Return to Oz
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Movie Reviews of Return to Oz
Movie Review: the best way to travel down the Yellow Brick Road
Summary: 5 Stars
As a fan of Baum's original works, this has always been my most favorite film version of his world.
And as a child of the 1980s, this film has always had nostalgic appeal. Yes, the film scared me as a child. But that very darkness, mixed with the light fairy tale images, the violence and the childish sense of logic and imagination, is also much closer to Baum's wonderful Oz.
The film comes from the Golden Age of Fantasy Films, the 1980s. The time when they knew how to make clever, visually-imaginative, and often dark fantasy films for children. Return to Oz is absolutely beautiful and perfect. The special effects and production design is better than most films today that are overly CGIed without the same heart and spirit as the Jim Henson company instilled in every film.
I know that the 1939 musical is considered an unparalleled classic, but it has a very plastic and staged feel. It lacks the spirit of Baum's works. Although Return to Oz is often criticsized (and, I believe it bombed at the box office at the time), it has a special place in the hearts of children who grew up with it, as well as fans of the original works.
First of all, the film much more accurately portrays Oz and is much more loyal to the books. Dorothy (perfectly portrayed) is the right age, for starters. Not only do many things more closely resemble the illustrations of the books (especially the characters and the Emerald City), but the world looks much more real and occupied than the 1938 version. The mood of the film is also much closer to Baum's works, mixing silly childish logic and imagination (building the Gump) with darkness and danger of a child in a strange world (the fear of turning into an ornament or to stone or having your head cut off). The film is just as magical and mystical as Baum's books.
Second, I love seeing Oz as "fallen". The Yellow Brick Road reclaimed by nature. The Emerald City crumbling and the people all turned to stone. The Gnome King's palace where people are turned into ornaments. The theme, ironically, of the story is trying to return home doesn't always meet your high expectations and desires. Fits for a film constantly compared to the 1938 musical. Even in a fairyworld, things change and fall away.
This DVD is in widescreen, which is the only way to ever see any movie. There are some cool special features, including a recent interview with the star, Balk. But, best of all, is the film itself, and being able to revisit a childhood favorite for all of us that grew up in the 80s.
Movie Review: Cryptic Beauty, But Oz Never Lost Its Magic
Summary: 5 Stars
Return to Oz was something I purchased without knowing anything about it. However, I have been an Oz collector for a decade, and if there's anything I've learned, it's to keep an open mind to things like this.
Return to Oz was a pleasent surprise! But I warn you, it's not the Oz you saw in the Judy Garland musical. There are no cute dance numbers, and the Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Lion are not men in costumes.
Return to Oz received mixed reviews. Fans of the 1939 classic were offended by its darkness, as if to say, "How dare you show reality in Oz." But what the avid fans of the movie often miss are the BOOKS!!! Return to Oz was never meant to be a sequel to the movie, but to The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum. It was based on the second and third books of the series.
Return to Oz was very bold, and used all the newest technology of the time. Who else but Disney would be brave enough to touch a classic that was put on a pedestal by Judy Garland fans? Well folks, believe it or not, some people are so closed minded that they thought anything that had "Oz" in it would be fluffy. READ THE BOOKS! Not everything is fluff n' puff.
So don't be shocked when Dorothy is sent to a mental institution, or when you see that the little girl who plays her is not 16 years old. That's right, Dorothy is the age she was originally intended to be: 9. Also don't be shocked that the characters you knew from the first are barely in it.
In the movie, Oz has been overthrown by the evil Gnome King in Dorothy's absence, and all the people of the Emerald City have been turned to stone. So Dorothy comes back to a broken Oz...DON'T BE SHOCKED! Or at least, if you're shocked, keep an open mind because it gets better.
The rest of the film is Dorothy's quest to rescue the Scarecrow, who the Gnome King keeps in his palace as bate for Dorothy. She goes to rescue him of course, and after many grim adventures and after finding some enchanting new friends, everything ends happily ever after.
The acting and music were superb, and if you're an Oz fan you'll love it. It's a bit much for the kids (it has sometimes been classified as a horror movie) but most kids can handle it.
It's worth ever cent! I hope you buy it, because you will enjoy it!
God bless!
Movie Review: A great movie that is scarier than most horror movies
Summary: 5 Stars
Return to Oz features a young Fairuza Balk (The Craft, American History X) as Dorothy Gale who returns to Oz (hence the title) to find the Emerald City in ruins and all of her old friends turned to stone. This sequel has a completely different tone than the 1939 Wizard of Oz movie. This lacks musical numbers and is very dark, completely unlike the upbeat and colorful world in the earlier Oz. It is more in tune with the Oz books.
It's a shame that this movie was not a success and ended up being the only film directed by Walter Murch (who is still succesfully working in the film biz in many other capacities) because he seemed like a good solid filmmaker with a nice sense of style. Some of these scenes are just filmed so creepily, like the ones featuring the wheelers and Mombi. I first saw this movie a few years after it came out when I was about 4 or 5 years old and I still find many of these scenes to be incredibly haunting. There's also some really cool claymation effects in here by Will Vinton, the guy who animated the California Raisins and the movie The Adventures of Mark Twain (which contained The Mysterious Stranger, which has become a popular Youtube clip).
Actually, just about everything in this movie seems really well done to me. I especially like the sets in this. I think the 80s were probably when sets in fantasy movies looked their best (other examples include Labyrinth and The Neverending Story). I think this is partly because movies in general started to look nicer and also because the idea of movies with big budgets/big returns was popular at this time so fantasy movies started to get a bigger financial backing. You haven't seen movies that look like this since because for whatever reason, fantasy movies quit being popular in the 90s and now that they're popular again, the technology has advanced so much that you end up with movies like Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter. These movies use so many effects and so much digital trickery to create their sets that nothing even looks real in them (which doesn't make them bad movies. It's just kind of a bummer). The costumes, cinematography, and score are also sick as hell.
Anyway, I guess I'm kind of rambling here, but what I'm trying to say is this: They don't make 'em like this anymore and I wish they still did.
Movie Review: An amazing must see movie
Summary: 5 Stars
I was only 5 or 6 (I'm 25 now) when I first saw this movie, my Mom told me that it was "the Wizard of Oz part II"- and immediately I wondered why Dorothy looked so different- and my Mother simply explained that the first movie was made a long time ago, and the girl who played Dorothy was too old to play Doroty again (Okay, so it was just a little sugar coated since Juday Garland had been dead for quite some time)- but that was about all it took- the rest of the questions I had were answered by the film, and any critic who bashed the film, or anyone who asked "Where are the Munchkins?" (it helps if you say it with a glossed over look of stupidity and a little upityness to your voice) should recall, if they were paying attention to the movie at all- that Doroty asks the same question, and to my little 6 year old brain, it was clear, something bad had happened to OZ, and it was up to Dorothy to find out. From the Wheelers, to the Lunchpail Tree, to Ozma, to Head Stealing, to Pumpkin Jack, to people being turned into stone, I was purely entrhralled just as I had been with the original movie, and Alice in Wonderland (the Disney version- the other versions just sucked) The opening scenes are creepy, adn very disturbing, but they help reflect that as Dorothy has changed, adn the things around her are sad and dark, Oz has become sad and dark also.
Faruza Balks debut appearance is a good one, but you might want to check out The Worst Witch, and The Craft- there's a weird connection between them all with the magic and witchcraft thing- But this movie is amazing- the only question is, what's up with the Nome King? He REALLY liked those ruby slippers- pretty strange- they didn't even go with that outfit :D
If candy coated technicolor dreams are your thing- then just watch the first one and tell yourself that the whole world is clean and vibrant and nothing bad ever happens, but if you want to see a good movie, one of the few in hollywood that actually follows the original story as much as possible (which is strange for Disney) , then watch this one- it's completely amazing!
Movie Review: My Favorite Childhood Film!
Summary: 5 Stars
"Return to Oz" is one of those rare movies that captures your heart and truly makes you believe in magic. To this day, it still hasn't let my heart go! This amazing, underrated film is a real Hollywood gem. Buy it, and you will surely treasure it forever.Of course, that depends on your expectations of this trip to Oz. Although there are no sugary sweet characters bouncing about singing and dancing, there is an abundance of subtle beauty in the ways of costume and set design. Instead of the cutesy munchkins and radiant Glinda, there are the horrible Wheelers and the pretty-yet-terrifying Princess Mombi. Additionally, there are some scenes (i.e. the Hall of Heads, the Deadly Desert, the Nome King Showdown, etc.) that may frighten young children (it scared me, but I love the movie nonetheless). The point is, like many movies, you'll enjoy "Return to Oz" if you go in open-minded and ready for anything. :)
This movie and the 1939 musical classic were produced by two different companies, with different budgets, different set managers, different actors, different screenwriters, and different directors. It just so happens that "The Wizard of Oz" was an enormous hit during the "Golden Age" of movies (esp. musicals) and has remained a family favorite ever since. Any follow up to such a successful movie is going to be criticized unless it is even better than the "original." A large number of fans enjoy "Return to Oz" so much because it parallels L. Frank Baum's original stories closer than the Judy Garland adaptation.
Please don't get me wrong--I adore each and every aspect of "The Wizard." I just like "Return to Oz" as well and feel it is worthy of a second glance/chance. Try it and see for yourself. I'm sure there will be something about it that you will never forget! :)