Oz the Great and Powerful and Latin!

It's now less than a week 'til Oz the Great and Powerful premiers and I, for one, am eagerly awaiting the passage of time. I know for sure that I'll be listening closely to see if the Wizard speaks any Latin in this new incantation of Oz.

Latin, you say? Of course, though few realize that in the 1939 MGM The Wizard of Oz film, the Wizard actually quotes Latin.

By now, you're running his dialog through your head and trying to recall any Latin. Well, I end the suspense and tell you when and where...

Following the Wizard's presentation of a brain, heart and courage, he finds himself compelled to take Dorothy back to Kansas himself.

"Times being what they were, I accepted the job, retaining my balloon against the advent of a quick get-away. Aha!
And in that balloon, my dear Dorothy, you and I will return to the Land of E Pluribus Unum!

The next scene pans down onto the crowd of Emerald City who have gathered around a fairly large balloon to see and hear their Wizard speak.

"This is positively the finest exhibition ever to be shown.....well, be that as it may. I, your Wizard, per adua ad alta, am about to embark on a hazardous and technically unexplainable journey into the outer stratosphere. To confer, converse and otherwise hob-nob with my brother wizards."

Besides the speaking of the Latin... twice, he also embellishes his journey a bit. If the Wizard takes Dorothy into the outer stratosphere, they'll find themselves in the same place where that guy did that Red Bull parachute jump from a high altitude balloon. I don't recall seeing any space suits in that basket... Do you?

By the way, E Pluribus Unum means; From Many, One. Per ardua ad alta means; Through great difficulties to great heights.

We buy our tickets today!

James C. Wallace II
Royal Liaison of Oz