The Wonders of Oz Episode 6

It's online! Now for December! This episode covers the making and release of the MGM movie version of "The Wizard of Oz."



In December, I have two videos that HAVE to be made and released then, or else they will lose all relevance. I'd better get busy...

Comments Are Back!

Okay, I have opened public commenting again. Only if the hateful comments return and persist will I close it again.

Returning to Oz #28 + MGM DVD review

And now, it is time to review the 28th episode of Aaron Pacentine's "Returning to Oz."

This episode opens with Aaron Pacentine and Aaron Schultz introducing Gabe Rodreiguez, who has made a feature-length documentary on Disney's Return to Oz, The Joy That Got Away. Gabe tells us about the production and how it came. (As creator of my own documentary series, The Wonders of Oz, I could relate to Gabe on many points.)

Up next, Aaron Schultz answers the question "Was Ozma real in Return to Oz?" Aaron's answer is well-researched and satisfying, and may help you make up your own mind. (I came up with a complete theory on the movie, and will soon post it as a blog.)

Then, we get a very special treat. Aaron interviews Dorothy Gale.

Yes, Dorothy Gale.

Dorothy Gale?

Okay, well, it's actually impersonator Penny Wiggins, but she does an excellent job, not only imitating Judy Garland's voice, but answering Aaron's questions (remember, this is the Dorothy from the MGM movie, not the books, so several of Penny's answers will not match up with what we've read). It's sure to raise a chuckle!

(I will note here that I actually discovered Penny. I found this video on YouTube, featuring her as Dorothy, and told Aaron about it, but he gets full credit for contacting her.)

Following this is a quick interview with Derek Shapiro, brother and manager of previous guy Rolla, who appeared and sang "Over The Rainbow" on episode 24.

Aaron and Aaron wrap it up.

After a hiatus of a few months, this is a great return to the series. It gets funny and informative when it needs to, and, once again, IS WORTH THE DOWNLOAD!

Yesterday, I also reviewed the MGM Wizard of Oz 3-disc DVD at Amazon.com. Here it is...

(5 stars) Why MGM Is The Best To Date

This is not one of my favorite movies. To be sure, to some degrees, it is a faithful adaptation of the book with certain liberties taken considering the time it was made and the technology for film at the time. I am a huge fan of L. Frank Baum, however, and long to see a much more faithful version brought to the big screen.

The film's plot is a great condensation from the book. Although they made Oz simply a dream, audiences would not be expected to believe otherwise. (Even before "Happy Days," you could "jump the shark.") The Wicked Witch appear near the beginning, making her the main antagonist, so the film has to end shortly after her demise.

The acting is superb, as are the songs and directing. (And no, no one hangs themself in the movie!)

One element that made this film the biggest version of Oz for a long time is often overlooked. Before this classic musical, the most beloved version was the musical extravangza, which debuted on stage in 1902. In order to make their film succeed and surpass this version, MGM went closer to the book, although taking the play's ideas of humor and contemporary-sounding songs with it. Like the play, Judy Garland's Dorothy is older than she was in the book, but not quite as old as Anna Laughlin's portrayal.

There have been many other versions of Oz since this one, but they spend too much time trying not to resemble this version (or try to seem like it without completely copying it), that they are either largely forgotten or have become blacklisted. (Disney's ambitious "Return to Oz," which almost followed the same pattern, for example.)

If a new version is to succeed, it needs to see what made this film great, and try to incorporate that into it. (Sorry, Todd MacFarlane, you're not going to cut it.)

Now for the DVD. The 3-disc edition is the one I own and reccomend. The picture is sharp and clear, now completely restored to how it should have looked since 1939. The audio is crisp and lossless. The whole movie now looks as good as a new film.

And now the DVD is loaded with bonus features. An audio commentary hosted by John Fricke gives you a look into the making of this classic. Other audio features let you hear the film's original mono soundtrack, and the soundtrack without dialogue. Disc 1 also features cast profiles for the supporting cast (strangely, no biographical information about the star, Judy Garland, is given on the set, except very basic information), a documentary on the restoration of the film for this set, and an animated abridgement of "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz," read by Angela Lansbury.

Disc 2 gets into the making and legacy of the film. Two previously made TV specials on the movie are included. The highly informative "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: The Making of a Movie Classic" and "Memories of Oz," which is informative, just not as much. The new featurette "The Art of Imagination: A Tribute to Oz" features contemporary film-makers giving their opinions on the movie. "Because of the Wonderful Things It Does: The Legacy of Oz" features Oz fandom and the continuation of Oz after the 1939 movie, even featuring a few people I've contacted myself. Also, archival audio and video features round out disc 2, making just these two discs satisfying for any fan of the film.

If you're a Baum fan, however, Disc 3 holds more wonders. An excellent documentary on Oz creator L. Frank Baum leads it. (However, in a few spots, the information does get confusing...) Also included is the earliest surviving Oz film: "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" from the Selig Polyscope Company in 1910. Then we have two of Baum's own Oz films, "The Magic Cloak of Oz" and "His Majesty, The Scarecrow of Oz." (There was also "The Patchwork Girl of Oz," but it is not on this set, though the Baum documentary does mention it.) Following these is a restored version of the 1925 silent "Wizard of Oz" with Larry Semon, one of the worst Oz films ever. Wrapping up disc 3 is the first Oz cartoon, "The Wizard of Oz" from 1933.

Also in the 3-disc set are print materials: reproductions of the film's premeire program, ticket, invitation, the MGM studio newsletter, a Photoplay Studies Guide for teachers, and restored publicity photographs. Also is a postcard sized... card showing several of the movie's poster.

If you are a Baum or Oz collector, GET THIS EDITION! You will not be sorry!

Catching up

Hey, haven't really blogged in awhile, have I? Well, it's been a little busy around here. I got the rare opportunity to clean a nasty mark off of my job history, so I took it. This means that I'm switching jobs again.

Recently, I have acquired 3 new DVDs and my first commercial VCD for my Oz collection: Hello Kitty Goes To The Movies, Jim Henson's Mother Goose Stories: Humpty Dumpty & Jack & Jill, and a VCD of a 1970's Wizard of Oz anime.

The Hello Kitty DVD featured "The Wizard of Paws." Kitty and her friends do a play based on "The Wizard of Oz." Based loosely on the story, Dorothy (Kitty) falls asleep and finds herself caught in a cyclone. She arrives in Oz, greeted by the Munchkins, Tin Penguin, Scarecrow, and the Cowardly Bunny. The Wicked Witch threatens Dorothy and her new friends, so they go to the Emerald City, where the Wizard tells them to get the broom from the Witch. There are some spins, here and there, on the story, but this is Hello Kitty, and it's under 10 minutes long. A little laughable, and very silly.

The two Mother Goose DVDs were for some of the episodes, based on the stories in L. Frank Baum's first children's book, Mother Goose in Prose. Real children play certain roles, usually the main characters, but the rest of the cast are puppets... okay, since it's Jim Henson, "Muppets." But don't expect Kermit the Frog to cameo. The stories from Baum on the DVDs are: "Humpty Dumpty," "Little Boy Blue," "Tommy Tucker" (DVD only), "A Song of Sixpence" (DVD only), "Old King Cole," "The Man in the Moon," and "Little Miss Muffet."

The stories are quite faithfully adapted for such short running times. Each episode is introduced by a mother goose and her three goslings. The only one that is not faithfully adapted is "The Man in the Moon." In the Baum story, the Man in the Moon lives in the Moon, but here, the Moon comes to earth. It has a face and talks, but that's as man-like as it gets. It does feel warm when exposed to cold and cold when exposed to heat, just like the Baum character. And his mouth, of course, is burned by eating cold pease porridge. While the Baum story has a balloon carry the Man back to the Moon, the porridge sustains the Moon enough for it to rise. The Moon is not exposed to many people, as in Baum, but is only seen by the little boy and a couple of puppets. Still, the people the Moon meets help restore it to it's place.

Also, the episode "Pussycat, Pussycat" is not based on Baum's "Pussycat Mew." This episode has the Queen held hostage by a mouse she is terrified of, to be saved by a cat who is delievered instead of the mouse's demand of cheese. It does, however, call to mind how the Scarecrow, assisted by the Field Mice, rids the Emerald Palace of General Jinjur and her army in The Marvelous Land of Oz, except quite a switch is pulled here.

Nice for Baum fans, but some Oz fans may want to pass it by. (There is also a DVD with "Hickory, Dickory, Dock," but it's only sold in Region 2. I don't quite feel like paying for international shipping yet.)

Now, for the anime. It's a faithful adaptation of Baum's book in less than 50 minutes. Trip to the south is excised in favor of the Golden Cap calling Glinda to the Emerald City, and yes, there is a Kalidah! I didn't quite like the character design, but this is one where we get to see the Wicked Witch of the East in action. (P.S. The Wicked Witch of the West is a cyclops!)

Aaron Pacentine has sent me the narration for "Wonders 6," and I've already edited the audio. Hope to have it done by the end of the month, but we'll see. Sam Milazzo is planning another video, we'll see where that goes, and I plan to have the "Oz Club Special" Wonders episode done by the end of the year. In fact, I'm switching over to Notepad... NOW!

An Oz Like Cinar

Hey! I've made a new Oz music video! I had a dry spell, there. But this video was easy (except the original sound file was corrupted, but thank God for Audacity) because Sam Milazzo thought it up and planned it out. Thanks Sam for letting me have some fun!

(Entry 155)... Contacts dropping off the face of the earth

Recently, it seems that my usual Oz contacts tend to dissapear. You may guess who some of these are, but for their privacy, I'm not going to reveal any names.

One contact I tried to call, and his cell phone was "temporarily out of service." He also tends to rarely answer e-mails. Fortunately, I got a new e-mail from him today. (At least he isn't dead, despite what the obituaries say.)

Another I'd e-mail once every two days to, sometimes, twice a day. He hasn't answered any e-mail for awhile now.

The third and final is usually signed onto Yahoo! Instant Messenger, but tonight, he wasn't!

Maybe they're running off to Oz without me...

Wonders 5

Okay, on all the other items, I've said the same thing:

Returning for the fifth episode, "The Wonders of Oz" presents "Before The Rainbow" (I know... the title's been used... twice...), covering the early Oz plays and films before 1939.

Matt Bloom subsitutes for Aaron Pacentine, who was very busy with his Oz event at the time of recording.


I was going to wait until after Aaron's event to make the video, but when Mr. Bloom heard of it, he offered to record the narration. Aaron agreed when I informed him, so Matt was in.

Second, I know some of the editing looks a little rough. Well, my computer is being a grouchy old man. I was lucky that it didn't crash Movie Maker for the 7th time, or suddenly shut off again. (Anyone got a good deal on a laptop with Windows XP?)

Anyways, I did my best under the circumstances, even if I had to NOT check my e-mail in the morning...

For Mature Audiences Only...

Yeah... Here's a load of Oz videos, and these have adult language and themes. If you're prepared for this junk, you can watch it. (I didn't call this "Great Oz videos" for a reason...) You have been warned...

"Homies To Smoke With," lyrics based on the MGM movie and drug use. Note the music is a remix of "Soon As I Get Home"/"Home" as they were rearranged in the film version of "The Wiz."


"Oz" Deleted Scene on MadTV. MUCH tamer than the above video, but...


"Oz" Alternate Ending on MadTV. Pretty tame, but still not for kids.


There was once, on YouTube, another Oz video from MadTV that involved Dorothy moving to Florida, where she returns to Oz three more times, thanks to the hurricanes, to kill the Lollipop Guild, then Glinda, then the Scarecrow, Tin Woodman, Cowardly Lion, and the Wizard. MadTV also did a parody of the M&M commercial.

"Oz" from "Alternate Endings." (Sigh...)


So, yeah... I'm working on Wonders 5 so you have something to wash out the bad taste...

My Playable Oz...

On a whim, I searched "Dorothy & Ozma Productions" on Dogpile tonight. Two pages of results, yay!

I did find one thing that bugged me, though... Sometime back, I released my text adventure computer games (which can also be downloaded from my website, completely for free) to the Internet Fiction Archive. One game was based on U.S. Gold's Commodore 64 game adaptation of Disney's Return to Oz. I also based it on the movie as well.

But guess what? Instead of being seen as an original game, it's considered a port. A port is a vertabim re-make of a game for another system. This is not a port, it's more of an adaptation of a game into another game. (Heck, you can't even use the same walkthrough!)

Oh well, let them think it. If anyone comes for my blood, I'll just point them to this blog entry.

And speaking of my computer games, I did make an adventure for the Eamon Deluxe System. It's called "Realm of Fantasy," and takes off of Oz, Wonderland, Looking-Glass World, The Princess Bride, and Super Mario Brothers. (So, yes, the Tin Woodman and Fezzik can take Mario's hammer from him and use it against the Queen of Hearts!) It's also available for free here, along with the main Eamon Deluxe Program. (I'd reccomend getting used to the Eamon system first, though.)

The Ghostly Mr. Baum

Did Baum have a knack for ghost stories? Maybe not, but here are two tales of the supernatural affecting everyday life from the Original Royal Historian of Oz...

Who Called "Perry?"

It was nearly midnight when I boarded the train, and, entering the chair car, prepared to doze during the hours of my journey. "Call me at Perry," I said to the conductor as I surrendered my ticket, for I may be asleep."

He promised, and I settled myself comfortably for my nap.

I don't know how long I had slept, when some one shook me by the shoulder and shouted, "Perry!"

Opening my eyes I found the train was slowing up, and presently it came to a full stop. "Perry!" again shouted the voice in my ear. This time I sprang to my feet, seized my valise and stepped from the car to the platform just as the train glided away up the track.

I turned to look for the town and found myself confronted by a station agent holding a lantern.

"In which direction is the town?" I asked.

"Town!" he answered in surprise; "there's no town here."

"Isn't this Perry?"

"No, this is Head's Crossing. Perry is twenty miles further on."

"But the conductor," I said, angry at my misadventure, "called Perry, and so I left the car. I shall report him to the superintendent."

"The conductor was in the front car ," replied the man, "and you stepped from the rear car. He could not possibly have called you."

"But some one shouted, 'Perry!'"

The agent looked at me incredulously, and said nothing.

"Is there another train?" I asked.

"Not until morning,"

"Where can I sleep?"

"I'll give you the cot in my office, if you like. The station is the only building within miles."

Rather ungraciously, I fear, I accepted his hospitality; but the cot was hard and I was too much annoyed to sleep, so I tossed about until suddenly the agent, who was at the telegraph key, startled me by exclaiming

"Good God!"

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"No. 16 has gone through the bridge at Coon Rapids, and the whole train is lying twenty feet under water!"

No. 16 was the train I had left to spend the night at Head's Crossing.

My Ruby Wedding Ring

The Inn at Loudre was very disagreeable. The odor of garlic and cabbage and the dampness and dirt were unsupportable, and so I decided to push on to Danvers. The only vehicle I could procure was a rattling two seated gig drawn by a bony white horse of doubtful ability, but as my destination was only three hours away and I was not liable to meet any one on the lonely road I started off cheerfully enough, resolved to enjoy my solitary drive to the utmost.

The moonlight as it glinted on the soft green of the hedges and streaked the gray of the dusty road was very beautiful, and before half a league had been passed over I heartily congratulated myself upon good fortune in escaping the horrible inn at Loudre.

After an hour's dreamy and delightful ride I came to a crossroads where with difficulty I deciphered the battered signpost and learned I must turn to the left to reach Danvers. So, clucking up my deliberate steed, who proceeded in a half dignified, half protesting fashion, I turned into a grassy lane between two tall hedges and drove through a lonely district until the dreamy influence of the night overcame me and I drifted into a somnolent state midway between sleep and waking.

I was aroused by the sudden halting of my horse, who gave a frightened snort and planted both feet firmly before him.

A subdued sobbing, as of a woman in distress, fell upon my ears, and leaning forward, I peered into the moonlight to discover whence it came.

A high brick wall ran close to the roadway, covered with ivy and lichens, and leaning against an angle of this, a few steps before me, was a slight, girlish form draped in a black mantle.

I sprang to the ground and softly approached her. Her face was buried in her hands, and she sobbed bitterly.

"Mademoiselle," I said, speaking in French, "You are in trouble. Can I assist you in any way?"

She lifted her head, and the moonlight fell upon the most beautiful face I had ever seen. Absolutely faultless in feature, it was surmounted by a crown of yellow hair that shone like gold in the glare of the moonbeams, while a pair of deep violet eyes that even tears could not dim looked earnestly into mine.

"Who are you?" I asked gently, "and why are you here?"

"I am Amelie de Boursons, monsieur, and I reside at the chateau just within these gates."

The soft, musical notes of her voice added to the powerful impression her exquisite beauty had already produced upon my heart.

"But it is late," I continued. "Surely some great misfortune must have befallen you to bring you here at this hour."

"It is true, monsieur," she replied, struggling with a new paroxysm of grief. "Tomorrow is my wedding day."

"But is that so terrible an event?" I asked.

"If you but knew, monsieur," she said, "how vile and brutal is the man they are forcing me to marry, you would willingly save me from my horrible fate."

She accompanied these words with an appealing look into my face, then she dropped her head and sobbed anew.

I did not stop to reason upon the strangeness of all this. I was a young, generous hearted man in those days and could not resist this appeal from beauty in distress.

"But tell me," I said, "how can I save you from this distasteful marriage? Do you wish to fly? I have a conveyance close by and will gladly escort you to a place of safety."

"To fly would avail me nothing," she answered, with a sweet sadness. "They would follow us and force me to return."

"But how else can I save you?" I asked helplessly.

"I do not know," she replied, with a sudden calmness that suggested despair, "but unless you can find some way to succor me I shall take my own life."

There was no doubt from the expression of her low, earnest voice that she meant this, and, filled with consternation at the thought, I racked my brains for some way to preserve both her life and happiness.

At last an idea came to me, but I trembled at my own presumption as I suggested it.

"Mademoiselle," I said haltingly, "I see but one alternative. You must marry me."

The violet eyes opened wide in surprise. "Marry you, monsieur?"

"Then pursuit would be useless. Being my wife, you would escape this villain who insists upon wedding you. I am free and able to give you all that would add to your happiness, and I shall learn to love you very dearly. It is true that I am a stranger to you, but I assure you that I am in all ways worthy to seek both your heart and your hand."

She gazed with earnest intentness into my face for a moment and then replied slowly:

"I think I shall trust you, monsieur. Indeed, I cannot help myself. I will be your wife."

There was no coyness in her answer; no blush tinted the pale, beautiful face, but she drew herself up, with an air of simple dignity that commanded my respect and admiration."

"Then come," I said eagerly. "We must lose no time. It will be midnight before we can hope to reach Danvers."

"Not Danvers," she replied, shrinking back as I sought to take her hand. "Let us go to Tregonne. There is a notary who will marry us, and we are far safer from pursuit."

"Very well," I answered. "Let us be off."

Refusing my proffered assistance, Mlle. de Boursons walked to the carriage and sprang lightly to the back seat. Rather awkwardly I took my place in front, gathered up the reigns and drove off as swiftly as I could induce the ancient steed to move.

Mademoiselle drew her mantle closely over her head and shoulders, and only once during the long drive did she speak. Then it was to direct me to the Tregonne road.

With ample time for reflection my adventure now began to seem rather queer and uncanny, and by the time we discovered the lights of Tregonne twinkling before us I had come to doubt the perfect wisdom of my present course.

But it was too late to draw back now, and the girl was very beautiful.

"This is the notary's," said my companion in her low, sweet voice, indicating by a gesture a rambling structure from whose windows gleamed a single light.

I leaped out, found the door at the end of a long pathway and knocked upon it loudly.

A tall, thin man beyond the middle age, holding a tallow candle high above his head, answered my call.

"You are the notary?" I asked briefly.

He nodded in assent.

"I wish to be married."

"Married!" he echoed in surprise. "But when, monsieur?"

"Now; at once."

"But the bride, monsieur?"

"I will fetch the bride. She is waiting without."

I thought he intended to protest, so I left him abruptly and returned for the lady. She was already coming toward the house, and as I met her she motioned me to go before, while she followed silently up the pathway.

The notary admitted us without ceremony, and we entered a small, dimly lighted room that appeared to be a study.

My companion at once seated herself in an armchair, but without removing the mufflings from her face.

The notary snuffed the candle, arranged his books and, turning to me with a penetrating look, said:

"I must know your name, monsieur."

"Richard Harrington."

"Your residence?"

"I am an American."

He wrote the answers in his book. Then, glancing toward the armchair, he continued:

"The lady's name?"

I waited for her to reply, but as she remained silent I answered:

"Amelie de Boursons."

"Who?" cried the notary in a loud voice, springing to his feet, while a look of fear and consternation spread over his wrinkled face.

"Amelie de Boursons," I repeated slowly, infected by the man's agitation in spite of myself.

The notary stared wildly at the muffled form of the lady. Then, he drew out his handkerchief

and wiped the beads of perspiration from his forehead.

"What does this mean, monsieur?" I demanded angrily.

The man heeded me not the slightest; but, clutching the edge of the table to steady himself and extending his long, bony finger toward the girl, he exclaimed:

"Are you Amelie de Boursons?"

Slowly, with admirable grace and dignity, the lady threw back her mantle, and her marvelous beauty was again revealed.

The notary with distended eyes fixed upon the visage sank back in his chair with a low moan.

"This must be explained, monsieur," I cried, striding up to his side and grasping his shoulder.

"Is there any reason I should not marry Mlle. de Boursons?"

"Mlle. de Boursons," returned the notary, still regarding her with horror, has been dead these forty years!"

"Dead!" I echoed, staring first at the notary and then at the girl, while a sense of bewilderment overcame me.

Mlle. de Boursons arose with a gleaming smile and came to my side.

"See, monsieur," she exclaimed mockingly and giving me her hand. "Do you also think me dead?"

The hand was as cold as ice, but its touch sent a strange thrill through my body.

"Come, monsieur," I said to the notary, who watched the scene in amazement. "Read the ceremony at once. We are in haste."

Slowly and with trembling voice the notary obeyed, the girl at my side returning the answers in a sweet, collected voice that disarmed my fears and calmed to some extent the notary himself.
I drew a seal ring from my finger and placed it upon her icy hand, and in its place she slipped a large ruby from her own hand upon mine.

The ceremony concluded, I paid the notary, thanking him briefly for his services, and, followed by my bride, walked down the path to my carriage. The notary stood in the doorway lighting us with the candle.

At the carriage I turned to hand my wife to her seat, but she had disappeared.

I ran back to the doorway.

"Where is my wife?" I asked.

"She followed you down the path," said the man.

"But she is not there."

Without a word the notary accompanied me back to the carriage. No trace of the girl was to be seen.

Right and left among the shrubbery I searched. I called aloud her name, entreating her to come to me, but no sight of the beautiful face rewarded my efforts.

I returned to the notary's study filled with grave misgivings.

"Where can she be?" I asked dismally.

"In her grave," was the hoarse answer.

"Monsieur!"

"I told you before that she was dead. It is true. You have wedded a ghost."

The next morning, in company with the notary, I drove down the road till we came to the brick wall where I had first seen Amelie de Boursons.

We entered the gates and walked to the chateau that stood in the neglected grounds. An old woman admitted us, the caretaker, and at the notary's request allowed us to visit the gallery.

The notary threw back the shutters, and the sun came in and flooded the portrait of a beautiful girl whose violet eyes regarded me with the same sweet expression I had noted of my bride of the previous evening.

"It is Amelie de Boursons," said the notary in a gentle voice. "I have seen this picture often and heard the girl's pitiful story, and that is why I knew her last night to be a mere phantom. Her father was a stern, hard man, who insisted upon her marrying a person utterly distasteful to the young girl. She tried to escape, but was captured and brought home to confront her fate. On the wedding morning they found her dead in her bed. She had taken her own life. That was forty years ago, monsieur."

As we left the room I glanced curiously at the ruby that sparkled on my finger.

I wear it to this day.

It is the only evidence I have ever possessed of my phantom bride.