Friday, September 08, 2006
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz....
Today is September 8th, the anniversary of the publication of "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" by Frank L. Baum in 1900. Yes, this literary classic is now 106 years old and has become America's greatest and best-loved homegrown fairytale.
As the first totally American fantasy for children, it is one of the most-read children's books. The Oz story has become a classic because it blends elements of traditional magic, such as witches, with ones from early twentieth-century American reality, such as a Kansas cyclone, a scarecrow, and a man made of tin. And, despite its many particularly American attributes, including a wizard from Omaha, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz has universal appeal, demonstrated by numerous non-American translations and dramatizations.
We probably know it best for the 1939 Warner Bros movie "The Wizard of Oz". This movie made television history by being the first movie shown annually on commericial television, beginning in 1956 and running until 1998. Also in 1998, it was listed 6th of the 100 greatest movies of all time by the American Film Institute.
Today is September 8th, the anniversary of the publication of "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" by Frank L. Baum in 1900. Yes, this literary classic is now 106 years old and has become America's greatest and best-loved homegrown fairytale.
As the first totally American fantasy for children, it is one of the most-read children's books. The Oz story has become a classic because it blends elements of traditional magic, such as witches, with ones from early twentieth-century American reality, such as a Kansas cyclone, a scarecrow, and a man made of tin. And, despite its many particularly American attributes, including a wizard from Omaha, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz has universal appeal, demonstrated by numerous non-American translations and dramatizations.
We probably know it best for the 1939 Warner Bros movie "The Wizard of Oz". This movie made television history by being the first movie shown annually on commericial television, beginning in 1956 and running until 1998. Also in 1998, it was listed 6th of the 100 greatest movies of all time by the American Film Institute.
- Read it online or download it for free at the Gutenburg Project.
- Find out info about the 1939 movie.
- Lots of fun things to see and do on the official movie site.
- Check out this great Wizard of Oz website for a wealth of information and resources.
- Here's another good fan website.
- You can even join the International Wizard of Oz Club.
// posted by Tammy Wachter @ 3:38 PM 
