10 Things to Do Before Seeing 'Oz The Great and Powerful'

This year marks the 113th anniversary of the first printing of L. Frank Baum and W. W. Denslow’s children’s novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and the 74th anniversary of the release of Victor Fleming’s seminal cinematic adaptation of the book, The Wizard of Oz. It also happens to be the year audiences get to see Oz The Great and Powerful, the first film to delve anew into Baum and Denslow’s canon since 1985’s Return to Oz.

Directed by Sam Raimi, the movie is a prequel to Dorothy’s journey to Oz, as it peels back the curtain behind illusionist Oscar Diggs’ (James Franco) rural life and subsequent journey to the magical land. So before it comes out March 8th, we present some fun Oz exercises to prep for your journey down the yellow brick road.

Since Oz the Great and Powerful is an original prequel based on Baum’s first Oz book, it’s always nice to have the source material nice and fresh in your mind. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz tells the familiar tale of Dorothy Gale’s and her dog Toto’s fantastic journey to the land of Oz, but more importantly it lays out the details of the world of Oz which have inspired the new movie’s storyline about the land’s three warring witches.

HSN has a new collection of clothing and jewelry inspired by the three witches in Oz the Great and Powerful: Glinda, Evanora and Theodora. You can glam it up at your Oz party, or just look like the best dressed person in the movie theater if you grab some of these glittering pieces pre-premiere. Also, Oz ticket purchasers will receive an exclusive 20% off HSN Oz merchandise with their Fandango ticket purchase.

Based on Baum’s book sequels The Marvelous Land of Oz and Ozma of Oz, Return was Disney’s first attempt to revive live-action Oz films for a new generation. Unfortunately, the darker look and content of this film alienated audiences and was a major flop. Today, it’s an overlooked gem that features some amazing production design and visual effects integration for its time.

We know The Wizard of Oz world – from the books to the film – is one of the most beloved in history. Adoration for Oz has been passed down through the generations so why not collect your fellow Emerald City nuts and have a pre-movie or post-movie Oz-themed shin dig? Pinterest has tons of followers that collect Oz party ideas, or check out these bloggers' invitation and recipe ideas.

If you happen to live in or are visiting the Los Angeles area in March, be sure to stop by the Heritage Square Museum's Visions of Oz art/multimedia exhibit that showcases over 100 works of art from artists including Rick Baker, Drew Struzan and Dave Dorman. It celebrates everything Oz from the books through all of its film and television adaptations.

Disney has created a website with tons of images, clips and bios hyping Oz the Great and Powerful but one of its best assets is a game page with two new games based on the film: Journey to Oz and Yellow Brick Road Adventure. You can play on PC or MAC and the site also has a link to an Oz-wrapped Temple Run app.

If you’re old school, then you’ll want to listen to the soundtrack for the 1939 film. If you prefer a little more soul, then The Wiz soundtrack features amazing songs like “Home” and “Ease on Down the Road” sung by Diana Ross and Michael Jackson respectively. There’s also The Muppets' Wizard of Oz soundtrack featuring Ashanti and the Muppets. Last but not least, you can grab Danny Elfman’s score for Oz the Great and Powerful, available March 5.

We would be remiss in not mentioning that if you know an Oz super fan, you could gift them their movie ticket in style with one of six exclusive Oz the Great and Powerful Fandango gift cards featuring different characters from the new film.

L. Frank Baum summered just outside of San Diego proper on Coronado Island and it was there he wrote three of his Oz books. On March 7-10, the town is holding a Wizard of Oz Weekend with book signings by his great-grandson Roger Baum and free screenings of Oz the Great and Powerful.

If you love all things Oz, then you just might need the Mr. Potato Head Wizard of Oz figures. If not, how about figurines, plush toys or even a Wicked Witch of the West Iphone case? There is something for every kind of Oz lover and you can find it at the WB Store, Ebay or Amazon.

Don't miss the main theatrical attraction. Get your Oz tickets now! Will you be seeing the movie this weekend?