The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum

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In 1939, Victor Fleming made a film version of L. Frank Baum’s novel “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.” However, both the novel and the film focuses or touches on the same moral, it features the protagonist Dorothy who resides in Kansas the farm, along with her aunt Em and uncle Henry as well as her dog Toto. Both Baum’s novel and Fleming’s 1939 film adaptation the setting is in Kansas which is described as a small farm which Dorothy lives in which in Baum’s novel is picturized as gloomy, grey and dull. Throughout Fleming’s adaptation of Baum’s “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz,” there are a number of differences which presents itself in a direct manner on screen as well as similarities. The variety of changes in the film’s adaptation tends to take away from the meaning of L. Frank Baum’s depiction in his novel to a certain level and extent.
Additionally, the dreary and the dullness of the Kansas farm was well depicted in the film version as in the description of how the Kansas farm really appeared in the novel. It is from the way or the very opening of the film with the roaring sounds of the Metro Goldwyn Mayer lion, it was presented in a way which speaks to the audience that it was going to be a black and white film. This was so as they are known for these types of films. Therefore, this opening scene does not only contribute to the differences in the two main places which are the Kansas farm and the Colorful Land of Oz. It helps in keeping the audience aware that Oz is a completely different world from Kansas the dreaded, desolated, weary and gloomy farm. More so, regardless of all the techniques in film making, such as: sound systems, lighting, camera frames, costuming, music, expressions of actors and dialogues, the entire scenes prese...

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...ed. Henceforth, despite all the differences both Fleming’s version and Baum’s novel share the same moral and meaning. They both contribute to the same problem where Dorothy and her dog Toto was took up by a tornado and carried into the Land of Oz; also Dorothy was chased by the Wicked Witch of the West who wants to harm her. In other words, both the novel and the film it talks about how Dorothy was chased by a cruel and wicked witch for some sort of revenge.

Works Cited
Wizard of Oz, The Movie. Director Victor Fleming, Metro Goldwyn Mayer, 1939.Film Youtube Feb 12th . 2014. Retrieved March 1st. 2014.
Baum. L . Frank, “ The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.” George M. Hill Company, May 17th 1900. Novel. Retrieved 13th February. 2014.
Russell. E. “ How is the Film Wizard of Oz different from the novel.” http://thatwasnotinthebook.com/ Feb 2014, Retrieved March 7th ,2014.

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