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Post by kfbate on Sept 24, 2015 6:10:41 GMT
This sounds like real labour of love from Big Finish, it is certainly a cracking listen and interpretation of Baum's classic tale of Dorothy and crew journey through Oz, to gain their chosen rewards. For me the only weak point of this production is the cockney flying monkeys, the most intriguing character of the film l fondly remember as a kid, this is the only part that didn't work for me. Overall it was a great production, a wonderful reworking.
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Post by glutamodo on Sept 24, 2015 7:00:39 GMT
Well, I've been writing a very long review of this AND the 2000 USA audio drama version of it... including a re-read of the Baum novel. I need to listen a 2nd time to the BF one before I go any further with it though.
I will say this, the BF one was pretty good, but still not as good as the other version.
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Post by glutamodo on Oct 9, 2015 19:08:18 GMT
I guess I should follow up... I found that after re-reading the original Oz book, and relistening to the Big Finish version, that (the BF version was) less and less enjoyable. Especially compared to the other version I own. That other version being the one adapted in the year 2000 by David Ossman for the Children's Museum of Los Angeles with an excellent all-star cast. I'd put a link in for it, but that's the other problem, it's been out of print for some time, and I couldn't find any digital version of it for sale.
The Big Finish version, I just don't like all the changes they made to the story. It was "OK" but not much more than that.
The lengthy essay I was writing... I decided it wasn't worth posting.
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Post by bohnny on Oct 11, 2015 6:29:02 GMT
Ive listened to this a couple of times now and really enjoyed it.
I've not read the book for quite a while, so cant say I noticed in detail changes that had been made, but I felt it got the spirit right; loved the music too - had an element of 'demented fairground' about it for me, which is perfect.
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Post by glutamodo on Oct 11, 2015 6:42:00 GMT
I think that was the reason I liked it more on the first go around - I couldn't remember the EXACT details of the original book, and I suspect some plot elements in the BF version may have taken some from the Baum sequels, which I've not read in over 30 years.
But as I had intended to do a comparative critical review of both of those two WOZ titles, I had to include re-reading the original book, and in doing so, realized that Ossman really did hew closely to the intended "unabridged audio adaptation" that was advertised, while BF decided to cram into one CD smaller and had to consolidate, combine and eliminate plot elements.
BTW, I did find that the old "internet archive" has recorded the old page where they promoted the original CD release of the Ossman adaptation:
web.archive.org/web/20010409091447/http://www.lodestone-media.com/wizard.html
If anyone wants to read my full review, I did save it, but it mostly talks about the Firesign Theatre and the older adaptation
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Post by icecreamdf on Oct 22, 2015 0:27:15 GMT
I loved this. I haven't read the book in years, so I can't remember how faithful this is, but I loved that it didn't seem to take much from the (excellent) 1939 movie. They also made the trip to Glinda's at the end a bit less anticlimactic than I remember it being in the book. I really hope they do some of the sequels.
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Post by Feroniya27 on Oct 24, 2015 2:15:53 GMT
It's been about ten years since I read the book, and this adaptation hit all the right notes for me. It gave the Wicked Witch of the West a bigger part than the book did, but not as big as the movie did, so I'm happy with it. I hope we get more in the future.
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Post by barnabaslives on Nov 1, 2015 21:01:32 GMT
Remarkable list of contributors. Still looking forward to this one since I'm very tardy picking it up. I think a mid-November purchase will be perfect, though - I can swap it for the traditional Thanksgiving viewing of the MGM movie. It is a classic, but I think if I hear "Follow The Yellow Brick Road" one more time... So I'm still very enthused about a non-musical adaptation.
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Post by Ian McArdell on Nov 18, 2015 11:33:51 GMT
My review of 'The Wonderful Wizard of Oz' has just gone up at CultBox. In short, I enjoyed it... lots of fun.
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Post by chopper on Jan 17, 2016 1:12:11 GMT
My kids (2 and 4) adore this and i find it generally listenable. Personally I loved the union rep winged monkey. The wicked witch gives good value as well.
Not so sure the scarecrow shines and the lion's roar sounds more like a monster than a creature, but these are minor quibbles.
What's the deal with the Golden Cap, there seemed to be an unsolved mystery around it? Or was it just thaht BF fashioned the line that WWotW stole it from WWotE?
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Post by muckypup on Jan 17, 2016 6:47:30 GMT
I loved this, I am hoping for sequels too
But I fear it may go the way of the triffids and just sit in limbo
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Post by kimalysong on Apr 4, 2017 19:08:23 GMT
Finally listened to this today and after reading some reviews I actually enjoyed it a lot more than I expected. I will say I though the cast was good but the only role that really stood out for me was Dan Starkey as the Monkey Captain. He was excellent so much so that I wish there could have been more of him.
I had read the book some time ago but barely remembered how it was different from the film. That being said I do think the film had the right idea to cut the part with the Witch of the South. It just feels a bit anti-climatic. Although regardless it was fun to hear all these scenes I didn't remember from the movie.
I also didn't like the stereotypical accent of the Narrator (who of course turns out to be the Wizard) but I did get used to it as time went on.
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Post by charlesuirdhein on Apr 4, 2017 22:37:48 GMT
I literally loathe this. It's the only BF production that I wish I hadn't bought, and I've been pretty vocal about the failings of "The Boy that Time Forgot", just glad I got a download and not the cd.
Well, that's me done.
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Post by fingersmash on Apr 5, 2017 23:04:39 GMT
So from the reactions here, is this the most marmite release BF have put out? I personally loved it but it was my favorite book growing up so there's the nostalgia factor.
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Post by kimalysong on Apr 5, 2017 23:10:00 GMT
So from the reactions here, is this the most marmite release BF have put out? I personally loved it but it was my favorite book growing up so there's the nostalgia factor. I honestly don't understand the extreme reactions to it. I don't think it's Big Finish's best release but I thought it was enjoyable. Certainly very far from the worst. I am glad I bought it.
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Post by coffeeaddict on Apr 5, 2017 23:37:38 GMT
So from the reactions here, is this the most marmite release BF have put out? I personally loved it but it was my favorite book growing up so there's the nostalgia factor. I personally wouldn't consider it a great adaptation. I didn't find the production values very good, at times it was very muddy. In all fairness, I should listen to it using my phones as it could have been the speakers. This release did not deliver and almost put me off getting the BF classics that have followed.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 6, 2017 14:41:19 GMT
So from the reactions here, is this the most marmite release BF have put out? I personally loved it but it was my favorite book growing up so there's the nostalgia factor. This release did not deliver and almost put me off getting the BF classics that have followed. I wouldn't have gone that far, but I did feel I'd wasted a couple of hours of my life after getting the end of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz... and it was a chore to actually finish it.
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