A Thanksgiving Treat

What is now available on home video as Dorothy in the Land of Oz first aired on television in 1980 as a Thanksgiving special called, appropriately enough, Thanksgiving in the Land of Oz. The most overt references to the holiday were removed or replaced for home video, however. But someone just uploaded the original television edition to YouTube. This includes Dorothy and jack talking about Pilgrims, not pioneers, and every commercial! This is a real time capsule, folks. And here it is! Enjoy.

Review: "Ghostwriter: Ghost of Oz"

I was very happy when I got an iPad a while ago, as it included a subscription to AppleTV+. They have all kinds of great shows, and I was looking to dive in. When my initial complimentary subscription ran out, I decided to pay the modest monthly fee to keep it going. But alas, they recently raised it to a price I couldn't justify, particularly as I'd already watched just about everything I wanted to watch. However, one last show I made sure to watch before it ended was the first three episodes of the third season of the reboot of Ghostwriter. For a show about literacy and literature, it sure took the franchise a long time to finally get to The Wizard of Oz in these episodes! "The Ghost of Oz" introduces a new ghostwriter and group of New York kids for it to work with, all based around a bookstore. The book is not the original The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum, however, but a modern adaptation. This allows for one of the characters to be the Tin Girl, and to flesh out the character of the Wicked Witch of the West by making her a former friend of the Tin Girl, and responsible for her becoming tin. The Scarecrow and the Cowardly Liotn are much closer to their original characterizations, however. They even used CGI to create a proper four-legged lion instead of a two-legged actor.

The storyline has our new ghostwriter summoning the Scarecrow, Tin Girl, and Cowardly Lion from a modern rewrite of The Wizard of Oz to enlist the help of Charli, Nia, and Samir. The season-long mystery involves an Egyption scroll that Charli's mother is in charge of returning to Egypt. (SPOILER ALERT: This story ends with the revelation that it's a forgery! But there are five more story arcs this season to find out what's going on, if you are so inclined.) The first step the ghostwriter takes to solve the mystery is releasing the Scarecrow, the Tin Girl, and the Cowardly Lion. Naturally, only Charli, Nia, and Samir can see them, but they still have to figure out where to put them, how to explain where they are, and so on. Highjinks ensue! The Oz characters are seeking their brain, heart, and courage, so the kids try to help them find them in New York, and even try to fool them in the same way the Wizard does in the book. It all culminates in a confrontation between the former friends, Tin Girl and the Wicked Witch of the West, at a swimming pool (let's face it, a place that's not good for either of them), where they work through their differences, the witch sees the error of her ways and reforms and turns the Tin Girl back into her nermal self. (Yeah, I said it was a modern-day adaptation of the story.)

Overall, I enjoyed this, mostly for the fish out of water aspect of Dorothy's three friends trying to navigate modern-day New York City. The revisions didn't bother me much, but I know some Oz fans who would have a harder time with this than I would. So, if you're in the mood, you can check out the first episode [https://tv.apple.com/us/episode/ghost-of-oz-part-1/umc.cmc.54j71n3l7g9uwbs85m954oemy right here]. Apple will even let you join for one week for free, so if this is all you're interested in, you can easily catch it.

Today's Ozzy Talk Show for the Holiday

There is a little tiny bit of a tradition of daytime programming having Wizard of Oz-themed fun around Halloween. There was The View all dressing as Oz characters one year (with Sharon Osborne's husband making a cameo as the Wizard, no less), and the year Drew Carey dressed as the Cowardly Lion to host The Price Is Right. This year, it's Drew Barrymore Scarymore's turn, as she dressed up as — nah, why spoil it? I'll just let you watch right here and see what she does for one of her viewers.

The 31 Days of Halloween, Oz Style: Day 29

When I started this Halloween series, I had no idea that there'd actually be an Oz-themed Halloween special to report on later in the month. But we have one, and it's tonight! A Very Wicked Halloween: Celebrating 15 Years onBroadway is on NBC tonight (10:00 pm Eastern and Pacific, check your local listings, no, I have no idea if it's being shown in other countries) does just what it says. It's hosted by the original Elphaba and Galinda, Edina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth, with appearances by Ariana Grande and Pentatonix, and looks like it should be a lot of fun. Here's a preview clip:

Unfortunately, due to circumstances, I may not get to watch it right away, so my reaction may not become part of this Halloween series of blog posts. But I am very muchlooking forward to seeing this. And I'll have more thoughts on Wicked and Oz witches in general tomorrow.

Lots of Oz on TV!

All kinds of Oz TV alerts!

• First, I probably should have posted this earlier, but it's not too late. If you get the Boomerang cable channel (as opposed to the Boomerang streaming service), you can now watch the new show Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz, originally shown on Boomerang (the streaming service, not the cable channel). Oh, and word on the Yellow Brick Road is that it has been picked up for a second season.
• Second, The Movie gets a cable TV airing, outside of its usual holiday showings, on TCM later this week. It's set for 8:00 pm EDT Thursday, June 7. Take a look at TCM's website on The Movie for details.
• Finally, Season 1B (no, I don't know why it isn't just called Season 2, either) of Lost in Oz drops on Amazon Prime this Friday, June 8. The first part of the season was awesome, so I'm really looking forward to the rest. And yes, I'll do what I did last year and blog about each episode as I watch it. (Hmm, maybe I'll even binge the first part, too, if my time allows.) You can get details on Amazon's Lots in Oz page.

The News I Think We Were All Expecting…

NBC has cancelled Emerald City. Considering the ratings and the long, tortured road to it even getting on the air, I think it's probably just as well.

Extra Ozzy TV Episode of the Week

Just in case you haven't already seen it, I highly recommend this week's episode of The Flash, "Duets". It's a crossover with Supergirl, and it's a musical! No, no, don't turn away yet! Grant Gustin (who plays Barry/The Flash) and Melissa Benoist (who plays Kara/Supergirl) both got their start on Glee, so they have musical chops. Several other actors from both shows, and Arrow, also have musical backgrounds, and they make the best use of them. (My fellow Doctor Who fans will especially appreciate John Barrowman doing his thing.) So why am I writing about it here? Because it turns out Supergirl's favorite musical is The Wizard of Oz, and she makes about a half-dozen references to it. So watch, enjoy!

Emerald City: "No Place Like Home"

Ah, the final episode of Emerald City's first season. Will it all wrap up satisfactorily? Here are my impressions:

• The recap makes it clear that everybody wants to deal with the Wizard!
• Ooh, flying monkeys at last! That's a nice steampunky way to handle them.
• This version of Ozma really knows how to make an entrance.
• Ooh, clever Ozma! That's a nasty but humane way to deal with Eamonn!
• It looks like Glinda knows how to make an entrance, too.
• Wait, Jane is Dorothy's mother?
• I think Dorothy's mad. The Wizard sure seems to realize he's dealing with a lot more than he can handle.
• Wait, halfway through the final episode, and now they finally introduce the Beast Forever???
• Yay, Ozma's on the throne at last! We must be nearing the end.
• Frankly (pun only partially intended), the Wizard got what he deserved.
• Well, Dorothy got home, but the gate is wide open for season two—if we get one.

To be honest, despite so many of the plot threads finally coming together, I'm disappointed that the Beast Forever was talked about so much all throughout, only to have a few glimpses in the final moments, and we don't see any of what it does in Oz (or Ev, for that matter). Yes, they are setting up the next season, but considering the development hell this show went through, the producers and director Tarsem Singh should have probably figured out that a second season was a long shot.

I think, in the end, the show was just a confusing mess, and despite all the trappings and names of characters, this was Oz in name only. It bore little resemblance to any other version of Oz, especially the books from which it was ostensibly adapted. This could have been told without any Oz connection and might have actually had a better chance of finding an audience. But tacking Oz onto it raised all kinds of expectations in people (depending on which version of Oz they are most familiar with), and added to the baggage.

I think I still need some time to digest this show, so I may have some more final thoughts next weekend. And because I am a completist, and want to eventually see it in high definition on a big screen, yes, I will eventually get the Blu-Ray. But I doubt I'll watch it very often.

Emerald City: "Science and Magic"

Okay, we're halfway through the series, and now we have four storylines to juggle:

• Dorothy and Lucas are staying off the Brick Road (when did it get bricks?) to stay away from the Wizard's guards, but encounter a mute girl. Lucas wants to leave her and be on their way, but Dorothy wants to take her to the nearby village and find her parents. A couple claim her, but Dororthy's not convinced, and later finds them turned to stone while holding on to the girl, imprisoning her. Dorothy frees her and they all escape, but not before Eamonn confronts them and recognizes Lucas. The next morning, the guards find them. Dorothy manages to get away, only to be knocked out by a boomerang thrown by Ojo.
• Tip, distraught over what she (yes, I guess at this stage we have to think of Tip as being exclusively a girl—if nothing else, it makes using pronouns easier) did to Jack, attempts to jump off a bridge, but a captain stops her and takes her to Glinda's convent. West comes by, however, and wants to take Tip to learn to be a courtesan. Tip is not wild about either choice, but tells West she wants to learn her magic.
• The Wizard, hearing about a new magic portal, frees Anna from her cell to go with him to investigate, but Anna is injured and causes it to disappear. The village alderman, meanwhile, confronts the Wizard about his actions leading to the alderman's wife's death, and the Wizard wonders what to do. He seeks Anna's council once she regains consciousness, and she convinces him not to kill the alderman, but make an ally of him. The Wizard is able to do just that, and the alderman publicly rejects magic and embraces science—and then we discover that one of the Wizard's guards is threatening the alderman's unborn grandchild! (I really don't like the Wizard, but I don't think we're supposed to! I also really like how Vincent d'Onofrio is playing him, however.)
• And what happened to Jack after last week's cliffhanger? It seems he didn't die, but was recovered by an Evian surgeon, who gives him a new metal body. Only Jack's head and right arm and shoulder seem to be intact. And yes, this means he has a new, mechanical heart. Jack learns how to use his new body, only to then be sold into the palace of Ev, where he meets Lady Ev, the Princess Langwidere.

Okay, so we finally have a Tin Woodman, with a touch of Tik-Tok thrown in. So I guess thi means Jack isn't really Jack Pumpkinhead. And yay, another new character, although this version of Langwidere changes her personality when she changes masks, not her entire head, which I guess wouldn't quite work in this iteration of Oz. (At least it makes more sense than changing hats, which is what happened in the 1980s Cinar anime series.) Still no Lion.

One recurring theme that keeps, um, recurring is The Beast Forever, which is some sort of phenomenon that comes through Oz every once in a while and cleanses the land. The Wizard managed to deal with it once before, but there is a very strong implication that Dorothy is somehow connected to its next appearance, and the Wizard wants to stop it again. So, yeah, that has nothing to do with what L. Frank Baum wrote...

Next week's trailer seems to show Dorothy meeting the Wizard at last. I doubt that's going to go well!

Emerald City: "Mistress-New-Mistress"

Yay, another new episode! So here's a brief summary:

• First, Dorothy, Lucas, and Toto are still wandering around the countryside. They catch a lift with a circus, but when some of the Wizard's guards start searching, they presume they are searching for Lucas and sneak away—only to then overhear thatthey're looking for Dorothy! Well, then, if the Wizard can't help them, maybe that tornado swirling over East's castle can take Dorothy home. There, her ruby gauntlets (did I mention the ruby gauntlets that appeared on Dorothy's hands last week after East offed herself?) lead the head of the household, Sullivan, to think Dorothy is the new mistress and Witch of the East. She manages to use the tornado to transport her somewhere, but it's not back home, apparently. She does, however, find a jacket with her real mother's name. So, hmm, something is going on there. But after Dorothy makes it back to the castle and starts demanding answers from Sullivan, he accuses her of not being a witch after all, chases them all off, and the tornado destroys the castle (I think—something like that, at least).
• In Emerald City, three women use magic levitation to hang themselves, it protest of the Wizard's actions. He accuses West of engineering the spectacle, but she protests her innocence. Meanwhile, he confides some of his goals and fears to one of his councilors, Anna, including his real name, Frank Morgan! The Wizard also clashes with Glinda (probably a recurring plotline). There's also a lot of talk about
• And finally, Tip and Jack head to the city of Ev to get more of the medicine Tip thinks he needs. Waiting to find out if more can be made, Tip has to deal with being a girl. But the apothecary they finds says he can't make more, as it's an illegal magical elixir meant to suppress one's true nature. In other words, Tip was born and is meant to be a girl. Tip freaks out, and accidentally pushes Jack over a railing after Jack tries to kiss her!

Okay, I think this worked a lot better as a single hour, and not trying to digest too much in two hours. I also think a binge watch, after the series has ended (and yes, I am recording every episode), will be more effective at understanding it all than trying to watch it once a week.

A few observations:

• Dorothy seems awfully jaded. I know she's a grown-up and a nurse, but she just seems to wholly accept everything that's going on and treats it so matter-of-factly. Come on, there's a lot of weird stuff going on here, at least show some curiosity.
• The steampunk city of Ev is great, and a nice contrast to the more medieval Emerald City (which, by the way, isn't terribly green). Ooh, maybe Tip will find a steampunky Tik-Tok there! (Confidentially, I'd love to see the focus of the story move there.)
• Seriously, the Wizard's real name is Frank Morgan? Yes, a nice nod to The Movie, but if they're basing this more on the books, I would think Oscar Diggs would be more appropriate.
• I thought for sure the lion in the circus would join Dorothy and Lucas. But no, it was basically one shot. So where are Dorothy's other friends, then?
• The Wizard is a jerk!

I'm still intrigued by the show, if for no other reason to see how the Oz books and its characters are going to be incorporated, but I doubt this is going to go down as the definitive take on it. Based on what I've seen so far, critics have not been impressed, as it's getting middle-of-the-road and mixed reviews. The ratings appear to be decent, however, although it's still early and they will likely trail off. I do plan to get the Blu-Ray set (if there is one) someday, as I think it will, if nothing else, look gorgeous on a large hi-def screen.

Emerald City: "The Beast Forever"/"Prison of the Abject"

It was my plan to blog about every episode of the new TV series Emerald City every Saturday, after each new episode airs. But I was so tired last Friday night that I didn't even get a chance to watch, then got so busy over the weekend that I didn't get a chance to finish watching it. Only the horrible snow that's been piling up and keeping me from going to work, plus early morning insomnia, has even given me the time to finish watching it and blog about it now. I hope that this is a one-time delay, but I'm not counting on it.

I will admit to being a bit skeptical going in. Being advertised as The Wizard of Oz meets Game of Thrones does not bode well, because Oz is supposed to be a generally happy place, which I gather Westeros isn't (no, I don't watch Game of Thrones, primarily through lack of opportunity). It does not help that ads and other early publicity also make it look a lot like a warmed-over Tin Man doesn't help. Still, I liked Tin Man, even if it wasn't the Ozziest production ever, so I'm willing to give Emerald City a chance. And so far, I am guardedly optimistic. I think these first two episodes (and yes, this two-hour premiere was actually two episodes mashed together) are setting up a lot of stuff that will likely pay off down the road, but there's already a lot of intriguing stuff going on.

My first fear was that the opening scene showed baby Dorothy being delivered to the Gales meant that she was a kidnapped princess of Oz, which we've seen several times before (including Tin Man), but if her mother is still in Kansas, then maybe not—but then again, why focus on her real mother so much if it isn't going to pay off later? Now-grown-up Dorothy is a nurse in Lucas, Kansas (a real place) who ends up in a police car during a tornado, and the tornado whisks her and the K-9 dog to you-know-where and kills the Wicked Witch of the East. She and the dog, now protecting her, encounter the Munchkin tribe, whose leader, Ojo, wants to kill them, but he is overruled by the elders, and Dorothy and the newly named Toto ("toto" being the Munchkin word for dog) are exiled. They find the road to the Emerald City (yellow because it's covered with poppy pollen) to ask the Wizard to help them. Along the way, they find a horribly injured man with no memory. Dorothy, being a nurse, takes care of him as best she can, then brings him along in the hopes of finding more aid. He tricks her into giving him a name, and she calls him Lucas, because that's her home. They encounter a local apothecary, Mombi, who shelters them and gives Dorothy some compounds that Lucas needs to complete his treatment. Meanwhile, Mombi's ward, Tip, finally manages to run away (with Dorothy's help), and Tip and his friend Jack are now on their own. Without the drugs Mombi kept forcing upon him, however, something very strange happens to Tip. (If you know the Oz books, I'm pretty sure you can guess what that is.)

Meanwhile, in the Emerald City, the Wizard keeps throwing his weight around. Having already banned the use of magic, he does allow the two remaining cardinal witches—Glinda, of the North, and of the west—access to their temple so that they can sing their sister from the east to her afterlife. (There are indications that there was once a witch of the south, but that she's already gone, too.) Why Emerald City continues the Movie-inspired tropes that the witches are sisters, and that Glinda is the witch of the north, is beyond me. Anyway, one condition that the Wizard makes is that the funeral be open to the public, so that the people can see just what the witches are capable of. The Wizard, it seems, rules by science, and doesn't want the competition. But stuff happens, and it may not be that easy.

So, it's a start. I am at least enjoying all the little references to all kinds of Oz things, and I am intrigued to see how it is all going to pay off later. And we still have the Tin Woodman or the Cowardly Lion to look forward to. So I am going to reserve final judgement until I've seen the entire series. But I doubt this is something I will return to very often, as it's not the real Oz&mdast;but it's not trying to be, either.

A Trailer for Emerald City At Last!

Okay, now that we've actually seen something of it, it looks promising (if not particularly Baumy). Emerald City starts on NBC in January.

The Latest Oz Reading

I may not have said a lot about what I'm reading lately, but I have been reading. So here's the latest recap of all kinds of Oz and related works I've read recently:

• My weekends have become clearer (although still way too busy) recently, so I'm back to reading a short story from Oz Reimagined. First was "One Flew Over the Rainbow" by Robin Wasserman. As you can guess from the title, this one is set in an asylum, where three inmates help Dorothy escape. This ine just felt like an excuse to write a story set in an asylum, to be honest, with the Oz motifs tacked on.
• The other story is "The Veiled Shanghai" by Ken Liu, and while it does the same as the previous story (basically retelling The Wizard of Oz in another setting), this one is so much richer and interesting. In 1919 Shanghai, Dorothy Gee lives with her Uncle Heng and Aunt En. Caught up in one of the riots during the May Fourth Movement, Dorothy is whisked away on a bus, only to wake up in the Veiled Shanghai, a parallel version of the city just out of reach of consciousness for most people. It's a little different, with magic, steampunk, and other aspects that confuse Dorothy, but she goes along with things anyway. The rest of the story is, as is traditional, the journey of her trying to get home and helping those she meets to achieve their goals. Scarecrow is an Iowa farmboy who stowed away on a freighter in San Francisco and wound up there. Tin Woodman was a woodchopper who allowed himself to be roboticized so that he could become more productive. Lion is an old Boxer who fled a battle during the Boxer Rebellion. And the Wicked Warlord is keeping China under his thumbs, until Dorothy comes along. It's a clever use of a very different background to tell the story, and I feel like I learned a little bit more about early twentieth century China as well, at a time when it was dominated by European, American, and Japanese imperialism. There are lots of fun little nods to both the book and The Movie, and everything turns out for the best in the end, of course. I think both of these stories were the first to truly embrace the idea suggested by the book's title, reimagining a different version of The Wizard of Oz rather than just telling a new story set in a version of Oz. Anyway, this is still a fascinating book, and I still have seven more to go, so I may finish some time over the summer.
• I'm not sure I can exactly review The Wizard of Oz Mad Libs, just because it's not complete without folks supplying words for it. We did have some fun with it at our last Oogaboo Rendezvous, but it didn't last too long. Although it's mostly based on The Movie, the first one is a background one that talks about the book (by L. [Name of Person in the Room (Male)]). It's not to be taken terribly seriously, of course. It's just nice to have a little fun with. Incidentally, for old fuddy-duddies like me who haven't played Mad Libs for a long time, they now have a solo version built in where you can supply the words yourself, and then see how they fit, so that you don't need a whole gang of friends to enjoy this.
• The big fiction read of the current spate of Oz reading was The Law of Oz by Paul Dana, and the first offering (of what looks like will be several) from The Royal Publisher of Oz. This book has had a long genesis, as parts were started over twenty years ago, and it shows. It's actually a series of three novellas and a short story, all starring Ojo and Button-Bright. The two friends go out seeking adventures, and Ojo persuades Button-Bright to teach him how to get lost. He does a little too well, however, and travels back in time to the enchantment of Oz! Fortunately, all goes as it should have (unlike what happened in Paradox in Oz), but through the course of events, Ojo acquires magic powers. Traveling back to their own time, Ojo is sent off to Lureline's home in the Land of An to train, while Button-Bright ends up exploring his own family background, which proves to be a lot different than anyone expected. Dana's writing matures and grows confident as the book progresses, and it all unfolds logically, but with many interesting twists. The title, incidentally, refers to Ozma's law against practicing magic, and the consequences when she tries to enforce it.
• Then there are the comics. Surprisingly, there was only one Oz comic in this month's order, and that was issue #17 of the always awesome The Legend of Oz: The Wicked West. Glinda confronts Gale about possessing more than one of the guns of power, but it does not go well. (It seems Gale may truly be embracing her new title of Wicked Witch of the West.) Meanwhile, Dr. Pipt enlists the help of the Field Mice to destabilize the tunnels that General Jinjur is digging, but that proves to be exactly the wrong thing, and it appears that the Nome King may soon be freed. Oh, yeah, this is a good one!
• That wasn't my only recent Oz comic, however. I recently picked up a copy of Graphic Classics Volume 15: Fantasy Classics, which includes an adaptation of "The Glass Dog", a story from L. Frank Baum's American Fairy Tales. It was a decent and faithful adaptation, and fun to see. I can't help thinking, however, that Baum wrote better short stories that may be more deserving of this treatment. The rest of the book is good, too, with the main event being an adaptation of Frankenstein, as well as works by Nathaniel Hawthorne and H. P. Lovecraft.
• I also picked up the hardback collection of Marvel's The Emerald City of Oz, by Eric Shanower and Skottie Young. There's not much to add from my comments about the original single issue releases, but this adds a cover gallery, an introduction by Shanower, and reminiscences and farewells from Shanower and Young, as they confirm that this is their final trip to Oz, at least through Marvel.
• And finally, a comic book I haven't even gotten yet! Zenescope was kind enough to send me a digital edition of the entire first issue of Warlord of Oz, their upcoming new OZ miniseries. While the Witches have been vanquished, their influence still lingers, and the King and his advisors (including the Scarecrow) have much to do to make Oz and its subjects happy. Meanwhile back in Kansas, Dorothy is still having dreams about Oz a year after her return. When the Scarecrow and Lion set out to find out what's happening to the Lion's people, things are starting to look bad as an ancient evil from the early history of Oz is awoken, and Dorothy and Toto find themselves transported back. This version of Oz is clearly not influenced by the books, and not even that much by The Movie, as they make up just about everything from scratch. And it must be pretty warm in this version of Oz, because those poor women barely have anything to wear! (Hmm, it might be interesting to see Zenescope's take on Jinjur and the Army of Revolt!)
• That's all for the reading, but I have one more quick review, as I also managed to get Minnie's The Wizard of Dizz, a story from the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse series. This version of the story is clearly aimed at a lot younger viewer than me, and the computer animation is a bit crude, but it was fun. When a windstorm hits the clubhouse, Minnie and Pluto are caught outside and are whisked away to the Land of Dizz, where everyone tries to help them get home. Chip and Dale are the Chipmunchkins, Clarabelle the Cow is the rather forgetful Good Witch, Goofy is the Scarecrow (of course), Mickey is the Tin Mouse (who needs to be wound with a key, so he's a bit more like Tik-Tok than Nick Chopper), Donald is the Lion, Pete is the Wicked Witch of the West (who reforms rather than getting melted, which is probably in keeping with the very young demographics this show is aimed at), and Professor Ludwig von Drake is the Wizard. It's all fun, but probably not for everybody (including my wife, who went off to do something else after about five minutes).

That's about it for now. I don't anticipate a major Oz reading any time soon, but I suspect there will be comics here and there. I'll likely also get some new stuff that just can't wait at the Winkie Convention in August.

Mila Kunis Goes to Oz!

It's been a year and a day since Oz the Great and Powerful opened, and I'm ashamed to say that I still haven't written a review! (To be honest, I think that's due in part to my continued conflict as to what I actually think of it!) But as I was thinking about this, I also remembered the first time Mila Kunis went to Oz, in this dream sequence from That '70s Show:

Yes, that's Mila playing Dorothy. What I especially love is that the costumes are very clearly based on the original W. W. Denslow illustrations. I'm sure they did that for legal reasons, so that they wouldn't get into hot water with Warner Bros., but that doesn't make it any less awesome. And that is television's original Nancy Drew, Pamela Sue Martin, playing "Miss Wizard".

The Newest Dorothy

In case you didn't know (and I suspect a lot of you didn't), Canada has been showing its own version of Over the Rainbow to search for a new actress to play Dorothy in the Canadian run of Andrew Lloyd Webber's stage adaptation of The Wizard of Oz. Well, the competition wrapped up last night, and for the second time, the winner is named Danielle. Danielle Wade of Lasalle, Ontario, now jumps into rehearsals for the production that opens in Toronto next month. Congratulations, Danielle! (Darn, I was rooting for AJ...) You can read the full story on the CBC's website.

Let's play catch-up!

Wouldn't you know, just as I'm on the verge of posting a new Oz comic, my computer goes kablooey. It seems to have a power supply problem, and it's already in the shop, but that's put a crimp in my blogging. But I managed to dig out and dust off my old computer (the one that went out, causing my folks to give me their old one) and get it fired up enough to keep up and get a few things done. So, as I said in the title, let's catch up on some old business!

• First, that Oz comic! Check out Strange brew for August 28. Definitely a few Oz references in that one! (I'm not sure witches would want it to be called a roast, however!) As a reminder I haven't reminded you about much lately, these links to syndicated comic strips tend to be up and active for only thirty days, so I hope you get to see it quick. And since this went up almost a week ago now, you have considerably fewer than thirty days now! (My apologies to those readers in the future who just can't see anything at all on my comics links, since you're trying to view them more than thirty days after publication.)
• Next, this week's Oz comic, politics division! Maybe my all-time favorite political cartoonist is two-time Pulitzer winner David Horsey, formerly of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer — even though I was a devoted reader of the Seattle Times. Well, the P-I ceased paper publication and went to web only a few years ago, and so David eventually left for greener pastures, namely the Los Angeles Times. Thanks to the internet, however, I've still been able to enjoy his work (even though I live in neither Seattle anymore nor Los Angeles), such as this cartoon on the end of the Republican National Convention. Gee, Mitt Romney looks familiar there. (And I will add, as I frequently do, that all political cartoons presented on this blog are here for Oz content only. I do not claim to endorse or condone any views expressed by the cartoonists. Any comments anyone cares to make pertaining to said viewpoints will be completely ignored.) This is not Horsey's first brush with Oz, I might add. Check out the cover he drew for this collection of Ronald Reagan cartoons back in the '80s.
• Finally, a surprise Oz-ish reference on Futurama, of all shows. Professor Farnsworth is finally persuaded to buy new uniforms for the Planet Express Delivery crew, and they go to a local tailor's shop to see what they have. Everything they try on comes from a classic science fiction movie or television show, as you can see here: Recognize what the Professor (on the left) is wearing? Here, does this refresh your memory? Yes, that's Sean Connery as Zed in Zardoz. For those who have seen Zardoz, you know the connection to The Wizard of Oz. If not, maybe you should try — if the image of Sean Connery above hasn't totally scared you off! In Futurama, the tailor (seen above on the right — no, that's not Dr. Zoidberg, just a member of the same species) says something along the lines of, "The Zardoz doesn't work for everybody, but you pull it off." To which Amy (sitting down) replied, "Eww, don't pull it off!" That line made Laura laugh very hard. (Incidentally, where does Amy's costume come from? It looks familiar, so I think I should know it, but I can't place the show.)

And good news, everybody! I started a new job a couple of weeks ago, so I should finally be getting to a comfortable place where I can really start expanding my Oz collection (among other things) soon. However, it also means less spare time, so I may be doing more catch up blog posts like this on weekends between now and summer. But fewer posts here doesn't mean I'm not an Oz fan any more. I think that's going to be with me until the day I die, and even that may stop me entirely.

The Latest Oz Reading (and Watching)

Despite the lack of posts, I have been busy reading a bunch of Oz things. In fact, I'm just about done with one of the longer ones — bu I'll tell you more about that later. So here are a few other things I've read and watched lately:

• Bride of Fury by Rachel Cosgrove Payes. My latest reading from the author of The Hidden Valley of Oz. This one reminded me an awful lot of the last Rachel romance I read, in that it has a lusty young woman torn between two men from the same family (brothers, this time) in a historical setting, etc., etc., etc. I'm sure many of you are familiar with some of the tropes of the genre. What makes Bride of Fury fun, however, is that it opens with our heroine, Kate, patrolling the West End of London looking for Jack the Ripper! The rest of the book then flashes back to how Kate got into the situation she's in, and comes to a satisfying conclusion for both her and the reader. Rachel sets up the mystery of who Jack the Ripper is well throughout the book, and leaves everyone dangling until the last possible moment. I enjoyed it, but I think I'm already a little weary of her romances. Thank goodness the next book I have lined up from her is something different!
  
• The comics order came, need I say more? And it was a busy month. First was Grimm Fairy Tales Presents The Library #4. Things are looking pretty bad, which of course forces Sela's father to reexamine his life and finally connect with his daughter. But the Wicked Witch is overpowering every ally Sela can throw at her, and it looks like the Wicked Witch now has the power to take over the world! (Good thing there's one more issue to this series, or I'd be worried.)
  
• Fables #114. Yay, back to Oz at last! No, we don't learn how Bufkin escaped from that cliffhanger. In fact, it looks like we've gone back a few days, before the events of #101. The good news is, now the Oz part of the story looks like it will be a permanent part of the book, at least for a while, as "A Revolution in Oz" is now the second story of the book. Did I also mention that someone pilfered the vault containing all of the magic items in Oz?
  
• Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz #5. The Gargoyles. Need I say more? Again, Eric, Skottie, and Jean-Francois have put together another winner. Sadly, it will have to hold me for a while, since issue #6 isn't due out until May.
  
• No Place Like Home #1. Where have I seen this before? A grown-up goth Dorothy (is she?) gets caught up in events that may or may not be at all related to The Wizard of Oz. This one is aiming to be a horror comic, as Dee Dee and her friends stumble across a murder. I'm not sure where this one's going at all yet, but it's early. Definitely not one for the kids, Oz purists, or sensitive readers.
  
• And finally, I watched the second part of The Witches of Oz a few weeks ago, and just forgot to tell anyone. It's definitely not one for the purists again, but it's fun and Ozzy in its own way. Dorothy confronts her past, and finds both friends and foes coming to New York City to get something they all think Dorothy has. This was definitely based on the first Oz book, but there were plenty of nods to later Oz books that you know the creators did their homework. I was especially taken with Mia Sara's portrayal of Langwidere. I just hope the film version comes to my neck of the woods sometime soon.
  

The Latest Oz Watching

I got to watch two big Oz productions this weekend. So, here's my report:

• First off, last night I went to the local high school to see their production of The Wizard of Oz. Yup, the play (Royal Shakespeare Company version, thank goodness). Since I also work at that school as a substitute teacher, I know a lot of those kids, and was able to give a few ideas to the director. So of course I was happy to see lots of blue in Munchkinland (the Munchkins hid behind blue umbrellas before being told to "Come out, come out, wherever you are"), and I really liked the Jitterbugs dressed in white with bright neon wigs and sashes, and it was performed under black light! That really made things pop. (Dorothy and friends held flashlights under their chins, a la The Blair Witch Project, so we could see them, at least.) And since this show is double cast, and Laura wasn't able to go with me last night, we're probably going to see it together next weekend.
  
• I've had it for some time now, but I finally got around to watching the British DVD of The Witches of Oz, the television miniseries that's also now making the rounds as a movie under the title Dorothy and the Witches of Oz. I only watched part one today (I'm saving part two for next weekend), and it's off to a good start. Dorothy is now all grown up and a writer, who's just been whisked off to New York City for some talks about turning her books about Oz into a movie. But she keeps meeting people and having dreams about Oz, and flashes of recognition. It turns out that her trip to Oz actually happened, and she's been entrusted with an item that will ensure the safety of both Oz and our world. But she's been discovered, and her enemies from Oz are coming to get her. Dorothy's allies, however, are also coming to help her.
  

Halloweenie Oz TV alert!

I'm sorry I didn't mention this here sooner! Today, as a Halloween treat, The Talk over on CBS has a special Wizard of Oz-themed episode, with costumes. Here's a preview video. And yes, my TiVo is fired up. If you miss it, I suspect it will be online for a few days.

The Latest Oz Acquisitions

I've picked up a few things recently, and thought I'd share:

• First, the comics order came. The only Oz comic was Fables #108 — and this time it really is an Oz comic, at least in part. There are a whole bunch of storylines going on right now, but for this overview, I'll skip the ones about Rose Red returning to the Farm to see what's been happening there (not much, yet), the death of the North Wind and the attempt to find a successor, and Mrs. Spratt's warrior training. In the Restored Pan-Ozian Empire (ruled over with an iron fist by Roquat the Red), Blufkin the No-Longer-Flying Monkey is trying to get Jack Pumpkinhead, the Sawhorse, and Bugle across the desert and back into Oz. The good news is that there are now roads across the desert. The bad news is that they are heavily guarded, and travelers need passes. It's going to take all of Blufkin's wiles to handle this!
  
• The Witches of Oz. Thanks to my latest bit of credit from Amazon.co.uk and owning a multi-format region-free DVD player, I snagged the DVD of the miniseries version of this story (I gather there will be an American movie release of this in the not-too-distant future). So far, I'm impressed with the background of this version of Oz, as I think the producers tapped into the rest of the books. Hey, when the first character mentioned is Bini Aru, you know someone's paying attention. I hope to get a chance to sit down and really watch this before too long.
  
• And finally, there's a story behind my latest acquisition. I found out about The Uplift of Lucifer from reading The Book Collector's Guide to L. Frank Baum and Oz by Paul Bienvenue (I talked about that book in a recent post). This was a privately printed publication of one of L. Frank Baum's skits for the Uplifters Club, which he belonged to when he was living in Hollywood. From what I gather, Manuel Weltman published only five hundred copies, and gave them to any Oz or Baum enthusiasts who were interested. I'd heard of the story, but hadn't realized it had been published until I read Paul's book. So I idly poked around on the web to see if any copies were available — and more importantly, affordable. Sure enough, they are both. But one copy in particular caught my attention. It wasn't the cheapest out there, but it was still not too bad, considering it was the personal copy of one of my heroes, Martin Gardner. Gardner was one of the sixteen founding members of the International Wizard of Oz Club, wrote many essays and introductions about Oz, wrote The Annotated Alice, and his mathematics column in Scientific American helped to popularize mathematics for everybody. This edition has a postcard from Weltman to Gardner, and Gardner's own annotations. I hemmed and hawed and talked to Laura, and she said, "I'm surprised you haven't bought it already." So I punched a bunch of buttons on my computer, and a few days later it arrived. So now I not only have a rare piece of Baumiana, it also has a history in Oz fandom. And yes, I'll actually read it soon, too.