behind the farmhouse for the first time is chilling.
* Auntie Em running around the farm, calling for Dorothy. Her niece has vanished, just before a great storm is about to hit. She and Uncle Henry are forced to retreat to the cellar and lock it up. It's possible that they heard Dorothy outside trying to pull the door open before she has to hide inside the house.
* Dorothy running away with Toto, fearing that Miss Gulch will take him back, a few hours before the storm hits. She only has a basket, her dog, and the clothes on her back. The kindly carnival owner convinces her to go back because Auntie Em will be worried sick about her.
* This film basically invented MoodWhiplash, at least cinematically. First, "Over the Rainbow" cuts sharply to Ms. Gulch riding her bike with that frightening music. Next, the silly sights inside the twister are interrupted AGAIN by Ms. Gulch and her horrid leitmotif. Then the MassiveMultiplayerMusicalNumber in Munchkinland is stopped dead in its tracks by the Wicked Witch making her debut... Really, it just goes on like this with the Wicked Witch.

!!Meta
* Testing the "Dark Side of the Rainbow" rumor - that is, playing Music/PinkFloyd's ''Music/TheDarkSideOfTheMoon'' over the film - might summon some coincidences in how the two sync up. However, as a side effect, the music can radically alter the tone of the movie for the viewer, enhancing the despair of some of its bleaker moments while making the happier parts (like Dorothy's first few moments in Oz, accompanied by the track ''Money'') seem almost sadistic.
* The Wicked Witch's fireball entrance (see above) is scary enough, but behind the scenes, Margaret Hamilton's cloak actually caught fire when she was making her exit. She was supposed to go down a trapdoor and be under the stage when the pyrotechnic went off, but a malfunction prevented the platform she was on from going down all the way. She was still halfway stcking out of the hole when the fire blew. That only her costume caught fire, and not her face or torso was a massive lucky break.

* Right at the beginning when Dorothy falls into the pigpen. That was probably the most immediate danger she was in for the entire adventure. Pigs will happily ''kill and eat'' children if given half a chance.

* It may not be a horror film, but Creator/MargaretHamilton's performance as the Wicked Witch still runs on pure, unfiltered NightmareFuel. Everything about her is insanely terrifying if you're a kid, and still thoroughly unsettling if you're an adult. The acid green skin, the [[CreepyHighPitchedVoice eerie shrill voice]], the [[UncannyValley not-quite-human face]]...and admit it, the creepy laugh has made everyone shiver at least once. And with all the scenes of her flying through the sky on a broomstick, teleporting instantly in a ball of fire, and watching the heroes through her crystal ball, there's the implication that she can find you and hunt you down wherever you are! If anything, the fact that it's a family film makes her scarier: she's obviously a sadist with vast magical powers, but we never see her doing anything that violent...[[NothingIsScarier our imaginations get to fill in the details]].

** In addition to the performance, Hamilton's makeup job is really an awesome achievement for the movie's production staff; there are so many ''overtly'' horrific elements to the Witch's design that you might not notice some of the subtler details that just make her seem slightly...[[UncannyValley "off"]]. Like, while you're focused on the bright green skin and the shrieky voice, you might not notice that [[http://i.ytimg.com/vi/WnXAl1ntt_4/hqdefault.jpg her nose and chin]] are far sharper and more pointed than anything on a real human face. Or that [[http://i.huffpost.com/gen/2222114/images/o-WICKED-WITCH-OF-THE-WEST-facebook.jpg her nails are so long and pointed]] that they practically look like ''[[FemmeFatalons claws]]''. Or that her face paint is visibly lighter around her eyes--which makes her eyes pop, and gives you the unsettling feeling that ''she's staring right into your soul''.

** Unless, of course, the Witch had set the hourglass up to give Dorothy time to take the slippers off of her own volition, or she was going to kill her to get the slippers anyway. This could either be seen as the Witch giving her a sporting chance, or just instilling more fear in Dorothy.

** Especially later when Dorothy sees Miss Gulch cycling past her window and transforming into the Wicked Witch of the West.
** Especially that laugh!

* Auntie Em running around the farm, calling for Dorothy. There's AdultFear that her niece has vanished, just before a great storm is about to hit. She and Uncle Henry are forced to retreat to the cellar and lock it up. It's possible that they heard Dorothy outside trying to pull the door open before she has to hide inside the house.

** Not to mention the constant[[HellIsThatNoise shrill howling of the wind and the rumbling of the tornado]], [[SensoryAbuse growing increasingly louder as it gets closer to Dorothy.]]

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[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/mv5bmtm3njiymzu1nv5bml5banbnxkftztcwnjc4ntkxna_v1_sx640_sy720.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:I'll get you my pretty, AndYourLittleDogToo]]

*** Margaret Hamilton, before she was an actress, taught in a primary school; she knew EXACTLY how to scare the crap out of little kids!

** Baum’s interpretation of the Witch from the original book crosses the MoralEventHorizon at least a few times; I.e. her flying monkeys successfully killing the Scarecrow and the Tin Man by tearing them apart, threatening to feast on the Cowardly Lion and making Dorothy her slave.

* Auntie Em running around the farm, calling for Dorothy. There's AdultFear that her niece has vanished, just before a great storm is about to hit. She and Uncle Henry are forced to retreat to the cellar and lock it up. Try not to think about the possibility that they heard Dorothy outside trying to pull the door open before she has to hide inside the house.

* Dorothy running away with Toto, fearing that Miss Gulch will take him back, a few hours before the storm hits. She only has a basket, her dog, and the clothes on her back. The kindly carnival owner convinces her to go back because Auntie Em will be worried sick about her. Try not to think about what would have happened if Dorothy hadn't made it back to the farm in time.

* The urban legend about one of the munchkin actors [[DrivenToSuicide hanging himself]] onscreen. The popular moment that's most identified as the hanging body is actually an exotic bird bobbing its head and stretching a wing in the background of the woodman's cabin set. But even though the legend has been disproven, it looks so much like a body to some people, and the very concept of an actual death corrupting the film is so disturbing, that the movie will probably never fully shake the foreboding rumor.

** Margaret also suffers some serious burns cause by some exploding entrances (As seen in some scenes in the film) during her acting as same witch.

** Also in the book, the Witch actually succeeds at stealing one of the silver shoes. Can you imagine what would have happened if she actually got the Ruby Slippers? Her terror would be even worse....

* In a real life case, Buddy Ebsen almost being killed by the original version of the Tin Man makeup. Apparently he had no idea the damage it was doing to his lungs until one day "I took a breath and nothing happened."

* One of the film's actors actually stepped and broke Toto's leg!
* The treatment of Judy Garland (who was only 16 during filming) during the making of the film was, by all accounts, fairly horrific: from being made to take addictive "diet pills" and forced to wear a highly uncomfortable corset in the name of making her believable as a young girl, to being slapped hard in the face by the director after failing too many takes, to apparently being repeatedly groped by the adult Munchkins (some of whom were up to 40 years old), she was really put through the ringer while filming.
* Margaret Hamilton (the Wicked Witch of the West) suffered extensive second and third degree burns on her hands and face while filming her disappearing from Munchkinland (she goes down a trapdoor in the set and a fireball shoots up). The take that was used is reportedly the very same take when she sustained these injuries.
* That pretty beautiful snow that falls on the poppies and wakes up Dorothy, Toto and the Cowardly Lion? It was made of asbestos. Really, it's little wonder that the making of this film is partly what prompted firmer regulation of health and safety on film sets...