The KANSAS Connection: The Man of Steel and the Land of Oz

The world is full of Oz fans ... but nobody is truly ever JUST an Oz fan only. As many Oz fans as there are in America, there are some that are also fans of "Doctor WHO" from the UK ... there are Oz fans in Australia who are fond of "the Golden Girls" ... and there are certainly Oz fans in the UK that love the American Fairyland. What cannot be disputed is how often and much Oz crosses over with the comics, in adaptations and references ... and, personally, I believe that no other comic in the world has a strong unique and collaborative connection with Oz than DC Comics's Kryptonian hero himself, Superman! Now there are some small subtle yet noticebale similarities between the two: * both have a child - an orphan, basically, because their parents have died - who is transported from one world to another (even if the levels of scope and proximities are different and the points in life when they are relocated), * both are raised on a farm life in Kansas by an elderly guardian couple for years before they move and make their home in a big city (again, their ages and timeline differ), * both have a canine companion - who, funny enough I didn't realise till now, both have their name end in "to" (Toto, Krypto) * both go on adventures with similar or unusual friends - and fighting evil along the way to restore peace and righteousness (though intentions aren't quite the same);

But here I want to focus on the main prominent and more obvious timelines where they share similarities, elements and moments onscreen. Now, while they may not have shared or started their runs 1899-1900 as far as I know (and if I find out otherwise it will be edited with updates), the two franchises did begin to coincide in 1938 when SUPERMAN first appeared in "Action Comics" of April / June ... while MGM was undergoing production for their treatment of L Frank Baum's "Wonderful Wizard" for the musical vaudeville Judy Garland vehicle (Early Stages which included Script Development, Musical Score, hair and make-up tests, contract, special effects and other activities - Filming would not start until October).

This was pretty much it for this time . . . until 1978, when both film versions for "THE WIZ" and "SUPERMAN (the Movie)" came to the big screen (both with opposing points of success, yet sharing the dissappointment at some level in time).

Now we get into the more direct (and back-and-forth) connections between the two: Warner Bros. "SUPERMAN: THE MOVIE" starred Christopher Reeve in dual title role of the hero from Krypton and mild-mannered Daily planet reporter Clark Kent (again, a child who was transported from one world to another, who was raised on a farm in Kansas by foster guardains because their parents cannot) and also acts alongside Margot Kidder as Lois Lane ... who will go on to voice over the narration for the 1986 PanMedia anime series of "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" (plus "Marvelous Land", "Ozma" and "Emerald City") that would be translated and dubbed (plus cut) by the Canadian studio CINAR for the US TV audiences before the release to videos as Movies for 1987 (a year which also released "Superman IV: Quest for Peace", the fourth and possibly worst film of the series). Universal Pictures' "THE WIZ" starred Diana Ross as Dorothy and featured Richard Pryor as the title character ... Richard Pryor would eventually go on to be included in "Superman III", a film that would (re)introduce a grown up high school sweetheart of Clark Kent's from Smallville, (a character included in the first film) Lana Lang, now played by Annette O'Toole ... Annette O'Toole would go on to play Maud Gage, L Frank Baum's wife, in the 1990 TV Movie "the Dreamer of Oz" starring John Ritter in the title role ... and then Annette O'Toole would return to Kansas of Superman lore, this time playing Martha Kent, Clark's adoptive earth mother, for the TV Series "Smallville" and throughout the enduring years of the run.

2013 brought a revised, revamped and newer take to both character properties from opposing studios, yet both differed from the traditional original sources): WB gave us Zack Snyder's "Man of Steel" starring Henry Cavill as Superman (so new it neglected the classic red briefs speedo) while Disney presented its attempted prequel with "OZ the Great and Powerful", a film that claimed to be a prequel to the Baum books but repeatedly and constantly referred to using the MGMN imagery as well as attempting to be like "Wicked" without treading too much on copyright infringement [but was still poorly decided and directed regardless] - while both films were relatively successful, Disney's "Oz origin" has mostly fallen out of favour and rightfully so due to its false claims and inaccurape depiction of Baum's world, his writings and the film it's supposedly based upon.

While Disney never continued its proposed trilogy with the fabled fairyland, WB did manage to continue the adventures of the favoured Krypton ... but unfortunately leaned more into the Batman influence and, possibly trying to catch the success of MARVEL's "The Avengers", rushed into creating their long-awaited Justice League with "Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice" in 2016. - The reference to Oz does get a direct line when Perry White (played by Lawrence Fishburne) gets annoyed at Clark Kent's absence and comments "Clicks his heels three times, goes back to Kansas, I suppose." (What's nice about this remark is that not only is it funny, but the shoes are unspecified - so anyone hearing the line can think of the Ruby Slippers or the SILVER SHOES).

In March 2015 there was also a cover variant that had SuperGirl with a MGM/WOz influenced art image. And once again, the worlds of Superman comics and Oz books come together in 2025, with the July release (11th in USA, 10th in Australia) of James Gunn's "Superman (Legacy)" film starring David Corenswet in the title role (with the red briefs restored to costume) between the two "Wicked" films, an alternate perspective of the story. So, there we are; here we have but a basic touch of the multiple times Oz and Superman have crossed paths and shared moments throughout the years. Now of course there is no definite reasoning and the timing could be coincidental, but there seems to be a slight pattern to these two sharing the same cinematic release schedule (1978 and 1987, 2013, 2025) and there was 12 years between the more recent interpretations ... so maybe we'll get another Superman+Oz movie release in the next 12 or so years, more or less. Who knows what else these two will share or join together in the future? Whatever happens and whenever that will be . . . you can be sure that we'll be there to share the joy and the fun union!

Dorothy Meets Alice

I wrote a little piece for the latest Down the Yellow Brick Pod Pod Squad Party. Sharing it here... This is set just before the opening of Ozma of Oz.

 Dorothy Gale found her way to the chicken coops on the deck. It had been a few days on board the steamship to Australia with Uncle Henry and although she wasn't feeding these chickens, going to them reminded her of home in Kansas.

"Birds are funny things, aren't they?" asked a voice behind her.

Dorothy turned to look at the person behind her, a tall, stately woman wearing a shawl over her dark blue dress. Under her stylish hat, Dorothy could spot blonde hair with a light streak of silver.

"I live on a farm," Dorothy explained. "I miss the chickens at home."

"Ah," the woman continued. "Where do you come from?"

"Kansas," Dorothy replied.

"You're a long way from home, but you seem to handle it well."

"And you?"

"Ah, I suppose that depends on which way you want to look at it, though I suppose I'm about the same distance either way. I'm from London."

"Oh, that is a very long way away." Dorothy looked down shyly. "I wish my dog Toto could be here, but he wouldn't like how much the ship rocks."

"Have you got your sea legs?" the woman asked.

"I just have my own legs," Dorothy replied, only to find the woman laughing softly.

"It means you know how to handle being at sea."

"Well, I hope I do." Dorothy realized she didn't know the woman's name. "My name is Dorothy."

"Dorothy, I'm glad to meet you. My name is Alice. Australia is where I'm headed next."

"I'm going with my Uncle Henry, he's been very ill lately and the doctor said the trip will help him."

"I hope it will. How did you find the journey from Kansas so far?"

"I thought the train was nice, I liked looking out the windows."

"Met any people?"

"Oh, yes, lots. Some of them were very kind, but some of them were very... different."

Alice sighed. "It takes all types to make a world, they say. Some people are kind, others can be disagreeable. Others are quite mad."

Dorothy looked up. "Some can even be wicked, or humbugs."

"The important thing," Alice said, "is to know who you are and stay true to that."

"It always helps to have a friend, too," Dorothy added. "With good friends, you can get through anything."

"You're already a very wise little girl!" Alice commented. "I'm impressed. Have you ever had tea before, Dorothy?"

"I have. It's a nice drink."

"Oh, I mean a proper tea, inviting someone over to have a proper social."

"Oh. I don't think so, but I have been to some wonderful celebrations."

"I should like to hear about them, if you'd like to visit my cabin this afternoon. Why don't you ask your Uncle Henry? He can come along as well if he'd like."

"I'm sure he would. We're in the big cabin with all the other people."

"You're traveling light, I take it. Not too much luggage?"

"Yes, we didn't have much to pack."

"That's fine, just bring your best selves."

"Thank you."

Alice gave Dorothy her cabin number and the two parted.

Dorothy gazed at a yellow hen giving her what looked like a friendly glance.

"It's nice to meet you too," she commented.

The Royal Podcast of Oz - Movies of Oz: Guardians of Oz

 Jay and Sam review Guardians of Oz, the 2017 animated film from Mexico featuring the Flying Monkeys.

Check it out on Spotify here!

The Royal Podcast of Oz: The Parodies of Oz - Black Dynamite and The Wizard of Watts!

 

Jay and Sam talk the finale of the animated series Black Dynamite, which happened to be an edgy Oz parody with some still relevant social commentary.

Check it out on Spotify or wherever you get podcast!

Wicked on Home Video

 

I'm writing this two weeks after the physical home video release of Wicked, having just finished the audio commentaries.

I actually had to take a second to realize that Wicked is the first Oz film to get a 4K UHD release in its initial home video release rollout. As of yet, the only other Oz movie to be on the format is MGM's The Wizard of Oz, which made its 4K debut 80 years after the movie's release, long after its first home video releases. (I'd love to see The Wiz movie and Disney's Return to Oz get the 4K treatment, but that's up to the studios and any boutique labels who'd be willing to make it happen.)

The home video release of Wicked is available on multiple formats: digital copy, DVD, Blu-Ray and 4K UHD. Digital copy codes come with the Blu-Ray and 4K/Blu-Ray editions. Which edition is right for you will depend on your home video needs and what devices you own. I will note that if you go digital only, if you're in the US, make sure you're enrolled in the free service Movies Anywhere, which will make your digital copy available across multiple services. Some bonuses have not been available on all services, so this will make it so you can access all of those services without making another purchase. 

As of this writing, I have not handled or looked at a DVD edition of Wicked, having only played the 4K UHD disc. I only purchased the 4K edition, which contains two discs: a 4K UHD disc and a standard Blu-Ray. Looking at an image of the back cover of the DVD, it appears to not include any bonus features or digital copies.

I was very pleased to see all of the bonus features were included on the 4K disc. Since the inception of 4K discs, it has been pretty common practice for big studio releases to bundle the 4K with a standard Blu-Ray that contains the bonuses while the 4K just contains the movie. That's changed with Paramount and Warner Brothers now doing 4K only releases that do include the bonuses on disc, but changes it so you're now paying a premium price ($30 is about standard) for just one disc version and a digital copy. As of yet, Universal is still doing 4K/Blu-Ray/Digital combos. I was glad I could just use one disc and watch it all without swapping discs.

Video quality: 4K allows for a premium experience, this is probably as good as optical disc media will get and frankly, I fail to see how larger image will really improve the experience except for those with massively huge screens. Wicked was shot on digital, yet retains a fine film grain pattern to give it that classic film look we expect to see in theaters. That image is faithfully reproduced on the 4K disc, evident on even my smaller 4K TV (43 inch). The film's nearly pastel colored palette is also faithfully reproduced, so if you missed the movie in theaters, it's not lost in the home media release.

Audio quality: Here I need to make a complaint. To watch the movie, I had to crank my volume up a bit with my Atmos soundbar to really hear it. I don't know if the mix is lowered for home video or it doesn't translate well from theater to home media, but for many films, the audio mix needs a volume boost to really enjoy it. Which then means you need to lower it before watching something else with a different mix. The audio from the theatrical mix is faithfully represented, I just wish it had a louder mix for home viewing.

Additional playback note: as is standard with Universal Blu-Ray and 4K UHD discs now, if you power off the player before finishing the film, when the disc is started again, it will ask if you want to resume it as it plays the studio logo. It will even resume subtitles and audio commentary. Also, a Universal logo will pop up if the movie is paused for awhile, which often keeps the player from automatically powering off.

Bonuses: The movie's YouTube channel and social media pages have a wide variety of trailers and promotional videos and these go surprisingly indepth into the making of the movie. There was also a TV special preceding the movie titled "Defying Gravity: The Curtain Rises on Wicked." However, none of these are on the disc. Instead, we get a 45 minute documentary, "Making Wicked," which nicely covers the making of the movie, including casting and costume production.

There's also about 10 minutes of deleted scenes, showing some delightful or character-defining moments that would have been nice to see finished on the big screen (there are unfinished effects in these), but would have thrown off the pacing. Not everything we heard was filmed is included, nor do we get re-inclusion of stage lines that got dropped. (Such as "No need to answer, that was rhetorical" or "What's in the punch?" "Lemons and melons and pears." "Oh, my!") There is a potential we'll get further deleted scenes in a future edition, or we'll see some in the forthcoming second film, or there may yet be an extended edition in the works.

There are also three featurettes: "Welcome to Shiz," highlighting the setting for most of the film, the Gillkin university, and that much of it was an actual film set; "A Wicked Legacy," highlighting how the movie pays tribute to the stage show; and finally "The Wonderful Wizard," highlighting Jeff Goldblum's take on the Wizard of Oz.

Finally, we get a pair of audio commentaries. Director Jon M. Chu has one in which he reveals production trivia and what he wanted to convey with his filmmaking choices. Stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande have the other as they fangirl about fellow cast members and crew (even the librarian who attempts to shush Fiyero) and tease a few things about the second film and talk about working on the movie. Both make good listens if you can find the time.

The lone thing I didn't really check out was the singalong version in which the lyrics for the songs appear onscreen. This isn't listed in bonuses, instead being a prompt you can select after choosing to play the movie.

There's been a big shift in the physical home media market. Gone are the days when some movies would get an extra disc of extensive bonuses, sometimes even getting two or three additional discs if the movie was that big. These days, you get little more than a few deleted scenes, maybe a gag reel or a trailer, and a few press interviews edited together as what should've been a promotional piece serving for a behind the scenes look.

Wicked getting over an hour of video bonus content and two audio commentaries felt refreshing, and the fact I could access all of it on any of the three formats included in my purchase made it feel worthwhile.

While I continue to have my quibbles about home video audio mixes for movies (a good soundbar is a must these days unless you have a better audio system), I had to heartily commend Universal for putting together a great package.