Fellow Ozians,

Used to be a collection of quotes from L. Frank Baum's famous Oz series, and other associated works, as well as the occasional reblog. Nowadays this blog is more of a general Oz blog which updates as I explore Oz adaptations and reread sequels. Feel free to submit a quote from the Oz books, Wicked, The Wiz, or any other adaptation!

[gringolet]

in a world of bullshit copyright laws, getting sickeningly obsessed with old ass public domain works constitutes heroism

[quotes-from-oz]

What’s your opinion on Toto’s ability to speak?

Not sure I have much of an opinion on it to be honest.

It was a funny enough gag in Tik-Tok of Oz. In The Lost Princess of Oz where Toto had dialogue it irritated me because I felt it was out of character, but that went away quickly.

Objectively I have a hard time seeing it outside of it's Baum's poor planning, forgetfulness, and need to introduce new elements. I understand why he did it from a publishing standpoint, it gave a beloved character more of a spot light and provided comedic relief, but from a narrative standpoint I think it's just another borderline nonsensical choice which I have little to comment on.

[quotes-from-oz]

Who is Peter Glassman? None of my physical Oz books have afterwards by him and the versions on gutenberg.org don't either.

Peter Glassman is an Oz and Baum academic. For the Books of Wonder full color reissue of the original novels in the 90s, Glassman wrote the afterwords. He works for Books of Wonder, and organizes many Oz events. His contributions to the Baum Bugle and general Oz preservation is very impressive!

He wrote the afterwords in my personal editions, and I often include commentary from him on this blog. I think his approach to his afterwords strikes a nice middle ground of "deeply knowledgeable" and "simplified for casual readers"

[quotes-from-oz]

The Tin Woodman gives big gay vibes. Hear me out: He doesn't display any attraction to women throughout the series (nor men, it being the 1900s and all, but still), instead living with a male friend who he's clearly emotionally close to. His quest to marry Nimmie Amee is largely because he feels societal pressure to marry a woman, even though he doesn't really want to, which honestly gives a closeted vibe.

I'm sat.

Couldn't agree more!

We could debate if this is intentional or accidental queer coding, and reading it in the 2020s vs the 1910s. I've been not commenting on this recently because I've been trying to do more reading on the subject. I do think there is a queer subtext to the Tin Woodman. Or, if not gay, at least an explicit textual approach that is asexual, or sexually neutered, when it comes to Nick Chopper. While I understand some of Baum's (external to the story) reasons for this, I am not well read enough atm to comment on if it was intended by Baum.

[quotes-from-oz]

spins around in my chair

so.

what did we think about the new movie and do we think it should have had more pearl vibes thoughts and feelings

Hahaha what a good ask! Sorry this got stuck under asks to my main blog and I didn't see it for over a year. I assume it's referring to Wicked: Part 1.

If I posted all my thoughts on that movie we'd be here for a week. And I eventually will. For now all I will say is that the one area it could've used more Pearl energy in was the lighting and coloring. Why is Wicked: Part 1 the first Oz adaptation that doesn't focus on color? It's integral to stage performances, films, animation, and even the novels' prose! That cornfield looked washed out af and some of the outdoor scenes looked like they were filmed in a gym. Pearl was bursting with color, and it's one of the things that sold the retro movie references, particularly the Oz ones, that West was going for.

[mjhartwork]

This group project was fun! We each designed a wizard of oz character in the style of Mary Blair, the golden age Disney concept artist. I chose Dorothy (and Toto!)

Once i tested out all the (default) Firealpaca brushes I could use to imitate a gouache style, and downloaded these wonderful free 8k paper textures, it was off to the races!

[spiribia]

if I was the wicked movie I would imply characters would be changed for good and then give Glinda the bisexual color scheme and turn off my phone

[quotes-from-oz]

I know Baums has used multiple words previously to name the Oz people-- Ozite for sure and perhaps Ozian? I cannot locate it on this blog. But he just used "Ozmies" as well, ell oh ell

[vovat]

The context of "Ozmies" in "The Magic of Oz" suggests that it means residents of the Emerald City and surrounding territory, but that's the only time it's ever used.

[saltedbirdcat]

Brazilian Wicked is now one of my favorite versions cause SUITPHABA?!? BADDY GLINDA?!?!?

[bunnieswithknives]

My precious baby boy he is so everything to me

[deityofthestars]

I NEED A 50 EPISODE SERIES NOWWWWW the animation aughh my boy scarecrow augh hoogh

[atlantisview]

WICKED: FOR GOOD November 21, 2025

[myownfantasyrealm]

Dorothy being a metaphoric seed dropped into a distant wood (world) by a sky bird (tornado.)

Also, in the first Wicked novel, Boq describes her as, "Plain and straightforward as mustard seed."

[thefugitivesaint]

John Rea Neill (1877-1943), 'Cloud Fairies', ''Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz'', by Frank Lyman Baum, 1908

[alicent-florent]

WICKED (2024) — dir. Jon M. Chu

[quotes-from-oz]

I think all in all most of the Stories in Little Wizard Stories of Oz are pretty mid. They recount very basic encounters, and involve little plot or development. Some of them are very didactic, such as "Little Dorothy and Toto" and "Ozma and the Little Wizard." The Imps are a fun pun, but the story holds little interest outside of that.

Personally, I think "The Cowardly Lion and the Hungry Tiger" is above and beyond the best story, and it gives the audience a fun little glimpse of hoe these two view each other, who they are, and has humor and great character moments.

[masonyin]

the wizard of OZ

[movfie]

Lencia Kebede as Elphaba Thropp

The first Black woman to portray Elphaba full time on Broadway

03/04/2025