E X T E N S I O N WIZARDS AT THE CINEMA The Great Wizard of Oz is not the only great wizard of the cinema. There are famous wizards in other films. Some are old and some are very young or are still studying to become very powerful. The Sword in the Stone (1963). This is a cartoon by Walt Disney. It is the story of an orphan boy, Arthur Pendagron. He will become King Arthur. The old and good Magician Merlin helps him to grow up1. But he also transforms the boy into forest animals and birds to teach him respect for all things. The film tells the story until Arthur becomes king. First Knight2 (1995). This is a film about the legend of King Arthur, his Queen Guinevere, and his brave and sad knight Lancelot. Merlin the Magician guides Arthur to his destiny. The famous actor Richard Gere plays the part of Lancelot. Harry Potter movie series (from 2001). Like King Arthur, Harry Potter is an orphan. His relatives, the Dursleys, are cruel. Then Harry discovers that his parents were magicians and goes to the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. With his best friends Ron and Hermione he has a lot of magic adventures. The Lord of the Rings saga3 (from 2001): The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers and The Return of the Ring. These very long films are based on J.R.R. Tolkien s books. It is the story of an ancient ring. Frodo finds it. Frodo is a Hobbit. He is a small creature like a dwarf4. The kind and powerful Wizard Gandalf informs Frodo that the ring belongs to the Dark Lord Sauron and so he must destroy it. Frodo risks5 his life to save his country, Middle Earth. 1. to grow up: to become an adult. 2. knight: the soldier of a king. 3. saga: two or three films. 4. dwarf: very small and short person. 5. risks: puts in danger. 26