Wizard of oz, 9/14

Briana Kulbeda, 9/14/12

Wizard of Oz Adaptations

How comparing and contrasting can be used to draw conclusions

• Two other Wizard of Oz graphic novels
• MGM film

Identify some specific comparisons between the new versions and what we read

• Why is it different? How is it important? What are the effects?
• What is the message? (ideology-how people are viewing the world, theme, lesson)
• What are the social or political issues? (gender, values-what is being placed as important, dreams, goals) What does it mean to be American?

1^st graphic novel: Bowl and Break classic fiction series

• Includes contextual information, a glossary, and writing prompts. Is marketed for classroom use.
  • Characters are differently portrayed (there are some similarities though)
  • Brighter colors, more distinct colors
  • Has better explanations of the different actions within the story
  • Pictures are bigger, easier to follow
  • Lion is bigger, scarier, portrayed more as a normal lion
  • The mice are there again
  • They have to wear goggles
  • Dorothy looks older
  • Dorothy throws water on the witch-is the most different scene, who would of guessed that water would have been the end of her
  • The gold helmet, back at Oz
  • Oz is old and wise looking
  • Brain is a ball of yarn
  • Balloon takes them both home
  • Oz leaves without her
  • Flying monkeys take them to Glinda
  • Looks different in the way of being a super Nintendo character

2^nd graphic novel: K.L Jones

• Educational, last page talks about famous wizards and witches. Moby Dick and Treasure Island are a few of the classic adult titles which are given in relation to the Wizard of Oz.
  • Characters:
    • Look more realistic, less cartoon like
    • Queen of the north looks older, more wrinkles
    • Scarecrow is blue
    • Background stories are portrayed in different colors
    • Lion portrayed as scared just as in the first book
• Relates better to original graphic novel
• One frame of each of the other portrayals of Oz
• The wicked witch looks more like the one in the movie
• The golden cap is under her hat
• Iron caused Dorothy to fall
• Witch takes the shoe
• Dorothy throws the bucket of water at the witch to get her shoe back and melts the witch
• Oz is taller, looks younger than in the other two books
• A spider is introduced-doesn’t make much sense
• Glinda looks the same age as Dorothy
• Her shoes were first shown as silver, and then red at the end

Class Comments:

• 2^nd book-characters are human looking, not cartoons-makes the story more of a reality, more serious
• 1^st book-scene where Dorothy splashed water-shaped in skull-which portrays it is the end of the witch-magic water instead of just ordinary water

Film by MGM in the year of 1939

Over the rainbow scene

• Most memorable scene: Think what is the effect of this song and how does it set up the rest of the movie unlike the books
• Lyrics from the song: ‘the land was heard in a lullaby’, ;skies are blue’, ‘dreams that you dare to dream really do come true’, ‘troubles melt away like lemon drops’, ‘blue birds fly over the rainbow’ (why can’t she?)
• Most obvious use of the same character is the witch as her neighbor
• The Broadway Musical, Wicked,  has a lot of comparisons to the original Wizard of Oz (Meghann wishes she could show us that)

Munchkin Land

• Bright colors, hills, gardens, flowers, yellow brick road is very obvious, Glinda-big pink dress with a crown and a wand, is young, the only good witch, the Witch of the North,
• Only bad witches are ugly-implies Dorothy is ugly by asking if she is a good witch or a bad witch
• The munchkins sing
• The wicked witch is introduced right away-I’ll get you my pretty and your little dog too, disappears with a big ball of flam
• Does Dorothy ever work as a slave for the Wicked Witch of the West like in the stories? No
• Bow on top of the Lion’s head: given to him when going to meet Oz; no real meaning behind it, just finds it funny
• The glass timer states how long Dorothy has to live
• Lion had been trapped (unlike it the books), all three of them are together and Toto goes to get them
• Scarecrow makes the plan to save Dorothy; Lion has to lead them, asks them to talk him out of it
• Tin Man breaks down the door: puts on guard suits to get in
• Scarecrow stops the guards from charging at them with using the Tin Man’s axe to cut down the chandelier
• The Wicked Witch of the West throws fire on Scarecrow
• Dorothy was putting out the fire on Scarecrows arm with a bucket of water, did not mean to hit the Witch and melt her
• The Wicked Witch’s guards are happy and freely give the broom to Dorothy which is what needs to be given to Oz in order to get what they want
• Toto opens the curtain to reveal the real Oz
• The three things which were given: a diploma for Scarecrow, a chain with a heart shaped clock for Tin Man, and a medal displaying courage for Lion
• Dorothy always had the power to go back to Kansas: Glinda states Dorothy had to learn it for herself – looking for her heart’s desire is in her own backyard (lesson!)
• Big lesson different from any other versions; involves the cultural aspect of the movie
• Dorothy says she’ll miss Scarecrow the most
• It is all a dream or at least it seems to be
• Dorothy says everyone was there as different characters within the land of Oz
• Her family continues to tell her it was a dream, not a real place; that she’s such a silly girl
• Dorothy is happy to be home however, and says she will never leave again
• ‘There’s no place like home’: tag of the movie (a line in the book but is not emphasized to this degree)

Class Comments:

• A lot of things in the movie were to give the Hollywood feel of it: ruby slippers instead of silver, the kiss from the Witch of the North which gave Dorothy protection was not shown
• Really different as to how she had no intention of throwing the water on the witch: makes a big difference as to how she is perceived
• There’s no place like home-over the rainbow, then comes home with a different outlook
• The time taking place in Kansas is long (20minutes); shows Dorothy’s unhappiness in Kansas, not developed in the novels, the fortune teller, the neighbor is trying to take Toto away,
• Meghann’s least favorite part, as well as another girl in the class: the scene of Lion singing about if he had power
• Meghann says she knows a lot of people who have had nightmares about the flying monkey scene

Next week:

• Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass: 5 chapters throughout, choose ones that relate to you, Length is not required; can find online searching Guttenberg through Google
• Participation box is the last one, will get a new page next week

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