Oz: The American Fairyland

The Wizard of Oz series is an intrinsic part of American culture, and this in-depth exploration of all things Oz engagingly presents the history of L. Frank Baum's creation, its many metamorphoses, and the marketing of Oziana. Toy collectors will appreciate the detailed information on the many types of character figures produced over the years; film history buffs will enjoy seeing movie footage of Oz adaptations from the silent era; heck, people with a bent for pop psych will enjoy considering their own interpretation of "the meaning" of the Oz stories, as do many of the people interviewed here. The list of interviewees is impressive, including Baum's granddaughter, Ozma (yes, her parents really did that to her) and Rachel Cosgrove Payes, who wrote the 39th Oz book long after Baum's death in 1919. The producers have done an admirable job of citing many contemporary examples of Oz's cultural staying power (including the Advantage flea control commercial where dogs and cats "sing" "Ding Dong, the Itch is Dead"), but they missed a few (Robin William's riff in Good Morning, Vietnam--"Follow the Ho Chi Minh Trail!"; the pop group America's '70s hit "Tin Man"; and the Land of Oz theme park that used to be at Beech Mountain, North Carolina). Feminist epic, Progessivism's fable, the search for self, or as Payes says, simply the story of a little girl's adventures, The Wizard of Oz has earned its place in the heart of American life as much more than just the "the first American fairy-tale." Highly recommended. Also available from Sirocco is Charles Santore Illustrates the Wizard of Oz ($19.95, 30 min.), in which the artist (who's also interviewed in the longer Oz tape) describes his technique and creative process in illustrating children's books Aud: H, C, P. (R. Reagan)