With the release of "Wicked" in theaters, there’s no better time to explore how weather takes center stage in storytelling. The "Wizard of Oz’s" unforgettable tornado wasn’t just a storm – discover how Buddy Gillespie and his team transformed weather into a powerful character, driving the plot and leaving audiences in awe.

The tornado in the Wizard of Oz is more than just a weather event; it serves as a central character that drives the story forward. Special effects artist Buddy Gillespie and his team crafted the tornado using muslin, smoke, Fuller's Earth, and innovative set designs, creating a memorable and realistic storm on screen.

The article details how practical effects, such as glass mats and hand-made props, were employed to simulate the tornado's chaos and impact. The tornado not only propels Dorothy into the world of Oz but also symbolizes transformation and conflict, demonstrating the power of weather as a narrative device in film.

'Wicked' debut: Revisiting the tornado that shaped Oz

Weather isn't just background noise, it's a character. It has motive, power, personality. Take the Wizard of Oz. That tornado? Not just a storm. And when it came to bringing that character to life on screen, no one did it better than Buddy Gillespie. Buddy Gillespie was a creative genius, and so were the people who worked under him. Buddy's muslin masterpiece. That's right, muslin, like your grandma's sewing kit. Add some smoke and something called Fuller's Earth, a natural clay-like substance used to create realistic effects like dust, dirt, and debris. Spin it with flair and voila, a force that carried Dorothy from gray Kansas into Technicolor Oz. What we show here is at the top, you see the glass mat in the front? It was actually three glass mats of clouds in the front. And then you had a backdrop as well, but you can see how it moves back and forth. Of course, Fuller's Earth coming down from the bottom and also the top. And that creates a huge effect. Towards the end of that, in the taping of it, which is only about two minutes long, the Fuller's Earth takes over the entire set. That's how they made their magic, by hand, by crayon, by cardboard, by muslin stocking with chicken wire and piano wire in it. Tornadoes are chaotic, unpredictable, and let's face it, kind of scary. But boy, do they know how to get the plot moving. Transformation? Check. Character development? Double check. But it was a character. And the reason we want to have that is the original character in there, chasing Dorothy, really. Because if you look at that whole setup on the scene where Dorothy is going towards the Gale Farmhouse, trying to get back there, she's running from the tornado, but also the elements are going against her. Even the front door flew off to go against poor Dorothy. So next time you see a storm on screen, remember, it's not there to be eye candy. It's got plans. It's got ambition. It's probably unionized. And sometimes, it steals the show.

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