Episode 153: Goodbye Yellow Brick Road | The Wizard of Oz, Mythology & Americana
06/14/20 • 63 min
I have a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore. Skip with us down the Yellow Brick Road in this long-overdue discussion of the 1939 MGM classic The Wizard of Oz. As the concluding subject of our five-part series on nostalgic films, we’ll explore the template Wizard sets out for the other films in our series—Back to the Future, Hook, Beetlejuice, and E.T. Why is The Wizard of Oz so baked into the collective unconscious? Does it earn a place among Classical mythology and folklore? Can it be read as a feminist text, or does it perpetuate the tragic messaging that girls and women should eschew ambition and adventure? All these questions, plus Dorothy as the existential hero and the influence of Shakespearean drama. Let’s go over the rainbow!
—
The Midnight Myth stands with Black Lives Matter and those protesting social injustice across our country. Please join us in supporting those who will not stay silent.
Open your wallet if you are able. Consider supporting the NAACP’s Legal Defense and Education Fund, the Southern Poverty Law Center, Reclaim the Block, your local Black Lives Matter Chapter or Bail Fund. Or directly support the families of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, or Tony McDade. Seek out and support Black-owned businesses in your area.
Looking to get educated about systemic racism, police violence, and white privilege? Find book, film, and podcast recommendations at bit.ly/ANTIRACISMRESOURCES.
—
Support us at www.patreon.com/midnightmyth
Check out our merch store for Midnight Myth, Boomerangerang, and Wheel of Ka tees and totes!
Learn more, view sources and inspiration, and sign up for e-mail updates at www.midnightmyth.com
If you enjoy the podcast, please consider leaving a rating or review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen!
I have a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore. Skip with us down the Yellow Brick Road in this long-overdue discussion of the 1939 MGM classic The Wizard of Oz. As the concluding subject of our five-part series on nostalgic films, we’ll explore the template Wizard sets out for the other films in our series—Back to the Future, Hook, Beetlejuice, and E.T. Why is The Wizard of Oz so baked into the collective unconscious? Does it earn a place among Classical mythology and folklore? Can it be read as a feminist text, or does it perpetuate the tragic messaging that girls and women should eschew ambition and adventure? All these questions, plus Dorothy as the existential hero and the influence of Shakespearean drama. Let’s go over the rainbow!
—
The Midnight Myth stands with Black Lives Matter and those protesting social injustice across our country. Please join us in supporting those who will not stay silent.
Open your wallet if you are able. Consider supporting the NAACP’s Legal Defense and Education Fund, the Southern Poverty Law Center, Reclaim the Block, your local Black Lives Matter Chapter or Bail Fund. Or directly support the families of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, or Tony McDade. Seek out and support Black-owned businesses in your area.
Looking to get educated about systemic racism, police violence, and white privilege? Find book, film, and podcast recommendations at bit.ly/ANTIRACISMRESOURCES.
—
Support us at www.patreon.com/midnightmyth
Check out our merch store for Midnight Myth, Boomerangerang, and Wheel of Ka tees and totes!
Learn more, view sources and inspiration, and sign up for e-mail updates at www.midnightmyth.com
If you enjoy the podcast, please consider leaving a rating or review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen!
Previous Episode
(BONUS) Norse Myths, Tolkien & More with Author Joshua Gillingham
In a very special Midnight Myth Bonus, we sat down with Joshua Gillingham, author of The Gatewatch, an epic troll-hunting adventure inspired by the Norse Myths and the Icelandic Sagas. For an hour+, we nerd out about all things Norse: from common misconceptions about the Era of Viking to Loki’s most outrageous antics to the evolution of trolls and dwarves throughout time. We also get the opportunity to discuss how profoundly the Norse myths and Icelandic Sagas influenced the work of J.R.R. Tolkien, and therefore, much of contemporary fantasy literature.
The Gatewatch by Joshua Gillingham is available now. Grab your copy (or e-book) from Crowsnest Books or order from your local bookstore.
Want to learn more about Norse Mythology, the Vikings, and Scandinavian Folklore? Start here!
Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman
The Norse Myths: Gods of the Vikings by Dr. Kevin Crossley-Holland
The Poetic Edda: Stories of the Norse Gods & Heroes
John Bauer, painter of Scandanavian Folklore.
—
The Midnight Myth stands with Black Lives Matter and those protesting social injustice across our country. Please join us in supporting those who will not stay silent.
Open your wallet if you are able. Consider supporting the NAACP’s Legal Defense and Education Fund, the Southern Poverty Law Center, Reclaim the Block, your local Black Lives Matter Chapter or Bail Fund. Or directly support the families of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, or Tony McDade. Seek out and support Black-owned businesses in your area.
Looking to get educated about systemic racism, police violence, and white privilege? Find book, film, and podcast recommendations at bit.ly/ANTIRACISMRESOURCES.
—
Support us at www.patreon.com/midnightmyth
Check out our merch store for Midnight Myth, Boomerangerang, and Wheel of Ka tees and totes!
Learn more, view sources and inspiration, and sign up for e-mail updates at www.midnightmyth.com
If you enjoy the podcast, please consider leaving a rating or review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen!
Next Episode
(BONUS) The Wheel of Ka: Coda
Just when you thought the Wheel of Ka was over, and after 7 books of re-reads and discussion about Stephen King’s The Dark Tower, Derek and Steve return with the coda. We sat and reflected on the time, and gunslinger-esque dedication it took to complete our side project, and realized we had just one more episode of the Path of the Beam. In an interview style bonus, Derek asks Steve several questions about the books, what connects them, their strengths, their weaknesses, and debate like two old stars in a constellation over Midworld, locked in dialogue, trapped in gravity, and forever repeating.
We hope you enjoy this bonus, and remember, all things, even the Beams serve the Tower, why would this podcast be any different?
—
The Midnight Myth stands with Black Lives Matter and those protesting social injustice across our country. Please join us in supporting those who will not stay silent.
Open your wallet if you are able. Consider supporting the NAACP’s Legal Defense and Education Fund, the Southern Poverty Law Center, Reclaim the Block, your local Black Lives Matter Chapter or Bail Fund. Or directly support the families of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, or Tony McDade. Seek out and support Black-owned businesses in your area.
Looking to get educated about systemic racism, police violence, and white privilege? Find book, film, and podcast recommendations at bit.ly/ANTIRACISMRESOURCES.
—
Support us at www.patreon.com/midnightmyth
Check out our merch store for Midnight Myth, Boomerangerang, and Wheel of Ka tees and totes!
Learn more, view sources and inspiration, and sign up for e-mail updates at www.midnightmyth.com
If you enjoy the podcast, please consider leaving a rating or review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen!
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