Yesterday I went to see SKYFALL and was completely blown away from beginning to end. And after leaving the theatre my friend Gerard and I were talking about how the Bond franchise is one of those rare instances where the films are better than the books. Victor Fleming’s classic 1939 film The Wizard of Oz would be another perfect example of a movie that has taken a novel far beyond the limits of the written word.
The latest addition to the cinematic interpretations of L. Frank Baum’s iconic Oz novel/story series (18 were written in total from 1900 to 1921) is director Sam Raimi’s upcoming Oz: The Great And Powerful. It’s been a while in the making, but fans of Raimi — yours truly included — won’t have to wait too much longer. The film is set for release in March 2013, and judging from the film’s brand new trailer just released this morning it looks like this is going to be a mindblowing visual feast to say the least. The synopsis is as follows: “Sam Raimi’s film is set before the events of the 1939 film and the original book. When Oscar Diggs (James Franco), a small-time circus magician with dubious ethics, is hurled away from dusty Kansas to the vibrant Land of Oz, he thinks he’s hit the jackpot — fame and fortune are his for the taking. That is until he meets the witches Theodora (Mila Kunis), Evanora (Rachel Weisz), and Glinda (Michelle Williams) who are not convinced he is the great wizard everyone’s been expecting. Reluctantly drawn into the epic problems facing the Land of Oz and its inhabitants, Oscar must find out who is good and who is evil before it is too late. Putting his magical arts to use through illusion, ingenuity, and even a bit of wizardry, Oscar transforms himself not only into the great and powerful Wizard of Oz but into a better man as well.”
To learn more about the film be sure to visit its website at Disney, and you can also follow Oz: The Great And Powerful on Facebook and Twitter. I’m not sure if Pink Floyd’s Dark Side Of The Moon was taken into consideration during the making of this film, but if you need your seasonal fix of The Dark Side Of Oz you can watch it below.
SEE ALSO: You Can Now Watch “The Wizard Of Oz” With “The Dark Side Of The Moon” On Vimeo!
