From OzDigest@mindspring.com Mon Jul 3 14:53:18 2000 Date: Mon, 03 Jul 2000 11:23:23 -0700 From: Ozzy Digest To: Louis Epstein Subject: The Ozzy Digest -- Back from the dead! (08-22-99) ====================================================================== The Ozzy Digest, August 01 - 22, 1999 Hi everyone! Yes, I'm still alive! :) I took my computer in as I said, and it turned out that the fan was defective and my motherboard was toast. I've been waiting these past three weeks for a new one, and my PC was finally ready yesterday (Ozma's birthday!). I'm still in the process of resurrecting my system so please excuse the squallid look of today's Digest. I also apologize for any message you may have sent that "bounced" -- My mailbox overflowed in my absence and there was no way I could retrieve it. But you can write me and the Digest now. I'm glad to be back! -- Dave ====================================================================== Date: Fri, 30 Jul 1999 22:25:30 -0400 From: Lisa M Mastroberte Subject: Ozzy Matters It's been a long time since I posted and I always come crawling back. Oh well.... Ruth: <<(She wouldn't necessarily have to be assuming that Baum's everyone-contributes-and-everyone-gets system has switched over to capitalism the money might be serving as a sort of voucher system to "budget" resources that are scarce.>> True, more or less a barter system. Say, I want a bottle of Wogglebug Learning Pills and I have a few, say, rare jewels. :-) He wants the jewels and I want the pills. Fair exchange, and still can remain Ozzy. Better than resorting in stealing. ;) On the _Grampa_ discussions: No, I haven't read _Grampa_ yet, and it would probably take up to five weeks to have it imported from Pottstown through my library. On similar note, can someone please give me a synopsis of this book? Thanks. :) Peace!! -Lisa ====================================================================== From: "Nathan Mulac DeHoff" To: OzDigest@mindspring.com Subject: Re: Ozzy Digest, 07-30-99 Date: Fri, 30 Jul 1999 20:32:11 PDT Dave Hardenbrook: >The Digests are dwindling in length, so perhaps discussion >of moving on to the next BCF is in order? Is _Grandpa_ >next? We are now moving into books that I've never read >and doubt I will have the time to read, so expect me to >be much quieter from now on. Sounds like a good idea to me. _Grampa_ is indeed the next book (if we're going in chronological order). Nathan ====================================================================== Date: Sat, 31 Jul 1999 09:28:00 -0500 From: David Hulan Subject: Return to Oz (not the movie) I'm ba-a-a-a-ack! (*Sigh*, says everyone...) It's taken me longer than I thought it would back in June, for various reasons. For quite a while I wasn't home enough (what with one thing and another I was home a total of 12 days between June 17 and July 11) to do everything else I had to do and still to research my options and decide which way to go to return to a Mac-based Internet system. And while I was at Winkies I suddenly lost most of the vision in my left eye. I was pretty sure what it was, and was confirmed when I got home and saw my ophthalmologist. I'd gotten a small retinal tear and some blood had leaked out into the space between the vitreous humor and the retina. I had immediate laser surgery to repair the tear, but was told not to read for ten days after that, which again put everything on hold. On the 22d I got the go-ahead to read again, but by that time a lot of other stuff had piled up, so it was only last Tuesday that I made my decision and went out and got a G3 Mac, along with all the miscellaneous peripherals or adapters that I needed to do all the necessary functions. And then it took a couple of days to get everything set up, all the data transferred from my old computer, etc. etc. Anyhow, I'm not going to go back and try to comment on past Digests. I did read them on Marcia's computer, but I don't like Outlook Express and I don't like Windoze computers, so I didn't try to respond. I did think I'd make a few comments of my own on _Cowardly Lion_, though it's been long enough since I reread it that they're going to be more general than specific. I have a hard time deciding whether this or _Ozoplaning_ is Thompson's worst book. It usually boils down to which one I've read most recently; the fresher the memory the worse I find the book. CL does seem to have a more integrated plot, with a real direction to it other than the simple Omigod-we're-lost-so-how-do-we-get-home-again of _Ozoplaning_. On the other hand, _Ozoplaning_ has several quite engaging characters: Jellia, in her best role in the series; Azarine, a small part but a strong one; even the villains Strut and Bustabo (if I remember the name right - the usurper who took Azarine's throne) are more interesting than most. Wantowin Battles shows why he was never a major character in any other book, it's true - his main trait is cowardice, and that stops being funny rather quickly. But overall, the characters in _Ozoplaning_ are enjoyable. CL, on the other hand, as others have already said, lacks _any_ engaging characters. Notta has been justifiably dissed by just about everyone who's commented on him. Bob is almost totally passive; not a fault in a quite young child, of course, but it makes him of little interest. The Cowardly Lion isn't even in good form here; he starts off on a quest that he knows quite well is wrong, and in the thunderstorm he panics and nearly gets all of them seriously injured. And Snorer is pretty much of a bore. Crunch is at least interesting, but he's only on stage for a short time. There are other Thompson books I think are weak - _Royal Book_, _Grampa_, _Gnome King_, _Giant Horse_ - but even they are much stronger than CL. I'm glad we're getting past it; when do we start on _Grampa_? Incidentally, I was already off-line when the discussion of postponing the CL discussion for a lengthy period took place, but the same argument applies to the next several books as well, so I thought I'd give my opinion. There are only a handful of people - ten or twelve max - who actually discuss the BCF, and I think most of us have most if not all of the books. There may be other lurkers who enjoy reading the discussions but don't participate; from what I've heard, though, I'd say that the majority of people who get the Digest aren't even interested in reading the discussions, much less caring whether they'd read the BCF recently or not. I'd say that the only time discussion should be delayed should be if someone on the Digest says he or she wants to get the book and doesn't have it yet; in that case a wait might be indicated. Otherwise, I think waiting is unnecessary. I look forward to getting back to full participation now! David Hulan ====================================================================== Date: Sat, 31 Jul 1999 19:36:16 -0500 To: Ozzy Digest From: "R. M. Atticus Gannaway" Subject: Re: Ozzy Digest, 07-30-99 RUTH BERMAN: >Robin Olderman: RPT has several versions of descents underground, >and I'm not sure if I'd want to argue that all of them include some kind >of recollection of "Alice," but the "Hungry Tiger" one, with Betsy coping >with the unpleasant Queen Fi Nance does seem to me rather like >Alice's underground adventures. (Baum's underground Mangaboos in >"Dorothy and the Wizard" also maybe show Carroll's influence?) Carrollian ditto on Neill's Chapter 16 heading for _Hungry Tiger_. Atticus * * * ============================================================================ ==== Date: Sat, 14 Aug 1999 19:44:07 -0500 (EST) From: To: OzDigest@mindspring.com Message-ID: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII L. Frank Baum did act under the stage name George Brooks, but somehow I don't buy this... Flash of Fate, The (1918) Directed by Elmer Clifton Writing credits James W. Atchison (story) Waldemar Young Genre: Drama / Crime Buy related Books User Rating: awaiting 5 votes. Cast (in credits order) Herbert Rawlinson .... Randolph Shorb Sally Starr .... Mary Freeman Jack Nelson .... Joe Freeman Dana Ong .... Henry Shorb Madge Kirby .... Gertrude Shorb Willis Marks .... Abner Hinman Charles West (I) .... Philadelphia Johnson rest of cast listed alphabetically L. Frank Baum .... Dave Hinman (as George Brooks) Directed by Elmer Clifton Writing credits (in credits order) James W. Atchison (story) Waldemar Young (scenario) and W.B. Pearson (scenario) Produced by Herbert Rawlinson Cinematography by Virgil Miller (as Virgil E. Miller) Production Companies Universal Film Manufacturing Company [us] Distributors Universal Film Manufacturing Company [us] Also Known As: Crookedest Man in the World, The (1918) (USA) Country: USA Color: Black and White Sound Mix: Silent ============================================================================ ==== Scott Andrew Hutchins http://php.iupui.edu/~sahutchi Oz, Monsters, Kamillions, and More! "Love is not a positive emotion that begins in us and ends in the positive response of someone else. Love is divine energy that comes from God and has no end." --Eric Butterworth ====================================================================== From: Orange5193@aol.com Date: Mon, 2 Aug 1999 10:34:40 EDT Subject: Re: Ozzy Digest, 07-30-99 To: OzDigest@mindspring.com In a message dated 7/30/99 8:35:05 PM Central Daylight Time, OzDigest@mindspring.com writes: > > James P. Doyle wrote: > < Woggle Bug, Tik-Tok, The Patchwork Girl as well as Baum's own music from > Maid of Arran>> > > > You've made it sound quite interesting. Please keep us informed. Okay- some information. The CD will be out this autumn, issued by Hungry Tiger Press' Hungry Tiger Music. The title is: "Before the Rainbow: The Original Music of Oz" The CD provides an overview of the music used in stage and screen productions of Oz material in which Baum himself was a creator, as well as a glimpse into the musical talents of the Royal Historian himself. List of selections: Paul Tietjens: Suite from the "Wizard of Oz" (1902/3) Frederic Chapin: Selection from "The Wogglebug" (1905) L. F. Gottschalk: Selection from "The Tik Tok Man of Oz" (1913) L. F. Gottschalk: Suite from the film "The Patchwork Girl of Oz" (1914) L. Frank Baum: Medley Overture from "The Maid of Arran" There are also a couple of fun little bonus cuts, including a (thankfully) instrumental version of Baum's "Down Among the Marshes". Also, I'd like to mention that David Maxine has an impressive CD compilation of historical recordings of music from the 1903 "Wizard of Oz" coming as well. More details on these and other Oz music to emerge from Hungry Tiger Press. James Doyle ====================================================================== Date: Thu, 29 Jul 1999 19:10:44 -0400 From: David Levitan Subject: Oz Web Ring Hi, I decided to do everything a day early, since I already had all my programs ready to grow. The new Oz Web Ring Search is available at http://www.emeraldcityofoz.com/ozring/search.html or at the ring's home page, http://www.emeraldcityofoz.com/ozring/. It is extremely fast, and although I'm not convinced that it is 100% accurate, it is as accurate as a search engine will get. I will probably update the index every month, adding in new sites as the join the ring. Please send me any comments you may have. Thanks. -- David Levitan Ringmaster: Oz Web Ring E-mail: Web Page: david@emeraldcityofoz.com The Emerald City of Oz dbl@bestweb.net http://www.emeraldcityofoz.com ====================================================================== Date: Fri, 30 Jul 1999 19:26:56 -0400 From: "J. L. Bell" Subject: acroz the great divide Sender: "J. L. Bell" To: OzzyDigest James P. Doyle wrote: <> You've made it sound quite interesting. Please keep us informed. Nathan DeHoff wrote: <> Nor would we want to try the experiment of taking the Magic Belt to the Outside World if there's a good chance it would end up beside the silver shoes! In addition to these passages about magic being limited to Oz, there's also the implication of the Winged Monkeys' statement that they can't fly to Kansas because they don't belong there. I mentioned Baum's "Oz books" because, as you say, he did depict magic working in America in other stories. In addition to JOHN DOUGH, mermaids swim under California soil in SEA FAIRIES and Button-Bright's fairy umbrella carries him across the continent and back in SKY ISLAND. Several AMERICAN FAIRY TALES show magic at work on our streets, and Oz's citizens not only remain animated but work a few spells in QUEER VISITORS. Nonetheless, in the Oz novels themselves, Baum depicts natural disasters and magic worked from within Oz as almost the only ways to fairyland. (Button-Bright's trip in SCARECROW is an offstage afterthought.) In COWARDLY LION Thompson starts a different approach, which she continues in LOST KING, GNOME KING, JACK PUMPKINHEAD, GIANT HORSE, and perhaps others. Before COWARDLY LION runs away, there were a couple of phrases which sounded odd to me, as if they were idioms that haven't survived-- 193: "You don't need a disguise," wailed the Cowardly Lion remorsefully. "You look like almost anyone." "I feel the same way," coughed the clown. 209: Notta leaned out of the bus and, seizing a pencil and pad, wrote back, "He broke himself, save the pieces." Anyone recognize catch phrases here? Also, does anyone want to conjecture a connection between the "shaker of magic powder" that Wam used to animate Crunch [224], and the powder of life from the crooked magician/Dr. Nikidik/Dr. Pipt? Wam is also credited with wishing brains into Crunch's head [260, 263], but I note Margolotte supplied brains for Scraps in a separate operation, and Jack Pumpkinhead gets by with rather few. Lest I seem only to denigrate Thompson's storytelling in COWARDLY LION, I admire the details she inserts to show Crunch's physical power, especially his "rubbing his stone forehead noisily" and "bringing his fist upon a rock and splintering it" on page 227. Even before he becomes a clear villain, Crunch is a clear danger. Tomorrow I set off for the Munchkin Convention by way of the Grand Canyon. I hope to meet some Digesters there and renew my acquaintance with others; I'm starting to feel starved for wisdom from David Hulan, for instance. I'll thus be away from my e-mail for a coupla weeks. J. L. Bell JnoLBell@compuserve.com ====================================================================== Date: Sat, 7 Aug 1999 13:09:04 -0400 (EDT) From: Mark Anthony Donajkowski To: "Dave L. Hardenbrook" Subject: animated opz this is a oz cartoon i have never seen before http://www.achilles.net/~jhall/oz.html From: TerriHH@aol.com Date: Sun, 8 Aug 1999 22:04:20 EDT Subject: New Kansas To: OzDigest@mindspring.com X-Mailer: AOL 4.0 for Windows 95 sub 22 Hello there Just thought I'd let you know about the movie New Kansas which is a parody of wizard of oz. There is a website www.newkansas.com that you can visit. There is going to be a contest on the site soon where clips will be shown and people can e-mail how many WOZ references they can find. Terri ====================================================================== From: "jumpony" To: Date: Sun, 8 Aug 1999 22:50:37 -0700 do you sell any chess sets in the theme of Wizard of Oz, or know where i could purchase one? thanks. laurie jumpony@msn.com ======================================================================