The Oz witch comeback refers to the resurgence of interest and popularity surrounding the wicked witches from L. Frank Baum's beloved novel, "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz." While the story has captivated audiences for over a century, recent adaptations, such as the Broadway musical "Wicked" and the film "Oz the Great and Powerful," have brought the witches to the forefront of pop culture once again. One of the main reasons for the appeal of these witches is the complexity of their characters. Traditionally depicted as purely evil and menacing figures, these adaptations explore their backstories, motivations, and struggles, humanizing them in the process. Elphaba, the green-skinned witch from "Wicked," is a prime example.
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I think the people that attack you on twitter are men with a very different agenda and people that follow trends ; it is a very complicated social issue it is not just about said ideology or just choices it is more than that. Because of this, and given the title, we assume that the podcast exists because Rowling has been disowned by many some of her fans and others for her views on women s and trans people s rights and how they can conflict.
Elphaba, the green-skinned witch from "Wicked," is a prime example. The musical delves into her journey from a misunderstood outcast to the iconic villain known as the Wicked Witch of the West. Furthermore, these adaptations also shed light on the themes of power, corruption, and discrimination, making the witches even more relatable and compelling.
The week in audio: The Witch Trials of JK Rowling; Dear Daughter; Sisters – review
The Witch Trials of JK Rowling is a strange podcast. Rowling’s careful, crisp mind contrasts with host Megan Phelps-Roper’s mushy Christian desire to be as kind and evenhanded as possible. That’s not to say that the podcast isn’t interesting – it is – just that it’s uneven and reeeally streeetched out. It needs a far tougher editor.
A bit of background. Phelps-Roper is known for being brought up in, and then leaving, the virulently homophobic Westboro Baptist church, her fundamentalist views changed by Twitter (I know!). Landing Rowling as an interviewee is a huge coup for Phelps-Roper, as Rowling is private, and we understand why when, in episode one, she recounts how her ex-husband tried to break into her home. We should also note that The Witch Trials comes from a production company started by Bari Weiss, a journalist who fell out with the New York Times over her provocative “anti-woke” stance on cancel culture. Because of this, and given the title, we assume that the podcast exists because Rowling has been disowned by many – some of her fans and others – for her views on women’s and trans people’s rights and how they can conflict. Perhaps we will get to this subject; however, it appears, only once Phelps-Roper has gone through every single US cultural permutation of the past 20 years.
The programme is in chronological order and follows Rowling’s professional history (her personal life is included to show how it shaped her work and how her work changed her life). The longueurs occur because we are also given the context in which her work was published. By work, of course, we mean Harry Potter, or Hairy Podder, as every American insists on calling it. There are a lot on this show. The second episode spends what seems like days on 1990s US Christian evangelists and their mad belief that the Harry Potter books truly promote witchcraft to children, that kids might “drink unicorn blood”. It’s hard to maintain interest throughout this lunacy.
Safer still are the hands of the unacknowledged Gary Davies, there to smooth things over in between Ken Bruce and Vernon Kay
The third episode, out last week, about the rise of internet message boards and their overspill into the mainstream, was much better. The two examined are Tumblr (essentially sweet and lefty) and 4chan (like a racist, Columbine-loving Andrew Tate). Tumblr gave many young people the space to define their own gender queer identities. And 4chan allowed its members to rail against societal norms in a different manner, paving the way for self-promoting feminist-baiters such as Milo Yiannopoulos.
This is Jon Ronson-style stuff, though Phelps-Roper is less sharp, journalistically. Really what The Witch Trials highlights is what happens to both artist and fans when a creation balloons into something unmanageable. Harry Potter – and via Harry, Rowling – became so popular that everyone, even those who with no stake in the game, decided on an opinion and all subtleties were lost. Rowling, as she says, may have hoped that the books’ message that humans are flawed, complicated, a mixture of good and bad, is what would resonate. But – and she sees this – that’s not what’s happened. Harry and Rowling became too famous for that. Now they’re seen as entirely good or utterly bad. There are four episodes to go.
Namulanta Kombo presents the award-winning Dear Daughter. BBC
A far cosier female-centred listen is Dear Daughter, winner of podcast of the year at last year’s British Podcast awards. The first episode of the second series came out last week as a podcast on BBC Sounds and will be a World Service programme starting on 11 March. Hosted by the positive, optimistic Namulanta Kombo, mother to a young boy and girl, it’s a sweet show that believes the relationship between mothers and daughters is special. Although last week, we heard from Marian, a journalist from Estonia, who had a distant relationship with her father and is very grateful for her husband’s much closer bond with their daughter. Both Marian and Kombo’s girls are still young: you wonder, a little, about teenage issues, also how the programme would differ if they had more than one daughter. This week, she will be interviewing writer Isabel Allende, not a woman to pull punches.
Here’s a show about more than one daughter: Sisters, from Kaitlin Prest, who is revered among podcast-lovers, especially North American women. Her podcast The Heart, a collection of different series, is beautifully made, intense and personal; she negotiates and understands the world via her own body and life. So it’s interesting that she is co-creating this beguiling, intriguing podcast with her younger sister, Natalie. Using recordings that Prest has made of her family over several years, the first three episodes cover Kaitlin and Natalie’s childhood, how Kaitlin was dismissive of Natalie, how Natalie thought her big sister was amazing and how they became close as adults. Now they are working together, and despite Natalie’s efforts to be her own person, everything still feels dominated by Kaitlin. Is there space for Natalie here? God, families are complicated…
Natalie and Kaitlin Prest, co-creators of the ‘beguiling’ Sisters.
Can we say the words Vernon Kay without the Radio 2 “family” falling apart? Now Ken Bruce has left (his last stint was on Friday), the mid-morning show will pass to Kay in a few weeks. He is a safe pair of hands, though perhaps a little blokey (despite its long love affair with the straight white male presenter, since Chris Evans left in 2018, Radio 2 has been almost entirely un-blokey). Safer still are the hands of the unacknowledged Gary Davies, there to smooth things over in between Bruce and Kay, to ensure that the world still keeps turning and the family still functions.
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The witches become symbols of our society's obsession with appearances and the consequences of marginalizing those who are different. In addition to stage and screen productions, the Oz witch comeback has also extended to literature. Countless books have been written that retell or reimagine the story of the witches, giving them even more depth and complexity. This allows readers to explore different angles and interpretations of the witches' stories, adding to the overall fascination with the characters. The Oz witch comeback has also been fueled by the success of other fantasy franchises, such as "Harry Potter" and "Game of Thrones." These adaptations have shown that audiences are eager to explore the darker and more complex sides of characters who were once portrayed as purely evil. This shift in storytelling has led to a renewed interest in the witches of Oz and a desire to uncover the truths behind their iconic roles. Overall, the Oz witch comeback is a testament to the enduring power of L. Frank Baum's original story. By exploring the witches' backstories and motivations, these adaptations have captured the imagination of audiences and allowed us to see them as multidimensional characters rather than one-dimensional villains. Whether on stage, screen, or in books, the witches of Oz continue to captivate audiences with their complexity and provide a fresh perspective on a familiar tale..
Reviews for "The Oz Witch Returns: A Dark Sequel to the Wizard of Oz"
1. Mary - 2 stars - I was really disappointed with "Oz witch comeback". The storyline was weak and confusing, and the characters lacked depth. It felt like the whole movie was just a rehash of the original "Wizard of Oz" but with less charm and creativity. The special effects were also subpar and didn't do justice to the magical world of Oz. Overall, I found it to be a lackluster attempt at a sequel.
2. John - 1 star - "Oz witch comeback" was a complete waste of my time. The acting was atrocious, and the dialogue felt unnatural and forced. The movie tried to capitalize on the success of the original "Wizard of Oz", but it fell flat on its face. The plot was predictable, and there were no surprises or twists to keep me engaged. I would not recommend this film to anyone looking for a captivating and well-executed fantasy movie.
3. Samantha - 2.5 stars - I had high hopes for "Oz witch comeback," but it ultimately let me down. The pacing was off, and there were too many unnecessary subplots that didn't contribute to the overall story. The performances were lackluster, and it felt like the actors were going through the motions rather than truly embracing their characters. The film lacked the magic and wonder that made the original "Wizard of Oz" so beloved. In the end, "Oz witch comeback" failed to live up to its potential.