Behind the Poignant Scenes of Santa

Behind the Poignant Scenes of Santa:

A Review of Jack Gannon’s I Walked in Santa’s Boots: Lowcountry Christmas Memories

By: Ron Baxley, Jr.

Five Stars (*****)

Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus, and this book gives a behind the scenes look at a Santa who made appearances in Beaufort, S.C. and beyond for 23 years. This book combines the anecdotal, hidden lesson-style memoirs of publications such as “Guideposts” with traditional books of Santa lore yet with regionalism focusing on the coastal areas of S.C. and Georgia.

Often, one will one find a Christmas-related book that explores the real-life aspects of Santa Claus in a sentimental way for those who remember their children’s, their grand-children’s, and/or their own early years with great fondness. However, not often will one find one with such stories of poignancy and behind the scenes aspects that would be of interest to polished theatrical personnel with a regional S.C. Low-country flair coupled with the universality that is St. Nicholas.

(Next, before nay-sayers say that Jack Gannon is actually a co-publisher with YBR Publishing of two of my own books and they state that I am biased, I want to add a point. I have often reviewed books by close authorial colleagues who I count as real life friends and have not always given them five stars. I rely on the merit of the work itself, so this YBR Publishing author who happens to be co-publisher earned his five stars.)

First, he brought me to tears in a good way not only once but three times when his story of a little girl running and jumping into his arms as Santa reminded me of my own visiting niece doing the same in my late grandmother’s arms during Christmas when she was about half the age or less she is now. Jack also did so when he described going to the nursing homes as Santa and his interactions there, bringing to mind my Dad’s long stay in the nursing home with dementia as well as my grandmother’s and other relatives’ stays in various nursing homes. His own poignant recollections of being Santa around his own mother and father before they passed reminded me of comparable memories (not as Santa but just with the grieving aspects) with my late father and grandmother. Second, Jack brought me great joy with his many discussions about various pet events and particularly the canine interactions there which reminded me of the time I took my Corgi Ziggy to see several different Santa Clauses. Third, Jack reminded me of the religious aspects of Saint Nickolas and how often our actions around Christmas and throughout the year should reflect those. Fourth, he brought in many interesting details to those of us with an interest in theater such as costuming, performance, and sets from not only his public appearances but his appearance in holiday dance productions and plays. Finally, within this hardcover book, he put in so many colorful photographs of Santa with children in a variety of poses and so many letters and notes from Santa to children that a Grinch’s heart would go from small to large after just a few pages. (Granted, a few of those photographs were grainy but that is to be expected from the scanned newspaper pages which had to be used to capture certain moments at times.)

Jack’s memoir of being Santa Claus is the proverbial treasure trove of the holiday spirit, and I recommend it to adults who want to look back at cherished Christmas memories but also want a good behind-the-scenes peek at what it is to be a real-life character.  

“Turner and Prissey”... Good Suspense...Needs Work

Non-family-friendly “Turner and Prissey” Has Good Suspense, Canine Descriptions, and Character Interactions But Needs Work:

Review by Ron Baxley, Jr. of Aforementioned Book Written by: Lee T. Lunsford

*** (3) out of 5 stars

What aspects I most enjoyed about Lee T. Lunsford’s mystery book were the accurate descriptions of the nippy Chihuahua Prissy and how Mark Turner, the main character, had to contend with its nipping and eccentric behavior. The dog can be moved around with ease but is very aggressive in contrast to the dog it parodies from the film “Turner and Hooch”. That dog is large and drools out a lot and can be like a stubborn mule to move; in contrast, Prissy is tiny and can be easily moved – perhaps a bit too roughly by Turner at times.

I also enjoyed the relationship between Mark Turner and his mother and between them and the Chihuahua, Prissy, which Mark eventually inherits upon his mother’s death. The mother’s death and the incidents that follow could have been worked on a little better chronologically however. In my opinion, chronology in the book needs work. Nevertheless, this is a suspenseful mystery that surrounds the death of Mark’s mother and some major drug conspiracies and conspirators that are at large in the private investigator’s, Mark Turner’s, town. There are plenty of red herrings with the characters which are quite good.

The relationships between Mark Turner and various love interests are explored well. One of these is a friend of his late mother’s, and another is introduced later in the book. Surprisingly, it is not these relationships that make the book non-family-friendly as I mentioned in my review title (though its cover touts it as such). One gratuitous scene that involves one of those pornographic phone services and one of the antagonists and several other scenes with innuendo and language make this book somewhere between a PG-13 and an R. The label of family friendly needs to be changed. Also, what needs the most work in “Turner and Prissey” are the fragments, inconsistencies with names, spelling errors with homophones, and general aspects of grammar within the book.

I somewhat recommend this short read for a dog lover who likes realistic depictions of dogs and those who want to explore the mother-son relationship as well as having a suspenseful mystery, but this slight recommendation would have to be for one not bothered with chronological errors and many major grammar errors. For these reasons, the book needs editing work.

Finding Obscure Disney + Offerings with Top Disney

This book by Christopher Lucas from Lyons Press was used by blogger and author Ron Baxley, Jr. along with his own background in watching Disney films to select mostly obscure Disney film offerings on the Disney + streaming service. Major fans of Disney films may know most or all of these selections, but Ron wanted to make sure that many people were finding some of the older Disney films or documentary features as well -- particularly during the current pandemic crisis.

The focus of this blog-post will be mostly on obscure Disney offering themselves, not offerings from the companies the entertainment giant has purchased through the years. This blog-post/article may eventually make its way to the online version of the daily newspaper, the Orangeburg, S.C. "Times and Democrat" at https://thetandd.com/ . The author has permission to post it early as a blog-post.

By: Ron Baxley, Jr.  

With many still stuck at home, they may be looking for more obscure and even time-tested offerings from the Disney + streaming service for their families. 

Baxley states that the films “Fantasia” and “Fantasia 2000” are good ones for teens and adults, particularly those into classical music (band students, music students, and all students really could use cultural exposure to it). Baxley says that not only does he like the diverse artistry of their animated sequences and the music, but he also uses the lower tempo music in them to drift off to sleep during these troubling times. According to Lucas’ book, “Walt (Disney) expanded the horizons of the motion picture industry in 1940 by creating a feature film combining classical music and animation. Fantasia was the first of Walt’s ‘package films’, using different directors and animators for a series of musical vignettes, this time conducted by Leopold Stokowski.” The film only gaining popularity in later years, it took the studio almost 60 years later to do a sequel.

The next one Baxley recommends on Disney+ is nowhere near as obscure, “Peter Pan” (1953). For those who are missing the long-term-closed Disney Parks and such classic rides as “Peter Pan’s Flight” and who have a strong sense of nostalgia, this one is perfect to share with the family. According to Lucas’ “Top Disney,” “Walt had been planning to make this adaptation of J.M. Barrie’s tale of eternal childhood since 1935, but didn’t get it going until well after the war years. Though the character had been around for decades, Disney’s version of Peter Pan soon became the iconic one.” With the iconic main character, viewers will certainly be singing, “You Can Fly! You Can Fly! You Can Fly!” again, one of the songs Baxley most remembers from the film and Walt Disney World.

“The Rescuers” (1977) may be more obscure than its 90s sequel “The Rescuers Down Under” to millennials and post-millennials. Baxley remembers it being one of the first films he ever saw in The Dane Theater in Denmark, S.C. along with “Pete’s Dragon” and the non-Disney “The Wilderness Family.” According to Lucas’ “Top Disney”, “Based on two award winning children’s books by Margery Sharp… the tale of two intrepid mice working for the Rescue Aid Society on a mission to save a young orphan was a surprise hit at the box office and helped boost Disney’s bottom line at a time when the company needed it most.” Baxley states he had not seen the film in many years and had almost forgotten how funny yet poignant the voice performances were by Bob Newhart and Eva Gabor as the heroic mice Bernard, a janitor mouse recruited to help, and Miss Bionca, a high society mouse whose heart is the right place in wanting to help orphans. Their take on polar opposites who attracted was entertaining according to Baxley. He also remembers being scared by accomplished actress Geraldine Page and the gruff voice she used for the villain Medusa, who was drawn like an uglier version of Carol Burnett’s Miss Hannigan in the later film “Annie”, and creeped out by her sidekick Mr. Snoops (played by t.v. and film star Joe Flynn) whose moustache was even creepy. Like fairy tales that also have creepy villains, Baxley says the film should definitely be shared with a family of all ages via Disney +.

Sometimes streaming technology such as Disney + can take one back to the past. For quaint notions of what a computer used to be or even what people imagined computers could do, “The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes” (1969) (referred to by Lucas’ book as part of the Dexter Riley trilogy), could be a good one to entertain older kids and teenagers as well as college students and adults who want to see what college life was like – at least according to late 60s and early 70s Hollywood. What may pull the kids into watching the film is that it stars Kurt Russell as Dexter Riley, and they may have seen him as a character in “Guardians of the Galaxy 2”. Seeing him as a young actor versus an aging one will be quite the contrast.

The next one on the list of recommended Disney + options is fairly obscure, “The Adventures of Bullwhip Griffin” (1967). Baxley sees it as more of a tall tale mixed with a Western comedy – particularly with the ballad sung during the film. According to Lucas’ book source, “A stuffy British butler (Roddy McDowall) is mistaken for a rowdy boxer in this western comedy.” Baxley says McDowall’s stuffiness and fish out of water qualities do make for a good comedy of errors. He says, “If it is to be categorized as a Western comedy, it is more like the folksy, family comedy of ‘Little House on the Prairie’ at times.”

Though not obscure to Generation X or boomers, “The Black Hole” (1979), also available on the Disney + streaming service, may be obscure to other generations. Baxley, an avid fantasy and science fiction fan as well as Disney fan, says he remembers it from being younger and after a recent viewing sees it as “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea” but set it outer-space with a space captain more insane than Nemo but with more psychological and allegorical facets like “Forbidden Planet.” It may be best for teens and adults and only older children with adult supervision. Lucas in “Top Disney” writes of “The Black Hole”, “Disney’s ambitious answer to Star Wars. This story of a stranded spaceship crew tangling with a madman bent on taking them through a black hole earned the first PG rating for the studio.”

As an avid Oz fan, on Disney +, Baxley had to watch “Babes in Toyland” (1961) (more obscure to non-Boomers) just to see Ray Bolger, who played the Scarecrow in M.G.M.’s “The Wizard of Oz” (1939), play the villain Barnaby. Bolger, in a good way, really chews up the scenery as a typical villain in black with a black top-hat and black moustache, and his dancing skills are also put to good use. Baxley remembered Annette Funicello from reruns of “The Mickey Mouse Club” on The Disney Channel in the 80s, but Baby Boomers will remember her even more. According to “Top Disney”, “Annette Funicello stars in Walt’s first attempt at a big-budget live-action fairy tale musical, an adaptation of Victor Herbert’s classic operetta about Mother Goose and her Story Book Village characters facing against the evil Barnaby (played by a cast-against-type Ray Bolger). The oversized tin soldiers used in his film are still featured in Disney’s Christmas parades.”

On Disney +, another somewhat obscure one/cult classic that Baxley likes as an Oz fan is “Return to Oz” (1985). Baxley says that the film script combines two Oz books of the late, original Oz author L. Frank Baum and is as true to the whimsy of the books as the M.G.M. Oz film is while also be true to the darker aspects of the series of books. Lucas writes in “Top Disney,” “Walt purchased the rights to L. Frank Baum’s Wizard of Oz stories and fully intended to make a film of them (a 1950s TV show with the Mouseketeers even previewed a musical number from it), but the increased popularity of the 1939 MGM film killed those plans. The company finally made an Oz film in the 1980s. It was a daring departure from the tone and style of the previous film. Unfortunately, audiences found it to be too dark, and it died at the box office. It’s since become a cult classic.”

With experience as a reporter and having seen the original film (and not the less obscure Broadway version) a year before graduating high school, Baxley also watched “Newsies” (1992) on Disney +. He says he happens to like the more realistic setting in the feature film versus the bare sets he has seen in YouTube clips of the musical. Baxley, having sang in church choir for many years, says he likes the perhaps slightly less-polished but more true-to-period voices of the film versus some of the Broadway performances of which he has only seen clips. But he says he might change his mind if he sees “Newsies” live. Lucas’ entry states, “Alan Menken, along with Jack Feldman, provided the songs for this tale of New York City newsboys in the early twentieth century who stage a strike. A young Christian Bale starred…”

Lucas’ book “Top Disney” mentions classic Disney animators Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston and lists many of their character credits. Disney + has a documentary on them “Frank and Ollie” (1995) which can have some rambling true tales at times but Baxley still recommends as an extraordinary film for teens, young adults, and adults into animation. The documentary tells Frank and Ollie’s stories as two of Walt Disney’s original “Nine Old Men”. In this case, according to the aforementioned book, Frank and Ollie began their career at the Walt Disney Studios in the early 30s. What correspondent Baxley says he finds most enjoyable about the film was the details about the difficulty and tedium of the animation work, which some mistake as being easy, but how fulfilling and enjoyable it was. Baxley says it is amazing to watch how Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston brought characters to life. He says he also enjoyed the impressions and body language Frank and Ollie exhibited before the camera to show how they, in front of a mirror, would often put on faces and act out gestures and use them for characters. Baxley says to have patience with some of the stories they tell like you might with a grandparent because they are a treasure trove of information about the studio.

“The Imagineering Story”, a series on Disney + about Imagineers, the designers and developers of theme parks and attractions for the Walt Disney Company, was released after “Top Disney” came out. Baxley says it is very binge watchable, particularly for those who have always liked the Disney Parks and have been fascinated by them. There are six episodes a little over an hour apiece in the First Season, the only one available so far. The episodes cover everything from the beginnings of Disneyland to the modern Disney Resorts worldwide. He said what he enjoyed about the series overall was it gave behind the scenes peeks at the inner workings of Imagineering that the general public seldom gets to see.

Many options of films and television shows are available on Disney +, and these fairly obscure, recommended ones are just the proverbial drop in the bucket. A lot of contemporary content is available on the service as well. These Disney + findings were rechecked earlier this month and are subject to change as the Walt Disney Company takes down content and makes additions from time to time.

For more information on other top film and show suggestions to search for on Disney + as well as a plethora of other top ten Disney lists on various topics, order “Top Disney” (Lyons Press) by Christopher Lucas.

Lions, Tiger, and [Kings]... Oh, My!

A Review of “Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness” by Ron Baxley, Jr.

*** ½ (3 1/2  stars out of 5)

(Warning: Perhaps a few minor spoilers)

This is a Disney, Baxley, and Oz blog, but perhaps I can make this fit with the 1939 M.G.M. “The Wizard of Oz” classic line, “Lions and tigers and bears… oh, my!” I emphasize the “Oh, my!” The lions, tigers, and bears in “Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness” are allegedly mistreated, kept in a backwoods zoo, and, at times, allegedly sold illegally by the titular Oklahoman Tiger King/ “Joe Exotic” while tiger sanctuary owner and Florida-resident Carol allegedly stalks him and does her best to put an end to his traveling animal shows. The disagreements escalate between them online, some thugs and other characters enter the picture, and, as the somewhat misleading title indicates, alleged, premeditated murder for hire eventually goes into court by the feds for prosecution (among other what some would call trumped-up charges). What does result you may want to watch, and I am leaving the thugs and other characters out of the review to prevent a lot of spoilers.

Initially, I was drawn in by all of the hype about the series and did enjoy the first few episodes with the disagreements between Carol, who happens to keep her tigers in cages in what is allegedly touted to be a more non-profit-based tiger rescue, and the Tiger King, who she accuses of doing the very same thing I perceive her as doing. The Tiger King’s bleached mullet, high drawl, and cowboy-esque attire, and Carol’s tiger prints, hippie-esque head-band, and voice which sounds close to a certain female politician may keep you watching as I did for their sheer eccentricity. (This is what makes it more like a classic documentary like “Grey Gardens” – the close-up, no-holds-barred look at real people.) All of the eventual crime elements were interesting like an “Unsolved Mysteries” episode or two or a Mystery show on PBS. Those kept one in suspense.

The Tiger King being gay and anti-government but also being more like a member of the NRA with his attitude towards weapons made for an interesting twist. Also, like Oscar Wilde, Liberace, and others, his boyfriends tended to be around 30 years his junior at times but still of consenting age – all of which was discussed several times in the series. Whether that makes “Joe Exotic” predatory like his lions, I will leave to the viewer (when women do this, they are sometimes called cougars). Carol has some alleged skeletons in her closet that “Joe Exotic” and other tiger owners with parks mention – her millionaire husband, her first husband, went missing and was never found. What she is fully accused of can be further explored with a series viewing as can the droning voice of her second husband.  

I started out being intrigued by the feud and the escalation between Joe and Carol. But, though I know it was for mature audiences, I grew tired of hearing all of the expletives like one had flipped to an episode of “Jerry Springer”. I know the documentary filmmaker had to put those in to show everything realistically, but perhaps some could have been bleeped out. Also, though it was touched on for just a few minutes, Joe Exotic’s background as growing up gay in rural Oklahoma and how he was treated there and how it affected him on a socio-psychological level could also have been greater explored. Carol’s fundamentalist background, a tragedy from her youth, and her back-story could also have been go into with more detail. Yet there are more episodes and perhaps another season planned. Relatives close to Joe and Carol (parents, aunts, cousins, etc.) could have been interviewed more specifically about these two individuals’ youth. These relatives are brought in to discuss the current conflicts with the back-stabbing and the various murder plots that relate more to the present. However, like with any crime-related program, it always helps to have more back-story on how the players grew up. More back-story can provide greater insight into the motivation of these people beyond just basic greed and revenge.

Granted, that this documentary show bravely shows people’s depravity and does not make excuses for it is refreshing in some ways. It shows the fallibility of human nature, etc. However, the way this documentary show is being hyped as the ultimate escapism during the coronavirus pandemic is misleading. Though I enjoyed the suspense and the candid way all sides of Joe Exotic were shown and was drawn in by the circus train wreck that was the escalation between Joe and Carol, I was ultimately just left sad at the tragedy with them and the animals and emptiness of a lot of it. I felt there needed to be some redeeming factor somewhere, somebody who wanted to do completely what was right (perhaps no one could be found... one or two were close). The suspense and the story kept me going through most of it as did the brave way the documentary filmmaker showed the depravity of humanity in general. However, the non-bleeped foul language, lack of in-depth back-stories and lack of interviews that could have extended further into the principal players’ pasts made me lose interest toward the middle of the episodes. Toward the end of this season, the lack of a truly redeemable, basic good person made me drift further and just sad at a long-played-out tragedy with the humans and the animals. 

You may want to watch just the first few episodes to get the gist and may get hooked into it, but if you are wanting something to watch to escape the pandemic news, perhaps the fantasy films “Onward” or “Frozen 2” on Disney + may be more uplifting (I know I recently gave “Onward” 3.5 stars too (fair to good) but that was leaning more truly toward 4, the good  – especially with my comments. I recommend it as more uplifting than "Tiger King...", and I, of course, gave “Frozen 2” four stars, and it is very uplifting). By the way, if you are looking for something more realistic and uplifting (but with a tragic start), I have heard good things about “Self Made : The Real Life Story of Madam C.J. Walker” on Netflix and will be making it my next viewing during the pandemic crisis. Unless they get more into the back-stories of the principal players, I do not know that I will be watching additional episodes/seasons of the "Tiger King..."

*** ½ out of 5 stars (3 ½ out of 5)   

Frozen 2's Music Makes Me Cold,but Plot Warms More

"Frozen II" ’s Music Makes Me Cold, but Plot Warms More Than First

By: Ron Baxley, Jr.

Four (****) out of Five Stars 

I finally have been able to see “Frozen II” on Disney +, where it was said to have been added because of the recent pandemic so that viewers could see it earlier.

The plot definitely warms more than the first because it has more complications and sub-plots (no spoilers).

The music, however, leaves me colder than the first film. Nothing will probably beat Idina Menzel’s “Let it Go” anthem which was played everywhere the year the first film came out. However, Frozen II’s “All Is Found” is a suitable folk ballad which doubles as a lullaby and also explains a legend and backstory about a mysterious river. The sequel’s “Some Things Never Change” is sing-songey in the sense that a “Sesame Street” song is but it more forgettable. One saving grace of it is Kristoff doing his ever-charming voice for his reindeer partner Sven. “Aurora – Into the Unknown” is the icy stalagmite-covered crown among the sequel’s songs with its soprano or treble cry of “Ah-ah-ah-ah” from some force or spirit calling Elsa (Idina Menzel) into the unknown away from her home. Gad as Olaf’s silly songs were never my favorite but probably appeal to the children in the audience. Kristoff has a reprise of “Reindeers Are Better than People” but with different lyrics as he heads toward even more toward romantic love with Anna. In fact, his “Lost in the Woods” starts as a solo with electric guitar riffs and then builds with a duo with reindeer, and I found it more amusing than touching because all I kept thinking was, “This is like a Hal and Oates song from the 80s!” Kristoff is figuratively and musically Hal, and the reindeer is basically symbolically and musically Oates. Yet that may have been the intent. It was entertaining, to say the least. The rest of the songs, again, were just not as memorable.

 

By the way, not to get bogged down into fantasy tropes that this film has as my latest fantasy book, O.Z. Diggs Himself Out has (like I did in my last review), but "Frozen II" has the tropes of the elementals of earth, fire, water, and air. I had a descendant of O.Z. Diggs basically have to wield these within my book. Characters within “Frozen II” encounter these in different ways that I do not want to reveal too much and spoil too much. Interesting to me is the air spirit called Gale who tends to summon to the other world. As an Oz fan, I am always fascinated by the use of Gale which has to do with winds and also because it is the last name of Dorothy who travels via tornado to Oz. That is perhaps intentional as Gale is the summoner in this film. Another one I will mention is the salamander-like spirit for fire. I was so happy as an outdoor education educator with 15 years of teaching experience that they brought that into the film. This helps introduce history and ancient ideas about science (sometimes flawed and illogical) and also creative legends into children’s minds. As we all know, people once thought that salamanders came from fire because when people would put logs into campfires, salamanders who were already in them would crawl out. What a wonderful teachable moment happens with the introduction of this character. These spirits and this other world the characters are being summoned to will just have to be seen, and the explanation behind them further explored with a viewing. I was riveted by the plot of this one because of these facets – perhaps even more so that the first film. 

Because of some flaws in the music, I dock the film a star, but given that some of its music is great and the plot and characterization exceeds the first film, I give it four out of five stars. 

**** out of 5 stars

"Onward" 's Fantasy Tropes Versus My Own Tropes

“Onward” Goes Onward into Fantasy Tropes Where My “O.Z. Diggs Himself Out” Digs Further in More Specific Ways: A Comparison Review   *** ½ (3.5) Stars for “Onward” 

By: Ron Baxley, Jr.

Unlike a certain individual who did not like a version of her van with fantasy iconography allegedly used in the Disney-Pixar film “Onward”, I am not here to argue over alleged, so-called stolen fantasy tropes; rather, I am here to review the film while comparing it to my young adult fantasy book “O.Z. Diggs Himself Out”.

In “Onward”, two elf brothers inherit a magic staff from a deceased Dad in a kind of elven suburbia where my latest Oz-related book has a Cowardly Lion staff passed down from the original Wizard of Oz, O.Z. Diggs, through each generation where it eventually ends up with human soon-to-be apprentice-level wizard O.Z. Diggs VII – cursed to live in the Out World Southern U.S. with his family. (O.Z. Diggs was married in my 1999 “The Talking City of Oz” which was re-released as a self-published version around 2010/2011.) 

Ian Lightfoot, teen elf in “Onward”, is played as very shy and awkward by Tom Holland much as my O.Z. Diggs VII was when he was a young teen. Ian has a definite character arc of coming out of his shell as he progresses through the film as does my character (Holland plays Ian with a voice-cracking awkwardness which grows in confidence – a perfect casting fit for one who played Peter Parker and Spiderman). His brother, Barley Lightfoot (played by Chris Pratt), is boisterous and adventurous – more like O.Z. Diggs VII as a young adult. He becomes less selfish as the film progresses in ways that will have to be seen (Pratt handles being boastful with later being tender in good ways… perhaps from having played a damaged super hero with compassion for his friends, Star-lord, in “Guardians of the Galaxy”, and other roles before). If my character’s older self could have spoken with his younger self, it would have been like these two brothers interacting.

The fantasy trope of the wizard’s staff and the hero’s journey/quest the two brothers go in is handled well. I have a missing father with dementia who needs to be found in my aforementioned book. The brothers in the film have a deceased father they have only partially brought back to life via the staff and a spell as only a half-body from the waist downward. Ian, in fact, adds stuffed clothing to the top of the half-body to make it appear more life-like. 

In fact, comedies of errors ensue where motor-cycle gang Hells Angel pixies, who no longer fly or desire to fly with their not-so-angelic wings, think they’re being insulted by the half-Dad’s stuffed, faux upper body’s unintended pantomimes. These insults are from inanimate object clothing parts of him such as an aloof stuffed head with sunglasses which will not, of course, answer back (if only they had Powder of Life from the Oz series). The pixies pursue the brothers through part of the adventure as the result of the insulting parts of the elf brothers’ father, which are not real anyway, and other actions. By the way, I have what one reviewer called “redneck elves” in my fantasy adventure. Disney-Pixar has motorcycle-riding pixies and suburban elves.

Where I pull a lot of Oz lore and quite a few other fantasy tropes into my Southern modernization of Oz fantasy, Pixar pulls from a grab-bag of fantasy tropes, including aspects of Tolkien, the fantasy genre in general including fairy tales to the present day, Magic: The Gathering, parodies of J.K. Rowling and other fantasy authors, and Dungeons and Dragons among others (they got special permission from Wizards of the Coast to use some specific D&D aspects). Where I blend in and add to Oz lore and utilize fantasy tropes within a modern context, Disney-Pixar, at times, with this film, tends to throw a fantasy concept at the wall and see if it sticks. Seeing Smurf-like mushroom housing everywhere in the elven suburbia and the cutesy medieval fantasy in a modern context aspects make it seem more derivative than my own work (and the “Shrek” films did better satirical fantasy or parody elements than Disney-Pixar at times). Those mushroom homes do look like Papa Smurf is about to walk out of one of them, and Pixar has taken the cave-people put in a 50s context of “The Flintstones” and changed it to medieval fantasy characters put in the context of modern suburbia. For example, the aforementioned elf brothers and their mother have a yipping, bounding dragon who acts like Dino or a modern dog, and they have a modern pet discipline method of using a spray bottle on it. The gadgetry, brands, and architecture are also a blending of time periods as in “The Flintstones”.

Nevertheless, what I really enjoyed about “Onward”, among other aspects, was the introductory backstory of how they had arrived at the present day, and how magic was given up more and more for modern conveniences until it was all but gone. The quest to regain long lost magic does make for an interesting one. I found it fairly fascinating -- almost as if the Harry Potter series’ Arthur Weasley had gone berserk in the Ministry of Magic, had become power hungry, and forced everybody in the wizarding world to embrace everything Muggle/non-magic user and give up their reliance on magic as much (and not just for students outside of Hogwarts either). In “Onward”, I like the back-story and how they came to be there, just not the end result as much at times.

Next, Disney-Pixar has been under fire for having a homosexual minor (as in narrative position, not age) character, the cyclops cop Officer Spector, in a film intended for families/children. In one brief scene in which she has pulled over the brothers (who disguise themselves through magic) and their “faux father”, Officer Spector openly states that her girlfriend’s child has been causing her to pull her hair out. By the way, I am an author who is a Christian with great openness to my Judaic brothers and sisters and compassion for people of all sexualities, and I have a homosexual main character in “O.Z. Diggs Himself Out”. That character deals with some of the more lustful aspects of his sexuality in a non-self-hating way while keeping his faith. This is why I label the book as a young adult and adult book. “Onward” is advertised as a film for families and children, and the inclusion of the homosexual minor character has angered some family groups. What I do not necessarily care for in the film is that it is inclusivity for the sake of inclusivity’s sake. Pixar included a very minor character and gave her basically a homosexual one-liner to appear ground-breaking. They, in my opinion, seemed to do this to get brownie points with social justice warriors, not actually show a gay character with any complexity for any length of time.

As at least one reviewer stated on the back of my O.Z. Diggs... book, my work is more about transcending identity than identity politics:  

The single mother trope is explored within the film too with Laurel Lightfoot (shown with a spray bottle in a previous picture), the elf brothers’ mother who is dating a centaur. The single mother is played with a feminist sassiness by Julia Louis-Dreyfus but not to the point that she completely discounts her male counterparts. She is strong and compassionate, a nice blending.

Seemingly single Manticore (played by Octavia Spencer) starts as an overwhelmed owner of a tavern that has become more like a Chuck E Cheese than an adventurer’s guild. She was once the Manticore that led people on quests, but she is now more concerned with people’s orders and kids’ entertainment in her tavern that has become a family restaurant. Spencer plays the frazzled aspects very well, and I think we can all identify with somebody trapped in a dead end job that is no longer magical and not what one wants it to be.

Political correctness posturing with the minor gay character and trope-stacking aside, “Onward” is a good film that shows the true aspects of brotherly love while having a fully explored hero’s journey with an, at times, fun blending of the modern and the fantastic. 

*** 1/2 (3.5) Stars out of 5 (Fair to Good)

Birthday and Author and Books, Oh My!

I haven’t done a blogpost in a while, so as I edge closer to 50 on my birthday today, I will post some content (most of which I was asked to contribute directly through statements or interviews) that was cut from an article on me as an author (I was given permission to share it):

Author Ron Baxley, Jr., who claims he was an imaginative child and affirms that he helps foster civilization, says he believes in what original Oz author L. Frank Baum stated, "The imaginative child will become the imaginative man or woman most apt to create, to invent, and therefore to foster civilization."

Baxley also agrees with the late Ray Bradbury who stated that, "The intellect is a great danger to creativity... I’ve had a sign over my typewriter for over 25 years now, which reads 'Don’t think!' ”

Yet Baxley says he also thinks that Bradbury was more talking about the subconscious mind and that words that are buried there from the stories of the past, from your life, can be quite eloquent.

In fact, as Baxley is a published poet as well as a lyrical writer who uses a lot of imagery in his prose, he agrees with Gloria Naylor who stated, "Not only is your story worth telling, but it can be told in words so painstakingly eloquent that it becomes a song."

In short, Baxley, gleaning advice from these great writers, says to become the imaginative child you once were or maybe still are and do not overthink things and find the songs, the passed-down stories within yourself, and express yourself with lyricism.

Baxley adds that some of the best advice he personally can add as a writer is to be quiet, to observe, to listen, and to look for details and statements others might not otherwise notice and to express those using a literary voice that you have practiced as often as a performer sings, an artist paints or sketches, or a pianist practices his or her instrument.

Baxley said he hopes his readers will understand themselves better through his art of writing.

"I hope my readers will see that they are so much more than their identities and backgrounds, that they transcend those aspects of themselves. I also hope they will see that despite having differences such as physical disabilities or mental illnesses that they can rise above them as some of my characters have. Finally, I hope they see that good will ultimately win out over evil, no matter how much evil tries to fool itself or us," he said.

Baxley has shared his new work entitled Ziggy Zig-zags the Light & Dark Fantastic, Vol.1.

"I am over-joyed that my most recent project, Ziggy Zig-zags the Light and Dark Fantastic, Vol. 1, was awarded the 2019 Readers Favorite International Book Award finalist medallion in the graphic novel category, a medallion which now graces the 2nd Edition of the book."

The 2nd Edition of the Ziggy graphic novel is orderable wherever books are sold online and at brick and mortar bookstores as well as having immediate availability in the CSRA region and beyond in comics shops and independent bookstores from Columbia, S.C. to Barnwell, S.C. across to Augusta, Georgia and on down to Savannah, Georgia. 

This graphic novel, with the story and scripting by Ron and illustrations by Vincent Myrand, has been six years in the making from Ron drafting the story and the scripting from 2013-2015 to meeting the illustrator in 2015 to sign him on and to doing an early preview version of the graphic novel for a mini-tour with him in 2016. Then, there was discussing it with YBR Publishing, eventually signing on with them, and having them refine the hardback version until publishing it in mid-2019.

"From an animal shelter in Newberry in 2013, I adopted my Pembroke Welsh Corgi, Ziggy, who inspired the book along with tales of how his breed were horses for the Welsh elves and fairies. Ziggy and I had real life mini-adventures that helped inspire some of the sub-plots of the graphic novel that I first wrote as a story and then as a script. There are many books beyond the first volume that will be coming out that are based on the many adventures of the Corgi super hero," Baxley said.

Baxley's focus in this piece was to highlight mental health and anxiety -- something that affects millions of people on a daily basis.

"Ziggy Zig-Zags the Light and Dark Fantastic, Vol. 1 is so significant because the main character, Ziggy, deals with anxiety while also being brave. In fact, his dog tag has the elven runes for anxiety and valor on it. Throughout his adventures, he becomes very nervous, copes with his anxiety, takes deep breaths, steels himself, and moves forward.  That is a very significant message to send to children, youth, and adults who are coping with anxiety," Baxley said. 

Baxley continued, "Ziggy, the real-life one the character is based upon, has been like a fur-angel to me, and I want others to adopt shelter dogs in the hope that they will experience this joy. I feel like God sent this dog to me for a purpose as He does many things for others in various ways for a greater purpose."

Baxley quoted what Walt Disney stated about Mickey Mouse, “I only hope that we don't lose sight of one thing - that it was all started by a mouse.”

"Well, with the Ziggy graphic novel series, I will never forget that it all started with a Corgi," Baxley added.

Baxley has received opportunities all over the United States.

"I would be amiss not to mention such festivals and cons as Oz-Stravaganza in Chittenango, New York, the Michigan Oz Festival in Ionia, Michigan, and Lake-Collect-a-Con in Mt. Dora, Florida who have had me as a participating Oz author and/or special guest at their events for many years – particularly Oz-Stravaganza. I have been invited to participate as an Oz author at Oz-Stravaganza in Chittenango, New York, the birthplace of original Oz author L. Frank Baum for nearly a decade and was awarded in 2016 the International L. Frank Baum and All Things Oz Foundation Lifetime Membership for my contributions to Oz fiction. I have also been invited for half a decade or so as a special guest to the Michigan Oz Festival which also awarded me in 2017. I have even been invited as a special guest several times at Lake-Collect-a-Con events and have been a special guest author, guest author, or authorial vendor at cons and festivals throughout the country," he said.

Baxley says clear mental pictures come to mind as he is writing new material.

“I picture the setting and the characters while I am typing. As I can picture settings and characters so vividly in my mind, perhaps this is why I incorporate a lot of imagery within my writing. Also, I have always been a good listener of others. I think I incorporate combinations of things others have said and the way others speak in my head while I am writing. Other times, I draw upon my own vivid memories of living in the rural South and exploring other areas as well." he said.

Baxley left a note of encouragement to people dealing with mental illness and for those wishing to adopt shelter animals:

"I think anyone who struggles with mental illness should do their best to keep moving forward while looking for a support network for themselves and should also hold to their faith in God and Christ. Also, I think that anyone who is looking to get a pet should seek out his or her local animal shelter first. You never know what wonderful fur-angel may be waiting in the wings for you. As I have shown by continuing to move forward in life with my creative work alongside a Corgi who seems very much sent from above, so much joy is there for us in life from God. We need only seek that joy and seize it with gusto.”

This was the article in the weekly Bamberg, S.C. “Advertizer Herald” that the above content was cut out of:

My next authorial event will be at FarleyCon this Saturday, March 7 at the East Ridge Community Center in East Ridge, TN from 9-4:

Look for my new banner there near my table:

I am signing and selling Limited Edition, numbered prints (of 40) presigned by illustrator Allison Exley of Savannah from the picturebook we will be putting out in May of this year, Goldey Goosey of Oz, copies of the aforementioned graphic novel, and my young adult fantasy novel which combines Southern literature with the Wizard of Oz, O.Z. Diggs Himself Out. YBR Publishing may also be publishing a sequel to this book entitled, O.Z. Doesn't "Diggs" G.C.C. at Emerald City, sometime later this year.

I hope to attend several Oz festivals and cons later this year (TBA). I should also mention, for approximately the 10 year anniversary of the release of the first book in our Oz/Wonderland series, that co-author James C. Wallace II has re-released the first book, Of Cabbages, Kings, and Even (Odd) Queens of Wonderland and Oz with illustrations by Gwendolyn Tennille. The book can be found among my others in this listing here: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=ron+baxley&ref=nb_sb_noss_1 .