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allaboutfrodo 's review for:
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
by L. Frank Baum
I never read the Wizard of Oz when I was a kid and never found a reason as an adult until now. I don't dislike the famous movie but am not a particular fan. My library movie club is going to see Oz the Great and Powerful, so I decided to finally read The Wizard of Oz even though the new movie is a prequel.
I like it more than I thought I would (or perhaps it's more accurate to say I disliked it less than I thought I would). The 1939 movie is actually quite faithful to the book, and I found the book interesting from that standpoint, although the movie adds touches that improve on the book, including casting an older Dorothy.
I am surprised at Baum saying that the book "aspires to being a modernized fairy tale, in which the wonderment and joy are retained and the heartaches and nightmares are left out." I don't think he fully understood his own tale, as there are plenty of nightmarish elements (as is true in many great fairy tales). Read the story of how the tin man came to be made of tin, for example, or ask anyone who is terrified of the flying monkeys (I've met plenty).
As an adult reader, the Wizard of Oz did not captivate me. However, it no doubt is more enchanting to a young child. I do recommend it to anyone who is a fan of the movie but has never read the book.
One odd note about the new movie. Oz is frequently referred to in the book as Oz the Great and Terrible, but the new movie title is Oz the Great and Powerful. It's really an odd change, as Oz is not either, but tries very hard to come across as Terrible (as in, provoking terror) in the book. Perhaps the movie writers didn't think modern audiences would understand what was meant by "terrible."
Oh, and I did enjoy the land of the china dolls! I might like the original movie more if they'd put that chapter in.
I like it more than I thought I would (or perhaps it's more accurate to say I disliked it less than I thought I would). The 1939 movie is actually quite faithful to the book, and I found the book interesting from that standpoint, although the movie adds touches that improve on the book, including casting an older Dorothy.
I am surprised at Baum saying that the book "aspires to being a modernized fairy tale, in which the wonderment and joy are retained and the heartaches and nightmares are left out." I don't think he fully understood his own tale, as there are plenty of nightmarish elements (as is true in many great fairy tales). Read the story of how the tin man came to be made of tin, for example, or ask anyone who is terrified of the flying monkeys (I've met plenty).
As an adult reader, the Wizard of Oz did not captivate me. However, it no doubt is more enchanting to a young child. I do recommend it to anyone who is a fan of the movie but has never read the book.
One odd note about the new movie. Oz is frequently referred to in the book as Oz the Great and Terrible, but the new movie title is Oz the Great and Powerful. It's really an odd change, as Oz is not either, but tries very hard to come across as Terrible (as in, provoking terror) in the book. Perhaps the movie writers didn't think modern audiences would understand what was meant by "terrible."
Oh, and I did enjoy the land of the china dolls! I might like the original movie more if they'd put that chapter in.