The Wonderful Recap of Oz Justin Peavey

PREVIOUSLY A PATREON EXCLUSIVE!

I am delighted to be joined by my friend, co-worker, and lifelong Return to Oz fan: Mary Corrigan. We watched Return to Oz together to record the very first OzRecap Commentary Track! This is an audio file that is meant to be listened to along with the movie. Around seventeen minutes into this episode (after our banter), I will prompt you to hit "Play" on your copy of Return to Oz, whether it be streaming, on VHS, or on DVD.

Originally Published March 24, 2022

PREVIOUSLY A PATREON EXCLUSIVE!

While L. Frank Baum wrote fourteen Oz books over the course of twenty years, more endeavors into the world of Oz were also published. In this bonus episode, I'll discuss four lesser-known works by Baum and W. W. Denslow: Queer Visitors from the Marvelous Land of Oz, Denslow's Scarecrow and the Tin Man, The Woggle-Bug Book, and Little Wizard Stories of Oz. I'll also address a hot topic that is met with debate among Oz fans: Should these stories be included in the Oz canon?

Originally Published September 1, 2021

First up in the "Alternate Oz" section of the season is the 2007 SyFy miniseries, Tin Man, starring Zooey Deschanel. Guest Jesse McAnally returns to discuss this (extremely loose) reimagining of L. Frank Baum's original novel, in which Deschanel's D.G. is whisked into a strange place referred to as the Outer Zone. She meets colorful characters and dangerous foes and uncovers the truth about her past, where she comes from, and a prophecy she must fulfill.

Everybody knows the (extremely embellished) story of how Shirley Temple was considered to play Dorothy in the 1939 MGM film version of The Wizard of Oz. What people don't seem to remember is that she actually did get to star in an Oz project of her own creation. Joined by Tara Tagliaferro and Emily Kay Shrader from Down the Yellow Brick Pod, we look at the extensive and varying career of Shirley Temple and the Oz-themed episode of her "storybook" television series.
CONTENT WARNING: This episode contains a brief mention of child sexual abuse. Listener discretion is advised.

L. Frank Baum not only adapted his works to film, but he also translated his books to the stage. He developed three Oz musicals in his lifetime: The Wizard of Oz (1902), The Woggle-Bug (1905), and The Tik-Tok Man of Oz (1913). Their respective success varied, but there is no doubt that the musicals had a significant influence on the Oz series going forward. Joined by Oz author and illustrator Eric Shanower, we take a closer look at Oz on stage.

It's rare when a beloved author gets to be the same person to adapt their work for the big screen. L. Frank Baum famously did this by incorporation his own production company, and he was quick to begin translating his work to film. While the Oz Film Manufacturing Co. was famously unsuccessful, the films shed a light on Baum's unique vision. With special guest Nate Barlow, we talk about the history of the company and a couple of the films that have survived. CONTENT WARNING: This episode contains a brief discussion concerning the genocide of indigenous Americans.