The Witches of Oz — What Jared had to say

So, I watched The Witches of Oz on demand. I understand this was the miniseries cut, however, the two parts were sloppily put together and image was stretched to fit a standard TV screen.

But ignoring that, I enjoyed it.

I'm not going to say much because Sam is interested in reviewing his DVD, so here's the thing:

Dorothy Gale is a young woman who's been writing stories about Oz she has in her head as a series of children's books. She gets an offer to have her books made into a movie, and moves away from her widower uncle Henry in Kansas to New York where her agent Billie Westbrook has everything set up for her to start her new life.

However, everything's not as it seems to be. Witchy things begin to happen behind the scenes as tiny elfin folk begin to give Dorothy memory dust. What's going on? Whatever it is, it seems there's more to Oz than Dorothy realizes.

While it's definitely a reinvention of Oz mythos, the production shows great respect for the original Oz books. And it's not like they took random characters and events from the series and threw them together. Rather, elements all the way from The Magic of Oz and Glinda of Oz are referenced and even are worked into the plot, and worked very well, actually. The characters used are mainly in character, though a few liberties are taken. But as it is a reinvention, this can be forgiven, especially as the characters don't act unbelievably out of character.

Oh, and Christopher Lloyd as the Wizard? While he's not as spry and lively as Baum's Wizard, he's amazing in the role.

I understand there should be a movie edit released soon, with the story cut down to about half the length of the miniseries version, and I look forward to seeing it!

Which Witch on Halloween

Check out our friends over at L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz to see their Wicked Witch of the West!

Frankly, I like it. She's old, wrinkled and ugly. Someone get some water!

Dorothy and the Magic Belt

And I finally got my hands on the last Random House "Brand New Oz Adventure" book! Well, actually, the copy I wound up with was a British edition published by Puffin. Still, same story, same illustrations.

Dorothy and the Magic Belt was by Susan Saunders. I can't find much but bibliography for her. She mainly seems to have contributed to small book series.

Anyway, her contribution to this little series: Dorothy goes to Oz abruptly while explaining how she signals Ozma to Aunt Em and Uncle Henry. While Dorothy takes the Sawhorse on an excursion in the Munchkin Country, a young boy plans to get back on Ozma: Dr. Nikidik's son, referred to as Nikidik the Younger or just Nik. He wanted to be a sorcerer, like his father, but since unauthorized magic in Oz is now illegal, Nikidik to Elder has agreed to follow the law.

Still, Nik wants to do magic, so what can he do? Go to the Emerald City and take the Magic Belt! He accomplishes this with "Youthing Powder," which makes people younger upon contact. When he makes all the people in the Emerald City into younger versions of themselves, taking the Magic Belt is a piece of cake! However, Tik-Tok manages to see what's going on.

Can Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman and Jack Pumpkinhead get the Belt back from Nik and his aide, a youthful Mombi?

The story fails to fit in continuity about Mombi, Aunt Em and Uncle Henry, and Dr. Nikidik in the later Oz books. A new future for Mombi is written that doesn't fit in with what Thompson wrote and what the Scarecrow suspects in The Tin Woodman of Oz. Aunt Em and Uncle Henry are contacted by magic, meaning their skepticism about Oz in The Emerald City of Oz should be completely unfounded. As for Nikidik, this story's conclusion falls flat given we're told that Nikidik died later, and if you follow fan speculation that he was really Dr. Pipt, where's his son when we meet him in The Patchwork Girl of Oz?

David Rose's illustrations are still as good as ever, but now that I've seen four books, to be honest, I've seen Oz artwork I prefer over him. Not that he's bad, but he's got nothing on Denslow, Neill, or even Dick Martin.

Overall, I suppose the completist book collector would want this, but as it stands, it's just not a very great story.

Thorns and Private Files in Oz

Little confession. I got The Seven Blue Mountains of Oz trilogy by swapping for them. However, when I was making the deal, they asked if I had Thorns and Private Files in Oz. I said, "No," so they threw it in. The illustrator of the book at hand, Marcus Mebes, confirmed that it should be read as The Seven Blue Mountains of Oz Book 2.5. So, I did.

The book is by Melody Grandy and Chris Dulabone. Writing styles of both are clearly evidenced in the text. According to the introduction, Marcus' pictures of some friends as a prince and princess bore a big resemblance to Jo Files and Ozga from Tik-Tok of Oz, inspiring the story. (You never know when you might influence someone to write an Oz story!)

You might think it's called Thorns and Private Files in Oz because Files is in it, right? Well, he is. But it turns out thorns and files that are private actually come into play in the story. How, I won't tell you exactly why.

Files and Ozga are living happily ever after in Oogaboo, reading and tending the book trees. However, when some of the stories on their trees prove to be Oz stories about the future, they and Hank the Mule (who's visiting) have to keep them away from Queen Ann. They manage to make the tree grow fiction, but not before Ann steals a few books. After they trick her with a copy of Dorothy Returns to Oz, they hide out in the forest, where they find a deserted castle full of overgrown rose bushes and thorns. However, Ozga disappears and Files and Hank must trust a gander and a curious old hermit woman to get her back.

The story feels incomplete. As it seems the plotline will resume in the final volume of The Seven Blue Mountains of Oz (the final illustration, by Melody Grandy, shows Files, Ozga and Hank with Dinny and Zim, which was later reused on the last book of the trilogy), it was a very odd piece on its own. At least it says "To Be Continued."

I guess I'll see if The Seven Blue Mountains of Oz: Zim Greenleaf of Oz closes this story suitably.

Oz Film/TV Update

Several different pieces of artwork from the upcoming "Dorothy of Oz" movie are now available to purchase from Pop Culture Vault. Click here for more information.

A poorly-edited press reel for "Dorothy of Oz" has been released on YouTube by CW3PR. It has clips from the Entertainment Tonight segment, Good Morning America mention, etc. You can watch it here.

"The Witches of Oz" will be available on DVD & Blu-Ray in France on November 9th from Sony Home Entertainment. It will also air on FRANCE-4TV on Saturday, October 29. Part One airs at 20:35, Part Two airs at 22:05. Check local listings.

Several more screenshots from the director's cut of "The Witches of Oz", reportedly set to release in select U.S. theaters as early as next month, have popped up on the official Twitter page. Click here to see all the screenshots and new cast photos.

Our friends over at "L. Frank Baum's the Wonderful Wizard of Oz" have launched a countdown on their website, leading to the reveal of the Wicked Witch of the West. Did I mention I have a small role in this movie? Not sure if I did before. I'll be voicing two characters in the film; the Lead Crow and the Old Crow. Cool, right? Anyways, you can check out the countdown on their website here.

Speaking of my involvement in Oz movies, I'm working on a super secret project right now. I can't say what it is quite yet, but it's something some Oz fans have only dreamed of. Prepare for awesomeness. That's all I'll say for now.

Is anyone else surprised by the lack of press for Disney's "Oz, the Great and Powerful"?

Oziana 2009/2010

The 2009 and 2010 issues of Oziana were printed in a single volume, but they each have their own themes. The 2009 part is devoted to parodies and humorous takes on Oz, while the 2010 contains stories regarding governing in Oz. In the 2009 section, Brianna Landon's "Toto Reveals" tells the story of Dorothy's first trip to Oz from Toto's point of view. Eleanor Kennedy's "Barry Porter and the Sorceress of Oz" has a rather familiar boy wizard pay a visit to Glinda. While billed as a parody and containing silly names (in addition to Barry himself, there are mentions of Alvin Grumblebore and Lord Vol-au-vent), the tone actually isn't all that silly, instead offering a rather sincere look at how the two fantasy characters might interact. "The Ransom of Button-Bright" is a story in comic form, written by J.L. Bell and drawn by Shawn Maldonado. As the title suggests, it plays on "The Ransom of Red Chief," with Button-Bright aptly taking the role of the kidnap victim who drives his captors crazy. There's also an appearance by High Boy. Finally, Steve Teller's "The Trouble with the Magic Belt" is sort of a meta-story, with its protagonist getting rid of the Magic Belt to make Oz stories more interesting. The protagonist's name, Sterl Nephel, is obviously a play on Teller's own, and other characters are obvious parodies of other Oz fans who attended conventions back in the day. This issue is not the first to include Oz stories that parody other works. Phyllis Ann Karr's "The Eldritch Horror of Oz" brought a warped version of Lovecraft's universe into Oz, and "The Merchant of Oz" riffed on The Merchant of Venice while still coming across as a valid Oz story that tied up several loose ends that L. Frank Baum left. I've always kind of wanted to try writing something like that, but I'm not sure what I'd parody.

The 2010 part opens with "Celebrating Ozma: The Silver Jubilee Issue," about a series of stamps depicting the highlights of Ozma's reign, some of them drawn by illustrator Tim Art-McLaughlin. It also contains some amusing information on the postal system in Oz, which is something I've wondered about before, especially after Terry Pratchett wrote a book about the postal system in Ankh-Morpork. According to the story, the Postmaster General of Oz is the Post Man from The Purple Prince of Oz, with some wooden Gargoyles serving as his staff. Speaking of Purple Prince, that book had Glinda celebrating her hundredth anniversary as Ruler of the South, while authors Andrew and Rachel Heller make a reference to "five centuries of Glinda's rule." Oh, Glinda, why must information about you be so contradictory? What is it you have to hide? "Fiddle's Revenge," by high school student Arianna Brown, has the son of the giant spider the Cowardly Lion killed seeking revenge, and the Scarecrow and Tin Woodman helping the Winged Monkeys to trick him. Finally, J.L. Bell's "Invisible Fence" is about the investigation and trial of a boy and a cat involved in an illegal magic ring. The Tin Soldier, the Iffin, Pastoria, and Snip all play parts in the tale, and it's good to see them again. I always liked Ruth Plumly Thompson's portrayal in Lost King of Ozma's father as a kindly, absent-minded man; and his appearance here picks up on that characterization.

The Royal Podcast of Oz: The Penhale Broadcast

Marcus Mebes, editor of Oziana, reads Jack Snow's "The Penhale Broadcast" from Dark Music and Other Spectral Tales.


An experimental supernatural broadcast is carried out in the Penhale graveyard. Will the ghost of famed opera singer Sonya Parrish sing again?

You may also read the story here.

As always, you can listen and download at the podcast site, or use the player below.

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The Seven Blue Mountains of Oz: Tippetarius in Oz

2000 brought the second in The Seven Blue Mountains of Oz trilogy. However, by this time Buckethead Enterprises had reorganized as Tails of the Cowardly Lion and Friends. A little goof happened during production and the book wound up being oversized. 11 inches high compared to the 8.5 inch of the other books. However, considering what happens in the story, it might be fitting that this book towers over the others in the series.

Aleda, a young woman from North Carolina, goes hang gliding but finds herself in Oz, befriended by a sixty foot giant she names Orlando who's very cautious about possibly hurting normal-sized people. Despite his good intentions, Orlando can't let her leave.

Meanwhile, Dinny decides he will travel Oz for a time, and to protect his secrets, Zim enchants him so he will not remember Zim when he is with other people. Dinny soon meets Orlando and Aleda, and they decide to make a break for it to the Emerald City before the people of Herku come to take Orlando away. However, Dinny is forced to travel on foot.

And meanwhile, in Lostland, King Whippetarius dies and Slippetatius is about to take the throne. However, the Queen tasks them to find their missing brother Tippetarius, who she reveals they knew better as Amalea their sister. (Go read book one.) They find neither, but they do find someone who looks a lot like their sister...

Orlando, being a good giant, is given golden rings he can wear to make himself a normal sized human being or remove to become a giant. Aleda and Orlando go on a tour through Oz with the Scarecrow and Scraps, and they come across a village ruled by a fairy princess named Celestia who was unaware that she is under another fairy's rule. The four manage to find Zim and when he discovers Celestia will attack the Emerald City, he must go and try to put a stop to it.

Many secrets about the characters are unraveled, but more questions arise. However, I can't say too much about those without spoiling it.

Grandy manages to keep her plots moving at a good pace so as not to lose the reader. I will note that the plots I mentioned get tied up about three quarters of the way into the book and there is a new focus for the rest of the book.

The illustrations, possibly because of the size of the book, feel more sparse than they did in book one. There are fewer illustrations of what happens in the story. Sometimes whimsical pictures of Zim appear instead of actual illustrations of what's going on in the story. The pictures that are there are good, I just wish there'd been more. (A picture of Brown Bleegum was obviously recycled from the first book.)

Anyway, this was a trilogy. But would it deliver in the end? We'll see... (Seriously, I haven't read it yet. I don't know.)

Oh, and you can get Tippetarius in Oz here.

The Royal Podcast of Oz: His Majesty, The Scarecrow of Oz

Jared and Sam discuss the third and final Oz film from the Oz Film Manufacturing Company. As always, you can download at the podcast site, or use the player below.

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"I spent my better years as a goat"

Mr. Nathan DeHoff recently reviewed Oziana 38, including my first short story (and first published Oz story), "Bud and the Red Jinn." (The clever subtitle "Don'tAlways Look a Gift HorseGoat in the Mouth" was a title suggestion by the editor, and I suggested it be a subtitle instead.)

As I wrote when I reviewed the issue, I was familiar with the characters, only needing some extra basics on Jinnicky. However, one character proved to be an odd one to tackle: Prince Bobo of Boboland.

Bobo was introduced in Rinkitink in Oz, spending most of the story as a surly goat named Bilbil. When the Wizard meets him, he's able to see that Bilbil is the enchanted Bobo and the Wizard and Glinda restore him.

Bobo humbly begged Rinkitink's forgiveness for having been so disagreeable to him at times, saying that the nature of a goat had influenced him, and the surly disposition he had shown was a part of his enchantment. But the jolly King assured the Prince that he had really enjoyed Bilbil's grumpy speeches and forgave him readily. Indeed, they all discovered the young Prince Bobo to be an exceedingly courteous and pleasant person, although he was somewhat reserved and dignified.

Sounds like he might be a nice guy, right? But at the end, Baum gives us a bit that suggests all might not be what it seems with this handsome prince:

And Bobo replied with a smile: "Like all your songs, dear Rinkitink, the sentiment far excels the poetry."

Hmmm... Something could be up there. Like he's masking his true feelings. Anyway, however you want to interpret this, it's all Baum ever wrote about Bobo, and the character never resurfaced in the later Famous Forty +.

When the editor and I were plotting my little story, we built up the story about Bud and Jinnicky meeting at a party held by Zixi and a guest would arrive with the worst gift you could give the Queen of Ix. I just randomly said "Prince Bobo of Boboland," and he was in, and I quickly came up with the idea that he was "attempting to re-establish diplomatic connection." In our plotting, he remained very much the nice guy Baum left him. He'd be an unaware antagonist.

However, when I was writing it, it struck me it would be more interesting if Bobo had a bit of an attitude. I mean, given what happens in my story, anyone might get upset at someone telling them they couldn't give someone a certain gift, and then not being able to give them a reason. But to play that up a bit more was irresistible, and I made it part of my take on Bobo. I did tell J.L. Bell about my story at Winkies a bit, and said Bobo was "a jerk," but that might be a bit much.

Bobo as drawn by John R. Neill

Anyway, that was just my story alone. However, my story is being incorporated into the first volume of the upcoming trilogy Royal Explorers of Oz by Marcus Mebes, Jeff Rester, and myself that will explore Bobo's character further. (It's mainly been written already.) I got to rewrite the first chapter that had my story in it, and got to work with Bobo a bit more and then added a small part later in the story. Bobo is one of the main characters, along with other Oz favorites like Captain Salt, Ato, and Tandy. And given more time, I do believe Bobo being called "a jerk" might be just a bit too nice...

Anyway, after I'd written and edited and sent in my story, I began to think how the characters would look. I knew I would want the Queen Zixi of Ix characters to look like how they do in Fredrick Richardson's illustrations for that book (I'll say it again: Neill's Zixi is ugly compared to Richardson's). Jinnicky's look was already established by Neill and it was impossible to think of him looking any different than that.

But what about Bobo? Neill had only drawn him once, and it wasn't much to go on. However, as I tried to visualize the story even more, Bobo suddenly grabbed a face that was in the back of my mind.

For you Doctor Who fans, yes, that's Francesco from the episode "Vampires of Venice," played by the amazing Alex Price.

I was excited that Anna-Maria Cool was going to illustrate my story, so I sent that first screencap as a suggestion for how I thought Bobo could look. This is what she came up with:

So, looks I had a pretty big hand in defining a character for Prince Bobo of Boboland and his look as well!