Since its publication in September 1900, L.
Wizard of Oz has become America's greatest and best-loved homegrown .
fairytale. The first totally American fantasy for children, it is one of the most-.
read children's books. It has also engendered a long series of sequels,.
stage plays and musicals, movies and television shows, biographies of.
Baum, scholarly studies of the significance of the book and film,.
advertisements, and toys, games, and other Oz-related products.
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.
The Wizard of Oz (1939) is everybody's cherished favorite, perennial.
fantasy film musical from MGM during its golden years. For many seasons,.
it was featured regularly on network TV as a prime time event and then .
annually for Thanksgiving, Christmas and/or Easter time, becoming a .
classic institution and probably seen by more people than any other motion .
picture over three decades. Initially, however, the film was not commercially .
successful but it was critically acclaimed and there were many discussions .
between the similarities and differences between the Baum's book and the .
1939 film. Both the book and the film begin with a cyclone. From this point .
differences begin to surface. In the film, the farm hands on Aunt Em's and .
Uncle Henry's farm become three main characters in Dorothy's fantasy. .
Also, the film version introduces the characters who will portray The Wizard .
of Oz and the wicked Witch of the West, whereas in Baum's novel the .
reader is only introduced to Dorothy, Aunt Em, and Uncle Henry. This .
would be a good point at which to have a discussion concerning why it is .
