100 Years of Oz: A Century of Classic Images - Hardcover

Carroll, Willard; Fricke, John

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1556709404 ISBN 13: 9781556709401

Publisher: Harry N. Abrams, 1999

Synopsis

Since its publication in 1900, The Wizard of Oz has remained in print, spawning 39 sequels, five silent movies, innumerable stage productions, a radio series, countless animated cartoons, and arguably the greatest MGM musical of all time. Conventions of Oz fans, held thrice yearly, draw upwards of 75,000 visitors.

For these fans-and anyone who ever dreamed of visiting Oz-Willard Carroll draws from his private collection of more than 10,000 museum quality pieces to offer a rare glimpse of Baum's beloved creations and their influence on popular culture.

Divided by decade, this book traces a century of Oz lithography, photography, sheet music, book jackets, stationery, manuscripts, costumes, film props, animation cells, newspaper rotogravure, greeting cards, Halloween masks, theater programs, contracts, maps advertising fliers, gams, toys, puzzles, dolls, and other memorabilia gathered from every corner of the world. With brilliant new photography, original artwork, drawings, sketches, blueprints, and stage and movie stills, 100 Years of Oz is a joyous and unique passport over the rainbow.

About this title

Review:

The Wizard of Oz bears the remarkable distinction of being a perennial favorite in both book and movie form, the former for a solid century. Since the first Wizard of Oz book appeared just as the American merchandising machine was swinging into full gear, the characters of Oz have also been immortalized in a century's worth of memorabilia. In 100 Years of Oz, John Fricke takes the reader through the remarkable history of L. Frank Baum's creation, lavishly illustrating the progression with pieces from Willard Carroll's Oz collection. This collection is in itself a stunning monument to one man's obsession, albeit a charming one. Once you get past the sheer enormity of the accumulation, though, the individual pieces themselves are well worth a look. They range from the expected, such as dolls and comic books, to themed peanut butter and "hangers from the Merrie Land of Oz." Posters, ads, and jacket covers from the many stage, film, and book versions of the Oz series from all over the world are also included and make for more lovely eye candy. 100 Years of Oz is the perfect gift for hardcore Wizard aficionados, but it also gives the casual fan plenty to ogle, as well as a new appreciation of just how enduring this classic series has been. --Ali Davis

About the Author:

WILLARD CARROLL is the writer and director of Playing by Heart, a Miramax film. His other directing credits include Tom's Midnight Garden, The Runestone, and the ABC-TV series "Bone Chillers."

JOHN FRICKE is the author of The Wizard of Oz: The Official 50th Anniversary Pictorial History and Judy Garland: World's Greatest Entertainer. He co-produced the Emmy-Award winning A&E biography, "Judy: Beyond the Rainbow."

About this edition

• Publisher: Harry N. Abrams
• Publication date: 1999
• ISBN 10: 1556709404
• ISBN 13: 9781556709401
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 159