Yay! Over a week after everyone else, I have the latest Baum Bugle! I didn't think I was going to get it!
But I'll still be renewing my membership next week!
Wow! In June, I posted 18 blog entries, counting this one! Let's try to beat that soon, shall we?
Oh, and I heard from the new host of The Wonders of Oz today. I should be getting his narration later today, so the final editing will begin very soon!
Anyone want to guess who the host is? I just revealed it's a he. But I'm not telling until the episode is released!
Saturday, June 30, 2007
Friday, June 29, 2007
June: Record Month!
Wow! In June, I posted about 15 blog entries, more than I've ever done in a month before!
Today is payday, but, due to this paycheck being for a somewhat shorter work week, I'm not expecting it to be very large. From it I will have to extract my half of the rent, and pay back a friend who loaned me $20 when the bank passed a bill to my account, and made it go a little negative again. My friend helped me out not only by loaning me the money, but by dropping off the deposist herself. We were able to beat the overdraft fee, so I just owe a friend $20 instead of owing the bank almost $50.
To help me survive until July 6, I have opted to sell some of my DVDs. No, I'm not getting rid of any Oz movies. I have selected three movies that I have bought, all in "Special 2-Disc" editions. I'm not fond of them at ALL. I usually buy my movies instead of renting.
Anyways, on July 6, I will be renewing my membership with the International Wizard of Oz Club.
Today is payday, but, due to this paycheck being for a somewhat shorter work week, I'm not expecting it to be very large. From it I will have to extract my half of the rent, and pay back a friend who loaned me $20 when the bank passed a bill to my account, and made it go a little negative again. My friend helped me out not only by loaning me the money, but by dropping off the deposist herself. We were able to beat the overdraft fee, so I just owe a friend $20 instead of owing the bank almost $50.
To help me survive until July 6, I have opted to sell some of my DVDs. No, I'm not getting rid of any Oz movies. I have selected three movies that I have bought, all in "Special 2-Disc" editions. I'm not fond of them at ALL. I usually buy my movies instead of renting.
Anyways, on July 6, I will be renewing my membership with the International Wizard of Oz Club.
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Okay! I have a question!
Yes, that's right! I'm asking a question on my blog! (So I want comments!) It's a doozy!
Am I really that important in the Oz community?
Seriously! Some people e-mail me like I am. I, on the other hand, feel I am rather inferior there...
Am I really that important in the Oz community?
Seriously! Some people e-mail me like I am. I, on the other hand, feel I am rather inferior there...
- I've never had anything about Oz or Baum published anywhere, except online, all of it my own doing.
- I've never had an Oz story completed to where I feel it is suitable for publication.
- I have never attended an Oz festival or convention.
- I have never met any notable Oz fans, writers, etc. (Well, I have met Roger S. Baum, but...)
- I have never been mentioned in any important Oz item.
Would I like to change the truth of these points? Yes, I would! None of them are impossible. Points 1 and 5 could be done by contributing to The Baum Bugle. Points 3 and 4 could both be done at the same time. And if I had enough time to work out the bugs in my writing styles and stories, I could do point 2.
Here are the only things I have done that I can mention.
- Sharing information and items online via the Club's message board, my Oz website, this blog, YouTube, and MySpace.
- I HAVE contributed some very small bits to Eric Gjovaag that have been included in his FAQ. I've also submitted some reviews for his website.
- I was on Aaron Pacentine's Returning to Oz.
- I have e-mailed some more important Oz figures.
- I'm also currently working on two large Oz projects.
Now... give me your comments. Am I that important in the Oz community?
Monday, June 25, 2007
ВОЛШЕБНИК ИЗУМРУДНОГО ГОРОДА - 1974
Hmmm? What's that? You can't read the whole title? Well, ВОЛШЕБНИК ИЗУМРУДНОГО ГОРОДА means The Wizard of the Emerald City. Yep, here's another blog about Alexander Volkov's Russian spin on Oz.
I mentioned that I now own the first screen adaptation of his first book (The Wizard...), which is a 1974 stop-motion animation version. The animation is not quite on the level of, oh, say, Rankin Bass' Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer or (closer to topic) The Life & Adventures of Santa Claus, but it is very good. This also seems to be a classic in Russia, but a total obscurity here.
I've never been able to read a translated version of the book, but the story does differ from the original Baum version. The story goes is that Volkov used The Wonderful Wizard of Oz to learn English, then later re-told it to his children, adding his own Russian spin on the story, as well as new adventures. He later wrote out his "translation" and had it published.
For one thing, many of the names are changed: Dorothy is now Elli, Toto is now Totoshka, the Scarecrow is Strasheela, the Tin Woodman is the Iron Woodcutter, the Wicked Witch of the East is named Gingemma (which was a Russian word for a mean woman, though I am unsure if it came from this story or if the character's name was came from the word), the Wicked Witch of the West is named Bastinda, and the Wizard becomes Goodwin.
The most notable new scene has Elli being captured by an ogre who wants to eat her. Her firends Strasheela, the Iron Woodcutter, and Totoshka must rescue her.
This animated version is a very interesting way to look at Oz, particularly for one familiar with Baum's books. However, this is not Oz: it's the Magic Land, or Goodvinia.
The DVD has two discs. Disc 1 has The Wizard on it, the entire story. But the second disc apparently animates the first sequel, Urfin Jus and his Wooden Soldiers. I haven't finished that one. It's an original sequel, but I have seen the Powder of Life and a live bear rug...
Want to know more about the Magic Land? Click here.
I mentioned that I now own the first screen adaptation of his first book (The Wizard...), which is a 1974 stop-motion animation version. The animation is not quite on the level of, oh, say, Rankin Bass' Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer or (closer to topic) The Life & Adventures of Santa Claus, but it is very good. This also seems to be a classic in Russia, but a total obscurity here.
I've never been able to read a translated version of the book, but the story does differ from the original Baum version. The story goes is that Volkov used The Wonderful Wizard of Oz to learn English, then later re-told it to his children, adding his own Russian spin on the story, as well as new adventures. He later wrote out his "translation" and had it published.
For one thing, many of the names are changed: Dorothy is now Elli, Toto is now Totoshka, the Scarecrow is Strasheela, the Tin Woodman is the Iron Woodcutter, the Wicked Witch of the East is named Gingemma (which was a Russian word for a mean woman, though I am unsure if it came from this story or if the character's name was came from the word), the Wicked Witch of the West is named Bastinda, and the Wizard becomes Goodwin.
The most notable new scene has Elli being captured by an ogre who wants to eat her. Her firends Strasheela, the Iron Woodcutter, and Totoshka must rescue her.
This animated version is a very interesting way to look at Oz, particularly for one familiar with Baum's books. However, this is not Oz: it's the Magic Land, or Goodvinia.
The DVD has two discs. Disc 1 has The Wizard on it, the entire story. But the second disc apparently animates the first sequel, Urfin Jus and his Wooden Soldiers. I haven't finished that one. It's an original sequel, but I have seen the Powder of Life and a live bear rug...
Want to know more about the Magic Land? Click here.
Thursday, June 21, 2007
The Ads are GONE!
Well, I decided the ads were NOT doing me any good, so good-bye ads! No more cluttering up my blog for you!
Oh, and I changed the layout to something greener and, I think, more Ozzy than before. You like?
Oh, and I changed the layout to something greener and, I think, more Ozzy than before. You like?
Thoughts & Opinions on AFI's new spot for OZ
Last night, AFI had it's 10th anniversary special.
Of note to Oz fans, MGM's classic The Wizard of Oz has been moved from #6 to #10.
Above it are nine movies that I haven't seen (except Singin' In The Rain, which has moved up 5 places).
I wonder... is America taking Oz for granted? That movie didn't come around easily, you know!
One thing Oz fans forget is that when MGM made their movie, the original stage musical was considered the "Ultimate" version. So, they had to live up to and exceed that. Instead of basing their movie on the play, they went back to Baum's book and based it mainly on that. The play had set a high bar for Oz adaptations, MGM had to set the bar even higher, and so far, none have been able to completely surpass it. Disney's Return to Oz and The Wiz are now cult classics.
I get so sick of it when I see movies being labelled "The Wizard of Oz for our time." Harry Potter was quickly given that label, and so was some other recent movie, but I forgot what it was. (May have been Pan's Labyrinth.)
Why am I sick of it? Do these new movies convey all the same messages and lessons as Oz? I know Harry Potter has some fans in the Oz community (I am not one of them, I've only referenced it as an example of recent fantasy films), but still, I'm pretty sure that they aren't fans of Harry because it's a lot like Oz. I'm a fan of The Chronicles of Narnia and Tolkien's The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, but both of these are different fantasies. And most of all, Oz is still relevant today.
Stop taking this classic for granted, America!
Of note to Oz fans, MGM's classic The Wizard of Oz has been moved from #6 to #10.
Above it are nine movies that I haven't seen (except Singin' In The Rain, which has moved up 5 places).
I wonder... is America taking Oz for granted? That movie didn't come around easily, you know!
One thing Oz fans forget is that when MGM made their movie, the original stage musical was considered the "Ultimate" version. So, they had to live up to and exceed that. Instead of basing their movie on the play, they went back to Baum's book and based it mainly on that. The play had set a high bar for Oz adaptations, MGM had to set the bar even higher, and so far, none have been able to completely surpass it. Disney's Return to Oz and The Wiz are now cult classics.
I get so sick of it when I see movies being labelled "The Wizard of Oz for our time." Harry Potter was quickly given that label, and so was some other recent movie, but I forgot what it was. (May have been Pan's Labyrinth.)
Why am I sick of it? Do these new movies convey all the same messages and lessons as Oz? I know Harry Potter has some fans in the Oz community (I am not one of them, I've only referenced it as an example of recent fantasy films), but still, I'm pretty sure that they aren't fans of Harry because it's a lot like Oz. I'm a fan of The Chronicles of Narnia and Tolkien's The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, but both of these are different fantasies. And most of all, Oz is still relevant today.
Stop taking this classic for granted, America!
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Plans Working Out Other Ways
Well, I'll be paying the bank off this Friday. Then my next check will mostly have to cover my share of rent. Then, after I get a bit of acumen, then I can finally order those books from Hungry Tiger Press. WOOT!
And, on June 15 and my birthday, I did not go see Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer. I'll be going tomorrow... alone. (Sigh.) And no one bought me what I did want for my birthday: a new pair of shoes, so I bought a pair today.
And thanks to Marc Berezin, I now have a copy of the stop-motion animated The Wizard of the City of Emeralds on DVD. Here's a tip... do NOT buy from DVDCENTERCLUB.com or their e-Bay account! I'd originally ordered this title from them, and there was a little mix-up, and eventually I was out $10 with nothing to show for it. (Let's shut them down!)
Sam Milazzo of Australia and I have also been doing some trading, and eventually, he'll be sending me a copy of Oz: A Rock and Road Musical. (Thank God that I have a DVD Player that could be hacked into a multi-region player... legal to do so, but will void your warranty, BTW.)
And the first episode of "The Wonders of Oz" will have a new host, but I'm still writing and editing it. Who's the new host? You'll have to wait and find out. (And no, it's not James Earl Jones... even he was beyond my budget.)
And, on June 15 and my birthday, I did not go see Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer. I'll be going tomorrow... alone. (Sigh.) And no one bought me what I did want for my birthday: a new pair of shoes, so I bought a pair today.
And thanks to Marc Berezin, I now have a copy of the stop-motion animated The Wizard of the City of Emeralds on DVD. Here's a tip... do NOT buy from DVDCENTERCLUB.com or their e-Bay account! I'd originally ordered this title from them, and there was a little mix-up, and eventually I was out $10 with nothing to show for it. (Let's shut them down!)
Sam Milazzo of Australia and I have also been doing some trading, and eventually, he'll be sending me a copy of Oz: A Rock and Road Musical. (Thank God that I have a DVD Player that could be hacked into a multi-region player... legal to do so, but will void your warranty, BTW.)
And the first episode of "The Wonders of Oz" will have a new host, but I'm still writing and editing it. Who's the new host? You'll have to wait and find out. (And no, it's not James Earl Jones... even he was beyond my budget.)
Friday, June 15, 2007
Sunday is the birthday of not one, but TWO Oz fans!
This Father's Day happens to be the birthday of two Oz fans.
One of them is me. I've mentioned this on this blog before...
The other is Aaron Pacentine, as I shockingly discovered last night.
How weird is that?
I haven't heard anything from Aaron yet. But, as MySpace says he logged in today, I guess he's still alive and was not killed by the shock. (Yeah, right.)
If you want to say "Happy Birthday" to either of us, you can e-mail Aaron at videosforfamily@aol.com, and you can e-mail me at dorothyandozma@hotmail.com, scarecrowandtinman2002@yahoo.com, leave a comment on the blog, or send a MySpace message to the Dorothy & Ozma Productions profile.
Plus, the ads are beginning to annoy me. If I don't get a check by the end of the month for letting them pollute my blog, I'm taking them off! (Already know how to do it.)
One of them is me. I've mentioned this on this blog before...
The other is Aaron Pacentine, as I shockingly discovered last night.
How weird is that?
I haven't heard anything from Aaron yet. But, as MySpace says he logged in today, I guess he's still alive and was not killed by the shock. (Yeah, right.)
If you want to say "Happy Birthday" to either of us, you can e-mail Aaron at videosforfamily@aol.com, and you can e-mail me at dorothyandozma@hotmail.com, scarecrowandtinman2002@yahoo.com, leave a comment on the blog, or send a MySpace message to the Dorothy & Ozma Productions profile.
Plus, the ads are beginning to annoy me. If I don't get a check by the end of the month for letting them pollute my blog, I'm taking them off! (Already know how to do it.)
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
More Manga!
I checked Eric Gjovaag's blog today, and someone had commented on his latest entry. I checked the link, and the person mentioned that since Eric liked Oz: The Manga, that they were forwarding him this link:
http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/56000188/
It appears to be the cover for the first of a new Manga series, The Land Of Oz: The Manga.
Oz fans are finally getting one of their many wishes granted.
I will have to go threaten Vintage Stock to carry it.
http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/56000188/
It appears to be the cover for the first of a new Manga series, The Land Of Oz: The Manga.
Oz fans are finally getting one of their many wishes granted.
I will have to go threaten Vintage Stock to carry it.
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Returning To Oz #24
Well, episode 24 is up, and here's the review!
Well, if the last couple of episodes didn't impress you, this one should. Will. Unless your heart is made of stone.
Anyways, the show is really in two parts: there is a discussion with Aaron Pacentine, Aaron Schultz, newcomer Sean McGuire (how many Oz fans are out there named Sean?), and the returning Joshua Dudley, and then we transition over to a very special interview with a singer named Rolla.
Very early in the first part, Aaron (Pacentine) asks how Sean, Aaron Schultz, and Joshua feel about the transition in the Oz books from the early Baum books to the new ones, like Joshua's Lost in Oz. A very interesting question, but from the answers given, I'm not sure everyone completely understood it. However, Joshua, at least, was able to answer the question considerably well.
Aaron Schultz also talks about the characters that had, at different stages in pre-production, been considered for inclusion in Disney's Return to Oz. Also mentioned is some of the Oz characters in the famous Coronation scene, one of my personal favorite scenes in the film.
Also, there is a discussion about Oz conventions. Some of the "Returning To Oz crew" will be at some of them, others will not. So, those of you who have the time and resources to attend one may want to keep your eyes open!
Now, we interview Rolla, who tells us about her entrance into the world of music, and also her opinions on MGM's The Wizard Of Oz, and also treats us all to a wonderful a cappella rendition of Over The Rainbow.
Overall, a great episode! Go download it now. (Link to your right.)
Well, if the last couple of episodes didn't impress you, this one should. Will. Unless your heart is made of stone.
Anyways, the show is really in two parts: there is a discussion with Aaron Pacentine, Aaron Schultz, newcomer Sean McGuire (how many Oz fans are out there named Sean?), and the returning Joshua Dudley, and then we transition over to a very special interview with a singer named Rolla.
Very early in the first part, Aaron (Pacentine) asks how Sean, Aaron Schultz, and Joshua feel about the transition in the Oz books from the early Baum books to the new ones, like Joshua's Lost in Oz. A very interesting question, but from the answers given, I'm not sure everyone completely understood it. However, Joshua, at least, was able to answer the question considerably well.
Aaron Schultz also talks about the characters that had, at different stages in pre-production, been considered for inclusion in Disney's Return to Oz. Also mentioned is some of the Oz characters in the famous Coronation scene, one of my personal favorite scenes in the film.
Also, there is a discussion about Oz conventions. Some of the "Returning To Oz crew" will be at some of them, others will not. So, those of you who have the time and resources to attend one may want to keep your eyes open!
Now, we interview Rolla, who tells us about her entrance into the world of music, and also her opinions on MGM's The Wizard Of Oz, and also treats us all to a wonderful a cappella rendition of Over The Rainbow.
Overall, a great episode! Go download it now. (Link to your right.)
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