Towards the end of August is a big celebration in the Oz community as it denotes one important date: August 25, 1939, the official release of MGM's The Wizard of Oz. Also, in the month of August is National Dogs Day (August 26). So, with these two days combined, we will look at fun activities that I enjoy myself to do at home that will allow you to celebrate The Wizard of Oz's 81st Anniversary as well as some great activities for Toto too! Well, of course, the best way to kick off the celebration activities at home is to have a watch party at home of the MGM Wizard of Oz film or you can always try watching one of the more obscure films like the ones below (when you click on the image, it will take you to the video). Also, be sure to check out this fun interactive site about the MGM film and quiz yourself to see what you know about the MGM film. Moving on, this past weekend was the National Oz Convention and they went virtual this as many conventions have done, which gives you a nice taste of how they celebrate this momentous occasion. Check out this fun adaptation/read along of the Wonderful Wizard of Oz, using both the book and the movie as inspiration. The convention did a lot of fun crafty stuff to celebrate as well so be sure to check out the all three days of events with the many activities planned for collectors and non-collectors alike. I personally enjoyed the digital puzzles that they had and have been working on them for most of the weekend. You do not need an account to see the different videos, just locate the days at the top of the page and you will find all you need there. Also, there is tons of information that links you to the different organizations involved if you want to learn more. So, have fun and enjoy the first ever Virtual Oz Convention put on by the International Wizard of Oz Club. Gotta love that Toto! Aren't those great pictures. Above, I have chosen some of my favorite versions of Toto and I will also attach a video of Toto from the current version of Boomerang's Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz. In the episode below, Toto hears a baby Rok that needs help from a terrifying Ozian shark. Go TOTO!!! Be sure to see the full episode on the Bommerang app or website. Comment below with pictures of some of your favorite Totos through the ages and for more information on the different Totos through the years, click here. When we look to books about Toto, our favorite brave doggy has had a few books published about him as well. First up, there is the biographical book about Toto and the little doggy, Terry, that played him, released back 2001 called I, Toto. It details out the life and times of the Terry, a FEMALE cairn terrier. WHAT!?! We are learning stuff already! You can find it here online in different formats. Next, is The Wizard of Oz story told from Toto's perspective with illustrations called Toto: The Dog-gone Amazing Story of The Wizard of Oz by Michael Morpurgo. That should be a blast to check out. I love new perspective stories, which is why I love Wicked so much! Finally, if you are looking for an adventure story, check out Toto of Oz, published by the International Wizard of Oz club, and can be purchased on Amazon or through IWOC online store, now up and running again. I would suggest looking to your local library and see if they have an available copy as it is pretty expensive online. If you are into arts and statuary, check out this video by The Oz Museum that focuses on the Toto statues scattered through Wamego, Kansas and they even put up a showcase video this year at the Virtual Oz Convention. Check it out! Gotta love #TotosAroundTown! Lastly, Oz Kids did a whole episode around Toto and is available on online. Check it out below. Also, be sure to check out the Oz Museum site for great Toto themed gifts. Now, this was only a sampling of ideas to do out there as there are a ton of activities to do when it comes to the Wizard of Oz (and Toto too!), so please feel free to share what your favorite activity to do is concerning MGM's The Wizard of Oz and/or our beloved favorite doggy of all time, Toto too, below!
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As we roll through our year of obscure Oz, we find out that Toto is not the only animal of Oz and apparently the animals of Oz can talk perfect American English. Of course, we know that the Cowardly Lion was an animal who would talk; however, in honor of International Cat Day on August 8th, we have a few other feline friends that grace our presence through the Oz books. First up, is the first ever cat introduced in Baum's Oz (outside of the Cowardly Lion), the Hungry Tiger. Introduced officially in the third book, Ozma of Oz, Dorothy and friends come across the Hungry Tiger, whom the Cowardly Lion knows, and he has quite a story. Apparently, he is always hungry for babies but because of his conscience, he won't eat them, as babies are the only that can satiate him. So, he remains ever hungry like a vampire, even though he eats other foods. The Hungry Tiger has made a few appearances in various adaptations, but the most recent is his appearance in Boomerang's Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz. To learn more about the Hungry Tiger, check out this Ozian page. Below, you will see a clip from the episode, "Lost Appetite", featuring the Hungry Tiger. In the episode, Wilhelmina cast a spell on the Hungry Tiger to take away his hunger and transfer it to one of the monkeys in order to win the Pie Eating Contest. The next cat that is introduced in the Baum series is Eureka, a sassy talking cat that definitely get herself in trouble. She is introduced in the book, Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz, which is by far one of the darker Oz books written by Baum, and is described as looking like she has pink fur due to the multi-colored suns that reside in the Vegetable Kingdom. As Dorothy is introduced to her, she doesn't realize she can talk which only leads her to the conclusion that they must in Oz as only animals can talk in the Land of Oz and no where else. Eureka has made a few appearances in media form including in comic form, as imaged above, in the Marvel comic, which can be purchased here. You can always see if its available at your local library, which is a way better option in my opinion. Another form that is more recent is from the show Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz, which shows a different take on Eureka, who lives in the land of Purrville (which is made up for the show) and apparently only the Scarecrow can understand her as he has the brains for multiple languages. For more information on Eureka, check out the Oz Wiki page. Below, you will find a clip from the episode feature Eureka. Our third feline friend from Oz is Bungle, a glass cat with pink brains, emerald eyes, and scarlet heart. Bungle is introduced in the seventh book of Oz and lives with Dr. Pipt and his wife, who created her in the first place. Bungle can be seen in the show Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz in the episode, "Welcome to the Bungle", where Bungle is a glass cat brought to live with the intent of destroying anything mouse-related. Bungle unfortunately does not appear in the 1914 movie, "Patchwork Girl of Oz", which is available online. A clip from Welcome to the Bungle is shown below. For more about Bungle and what you can catch her in, click here. Fascinatingly enough, the glass cat makes an appearance of sorts in the Wicked books and has different names such as Grimalkin (or "Malky" for short) or Shadowpuppet. For more information on this kitty cat and his story, click here. The final feline friend that we introduced to in the Baum series is THE WOOZY! One of the more fascinating animals in the the Land of Oz. The Woozy is a creature that was found in the Munchkin Country by Ojo and his companions in the seventh Oz book, The Patchwork Girl of Oz. He has the square shapes that make up his head, torso, and legs with a tail that specifically three hairs and really tough skin that prevents him from getting hurt. When he gets upset, he shoots fire from his eyes. The first appearance of The Woozy is in the 1914 film, The Patchwork Girl of Oz, and we can see Ojo trying to pull the hairs from the Woozy's tail, just as described and illustrated in the book. Check out the movie at the link above. Other appearances include its appearance in the episode of The Oz Kids, "The Return of Mombi" as well as in Boomerang's animated TV show, Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz, in the episode, 'Beware the Woozy", which uses a huge portion of the book in the episode as they are trying to find the antidote to the "Perfume of Petrification" (in the book, its called the Liquid of Petrification). As you can see, the Woozy has quite a different appearance from the movie and book and actually talks; so, go ahead and check out the clip below. As you can see, many feline adaptations have only been done on the animated TV show, but at least they are out there publicly and we are seeing a multi-dimensional Oz that connects to the Wizard of Oz movie. As we depart, there is a final media adaptation that was released recently on YouTube of the Patchwork Girl of Oz (released last year) and it was produced by ThunderToad Animation Studios. Check it out below to see another adaptation of the Woozy and the Glass cat of Oz and be sure to see it soon, in case it gets removed! It is a very simple adaptation but it clings very closely to the source material, which is not done very often. Who was your favorite feline of Oz? Please comment below and we will be seeing somewhere into the Oz-verse. |
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May 2024
AuthorMy name is Vinkus Ken and I have been a long time fan of many things in Oz and how their world truly does emulate much of ours. Did you know that they have a flag of their own? Or did you know that they have a law about only having 9 jurors in their courts? Also, Oz has a court system! I like to introduce facts that seem meaningless and bring meaning to them by comparing them to our world. So, come along on this journey and enjoy the ride. |