Cross-posted from my own blog
Since I've addressed most of the major topics I could think of regarding the Oz books, I've been delving more into the minutiae. I'd like to know what you, the readers, think of that. Should I just rope it in until I can think of something more significant to say, or keep going with these? Anyway, I wrote a bit about Sky Island, the floating land mass from the book of the same name, in this post, but I wanted to say more on one specific place on the island, the Fog Bank that divides the Blue and Pink Countries.
As mentioned in the earlier post, this land of constant fog and rain is home to several giant animals. Most prominent, at least as far as we can tell from the brief descriptions in the book, are the enormous frogs. The members of this tribe are much larger than the human-sized Frogman, with even the smallest among them being able to carry three humans at the same time. They are ruled by a king who is ten times this size. The frogs are generally friendly, but are known to hate umbrellas, considering them an insult to their drizzly country. Phil Lewin also gives the frogs a bit of a sinister side when they return in his The Witch Queen of Oz to steal the Silver Shoes. During their visit to the Fog Bank, Trot, Cap'n Bill, and Button-Bright come across a few other oversized animals as well: a lizard, a land crab, and a turtle. The lizard, identified as "Little Lizzie" in John R. Neill's drawing, is asleep and dreaming of parsnips when the visitors encounter her. The crab, Cancer, claims to have fallen out of the Zodiac, and suffers from rheumatism in his legs. The turtle has its head and legs inside its shell, so there's no conversation there. I would not be at all surprised if there are other animals lurking in the murky country, but L. Frank Baum never introduced us to them.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Sunday, April 10, 2011
A thought on Munchkins
Sam's last blog made me think of something: how tall are the Munchkins?
Me, I started thinking of them as normal-sized human beings. Maybe none that are particularly tall, probably few grow over five feet high.
"But," some Baum purists will point out, "Baum says the Munchkins are as tall as Dorothy!"
Is that what he says? Way back in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, we get a description of the very first people Dorothy meets in Oz:
So, what do I say? Baum writes that these Munchkins were as tall Dorothy. Not that they all were. It is also noted that they were old, and it's well known that many people do get shorter with age. J.M. Barrie in his classic Peter and Wendy describes aging in a beautiful manner:
And in addition, some people just don't grow to be tall. I work with a woman who is scarcely four feet high.
John R. Neill's Munchkins were not abnormally short, and the Munchkins in Eric Shanower's The Blue Witch of Oz appear to be of normal size. W.W. Denslow drew the Munchkins at a short size, but he also drew almost everyone else in Oz at that size as well, including the Wizard, and excluding Glinda and the Soldier with the Green Whiskers.
So, that's about the size of it. "It" being the Munchkins. Or how I see it. You're welcome to disagree, and I'd love hearing your viewpoint.
And no, I definitely don't count the pint-sized Munchkins from the MGM movie as an example.
Me, I started thinking of them as normal-sized human beings. Maybe none that are particularly tall, probably few grow over five feet high.
"But," some Baum purists will point out, "Baum says the Munchkins are as tall as Dorothy!"
Is that what he says? Way back in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, we get a description of the very first people Dorothy meets in Oz:
They were not as big as the grown folk she had always been used to; but neither were they very small. In fact, they seemed about as tall as Dorothy, who was a well-grown child for her age, although they were, so far as looks go, many years older.
So, what do I say? Baum writes that these Munchkins were as tall Dorothy. Not that they all were. It is also noted that they were old, and it's well known that many people do get shorter with age. J.M. Barrie in his classic Peter and Wendy describes aging in a beautiful manner:
As you look at Wendy you may see her hair becoming white, and her figure little again, for all this happened long ago.
And in addition, some people just don't grow to be tall. I work with a woman who is scarcely four feet high.
John R. Neill's Munchkins were not abnormally short, and the Munchkins in Eric Shanower's The Blue Witch of Oz appear to be of normal size. W.W. Denslow drew the Munchkins at a short size, but he also drew almost everyone else in Oz at that size as well, including the Wizard, and excluding Glinda and the Soldier with the Green Whiskers.
So, that's about the size of it. "It" being the Munchkins. Or how I see it. You're welcome to disagree, and I'd love hearing your viewpoint.
And no, I definitely don't count the pint-sized Munchkins from the MGM movie as an example.
Tuesday, April 05, 2011
Depicting Oz: the Scarecrow
Since it's been fairly (no pun intended) quiet and uneventful here lately, now's the perfect time for another Oz Blog, but I promise this one will be as shorter, as much as it can be than the ones before!
Aside from the Munchkins and the Good Witch of the North, the SCARECROW is the first strangest character Dorothy meets in Oz. While the Munchkins and Good Witch of the North were human, the Scarecrow here is the first living human-like character.
"Its head was a small sack stuffed with straw with eyes, nose and mouth painted on to present a face. An old, pointed blue hat, that had belonged to some Munchkin, was perched on this head, and the rest of the figure was a blue suit of clothes, worn and faded, which had also been stuffed with straw. On the feet were some old boots with blue tops, such as every man wore in this country, and" the eyes were painted blue as well, with the left eye being made bigger than the right (there is some truth behind this, as the left eye tends to see better than the right *cover your right eye and look through your left, then swap over, and see for yourself*).
When it comes to some films or animations depicting the Scarecrow, some have been good and others bad, as is normal. The better ones, in my opinion and belief aside from Ray Bolger's dancing version, have been the 1910 Selig short (and maybe the 1914 Oz Manufacturing Company silent films), possibly the 1933 Ted Eshbaugh cartoon, Disney's "Return to Oz", the 1987 Pan Media anime series, Kermit in "the Muppets Wizard of Oz", maybe the 1982 Toho anime and at the end of the 2000 Sony animated "Lion of Oz", certainly Skottie Young's refreshing characterization in Marvel's latest comic line and Michael Jackson in "the Wiz" . . . and, although still too early, Sean Gates and Clayton Spinney's puppet in their independent Barnyard Studios + Used Production digital film / movie. The worse ones, however, include the 1991 Korean animated version and 1976 Australian 'Surfie'.
While it is always up to the individual to imagine the characters how they like, it must be noted that the Scarecrow is not all that human. The paint used to make his face may have been magic, but I doubt it was THAT magical to materialize such details like teeth and a tongue (since he does not need to and cannot eat, already stuffed with straw) or even eyelashes and nostrils that smell (otherwise he wouldn't have been able to help the Tin Woodman save Dorothy and Toto from the Deadly Poppy Field) - sometimes his nose been a carrot point or a rounded off part of the sack with a knot or tie. L. Frank has the Scarecrow wink to Dorothy when she first gazes at him, yet in "the Marvelous Land of Oz" the Scarecrow points out that his "eyes are not painted to shut.", so this is something to think about (the Tin Woodman Nick Chopper is said to have "tin eyelids" here).
In few screen versions or even printed versions (like David Hutchison's Manga or the 1982 Toho anime), the Scarecrow also has sticks inside his body as frameworks . . . since the character was made simply to scare away the crows from eating the corn and not go on a life-changing journey, I can't really see this being necessary.
I don't mind it if the Scarecrow has been given straw in his hat around his head to give the slight impression of hair (like the 1987 anime or the 80s Polish cut-out animation/stop-motion series), but it's the fully function of a mouth including teeth and tongue that aren't really that well needed.
Other times when the Scarecrow has been depicted, when he is not so human-like, he can also be depicted as quite clownish, like "Lion of Oz" or the Toho anime (and, I suppose, Michael Jackson's). Blue is my favourite colour, so you can assume I'd keep his colouring description.
Another important notice concerning the Scarecrow, aside from his clothing, is his height.
* he was made by Munchkins
* Munchkins are about the same height as Dorothy
In theory, the Scarecrow should be the same height as Dorothy. But it's understandable that he would be made taller, as it looks better. It's possible that there COULD be normal sized humans living in the Munchkin region, but it's clear that Munchkins occupy this Eastern domain of Oz, and since they are short people their clothes would be short too. Maybe some Munchkins are a bit taller than others, and perhaps the suit used to dress the Scarecrow had its pants unrolled at the hem so that the straw man would be more imposing to the crows rather than being short and no threat.
The Munchkins also have bells on their hats yet the Scarecrow is not mentioned to have any. Perhaps his hat lost its bells, but there's no reason for the Scarecrow not to have bells on his hat if he is to fool the crows into thinking he's a Munchkins and protect the corn.
Some films have forgotten to remember that the Scarecrow is also a (unofficial) member of the Munchkin community, having being made by one of their own farmers, so his appearance is radically (and unfortunately) different to that of the Munchkins as can be seen in the Toho anime, the MGM film (and its live versions), the Korean animated short, possibly the Muppets and the Rankin/Bass series/TV-movie.
So here's the point: although the Scarecrow is a straw stuffed man, he is also designed by Munchkins and not to be depicted too life-like.
Aside from the Munchkins and the Good Witch of the North, the SCARECROW is the first strangest character Dorothy meets in Oz. While the Munchkins and Good Witch of the North were human, the Scarecrow here is the first living human-like character.
"Its head was a small sack stuffed with straw with eyes, nose and mouth painted on to present a face. An old, pointed blue hat, that had belonged to some Munchkin, was perched on this head, and the rest of the figure was a blue suit of clothes, worn and faded, which had also been stuffed with straw. On the feet were some old boots with blue tops, such as every man wore in this country, and" the eyes were painted blue as well, with the left eye being made bigger than the right (there is some truth behind this, as the left eye tends to see better than the right *cover your right eye and look through your left, then swap over, and see for yourself*).
When it comes to some films or animations depicting the Scarecrow, some have been good and others bad, as is normal. The better ones, in my opinion and belief aside from Ray Bolger's dancing version, have been the 1910 Selig short (and maybe the 1914 Oz Manufacturing Company silent films), possibly the 1933 Ted Eshbaugh cartoon, Disney's "Return to Oz", the 1987 Pan Media anime series, Kermit in "the Muppets Wizard of Oz", maybe the 1982 Toho anime and at the end of the 2000 Sony animated "Lion of Oz", certainly Skottie Young's refreshing characterization in Marvel's latest comic line and Michael Jackson in "the Wiz" . . . and, although still too early, Sean Gates and Clayton Spinney's puppet in their independent Barnyard Studios + Used Production digital film / movie. The worse ones, however, include the 1991 Korean animated version and 1976 Australian 'Surfie'.
While it is always up to the individual to imagine the characters how they like, it must be noted that the Scarecrow is not all that human. The paint used to make his face may have been magic, but I doubt it was THAT magical to materialize such details like teeth and a tongue (since he does not need to and cannot eat, already stuffed with straw) or even eyelashes and nostrils that smell (otherwise he wouldn't have been able to help the Tin Woodman save Dorothy and Toto from the Deadly Poppy Field) - sometimes his nose been a carrot point or a rounded off part of the sack with a knot or tie. L. Frank has the Scarecrow wink to Dorothy when she first gazes at him, yet in "the Marvelous Land of Oz" the Scarecrow points out that his "eyes are not painted to shut.", so this is something to think about (the Tin Woodman Nick Chopper is said to have "tin eyelids" here).
In few screen versions or even printed versions (like David Hutchison's Manga or the 1982 Toho anime), the Scarecrow also has sticks inside his body as frameworks . . . since the character was made simply to scare away the crows from eating the corn and not go on a life-changing journey, I can't really see this being necessary.
I don't mind it if the Scarecrow has been given straw in his hat around his head to give the slight impression of hair (like the 1987 anime or the 80s Polish cut-out animation/stop-motion series), but it's the fully function of a mouth including teeth and tongue that aren't really that well needed.
Other times when the Scarecrow has been depicted, when he is not so human-like, he can also be depicted as quite clownish, like "Lion of Oz" or the Toho anime (and, I suppose, Michael Jackson's). Blue is my favourite colour, so you can assume I'd keep his colouring description.
Another important notice concerning the Scarecrow, aside from his clothing, is his height.
* he was made by Munchkins
* Munchkins are about the same height as Dorothy
In theory, the Scarecrow should be the same height as Dorothy. But it's understandable that he would be made taller, as it looks better. It's possible that there COULD be normal sized humans living in the Munchkin region, but it's clear that Munchkins occupy this Eastern domain of Oz, and since they are short people their clothes would be short too. Maybe some Munchkins are a bit taller than others, and perhaps the suit used to dress the Scarecrow had its pants unrolled at the hem so that the straw man would be more imposing to the crows rather than being short and no threat.
The Munchkins also have bells on their hats yet the Scarecrow is not mentioned to have any. Perhaps his hat lost its bells, but there's no reason for the Scarecrow not to have bells on his hat if he is to fool the crows into thinking he's a Munchkins and protect the corn.
Some films have forgotten to remember that the Scarecrow is also a (unofficial) member of the Munchkin community, having being made by one of their own farmers, so his appearance is radically (and unfortunately) different to that of the Munchkins as can be seen in the Toho anime, the MGM film (and its live versions), the Korean animated short, possibly the Muppets and the Rankin/Bass series/TV-movie.
So here's the point: although the Scarecrow is a straw stuffed man, he is also designed by Munchkins and not to be depicted too life-like.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
I am doing terribly!
Sorry for lack of blogs, folks. Fact is, I've gotten in stride into my Oz book, and want to get it finished soon. I told my editor that I expect to have the first draft done by the end of June, but I might finish sooner.
I initially wanted to do a 20-chapter book, noting that Ruth Plumly Thompson usually had that many, but seeing as my story has a tighter plot than Thompson's (that's not ego, it's fact, Thompson could be very loose), I'm looking at about 16.
And the worst thing about writing an Oz story? You come up with ideas for more! So, I have another Oz book in mind. It's not a sequel to this one, in fact, at least one scene takes place before the one I'm working on, explaining an unexplained item in it. And now I will stop being so vague.
Also, I've been contributing some writing for other Oz projects, and what they are, I really can't say right now. But be sure that as soon as I can say, I'll tell you.
And the podcast, yes, I've been working on that. The next episode is being edited right now, though I think I started work on it too late to finish in time for this month, so we might have two next month, really.
Also, the L. Frank Baum birthday special is underway, thanks to the wonderful volunteers. I really love doing those, because collaboration is a lot of fun.
Anyways, back to editing and writing, and I promise, my take on Captain SaltOutside of in Oz will be coming!
I initially wanted to do a 20-chapter book, noting that Ruth Plumly Thompson usually had that many, but seeing as my story has a tighter plot than Thompson's (that's not ego, it's fact, Thompson could be very loose), I'm looking at about 16.
And the worst thing about writing an Oz story? You come up with ideas for more! So, I have another Oz book in mind. It's not a sequel to this one, in fact, at least one scene takes place before the one I'm working on, explaining an unexplained item in it. And now I will stop being so vague.
Also, I've been contributing some writing for other Oz projects, and what they are, I really can't say right now. But be sure that as soon as I can say, I'll tell you.
And the podcast, yes, I've been working on that. The next episode is being edited right now, though I think I started work on it too late to finish in time for this month, so we might have two next month, really.
Also, the L. Frank Baum birthday special is underway, thanks to the wonderful volunteers. I really love doing those, because collaboration is a lot of fun.
Anyways, back to editing and writing, and I promise, my take on Captain Salt
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
A Bitty Bit of Information
Cross-posted from my WordPress blog.
In The Wishing Horse of Oz, we meet Bitty Bit, the Seer of Some Summit. I said a little bit (or should that be "a BITTY bit"?) about him here, but I think he deserves a little more attention. Physically, he's a tiny man who resembles a brownie, although I guess he's not quite small enough to be one, as he's apparently about the same size as Dorothy. He has black eyes, and wears a brown robe and a round cap with a quill. All of the furnishings of his castle on Some Summit, a mountaintop in the Land of Ev, are brown or tan. Bitty lives alone in his castle, aside from a chef who is "even smaller than his Master and almost completely enveloped in a great brown linen apron and tall brown cap" (p. 240). I have to wonder if this cook might be a relative of Bitty's. I have long thought that an appropriate (if not particularly creative) name for him would be Bittier.
The seer is particularly good at what he does, telling King Skamperoo, "I know all, I see all, and what is more, I TELL ALL!" I would imagine Bitty is exaggerating his abilities, as he presumably isn't omniscient, but he does seem to be much more clear with his visions than other prognosticators in the series. Characters like Abrog and the unnamed Soothsayer from Purple Prince tend to prophesy in mysterious, equivocal speech; but Bitty is very direct and accurate. Really, I have to wonder why he doesn't get consulted more often, but I guess that might make things too easy. Even in Wishing Horse, as both David L. Greene and Jared Davis indicate, he's basically a deus ex machina. While an interesting character in his own right, he basically just wanders in and solves everything, putting an abrupt halt to Dorothy and Pigasus' quest for allies. The girl and the pig first meet him in his shooting tower, part of his castle that is built of stones with a rubber-like substance in between. It can expand, contract, and coil; and Bitty can use it to venture out into the world and look for things. When he first meets Dorothy and Pigasus, he is looking for sea serpents, but quickly abandons this search to help the two take back Oz for Ozma instead. With his powers, he is able to discover Skamperoo's treachery with no problem, and sends the conqueror away with several wishes that the seer knows will be used wisely. After that, we never see him again. Not in the Famous Forty, anyway. I'm not sure if there are other books that use him, but I did put him in some of my own stories.
In The Wishing Horse of Oz, we meet Bitty Bit, the Seer of Some Summit. I said a little bit (or should that be "a BITTY bit"?) about him here, but I think he deserves a little more attention. Physically, he's a tiny man who resembles a brownie, although I guess he's not quite small enough to be one, as he's apparently about the same size as Dorothy. He has black eyes, and wears a brown robe and a round cap with a quill. All of the furnishings of his castle on Some Summit, a mountaintop in the Land of Ev, are brown or tan. Bitty lives alone in his castle, aside from a chef who is "even smaller than his Master and almost completely enveloped in a great brown linen apron and tall brown cap" (p. 240). I have to wonder if this cook might be a relative of Bitty's. I have long thought that an appropriate (if not particularly creative) name for him would be Bittier.
The seer is particularly good at what he does, telling King Skamperoo, "I know all, I see all, and what is more, I TELL ALL!" I would imagine Bitty is exaggerating his abilities, as he presumably isn't omniscient, but he does seem to be much more clear with his visions than other prognosticators in the series. Characters like Abrog and the unnamed Soothsayer from Purple Prince tend to prophesy in mysterious, equivocal speech; but Bitty is very direct and accurate. Really, I have to wonder why he doesn't get consulted more often, but I guess that might make things too easy. Even in Wishing Horse, as both David L. Greene and Jared Davis indicate, he's basically a deus ex machina. While an interesting character in his own right, he basically just wanders in and solves everything, putting an abrupt halt to Dorothy and Pigasus' quest for allies. The girl and the pig first meet him in his shooting tower, part of his castle that is built of stones with a rubber-like substance in between. It can expand, contract, and coil; and Bitty can use it to venture out into the world and look for things. When he first meets Dorothy and Pigasus, he is looking for sea serpents, but quickly abandons this search to help the two take back Oz for Ozma instead. With his powers, he is able to discover Skamperoo's treachery with no problem, and sends the conqueror away with several wishes that the seer knows will be used wisely. After that, we never see him again. Not in the Famous Forty, anyway. I'm not sure if there are other books that use him, but I did put him in some of my own stories.
Monday, March 21, 2011
The Wishing Horse of Oz
1935, Thompson's fifteenth Oz novel, exactly one more than L. Frank Baum had written, not counting short stories, picture books, or anything in the expanded universe. Twenty-nine Oz books (or twenty-eight, since Reilly & Lee didn't count The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, since they didn't publish it), two authors. Thompson felt her well of ideas for Oz stories was running dry, and she felt Reilly & Lee weren't doing enough to promote the Oz series. This led her to suggest that this Oz book should be the final one.
The Wishing Horse of Oz opens in the kingdom of Skampavia, across the Deadly Desert. King Skamperoo obtains some magic emerald necklaces that grant him the wish for a horse, who happens to talk and is named Chalk. He says he's from Oz, and Skamperoo decides he'll take over Oz.
In Oz, however, a grand celebration is getting underway to celebrate Dorothy and the Wizard "discovering" Oz, with virtually every character from the previous twenty-eight Oz books attending. At the banquet, the Soldier with the Green Whiskers' beard suddenly turns red. Some fear it may be a forewarning of danger. Dorothy swallows a wishing pill (the Wizard seems to have an improved recipe) and wishes that regardless of what happens, she will be able to save Oz and Ozma.
The next morning, Dorothy is surprised to find Ozma, the Wizard, Glinda, Jinnicky the Red Jinn, and every other ruler of any part of Oz and magic worker, gone. No one else notices, and a strange king, Skamperoo, is on the throne. The only person who can help Dorothy is Pigasus. Due to his psychic power of making his rider a poet, he too can remember Ozma when Dorothy rides him. Dorothy realizes they will have to look outside of Oz for help.
They head to the Winkie County, because Dorothy thinks of asking Kaliko or the King of Ev for help. They come across the Black Forest, where everything is jet black. Even worse, Dorothy and Pigasus become black as well and are caught by the Black Watch, who work for Gloma the Witch. Gloma was a witch who retreated to these woods when Dorothy killed the Wicked Witches, so Ozma is completely unknown to Gloma. Fearing that Dorothy may be trying to do her in next, Gloma uses magic to try Dorothy and Pigasus, but they manage to survive. Seeing she is bested, Gloma surrenders to Dorothy, but Dorothy assures her she wishes her no harm. Gloma is able to send the two across the Deadly Desert, removes the blacking, and gives Dorothy a box with a magic powder to create a square mile of total blackness.
They visit Kaliko first. He's frustrated at Dorothy's visit, and would prefer that Ozma stay missing. But he offers what aid he can spare. He discovers Ozma and the missing people on the top of Thunder Mountain, a place where no one has returned safely or escaped from. He also tells Dorothy that he'll send his army if she can enlist another to help conquer Skamperoo. He also gives Dorothy a box of stumbling blocks.
So, wait, Dorothy and Pigasus are on a mighty errand, and are armed with magic weapons, and have a promise for help? This sounds like it could really be Thompson's best yet!
As Dorothy and Pigasus head to the Nonestic Ocean, they find Bitty Bit, the Seer of Some Summit, who, in his completely elastic tower, sees what happened, and takes them back to Oz, where, using the magic weapons and cleverness, they subdue Skamperoo and Chalk. They restore Ozma and Skamperoo is allowed five wishes when he returns to Skampavia. So, all is right again Oz very quickly...
Back in Skampavia, the wishes are turned over to Pinny Penny, Skamperoo's wise prime minister, who uses them for the good of Skampavia: that Skamperoo may be wise and generous, that Skampavia may become rich and prosperous, that the climate and soil would improve, and then, Chalk makes a wish that the three may never be separated, and they may live long. Chalk is added in the final wish.
To me, The Wishing Horse of Oz felt rushed at the end, forcing Thompson to bring in a deus ex machina in the form of Bitty Bit. Thompson had proved she had a great imagination, so I'm sure she would have delivered a different ending, provided the time to work it out. The original edition features numerous errors, suggesting a quick, sloppy editing job as well. It is also noteworthy that this was the last Oz book by Reilly & Lee to feature color plates.
Certainly, the book is not without redeeming qualities, such as the fascinating character of Gloma, a Good Witch of the West (Eric Shanower's The Blue Witch of Oz identifies her as such). It would be worthwhile to revisit her character. Bitty Bit, the deus ex machina that he is, also seems ripe for further expansion, but sadly, these two never re-surface in the Famous Forty.
So, while The Wishing Horse of Oz may be the most exciting build up to a deus ex machina that I've ever read, it is one of Thompson's better books. I just wish she could have fleshed out the ending.
Now, even though Thompson suggested that this should be her last book, would it be?
The Wishing Horse of Oz opens in the kingdom of Skampavia, across the Deadly Desert. King Skamperoo obtains some magic emerald necklaces that grant him the wish for a horse, who happens to talk and is named Chalk. He says he's from Oz, and Skamperoo decides he'll take over Oz.
In Oz, however, a grand celebration is getting underway to celebrate Dorothy and the Wizard "discovering" Oz, with virtually every character from the previous twenty-eight Oz books attending. At the banquet, the Soldier with the Green Whiskers' beard suddenly turns red. Some fear it may be a forewarning of danger. Dorothy swallows a wishing pill (the Wizard seems to have an improved recipe) and wishes that regardless of what happens, she will be able to save Oz and Ozma.
The next morning, Dorothy is surprised to find Ozma, the Wizard, Glinda, Jinnicky the Red Jinn, and every other ruler of any part of Oz and magic worker, gone. No one else notices, and a strange king, Skamperoo, is on the throne. The only person who can help Dorothy is Pigasus. Due to his psychic power of making his rider a poet, he too can remember Ozma when Dorothy rides him. Dorothy realizes they will have to look outside of Oz for help.
They head to the Winkie County, because Dorothy thinks of asking Kaliko or the King of Ev for help. They come across the Black Forest, where everything is jet black. Even worse, Dorothy and Pigasus become black as well and are caught by the Black Watch, who work for Gloma the Witch. Gloma was a witch who retreated to these woods when Dorothy killed the Wicked Witches, so Ozma is completely unknown to Gloma. Fearing that Dorothy may be trying to do her in next, Gloma uses magic to try Dorothy and Pigasus, but they manage to survive. Seeing she is bested, Gloma surrenders to Dorothy, but Dorothy assures her she wishes her no harm. Gloma is able to send the two across the Deadly Desert, removes the blacking, and gives Dorothy a box with a magic powder to create a square mile of total blackness.
They visit Kaliko first. He's frustrated at Dorothy's visit, and would prefer that Ozma stay missing. But he offers what aid he can spare. He discovers Ozma and the missing people on the top of Thunder Mountain, a place where no one has returned safely or escaped from. He also tells Dorothy that he'll send his army if she can enlist another to help conquer Skamperoo. He also gives Dorothy a box of stumbling blocks.
So, wait, Dorothy and Pigasus are on a mighty errand, and are armed with magic weapons, and have a promise for help? This sounds like it could really be Thompson's best yet!
As Dorothy and Pigasus head to the Nonestic Ocean, they find Bitty Bit, the Seer of Some Summit, who, in his completely elastic tower, sees what happened, and takes them back to Oz, where, using the magic weapons and cleverness, they subdue Skamperoo and Chalk. They restore Ozma and Skamperoo is allowed five wishes when he returns to Skampavia. So, all is right again Oz very quickly...
Back in Skampavia, the wishes are turned over to Pinny Penny, Skamperoo's wise prime minister, who uses them for the good of Skampavia: that Skamperoo may be wise and generous, that Skampavia may become rich and prosperous, that the climate and soil would improve, and then, Chalk makes a wish that the three may never be separated, and they may live long. Chalk is added in the final wish.
To me, The Wishing Horse of Oz felt rushed at the end, forcing Thompson to bring in a deus ex machina in the form of Bitty Bit. Thompson had proved she had a great imagination, so I'm sure she would have delivered a different ending, provided the time to work it out. The original edition features numerous errors, suggesting a quick, sloppy editing job as well. It is also noteworthy that this was the last Oz book by Reilly & Lee to feature color plates.
Certainly, the book is not without redeeming qualities, such as the fascinating character of Gloma, a Good Witch of the West (Eric Shanower's The Blue Witch of Oz identifies her as such). It would be worthwhile to revisit her character. Bitty Bit, the deus ex machina that he is, also seems ripe for further expansion, but sadly, these two never re-surface in the Famous Forty.
So, while The Wishing Horse of Oz may be the most exciting build up to a deus ex machina that I've ever read, it is one of Thompson's better books. I just wish she could have fleshed out the ending.
Now, even though Thompson suggested that this should be her last book, would it be?
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Catching up?
Oh, hi!
Um, yeah... I didn't blog in about a month. I moved, so there was a bit of upheaval in my life, and having a computer break down on me in January and buying a replacement didn't help speed things up.
Right now, most of my Oz books are in a storage unit a few blocks from here. With the help of some friends, I may be just waiting on a few more Oz books to complete the Oz stories by the Famous Forty's authors. (Well, I have Eloise McGraw's Rundelstone of Oz in Oz-Story 6. I should probably get a hardcover... Which, yes, David Maxine, I'm sure is very nice...)
I have Neill's The Wonder City of Oz and The Scalawagons of Oz here, and they're actually first editions, or so the sellers told me. They're both Reilly & Lee editions, and certainly old. I got really good deals on them, though both show some signs of damage. (Wonder City's cover is detached. I'm kind of scared to read it much...)
My computer issues were mainly what delayed the podcast last month. I have two podcasts recorded, but they need to be edited. At the time, they were on my old system drive, which was an old hard drive that required not just any IDE to USB bridge. However, I found one that worked, so I have access to that data at last.
This week, I decided to finally catch up on Oz comics. I'm ashamed to say the only issue of Marvel's Ozma of Oz I bought was the first. Well, actually, I did place an order for #2-4, and it has been billed, so I guess I've bought the rest, I don't just have them in hand yet. I do have Marvel's Oz Primer, though.
Also finally ordered Ozopolis #1 and the first three issues of Royal Historian of Oz. And I just finished scouring Springfield's comics shops for a copy of Fables #101 that Eric Shanower did the artwork for, featuring some Oz characters. (No, I haven't been following with the Oz references in that series. I know there's a lot, but it's a bit much to try to catch up on.) No joy, but one comics shop owner said he'd try to help me out. And if that doesn't work out, then there is eBay...
Still puttering at that Oz novel. I'm on a slow chapter, mainly designed to fill time so two parties will meet up at the right place at the right time. I think I'm almost done with it, and once it's done... We're building to the climax!
That's also not the only Oz writing I've done, but since certain things aren't set in stone yet, I'm not saying much more. When and if it happens, I'll let you know.
Oh, and yesterday, in less than two hours, I made this guy:
You can read how I made him and how to try your own here.
And one last thing: I'm starting to get L. Frank Baum's birthday podcast ready. We're recording "Tiktok and the Nome King" from Little Wizard Stories of Oz. If you want to volunteer for a character voice, just send an e-mail to scarecrowandtinman2002@yahoo.com
That it? ... I'll just say that even though my Oz books are in storage, I do have a work-around so that the blogs about the Famous Forty can continue. Thank goodness I hit Thompson's public domain books!
Um, yeah... I didn't blog in about a month. I moved, so there was a bit of upheaval in my life, and having a computer break down on me in January and buying a replacement didn't help speed things up.
Right now, most of my Oz books are in a storage unit a few blocks from here. With the help of some friends, I may be just waiting on a few more Oz books to complete the Oz stories by the Famous Forty's authors. (Well, I have Eloise McGraw's Rundelstone of Oz in Oz-Story 6. I should probably get a hardcover... Which, yes, David Maxine, I'm sure is very nice...)
I have Neill's The Wonder City of Oz and The Scalawagons of Oz here, and they're actually first editions, or so the sellers told me. They're both Reilly & Lee editions, and certainly old. I got really good deals on them, though both show some signs of damage. (Wonder City's cover is detached. I'm kind of scared to read it much...)
My computer issues were mainly what delayed the podcast last month. I have two podcasts recorded, but they need to be edited. At the time, they were on my old system drive, which was an old hard drive that required not just any IDE to USB bridge. However, I found one that worked, so I have access to that data at last.
This week, I decided to finally catch up on Oz comics. I'm ashamed to say the only issue of Marvel's Ozma of Oz I bought was the first. Well, actually, I did place an order for #2-4, and it has been billed, so I guess I've bought the rest, I don't just have them in hand yet. I do have Marvel's Oz Primer, though.
Also finally ordered Ozopolis #1 and the first three issues of Royal Historian of Oz. And I just finished scouring Springfield's comics shops for a copy of Fables #101 that Eric Shanower did the artwork for, featuring some Oz characters. (No, I haven't been following with the Oz references in that series. I know there's a lot, but it's a bit much to try to catch up on.) No joy, but one comics shop owner said he'd try to help me out. And if that doesn't work out, then there is eBay...
Still puttering at that Oz novel. I'm on a slow chapter, mainly designed to fill time so two parties will meet up at the right place at the right time. I think I'm almost done with it, and once it's done... We're building to the climax!
That's also not the only Oz writing I've done, but since certain things aren't set in stone yet, I'm not saying much more. When and if it happens, I'll let you know.
Oh, and yesterday, in less than two hours, I made this guy:
And one last thing: I'm starting to get L. Frank Baum's birthday podcast ready. We're recording "Tiktok and the Nome King" from Little Wizard Stories of Oz. If you want to volunteer for a character voice, just send an e-mail to scarecrowandtinman2002@yahoo.com
That it? ... I'll just say that even though my Oz books are in storage, I do have a work-around so that the blogs about the Famous Forty can continue. Thank goodness I hit Thompson's public domain books!
Sunday, February 27, 2011
The Royal Podcast of Oz: L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
In this episode, Jared Davis interviews Clayton Spinney and Sean Gates, the director and writer of L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, an independent production set for completion in 2012. As always, you can listen and download at the podcast site, or use the player below.
Download this episode (right click and save)
(And yes, Jared plans to blog again soon!)
Download this episode (right click and save)
(And yes, Jared plans to blog again soon!)
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Depicting Oz: Dorothy Gale of Kansas
I spoke before my thoughts on how I feel Oz is best depicted and how often it shouldn't be depicted. For this post, I'd like to express some more on Dorothy, again referencing past and certain portrayals.
(* Any mistakes or errors please let me know so I may fix mistakes to proper formatting *)
When "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" was published, it was 1899-1900, the Turn of the Century, the new 20th Century and still the time of Pioneers.
Electricity had to be fully realized and mainstream, so the families at that time would use oil lamps with lit candles, and rely more on resourcefulness, neighbourly help and elbow grease.
When I imagine Dorothy, I don't see her as a very pretty girl. Not to say that she is ugly, but just normal looking and, as Princess Langwidere says in 'Ozma of Oz' "Not at all beautiful . . . but a certain style of prettiness". Add that she is an American farmgirl, I prefer not to and don't see her with blonde hair. Nothing to do with Judy Garland but more with Baum and perception, a Dorothy with brown hair looks more normal and properly akin to a farm's setting than a blonde Dorothy - in turn I usually imagine Ozma to have blonde or a more beautiful coloured hair. Dorothy has been well known to be illustrated with a blonde bob by John R. Neill, Eric Shanower and the other artists who have done the Famous 40 and other Oz books. However I feel like this makes her too similar to other girls and less of her own person.
Dorothy having brown hair and visiting a magic land like Oz, Ev etc. stands out more in contrast than a blonde Dorothy coming from a happier Kansas and visiting the magic land of Oz. In film she has been given blonde hair in the 1976 Australian M15+ "Rock 'N' Roll Road Movie", the 1982 Toho anime, 1987 direct-to-video "Dorothy Meets Ozma of Oz" (faithful) half-hour short and a Funky Fables anime. To a lesser extent, you could also include Disney's "Rainbow Road" excerpt played by Darlene, and the 1994 Russian live-action alteration film.
Notable illustrations with blonde Dorothy are Charles Santore and Yutaka Ono for the Japanese books. And there Yutaka gives Dorothy some starry eyes, rosy cheeks, flowery head band, and some near-fancy clothing. He has illustrated the first 3 Oz books several times and has drawn the characters differently, but each time Dorothy is a pretty girl (also the Good Witch of the North is young+pretty and the west Witch is green-skinned). Yutaka doesn't ALWAYS do Dorothy blonde, but they do have a philosophy that girls with blonde hair and blue eyes signifies innocence, though of course this is not always so true in real life or other media.
I believe that Dorothy looks better suited to brown hair and wearing simple farming gowns when experiencing her visit in Oz and is more appropriate that way, than with blonde (short) hair with pretty dresses and "Mary-Jane" shoes with straps which can make her seem less distinct from and bear a greater resemblance to Alice who dreams of Wonderland/Looking Glass, who was first illustrated with blonde hair (although the real life Alice Liddel had a black bob - as the real Dorothy was a five month old baby, little is known about the actual hair).
Another matter concerning Dorothy, moreso than her hair colour or length, is her dressing colour: Baum of course writes her wearing a blue-and-white check gingham gown, "somewhat faded with many washes" and a pink bonnet (plus a basket of food). Yutaka Ono has often drawn Dorothy outside of blue and without her other bearings. My favourite colour is blue so I am a little perplexed when someone avoids this description in the original text, but worst of all the neglecting of a bonnet - protection from the sun - and the basket - food for sustenance along the long journey. It is up to the individual artist to draw Dorothy how they like, but I wonder why at times they take her out of the blue and give her something else like red, pink or some different colour.
- Please don't take this to think that I don't like blondes or pink, I don't mind Dorothy being shown as a blonde when she's done so well by Eric Shanower or John R Neill; I just get tired of seeing it so often and have seen more dark-haired versions -
Baum mentions that Uncle Henry has a long (gray) beard, rough boots, looks stern and solemn, rarely speaks and "worked hard from morning till night", while Aunt Em has lost the sparkles from her eyes and red from her cheeks & lips, is thin and gaunt and doesn't smile. Several adaptations leave out Henry's beard (sometimes completely shaved or with just a moustache & balding hair), but more to the point tend to make Aunt Em fat.
Their age is never specified or hinted at in the text, but the few images of them suggest they could be in their late 40s, early-mid 50s and even late 50s/early-60s. At times however, they are depicted on screen as being old enough to be grandparents, another depiction I don't agree with. Yes it's true that exceedingly hard work and weight can make one appear older than they actually are, but not necessarily DECADES older.
When you consider the time of the story's setting and that the family is poor, it's easier to understand with Baum's description than the chubby-grand portrayals. They are so poor that their beds are out in the open, in the ONE ROOM which also has the dining table + chairs, the cyclone cellar and "a rusty looking cooking stove", all within just these four walls of the house, a house whose paint has peeled away and gets built from wood "carried by wagon many miles". They have no electricity (or even shaving foam) so Henry can't trim his beard as well even if he could, nor should Em fatten up with so little food and neither can Dorothy afford to have dolls or pretty dressings. Some adaptations don't show the family as poor, which is why those tellings give the house some more windows or rooms and even a second floor, but this again could be avoiding the original text description.
The weather is constantly sunny and hot but also cloudy, so the crops don't always get the proper treatment. Crops that are below expectation for sale receive little money, and little money limits the supplies farming families can get. When money is limited, you need to spend what little you have on the more important things like food or house/farm things, and cannot get treats like fancy dresses or toys.
Although Toto is the one black animal that stands out against the grey surroundings, it is this dog that keeps Dorothy happy and appropriately in playful character for her age, preventing the harsh realities of life affecting her prematurely. And an energetic dog with a playful attitude is better than a toy which can get broken and may sometimes be rendered useless, even if it is another mouth to feed.
I know little of farms and what they had or did in that time of life, but I am sure that a trap door in the middle of the house as a cyclone-cellar is safer and closer, even easier, to access during a hurricane or windy storm than one outside the house, as seen in MGM (or even Disney's "Return to Oz").
When Kansas is dreary, Aunt Em and Uncle Henry are worn and grey, and Dorothy has brown hair with simple gowns, then the visit to the fairyland of Oz has a greater and much clearer contrast and shows for a much better telling of the story.
(* Any mistakes or errors please let me know so I may fix mistakes to proper formatting *)
When "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" was published, it was 1899-1900, the Turn of the Century, the new 20th Century and still the time of Pioneers.
Electricity had to be fully realized and mainstream, so the families at that time would use oil lamps with lit candles, and rely more on resourcefulness, neighbourly help and elbow grease.
When I imagine Dorothy, I don't see her as a very pretty girl. Not to say that she is ugly, but just normal looking and, as Princess Langwidere says in 'Ozma of Oz' "Not at all beautiful . . . but a certain style of prettiness". Add that she is an American farmgirl, I prefer not to and don't see her with blonde hair. Nothing to do with Judy Garland but more with Baum and perception, a Dorothy with brown hair looks more normal and properly akin to a farm's setting than a blonde Dorothy - in turn I usually imagine Ozma to have blonde or a more beautiful coloured hair. Dorothy has been well known to be illustrated with a blonde bob by John R. Neill, Eric Shanower and the other artists who have done the Famous 40 and other Oz books. However I feel like this makes her too similar to other girls and less of her own person.
Dorothy having brown hair and visiting a magic land like Oz, Ev etc. stands out more in contrast than a blonde Dorothy coming from a happier Kansas and visiting the magic land of Oz. In film she has been given blonde hair in the 1976 Australian M15+ "Rock 'N' Roll Road Movie", the 1982 Toho anime, 1987 direct-to-video "Dorothy Meets Ozma of Oz" (faithful) half-hour short and a Funky Fables anime. To a lesser extent, you could also include Disney's "Rainbow Road" excerpt played by Darlene, and the 1994 Russian live-action alteration film.
Notable illustrations with blonde Dorothy are Charles Santore and Yutaka Ono for the Japanese books. And there Yutaka gives Dorothy some starry eyes, rosy cheeks, flowery head band, and some near-fancy clothing. He has illustrated the first 3 Oz books several times and has drawn the characters differently, but each time Dorothy is a pretty girl (also the Good Witch of the North is young+pretty and the west Witch is green-skinned). Yutaka doesn't ALWAYS do Dorothy blonde, but they do have a philosophy that girls with blonde hair and blue eyes signifies innocence, though of course this is not always so true in real life or other media.
I believe that Dorothy looks better suited to brown hair and wearing simple farming gowns when experiencing her visit in Oz and is more appropriate that way, than with blonde (short) hair with pretty dresses and "Mary-Jane" shoes with straps which can make her seem less distinct from and bear a greater resemblance to Alice who dreams of Wonderland/Looking Glass, who was first illustrated with blonde hair (although the real life Alice Liddel had a black bob - as the real Dorothy was a five month old baby, little is known about the actual hair).
Another matter concerning Dorothy, moreso than her hair colour or length, is her dressing colour: Baum of course writes her wearing a blue-and-white check gingham gown, "somewhat faded with many washes" and a pink bonnet (plus a basket of food). Yutaka Ono has often drawn Dorothy outside of blue and without her other bearings. My favourite colour is blue so I am a little perplexed when someone avoids this description in the original text, but worst of all the neglecting of a bonnet - protection from the sun - and the basket - food for sustenance along the long journey. It is up to the individual artist to draw Dorothy how they like, but I wonder why at times they take her out of the blue and give her something else like red, pink or some different colour.
- Please don't take this to think that I don't like blondes or pink, I don't mind Dorothy being shown as a blonde when she's done so well by Eric Shanower or John R Neill; I just get tired of seeing it so often and have seen more dark-haired versions -
Baum mentions that Uncle Henry has a long (gray) beard, rough boots, looks stern and solemn, rarely speaks and "worked hard from morning till night", while Aunt Em has lost the sparkles from her eyes and red from her cheeks & lips, is thin and gaunt and doesn't smile. Several adaptations leave out Henry's beard (sometimes completely shaved or with just a moustache & balding hair), but more to the point tend to make Aunt Em fat.
Their age is never specified or hinted at in the text, but the few images of them suggest they could be in their late 40s, early-mid 50s and even late 50s/early-60s. At times however, they are depicted on screen as being old enough to be grandparents, another depiction I don't agree with. Yes it's true that exceedingly hard work and weight can make one appear older than they actually are, but not necessarily DECADES older.
When you consider the time of the story's setting and that the family is poor, it's easier to understand with Baum's description than the chubby-grand portrayals. They are so poor that their beds are out in the open, in the ONE ROOM which also has the dining table + chairs, the cyclone cellar and "a rusty looking cooking stove", all within just these four walls of the house, a house whose paint has peeled away and gets built from wood "carried by wagon many miles". They have no electricity (or even shaving foam) so Henry can't trim his beard as well even if he could, nor should Em fatten up with so little food and neither can Dorothy afford to have dolls or pretty dressings. Some adaptations don't show the family as poor, which is why those tellings give the house some more windows or rooms and even a second floor, but this again could be avoiding the original text description.
The weather is constantly sunny and hot but also cloudy, so the crops don't always get the proper treatment. Crops that are below expectation for sale receive little money, and little money limits the supplies farming families can get. When money is limited, you need to spend what little you have on the more important things like food or house/farm things, and cannot get treats like fancy dresses or toys.
Although Toto is the one black animal that stands out against the grey surroundings, it is this dog that keeps Dorothy happy and appropriately in playful character for her age, preventing the harsh realities of life affecting her prematurely. And an energetic dog with a playful attitude is better than a toy which can get broken and may sometimes be rendered useless, even if it is another mouth to feed.
I know little of farms and what they had or did in that time of life, but I am sure that a trap door in the middle of the house as a cyclone-cellar is safer and closer, even easier, to access during a hurricane or windy storm than one outside the house, as seen in MGM (or even Disney's "Return to Oz").
When Kansas is dreary, Aunt Em and Uncle Henry are worn and grey, and Dorothy has brown hair with simple gowns, then the visit to the fairyland of Oz has a greater and much clearer contrast and shows for a much better telling of the story.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Hearts and Minds
Since Valentine's Day just recently ended, I suppose it would be appropriate to talk about hearts. And since this is an Oz post, I'm sure the first subject to come to anyone's mind would be the Tin Woodman, who sought one for his tin body from the Wizard of Oz. The Wizard had no magical powers at this point, but he still provided Nick Chopper with a plush heart stuffed with sawdust, and his friend the Scarecrow with brains made of bran mixed with pins and needles. The story makes it clear that the Tin Woodman and the Scarecrow, respectively, were already kind-hearted and intelligent, but they needed the symbols to be satisfied. In Tin Woodman, Nick explains that his heart is kind rather than loving as an excuse for not having sought out Nimmie Amee, the girl he had planned to marry before his series of axidents. Really, though, I think it's just that, what with his new life and new friends, he really no longer had any interest in Nimmie Amee. He is certainly capable of showing love, even if he claims he isn't.
Some of the later Oz books also play with the idea of hearts and brains. Jack Pumpkinhead uses the seeds in his pumpkins for brains, and while he's hardly the brightest man in Oz, he has occasional flashes of insight. Dr. Pipt gave the Glass Cat brains of shiny pink stones that made her conceited, and a ruby heart that wasn't very compassionate. The Wizard temporarily made her more humble by giving her transparent brains at the end of Patchwork Girl, but she has the pink ones back again in Magic. By the time he brings the Patchwork Girl to life, Pipt seems to have improved on his brain-making abilities, with a set of powders that each provide a particular trait used for her brains. In Tik-Tok, the Great Jinjin Tititi-Hoochoo is said to have no heart, so that emotion and compassion will not interfere with his justice. Moving on to Ruth Plumly Thompson's books, the reanimated Terrybubble seems to function just fine without physical brains or a heart, but he does prefer to keep Speedy in his chest where his heart once was. When dealing with such matters, it's not entirely clear whether the presence or absence of hearts and brains really impact these characters, or they just think they do. In the end, though, I guess it amounts to about the same thing.
Some of the later Oz books also play with the idea of hearts and brains. Jack Pumpkinhead uses the seeds in his pumpkins for brains, and while he's hardly the brightest man in Oz, he has occasional flashes of insight. Dr. Pipt gave the Glass Cat brains of shiny pink stones that made her conceited, and a ruby heart that wasn't very compassionate. The Wizard temporarily made her more humble by giving her transparent brains at the end of Patchwork Girl, but she has the pink ones back again in Magic. By the time he brings the Patchwork Girl to life, Pipt seems to have improved on his brain-making abilities, with a set of powders that each provide a particular trait used for her brains. In Tik-Tok, the Great Jinjin Tititi-Hoochoo is said to have no heart, so that emotion and compassion will not interfere with his justice. Moving on to Ruth Plumly Thompson's books, the reanimated Terrybubble seems to function just fine without physical brains or a heart, but he does prefer to keep Speedy in his chest where his heart once was. When dealing with such matters, it's not entirely clear whether the presence or absence of hearts and brains really impact these characters, or they just think they do. In the end, though, I guess it amounts to about the same thing.
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