More from Sebastian!

Wow! This has to be the fastest I've posted a new entry! It seems my last entry made Mr. Sebastian Certik (sorry about the mess-up below) a little more popular in the Oz circle. (I had that power... Wow...)

Anyhow, Sebastian has a few casting suggestions...

• Dorothy: Anna Sophia-Robb, most recently in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Sebastian says, "My first impression of her was that she had the right looks to play Dorothy, and she could always assume a different personality in that role, rather than the showy, arrogant person she was in CATCF." Strangely, I thought Miss Robb looked a lot like Dorothy as well, except probably by the time a new Oz movie (using my screenplay or not) would start production, she'd be a bit too old to continue playing Dorothy for any sequels. My own idea was perhaps CGI characters against actual photographed backgrounds: only the voices needed to be cast. Good suggestion, buddy, but not quite what I was thinking.
• Glinda: Drew Barrymore. Interesting suggestion! "She is very attractive, and she has red hair, which would be nice for the whole setting of the Quadling Country." Not to mention Baum actually mentions her hair color. I'd thought of the casting of Glinda myself, and came up with Megan Follows (Anne of Green Gables), or Julie Andrews (Princess Diaries, Mary Poppins, The Sound of Music). Someone else also suggested Kate Winslet. Setting aside my CGI idea (why state it again?), I personally think any of these could work. Except, maybe Julie Andrews could be cast as the Good Witch of the North, because she's probably getting to retire, and the Good Witch doesn't appear in many other books afterwards. (Present at Ozma's party in Road to Oz, then becomes Queen Orin in Thompson's Giant Horse of Oz.)
• Wizard: Jack Nicholson. Sebastian says Johnny Depp is too young. I don't really think Mr. Depp would have a big role in my idea for an Oz film series, but perhaps could be cast as Fiyero in a film version of Wicked. Or maybe the Guardian of the Gate or the Soldier With The Green Whiskers? (Omby Amby) My own idea for an non-CGI Wizard would be Robin Williams.
• Jellia: Julia Winter. Another Charlie & The Chocolate Factory actress, she played the spoiled Veruca Salt. In my opinion, Jellia should be a bit older, but as earlier stated, time could take care of itself on this one.
• Tip (Yes, he went beyond Wonderful Wizard here!): Jordan Fry. He was Mike Teavee in Charlie &... . Earlier on in my blog, I mentioned perhaps Freddie Highmore, who played the title character in the same movie. But perhaps we should see about getting Wonderful Wizard made first!

Also, I've recently gotten some support from Aaron Pacentine, owner of VideosforFamily.com. Check his site out sometime, it's a very nice site!

See you soon!

Petition Video, Manga, Oroz, and Strasheela!

Hey, I finished my Oz petition video. So far it has gotten me ONE new signature!



Like? Sign the petition at http://petitionspot.com/petitions/newoz

The signer was Certik Sebastian, who said this on the IWOC message board, "In this day in age when we graphitti "Git'r done" on military equipment used on behalf of the war in Iraq, we need a little enlightenment. We can't keep believing these stupid, and morally incorrect notions that Oz is a dream, or that Dorothy had Ruby Slippers. These notions are leading studiousness, and education to go down the tubes, and thus, we need a good, and wholesome movie like "The Wizard Of Oz" to be added to our scope of knowledge to make us healthier, and smarter.

"I signed Jared's petition, which is to make a more educated 1900's style Oz movie, and I urge every one of you to do the same. you can see the address for the website of the petition on the movie that Jared so kindly bestowed upon us."

Certik has said it better than I could myself! (Hey, if you need to start a petition to get a new edition of "Wonderful Wizard" with your illustrations published, I'll sign!)

Last Wednesday I got my copy of "Oz: The Manga." A manga-style retelling of the first Oz book, it was surprisingly faithful, though somewhat darker. There were also some touches I wish I'd put in my screenplay. Too late to do it without copyright agreements...

Recently, I went ahead and watched a backlog of foreign Oz/Oz-inspired films. There were two Russian faithful excellently animated films based on "Wonderful Wizard" and "Marvelous Land," the first using some touches from Alexander Volkov's "The Wizard of the City of Emeralds." (This book was Volkov's translation of "Wonderful Wizard," but he put in a lot of new things himself, and later wrote original sequels.) Another was a televised play of Volkov's "Wizard," which rearranged the plot. None of these had English overdubbing or subtitles.

Also was "Tramps & The Wizard of Oroz," which is an extremely loose adaptation of the original book. I just took it as a comedy with a few Oz touches and characters. This one had subtitles.