Despite its enduring status as an American film classic, 1939’s The Wizard of Oz was not a financial success when first released, considered too bright and silly for a culture still new to Technicolor, recovering from the Great Depression, and a facing what would become World War II. The Wizard of Oz was critically embraced, facing off against Gone With the End for the Best Picture Academy Award (but losing). The Wizard of Oz only began to profit from subsequent theatrical re-releases and inexpensive television broadcasts, where its pop cultural mythology grew to include a grisly suicide and a daft kind of appreciation from rock legends Pink Floyd.

Why did everyday audiences initially disregard The Wizard of Oz? What about it alienated them, only to be ignored – or reevaluated – later? What does it mean to truly fail, when something like the Wizard of Oz, or Ed Wood, or The Room, can be initially forgotten, yet later fully embraced? This week, we welcome our friends from J2 Photography Josh and Jamie Frederick to discuss The Wizard of Oz and Failure!

Captain America: The Winter Soldier saves the day on Blu-ray and DVD Sept. 9, and we’re giving away a free Blu-ray 3D/Blu-ray/Digital HD combo pack to one of our lucky fans! All you have to do is help us reach our goal – 300 Likes on Facebook, and 200 followers on Twitter – by clicking that friendly “Like†button over at the Block Bluster! Facebook page, or that enchanting “Follow†button @blockblusterpod for your chance! That’s it! We’ll reach out to you, and get you that combo pack… but only AFTER we’ve reached that goal. (Sorry international listeners… Block Bluster! giveaways are limited to the contiguous U.S. for now.) So let us hear you, Blockhead Army! Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for your chance to take home Captain America: The Winter Soldier!