"The Magic of Oz" is a fantasy novel written by L. Frank Baum. It is the thirteenth book in the famous Oz series. The story takes place in the beautiful Land of Oz, a magical realm filled with interesting characters and enchanting adventures. The main protagonist of the story is a boy named Kiki Aru, who possesses the ability to transform into different animals. Kiki Aru's transformation powers capture the attention of the wicked Nome King, who wants to use the young boy's abilities for his own evil purposes.
The World of Oz (1914-1925), black & white and color-toned black & white, 259 minutes total, not rated,
including The Magic Cloak of Oz (1914) [abridged 1917 rerelease version], black & white, 38 minutes, not rated.
The musical accompaniment composed and performed by Paul David Bergel on MIDI synthesizers aimless at times shows marked improvement over his previous compositions for silent film. The Wizard of Oz 1939 , color and color-toned black white, 102 minutes, Rated G, including The Magic Cloak of Oz 1914 abridged 1917 rerelease version , color-tinted black white, 43 minutes, not rated.
Kiki Aru's transformation powers capture the attention of the wicked Nome King, who wants to use the young boy's abilities for his own evil purposes. However, Kiki Aru's actions inadvertently lead to the release of the previously imprisoned Ugu the Shoemaker, a mischievous individual with powerful magic. As the story progresses, we meet familiar characters from previous Oz adventures, including Dorothy and Toto, the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman, and the Cowardly Lion.
The magic claoj of oz
The Magic Cloak
of Oz
(1914)
Oz author L. Frank Baum continued his film productions of his Oz books through the Oz Film Manufacturing Company with The Magic Cloak of Oz. Full of fairies, magic and kingdoms, this Oz film features little of the familiar Oz trappings or characters.
Violet Macmillan and Mildred Harris are featured as a pair of orphans who end up ruling the land of Noland while it is theatened by a band of soup hungry roly-polys. In retrospect, the film makes little plot sense and may explain why the Oz Film Manufacturing Company soon stopped production.
In 1917, the original five-reel film was edited to three reels and rereleased in the USA. It is that disjointed version of the film, in poorly-duplicated 16mm reduction prints, that is commonly available for viewing today.
— Carl Bennett
The Wizard of Oz (1939), color and color-toned black & white, 102 minutes, Rated G,
including The Magic Cloak of Oz (1914) [abridged 1917 rerelease version], color-tinted black & white, 43 minutes, not rated.
Warner Home Video, 3000024968,
UPC 8-83929-05736-8, ISBN 1-4198-7873-5.
Two single-sided, dual-layered, Region 0 Blu-ray Discs, 1.33:1 aspect ratio image in pillarboxed 16:9 (1920 x 1080 pixels) progressive scan AVC (MPEG-4) format, SDR (standard dynamic range); one dual-sided, dual-layered, Region 0 NTSC DVD disc, 1.33:1 aspect ratio image in full-frame 4:3 (720 x 480 pixels) interlaced scan MPEG-2 format, SDR (standard dynamic range), ? Mbps average video bit rate, ? Kbps audio bit rate, Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo sound, English language intertitles, no foreign language subtitles; chapter stops; standard three-disc BD keepcase; $49.99.
Release date: 1 December 2009.
Country of origin: USA
This 3-disc Blu-ray Disc Emerald Edition of The Wizard of Oz contains in its supplemental materials five surviving silent era adaptations of L. Frank Baum Oz stories. This edition of The Magic Cloak of Oz has been mastered from a good 16mm reduction print. The quality culprit here is the video transfer. The somewhat contrasty source print is presented in an alternating too-dark then too-light video transfer, with deep, plugged-up shadows and dark middle greytones alternating with bright, completely blasted-out highlights and OK middle greytones. The full-frame transfer runs faster than natural speed, with movement bordering on unreal rapidity, and may have run closer to 55 minutes had a natural speed pace been chosen. The video transfer is so contrasty, there is little in the way of print flaws that can be reported other than a moderate amount of dust, a few vertical scratches, and a few splices. The overall print and transfer results can be a challenge to watch.
What can be said be said in favor of this edition, is that it includes footage and intertitles that do not appear is other home video editions of the film, including the better-looking Alpha Video edition noted below. The duration of shots within a sequence are often longer, with additional footage, and the editing sequence appears to better represent the 1917 abridged rerelease of the film. That having been said, while there is more footage in this edition the video transfer runs through it at a faster pace than the Alpha edition.
The film is presented without musical accompaniment of any sort.
The new HD transfer of The Wizard of Oz (1939) in this BD disc set is stunning, and itself worth its price, but if you want to collect The Magic Cloak of Oz we recommend the budget Alpha Video edition for its visual quality of the footage common between both editions. So, collectors are faced with a trade off, higher visual quality or relative completeness. Maybe, both the Warner and Alpha editions are necessary?
The Wizard of Oz (1939), color and color-toned black & white, 102 minutes, Rated G,
including The Magic Cloak of Oz (1914) [abridged 1917 rerelease version], color-tinted black & white, 43 minutes, not rated.
This edition is recommended if you don’t have a Blu-ray Disc player.
The Wizard of Oz Collection (1914-1925), color-tinted and color-toned black & white, 258 minutes total, not rated,
including The Magic Cloak of Oz (1914) [abridged 1917 rerelease version], color-tinted black & white, 38 minutes, not rated.
Alpha Video, ALP 48310, UPC 0-89218-48319-5.
One single-sided, dual-layered, Region 0 NTSC DVD disc, 1.33:1 aspect ratio image in full-frame 4:3 (720 x 480 pixels) interlaced scan MPEG-2 format, SDR (standard dynamic range), 4.3 Mbps average video bit rate, 192 Kbps audio bit rate, Dolby Digital 48 kHz 8-bit 2.0 stereo sound, English language intertitles, no foreign language subtitles, 4 chapter stops; standard DVD keepcase; $6.98 (raised to $8.98).
Release date: 23 August 2005.
Country of origin: USA
This budget DVD edition of The Magic Cloak of Oz has been transferred from a good to very-good Em Gee Film Library 16mm reduction print which has been digitally color-tinted yellow in its full-frame video transfer, which runs a bit faster than natural speed. The print exposures fluctuate a bit, with momentary sections of darker footage, and some dust and prints scratches are present, but the transfer better represents the surviving picture in greyscale ranges and image detail than other home video editions, including those from Warner Home Video noted above — go figure.
It is worth noting that this edition of The Magic Cloak of Oz runs 38 minutes, while the Warner edition runs 43 minutes. Some of the difference in running times can be accounted for in the differences in print edits. There are intertitles and footage in the Warner print that don’t appear in the Alpha print, and there differences in sequences and the duration of shots. The differences between the two editions are far too numerous to detail here. But this Alpha edition appears to be a shambles of the surviving footage, with entire sequences and intertitles missing.
The musical accompaniment composed and performed by Paul David Bergel on MIDI synthesizers — aimless at times — shows marked improvement over his previous compositions for silent film.
Far from perfect, this is the best-looking edition of The Magic Cloak of Oz that we have viewed. The downside of this edition is its incompleteness, even allowing for the film’s incomplete survival state, and its shambles of sequential order. What is implied here is that there is an opportunity for a home video producer to conflate surviving print materials into the most complete and logical reordering of footage and intertitles to best represent the most-complete and visually-clear surviving version of the film.
The World of Oz (1914-1925), black & white and color-toned black & white, 259 minutes total, not rated,
including The Magic Cloak of Oz (1914) [abridged 1917 rerelease version], black & white, 38 minutes, not rated.
Brentwood Home Video, 46303-9, UPC 7-87364-63039-4.
Two double-sided, single-layered, Region 0 NTSC DVD discs, 1.33:1 aspect ratio image in full-frame 4:3 (720 x 480 pixels) interlaced scan MPEG-2 format, SDR (standard dynamic range), ? Mbps average video bit rate, ? Kbps audio bit rate, Dolby Digital 48 kHz 8-bit 2.0 mono sound, English language intertitles, no foreign language subtitles; 8 chapter stops; two-disc DVD keepcase; $9.98.
Release date: 12 July 2005.
Country of origin: USA
This low-budget DVD edition collects all four films previously released on VHS videotape. The full-frame video transfer has been mastered from the same EmGee Film Library 16mm reduction print as the Alpha Video edition noted above, but with flatter, greyer results.
The presentation on this disc includes narration (with reverberation effects) of the intertitles by Jacqueline Lovell. Clearly, the intent is to make the film accessible to children that are too young to read the intertitles, but the narration is likely to annoy older viewers who are capable of reading (thank you very much). We encourage Brentwood, in the future, to consider providing separate DVD audio tracks that would provide a music and narration track and a music-only track.
The Magic Cloak of Oz (1914) [abridged 1917 rerelease version], black & white, ? minutes, not rated,
with His Majesty, the Scarecrow of Oz (1914), black & white, ? minutes, not rated.
Both films are accompanied by a music score performed by Donald Sosin.
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The new HD transfer of The Wizard of Oz (1939) in this BD disc set is stunning, and itself worth its price, but if you want to collect The Magic Cloak of Oz we recommend the budget Alpha Video edition for its visual quality of the footage common between both editions. So, collectors are faced with a trade off, higher visual quality or relative completeness. Maybe, both the Warner and Alpha editions are necessary?
Together, they must find a way to stop Ugu and restore peace to the Land of Oz. Along the way, they encounter numerous obstacles, dangerous creatures, and magical spells. One of the unique aspects of "The Magic of Oz" is the introduction of several new characters, such as Woot the Wanderer, a Gillikin boy made of tin, and the Patchwork Girl, a lively and independent creation. These additions bring fresh perspectives and add to the already diverse cast of characters in the Oz series. The book explores themes of friendship, bravery, and the power of belief. It emphasizes the idea that anyone, regardless of their origins or abilities, has the potential to make a positive impact and overcome adversity. Additionally, Baum's vivid descriptions and imaginative world-building make "The Magic of Oz" a captivating and whimsical read for audiences of all ages. Overall, "The Magic of Oz" is an enchanting and thrilling addition to the Oz series. It continues to delight readers with its imaginative storytelling, vibrant characters, and timeless themes. Baum's legacy lives on through his captivating tales, inviting readers to escape into the magical world of Oz time and time again..
Reviews for "The Relevance of 'The Magic Flaoj of Oz' in Today's World: Lessons for All Ages"
1. Jane - 2 stars - I was really disappointed with "The Magic Cloak of Oz". The story felt disjointed and didn't flow well. The characters were one-dimensional and lacked depth. I expected more from a book set in the magical land of Oz. Overall, it was a forgettable read.
2. Mark - 1 star - "The Magic Cloak of Oz" was a complete letdown. The plot was confusing and lacked coherence. The writing style was dull and uninspiring. I felt no connection to the characters and couldn't bring myself to care about their journey. It's unfortunate because I had high hopes for this book, but it failed to deliver.
3. Sarah - 2 stars - I struggled to get through "The Magic Cloak of Oz". The pacing was incredibly slow, and the story lacked excitement. The dialogues felt stilted, and the descriptions were overly detailed, making it difficult for me to visualize the scenes. I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone looking for a captivating read.
4. David - 2 stars - I found "The Magic Cloak of Oz" to be underwhelming. The writing felt juvenile, and the plot was predictable. The characters had no depth, and their interactions felt forced. It seemed like a rushed attempt to capitalize on the success of the original Oz series, but it fell short of expectations. I was disappointed with this book.