The Wonderful Franco of Oz: Week 7 Lesson 2 Blog for Creative Writing and Film Studies

In Friday's lesson within the unit, Film Genres and National Cinemas, students continued their investigation into fantasy genre films. While the first lesson of this week quickly became a Harry Potter ‘appreciation society’ (with myself included), on Friday, students were able to have a closer look at the possibilities for filmmakers to breathe life into existing film classics. From Beauty and the Beast (1991 and 2017), to Cinderella (1950 and 2015), The Jungle Book (1967 and 2017), and The Lion King (1994 and 2019), Disney has certainly exhibited to audiences what is possible when a studio has a big budget, and access to the latest film technology. While opinions were mixed, with some viewers questioning the necessity of their creation, the films were all box office hits, and as classic stories are passed on from generation to generation, it is not an unusual case for teens (such as many of my Year 9s) to have not seen the original animated films, but to have seen and loved the newer iterations. The film I will discuss, unlike the aforementioned examples, was not originally Disney’s tale to tell, however there is no doubt that Oz: The Great and Powerful (2013) glitters with the magic and wonder of Walt Disney himself.

As mentioned in my previous blog, I was originally planning to write about The Wizard of Oz (1939) film, and how it was rejuvenated through its Disney prequel Oz: The Great and Powerful (2013) earlier in the week, however I was keen to join my students in reflecting about the Harry Potter series. Having done that, I am excited to dive into this fantastic and spirited prequel film that came along 74 years after the original MGM classic.

In a nutshell, Oz: The Great and Powerful tells the untold story of Oscar Diggs (Oz) (played by James Franco), a sideshow magician and cheeky con-man who finds himself whisked away to the magical land of Oz via his hot air balloon, and a fierce and sudden storm. Upon arrival, a young witch Theodora (Mila Kunis) tells him that he must be the great wizard who would become king of the land, and saviour of the people of Oz. Oscar, liking the idea of becoming the star of his own ‘rags to riches’ story, goes along with the idea, but soon discovers that he must defeat the wicked witch in order to claim the throne. Through a tumultuous journey, accompanied by new friends and allies, Oz eventually discovers that his true power was with him all along, in his strength of character, quick wits, and ingenuity.

When assessing the effectiveness, necessity, and quality of “remake” films, students were introduced to the concept of ‘value adding’. I initially learnt about value adding when I was my student’s age, and studying one of my Year 9 electives, Agriculture. In a unit that focuses on commercialisation of farming products, ‘value adding’ was defined as additional processes that would increase the RRP of an item. Examples of these included making milk into chocolate milk. As it offers something different and serves a different purpose, chocolate milk can be more expensive than plain milk. Value adding can also be used in heightening the experience and convenience of a product. A good example of this is making a bottle of orange juice available in various sizes. While a smaller bottle (i.e. 250ml) can be more expensive per ml than a litre bottle, what has been added here is the convenience of having the juice packaged as a portable, ‘on the go’ serving size. Much like food products like these, remake films as commercial products must not only sell the concept of the film, but must additionally establish what else they have to offer that the original film does not, and how they are not just making more of the same thing for exploitative ‘cash grab’ purposes.

One way that ‘remake’ films can have individuality and a healthy separation from the original source material is by altering the plot. This can be through changing plot details (the horror film, My Bloody Valentine (1981 and 2019) have a key plot difference in order to surprise fans of the original), telling the story from another character’s perspective (superbly accomplished in Disney’s Cruella (2021), where the villain of 101 Dalmatians (1961) gets an origin story), or telling us what happened before or after the original story occurred (students saw this happen in the case of Blade Runner (1982) and Blade Runner 2041 (2017) during sci-fi genre week). Oz: The Great and Powerful changes the plot via the latter example, as we can see what the Wizard of Oz was like when he first found himself in the iconic magical land. His story is one which follows an anti-hero, as Oscar is a dishonest, flirty, and mischievous individual, however on the journey, his kindness and care for others become obvious. In this respect, he is a very lovable and endearing character, and his ‘fake it until you make it’ approach to a wild situation becomes universally relatable. Who hasn’t worried about not being enough and letting down others?

[On the other hand, Oscar’s experience may not be completely universal, but more so reflective of the life experience and perspectives of young men. According to a gender workplace study, men were found to apply for jobs they were 60% qualified for, whereas women would only apply if they met 100% of the requirements. According to Ibrahim, “Men are not exempt from low self confidence or doubting themselves...but they don’t let their doubts stop them as often as women do” (Ibrahim, 2019), and this very much keeps in the spirit of the film’s storyline.]

While a remake film must have a certain degree of uniqueness that distinguishes itself from the original source material, it also must maintain an authentic connection to the original story, in order to prove itself to be a worthy part of the same franchise and narrative world. In the case of Oz: The Great and Powerful, the film maintains a connection to the original story world not just through the beautiful depiction of Oz (a true technicoloured marvel in 1939!), but in the take home message. Like Dorothy and her friends in the 1939 film, Oz searches for something he already possesses. The lion wanted bravery, but found that he was brave enough to make the journey, thus was brave all along. Similarly, the scarecrow wanted a brain, but realised that he had already been thoughtful and considerate, and the tinman who wished for a heart found that he was already very loving, to the extent that would be impossible without a heart. The heroine of the film, Dorothy realised that her experience in Oz mirrored her reality in Kansas, thus the place she was looking for where she would be empowered to be her true self was back home (“there’s no place like home!”) Like Dorothy, Oscar came from Kansas, but rather than returning home (not that he had a stable one, due to being a travelling performer), found his place in Oz. Similar mirroring of Oscar’s reality in Oz occurs, particularly in the character, China Girl (voiced by Joey King), a beautiful and fragile doll made from fine bone china. Oscar first meets China Girl in China Town (part of The Quadling Country in L. Frank Baum's novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900)). Like much of the town that appeared shattered and chipped, China Girl had a broken leg. Having super glue with him, he is able to mend her leg so that she is able to walk again. While Oscar appeared guilty when China Girl thanked him for his magic, in this world, he had the power to restore someone’s ability to walk. This contrasts with his reality back home, where the little girl in the wheelchair who came to his show (also played by Joey King) could not be helped through his false miracles and showmanship.

While L. Frank Baum unfortunately died in 1919, 30 years before the release of The Wizard of Oz (1939), I’m sure that he would have loved to see how his unique narrative world has continued to live on and delight generations of children and adults around the world. Like his original books, films, and stage productions like Wicked (2003) and The Wiz (1978) will make the land of Oz an immortal reminder of the possibilities of the human imagination.

References:

Disney UK. (2012). “OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL | Full Trailer | Official Disney UK”, online video, viewed on 19/3/23, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DylgNj4YQVc

Ibrahim, M. (2019). “Men Apply For A Job When They Meet Only 60% of The Qualifications, But Women Apply Only If They Meet 100% of Them. Here's Why.

”, https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/men-apply-job-when-meet-only-60-qualifications-women-100-mei-ibrahim/, accessed on 19/3/23

Harry Potter and the Fantasy Film Genre: Week 7 Lesson 1 Blog for Creative Writing and Film Studies

In Wednesday's lesson within the unit, Film Genres and National Cinemas, students began their investigation into fantasy genre films. This was certainly an exciting genre to move onto, especially with so many students in the class being Harry Potter fans. In both the novels and the films, the Harry Potter series offers audiences from around the globe an escape into a world of magic and wonder. Looking at film and the increasing cinematographic capabilities of the industry, beloved stories can come to life on the big screen, even those stories that are ‘larger than life’ and take place in fantastical alternate worlds and realities.

Honestly, I was originally planning to write this blog about The Wizard of Oz (1939) film, and how it was rejuvenated through its Disney prequel Oz: The Great and Powerful (2013) that came along a whopping 74 years later. I will however save that discussion and analysis for another occasion (watch this space!). After marking the ‘flash writing’ pieces that the class completed (15 minutes, silent writing in response to a surprise prompting question), I decided that was necessary for me to also reflect on the Harry Potter series (many identified it as their favourite fantasy franchise), my experiences with it, and what it has taught me and countless other adoring fans over time. When it comes to novels and films, I am often open to reading and watching almost anything, and I do on each occasion and encounter genuinely manage to pinpoint how a text provides value to the audience in one way or another, however not every book or film series is as prolific and widely celebrated as Harry Potter. Here are my top 5 reasons why I love the series…

5. The world is welcoming

For Harry (and many other people in the real and imaginary world), life is unfair to say the least. In the first instalment, we meet Harry just before he turns 11, basically living the life of Cinderfella (1960) at his nasty aunt and uncle’s house. Harry seems so innocent and sweet, yet all he receives in return is cruelty and degradation. This pitiful situation however is turned quickly on its head when we meet Hagrid, the gamekeeper at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. This gorgeous new friend reveals not only that Harry is not “just Harry” and is actually “a wizard”, but also that the world of magic is a place that awaits him with open arms. Hagrid makes Harry a homemade birthday cake, stands up for him when he is treated badly by his relatives, takes him school shopping, and establishes himself as the first kind and reliable adult that Harry has ever known. Even with ‘bully’ characters like Draco around, and evil magic and intentions lurking in the corners of Hogwarts, Harry is never without a stable support system of friends and trusted adults, and is also financially liberated thanks to his parents leaving him an inheritance. This allows Harry to be free to start a new life, where he is finally nurtured and cared for.

4. The characters are complex

At first glance, there are certainly some stereotypical individuals and groups in the Harry Potter franchise, however there is much more than meets the eye with the majority of the characters we meet. While Harry is our protagonist and hero, he is not perfect, makes mistakes, continues to grieve the loss of his parents, and has a range of interests and priorities. My favourite thing about Harry, shown particularly in his portrayal by Daniel Radcliffe in the films, is that magic never ceases to amaze him. Whether it be in the first or fourth movie, Harry’s face lights up when anything magical is happening. There is a part in the fourth film, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005) where he and the Weasley family enter a tiny tent, which turns out to be a huge and decadent dwelling inside. Harry smiles and exclaims “I love magic”. On one hand, viewers may scoff at his continual surprise, and that even after being a Hogwarts student for many years, he is taken aback by moments like this, however I find that it is just a sign of his continual gratitude and genuine delight for the magical world, and the beauty and wonder (big or small) it has to offer. On the other hand, Snape is coded as a villain from the get go, but we come to know the depths of his love and the extent of his commitment to doing what is right and just, no matter the risk. Even Draco demonstrates that he is more than the blonde boy who constantly threatens to “tell [his] father about this” and that, and who throws around discriminatory slurs (i.e. "mudbloods" - witches and wizards who have some “muggle”/regular person heritage) at anyone who can hear him. By the end of the series, we can see his struggle to fulfil the wishes of his family, and his reluctance to carry on their legacy of hate.

3. Harry is basically a Dickensian hero

Okay, I know it sounds really silly to say that Harry Potter is your favourite Harry Potter character but…that is the case with me! However, I must assert that I have my reasons, and that I am not just being lazy, like the Pokemon fans who like Pikachu the best. Harry’s spirit and endurance are second to none other than classic literary figures such as David from David Copperfield (1850), and Pip from Great Expectations (1860). All three of these boys possess a legendary amount of resilience and Harry specifically, despite the enormous amount of sorrow, death, and loss he is faced with, maintains hope for himself as well as for the future of the wizarding world.

2. The friendships are forever

Who doesn’t love Harry, Ron, and Hermione? Despite their differences, these three make up the perfect team, and together are unstoppable. With their collective strengths and talents, they can face evil and come out on top. I particularly love when they work together in the first instalment to get to the Philosopher’s Stone. Hermione’s thrill for learning and collecting (at times seemingly trivial) facts pays off big time when the children are tangled in the deadly ‘Devil’s Snare’ plant, and even Ron’s chess hobby (something that in other film contexts would be coded as geeky) allows him to face significant danger head on. While Harry is often the last to face down Voldemort or one of his iterations, it is clear that his friends help pave the way to his successes, and provide him with purpose and a sense of belonging in the world. However, it is important to note that just because Harry ‘gets help’ does not make him any less of a hero, as it is a blessing to have people in your life that you can count on, and who can count on you in return.

1. School is extra special

I am definitely not saying that school isn’t special (I am a teacher at an absolutely beautiful school after all!). I am however saying that it is so fun to see what school would look like if you were to learn magic as well! Growing up, I always adored watching shows like Winx Club (2004-2019, though I watched it in the early 2000s), Sabrina the Teenage Witch (particularly the animated series), and of course Wizards of Waverly Place (2007-2012). Like Hogwarts, In the Winx series, Alfea is a secret and ancient school for fairies, where they learn to control their magical abilities. In the latter two shows, we follow school aged protagonists who live in the normal world, but experience it in a far more technicoloured view due to their ability to access magic, and a fantastical world that is tucked away from the view of many. As a student, my personal experience of school was not the most nurturing in regards to matters of wellbeing. Watching characters like Harry transfer from the ‘school of hard knocks’ to Hogwarts was a freeing experience as a teenager. On a curriculum level, I have always been fascinated with the possible subjects offered at these ‘fantasy schools’. Instead of Chemistry, Harry and his friends go to Potions class. In the more recent Netflix version of Sabrina Spellman in the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (2018-2020) series, she is delighted when she spends more time studying at the Academy of Unseen Arts for witches and can learn “sacred geometry” rather than regular Maths at her human school, Baxter High. Like in all aspects of fantasy, the possibilities are endless, and even if you feel like there is no place for you in the real world, there may be a world that is just for you right around the corner.

References:

Sunnyvids. (2019). “Hogwarts is my home”, online video, viewed on 16/3/23, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5dp_AKwv5vI

À Ton Image - A Cloning Ethics Nightmare: Week 6 Lesson 2 Blog for Creative Writing and Film Studies

In Friday's lesson within the unit, Film Genres and National Cinemas, students continued their investigation into science fiction (or sci-fi) genre films. While the first lesson this week focused more on cinematographic technology, and how its improvement and accessibility allows filmmakers to create more vivid and lifelike futuristic worlds, this lesson dove into the infinity pool of possible ethical and moral concerns that are often raised in science fiction films. In class, students worked together to consider issues such as cloning, robotics, AI, and transhumanism. While not all of these concepts and innovations are inherently bad, problems often arise in sci-fi films when humans do not know where to draw the line between scientific progress, and moral corruption. For this blog, I will focus on À Ton Image (2004) or ‘In Your Image’, a shocking and absolutely unforgettable French science fiction film from the early 2000s.

Initially, I came across À Ton Image at night on SBS. It was featured as a foreign film of the week on a Saturday night in 2010 (I was 15 years old). Two years ago, I came across it by chance on ClickView, and while it had been over 10 years since I had seen it, I immediately recognised the film. Upon watching again, the magnetism of this unique story took hold of me. From start to finish, this film makes it impossible to look away, and to not have deep wonderings in regards to the abhorrent and twisted events that ensue.

In a nutshell, the film begins with a common misfortune, infertility. Matilde and her obstetrician husband, Thomas are heartbroken over the fact that they are unable to have a child, especially after the tragic loss of their young son. While some sadly accept this fate, Thomas has another idea up his sleeve, and secretly arranges for Matilde to give birth to her clone. Believing the child to be her natural daughter, Matilde and Manon initially have a normal and loving relationship. Thomas, knowing the truth, arranges for Manon to have frequent medical examinations with the cloner in order to make sure she is healthy and progressing normally. While Matilde believes Manon to be an ill child, in reality, she as well as their entire family are part of an elaborate human cloning experiment. Manon is happy and well, apart from when she sleeps, as she is plagued with dreadful nightmares (these are later revealed to be Matilde’s memories). Growing up, Manon becomes more and more like Matilde, and begins to exhibit signs of jealousy towards her mother, and aggression towards peers. While Manon may be perceived as some kind of ‘evil child’, it is clear that she is struggling with her identity, and in finding a place in the world, where the role in question is already filled. Being the same person as her mother in body as well as soul, she begins to feel attracted to her “father”, and upon finding childhood pictures of Matilde and medical files, she realises the awful truth about her existence. Out of anger, she callously reveals the truth to Matilde, and boasts that she is a new and improved version of her, one that is younger, stronger, and more beautiful. After various altercations, Matilde had to kill Manon in order to restore order (Manon falls into the same well her young son did by accident). Any poetic justice upon reflection is lacking triumph. The ending is tragic and upsetting, especially considering that Matilde was lied to, and was made to lose yet another child.

The film is certainly one that I would define as a moral nightmare, not just for Matilde, but for all of the characters involved. While it was not right for Thomas to go behind his wife’s back to bring Manon into existence, viewers can empathise with him as he was a husband that did everything he could to bring happiness to his grieving wife. His lies, while large, can be justified as sparing the already fragile and traumatised Matilde from further pain. As mentioned previously, rather than being the evil villain of the story, Manon definitely draws the short straw in this tale. Even as a child, she finds no peace, and is forced to relive the worst memories of her mother through her nightmares. When she began to desire Thomas, it must have made her feel ‘freakish’ and immoral, but when she discovers it was because she not only looked like her mother but was her mother, her anger at being made to fulfil the role of the perfect little daughter who her mother liked to dress up in matching outfits is understandable and even reasonable. Manon is made to experience the identity crisis to end all identity crises, as she doesn’t just feel out of place in the world, but knows for a fact that she has no place while her mother is alive.

À Ton Image is one of those films that stays with you long after viewing, and certainly calls into question the ethics around human cloning, and people ‘playing God’ with technology, just because they can. For a sci-fi film that is almost 20 years old, it continues to carry a socially relevant and significant message for viewers.

References:

Cinemaetcie. (2013). “A Ton Image”, online video, viewed on 12/3/23, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkDySxDr6Ps&t=5s