1 Both more and less faithful
I enjoyed this DVD because, as a child, I loved the Oz books. I even enjoyed the Judy Garland movie, although it a lot of liberties with the book. In a similar way, I enjoyed this one.
The DVD story is a conflation of the 2nd and 3rd Oz books: The Land of Oz and Ozma of Oz. The preponderance is towards the latter. The characters in the film are very much in keeping with Baum's characterizations in his books and even tend to look like the John R. Neill illustrations.
The biggest deviation from the original comes in the first 20 minutes. It has virtually nothing in common with the books and the idea of Dorothy being stuck in a mental hospital is a bit jarring. That being said, the young lady playing the part is very much like the young, innocent and extremely polite character Baum conceived. This is in contrast to Judy Garland who was much older and more sophisticated.
Persons looking for a strict adaptation of the book will be dissapointed to the same degree dissapointment was experienced with the classic movie. This one does not have the big production numbers of a Hollywood musical; that may be a loss for some but is a plus for me. Take this movie for what it is, a loose adaptation of beloved books.
2 scared me crazy
I first saw this movie when I was about six years old. I couldn't sleep, and my mom hid the tape so I wouldn't be freaked out again. I found it when I was fourteen and watched it, and I thought it was an odd movie but I loved it. It was great and I watched it over and over again. Untill one day I turned it on and my brother had taped over it with some other stupid movie. So needless to say I bought the dvd. I highly recommend doing the same thing. Whether or not your evil brother taped over your original copy.
3 Return To Oz
Several months have passed since the events chronicled in The Wizard Of Oz, and Dorothy has returned safely home to Kansas. Unfortunately, she can't get any sleep at night because she thinks her friends back in Oz are in trouble and everyone thinks Dorothy is insane for talking about a place that they don't believe exists. When Dorothy finds a key with the letters "O" and "Z" on it, she thinks it's a key from Oz that was sent to her as a sign her friends are in trouble. Her family finally decides that enough is enough and sends Dorothy to a mental hospital to undergo shock therapy in order to erase Dorothy's memories of Oz so she can sleep again. But the hospital abuses their patients, so with the help of a mysterious young girl, Dorothy is able to escape only to find herself in a flooding river. Dorothy finds a chicken coop that she can safely fall asleep in, but when she awakes, she finds herself back in the land of Oz with her pet chicken, Billina, who now has the ability to speak. But all isn't well like it was before. The Yellow Brick Road has been destroyed, everyone in the Emerald City has been turned to stone (including the Tinman and the Cowardly Lion), and the Scarecrow and the ruby slippers have both been taken by the sinister Nome King. Now, together with her new friends, Billina; the robot, Tik-Tok; the talking pumpkin, Jack Pumpkinhead; and the magical creature, the Gump, Dorothy must embark on a journey to the Nome King's mountain to defeat him, rescue the Scarecrow, get back the ruby slippers, and save the land of Oz.
Return To Oz is a sequel to The Wizard Of Oz which was first produced in the '80s by Disney. Unfortunately, this movie isn't as popular as the first film, mainly because people were watching it expecting it to be exactly like The Wizard Of Oz. It's impossible for anyone to recreate the exact same magical feel the Judy Garland classic gave audiences for over a century, but what many people don't know is that The Wizard Of Oz is actually based on a book that was first written by L. Frank Baum in 1900, and the MGM movie actually made a lot of changes from the original storyline. The book was actually a lot more darker than the first movie and even a little bit violent (although nothing overly-gratitious ever occurs), but MGM cut all of this out when they produced the movie version of The Wizard Of Oz. However, Return To Oz is actually a lot more faithful to the original Oz books which it is based upon (The Marvelous Land Of Oz and Ozma Of Oz). But because so many people have only seen the Judy Garland version of Oz, when they finally see what the "real" Oz is like, they hate it because it's not what they grew up with and this is mainly why Return To Oz didn't perform so well in theaters. Also, a lot of parents complained that this movie was too scary for little kids, but this is why this movie is rated PG rather than G.
Return To Oz certainly isn't anything like The Wizard Of Oz, but that doesn't mean it's a bad movie. On the contrary, it has a wonderful story with a lot of unique characters and Disney gets pretty creative in this film with the whole "Oz is just a dream" plot MGM introduced to the movie version of The Wizard of Oz. It also features a lot of elaborate costumes and sets and the claymation effects really work well with a fantasy film like this. It actually works better than today's CGI effects because the actors actually have something to work with when using claymation, so everything looks more realistic. This movie also proves that Oz isn't just for little kids and can be enjoyed by audiences of all ages, so the darker storyline can help older fans rekindle their interest in the land of Oz. Unfortunately, this DVD release leaves much left to be desired. Disney made abosuletly zero efforts to restore the quality on this disc, so the picture quality looks very grainy, especially towards the beginning of the film. The audio is also a little low on this movie compared to most other DVDs and this DVD release is seriously lacking in the extras department. The only bonus features you actually get are an interview with Fairuza Balk (the actress who portrays Dorothy perfectly in this movie) and a collection of the film's theateritical and commericial trailers.
While these certainly are nice extras, it would've been nicer if they had also included interviews with the rest of the cast, an interview with Walter Murch (the director of this film), and an interview with David Shire (who composed the movie's beautiful musical score). Apparently, there was a behind-the-scenes special that was produced for this movie, but for reasons unknown it was never included on the actual DVD. It's a shame that it didn't because it would've made for a really neat extra and it also would've been nice to have some deleted scenes included, too. But even this mediocre DVD release doesn't detract from the enjoyment of the actual film any. While Return To Oz may not be a timeless classic or is anything like The Wizard Of Oz, it is a pure fantasy story at it's best that any Oz fan can enjoy as long as you don't try to compare it to The Wizard Of Oz. Parents of younger children who are sensitive or easily scared may want to take caution with this film though, as it really pushes its PG rating.
4 Disney wrost movie.
Why bother making a sequal movie like this. Disney should never made a update movie after Wizard of OZ.
5 true to baum's vision
I remember watching this movie as a child and being absolutely terrified of some of the characters. This film incoporates some features of Baum's Oz that were lost in the original version, such as the Deadly Desert (which still gives me nightmares), and the fact that ALL Ozian animals can talk (except Toto, and no one knows why). Although Ozma comes into the world of Oz VERY differently in the book series, this film introduces the lovable TikTok and Gump, as well as a Scarecrow who is FAR more loyal to Baum's depiction and the illustrations in his books.
I've watched this on tape so many times that it broke, and if there's any way to wear out a DVD (besides scratching it), I'll probably do that, too! Absolutely fabulous, and a must for all fans of the original Wizard.
6 kids movies are the pits these days...
This movie was one of the first i ever saw that really opened my eyes right off the bat and it never stopped. I guess i led a sheltered life, never being allowed to watch "scary" things, and i guess my parents figured a sequel to wizard of oz would be good for us, but it scared the dickens out of me, but in a really good way. The electro shock, the storm, the wheelers, the headless witch, and the incredibly imaginative, lunch pail trees, the waddling tock, the green room, this is a gem of a movie. seeing this movie will re awaken your childhood imagination.
7 My favorite movie as a kid
I think I first watched this when I was 6 or 7, and it immediately became my favorite movie. My dad used to read me the Oz books before I went to bed, and Ozma was my IDOL at 6, so it was really cool to seem her in it. I also loved seeing Jack Pumpkinhead and Tiktok, and whenever I think of them to this day, I imagine thier Return to Oz selves. The thing I liked most about it, though, was it's SCARINESS. The Nome King freaked me out SO MUCH, and the talking rocks, and the whole hospital scene. I loved it! OTOH, my parents wouldn't let my younger sister watch it for years, which was definitely a good idea, because she was scared very easily at that age.
I finally got to watch it again with this DVD and I was so happy! It's just as weird as I remember. The costume design is my number 1 favorite thing about it now. The Wheelers and Ozma and the changing-heads-lady, especially! I noticed that the special effects were kinda hokey at times, sure, but it didn't detract from the whole experience too much, I don't think.
And no, Return to Oz doesn't follow either the books OR the first movie very closely. But it's still very fun to watch! I highly recommend it to parents of children who like scary movies -- it's freaky and wierd, but not gross or TOO frightening. Lots of excitement for the whole family!
8 I loved it!!!
It would be impossible to find anything that would hold a candle to the original Wizard of OZ so I was not expecting much when I bought this DVD but I absolutely loved it!!! The graphics were just awesome and you get to see other areas of the magical OZ that we all loved in the original movie and the writers were very creative with this. There was no singing in this movie so don't expect a musical.
To put it short, Dorothy is now in therapy because she can't sleep and no one will believe her when she talks about her adventure on OZ. Her aunt takes her to the doctor who wants to give her shock therapy and as he is just about to do it, a storm knocks the power off and this is where the adventure begins.
Dorothy runs away from the hospital with help from a new found friend and winds up in OZ. Nothing is as it was, the yellow brick road is all broken up and the emerald city is in ruins. What happened and where is everybody??? Well Dorothy finds out and takes us on quite a good adventure where we run into talking rocks, a queen who changes heads as we would change clothes, a population of wheelers, an awesome looking pumpkinheaded being, a different looking tin man, a sweet chicken and a bunch of other wonderfully created beings.
I wish they made more movies like this.
9 Chillingly Beautiful
I just watched this movie tonight for the first time in almost ten years. When I was little, The Wizard Of Oz was my life. I had the movie, I had toys, posters, I even watched the cartoon that aired on Saturday mornings. I saw this movie in a video store and I had to see it. Whoever said that this movie wasn't for kids was wrong. I loved it. It was a little creepy at times, but it made it all the more fascinating. Unfortunately (or perhaps FORTUNATELY) BetaMax has fallen out of style, so I could never watch it because that's the format we had it on.
Fast forward to the present day. I was reading about the famous box office flops in history and they talked about this movie. I remembered loving it and I was shocked to discover that the film had been a box office DISASTER. Critics trashed it. I can understand. Wizard Of Oz is one of the most important legacies in film history. Anything that suggests that the land of Oz is darker than a glittering mass of in-the-closet homosexuality would be thrown in the mud. After reading up a bit about the film, I knew that it was high time for a reunion.
I bought it today. I put it in my DVD player, hoping that the magic I remembered when I was little was still there. When I finished the movie, I was disappointed. I was upset because it was over and I too, had to leave Oz. Everything about this movie was incredible. Being a huge fan of The Craft, I already love Fairuza Balk, but her turn as Dorothy earned my greatest respect. I'd bow to anyone who had the courage to stand up and try to reach the pedestal Judy Garland set so high. And Fairuza does it. She sets it even higher, because she portrays Dorothy as more troubled, and the role is more difficult because the film is darker than it's ostentatious predecessor.
That's another thing: The 1939 movie, while great to watch at any age, was so drunk on happiness, that we didn't really get to understand Oz itself. Sure, there were the flying monkeys and the witch was and still is a force to be reckoned with in the villain hall of fame, but this Oz was different. The yellow-brick road was in ruins, so was the Emerald City. The Wheelers send shivers down my spine. Mombi is a formidable terror, and the king is great. The special effects are nothing compared to the way they are now, but they're very good nonetheless.
The film takes on surrealism and wonder so well that I would call it a piece of art. The sets, including the Emerald City and the Ornament Chamber are fantastic. The film is also more psychological in that it ties Kansas to Oz in very subtle ways, and some not-so-subtle ways. The hospital was a little creepy (okay, it was VERY creepy) but it just made sense. I like that Dorothy's memories were seen as a sign of mental illness because that probably would've happened in real life. The mirror with Ozma is great as well, because it ties into the whole parallel universe concept.
All psychological and analytical arguments aside, I'm going to come right out and say it: This movie EXCEEDS the original. I'm glad to say this online because no one reading this can throw anything at me. The first one is a masterpiece. The music is timeless and the characters are pop culture icons. Whoever hasn't seen that movie AT LEAST ONCE is either not alive yet or died before it came into existence. Return To Oz is darker, surreal, and ultimately, it allows us to see Oz, understand it better, and give us a better appreciation for the entire Oz universe. This movie deserved so much more than it got, and I think the time is right for this movie to get proper credit.
10 I can't Believe It's Disney!
This a hauntingly beautiful, eeriely surreal, and magical film. I am amazed that it is made by Disney! There are no boy-crazy princesses and large-eyed talking mice, nor are their insanely stupid and stereotypical teenagers stuck in their own little bland, petty, who-likes-who world. Instead there is this dark, incredibly gorgeaus land: Oz. I loved it. (...) Fairuza Balk is superb as Dorothy, and Mombi is terrifyingly frozen and wicked. I'd say the scariest characters were the wheelers. Their insane laugh almost drove me insane! It left me with a series yearning to escape, for a while, from the mundane reality of our everday world. I reccomend it to fans of Labyrinth, Neverending Story, Princess Bride etc. It is also rich with intresting symbolism. TTFN (ta ta for now)
Sincerely,
That weird girl daydreaming in the corner
11 Simply awful
So many reviewers have written how this sequel is closer to the spirit of the Oz books than the original movie. I vehemently disagree. Baum's Oz sequels are fun, simple, whimsical, and often silly. Does Dorothy smile even once in "Return"? I think one forced smile at the end.
F. Balk is very good as Dorothy otherwise (considering that she had to fill in for Judy Garland's legendary performance). But this is a compeletely joyless movie.
It is beyond my comprehension that it took 45 years to make a sequel, and this is what they came up with. Atrocious. MGM's "The Wizard of Oz" is near perfect, and this movie nears a complete disaster.
In Fact, the only thing that is worthy of the land of Oz in entertainment form since "The Wizard of Oz" is the new Broadway musical "Wicked." Finally something that makes Oz sense.
12 Cryptic Beauty, But Oz Never Lost Its Magic
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!
13 just as good as the first
It is just as good as the first i loved the movie.I first saw it when i was 5 and im 13 now and i still love it.I will say some of the characters are alittle bit freaky but its still good for kids ages 1 to 21 i rate it 5 stars cause it changed my life in a weird kid kind of way.But like i said i love the movie and i would recomend it to anyone to watch my sister and i love it and we talk about it all the time and we wish television would play it.But tv never does so were gonna buy it.Ok so peace out and watch it.
14 Except for Dorothy, as bad as it gets
If this were not an Oz film with some allusions back to the Wizard of OZ, this would be even worse. And I WANTED TO LIKE THIS MOVIE! This movie was very disappointing with only a few redeeming qualities.
The plot has little value, what is the plot other then going back to Oz.
The characters are so unbelievable, Tic Toc, Pumpkin Head, and the silly guys on wheels are so poorly designed. I never got a sense of caring about any of the characters let alone did they reach the character development of the original where each had a mission. These characters just seem to be in the present, doing what is right in front of them with no motivation of their own. Another matter of question is why the character don't move their mouth, Tick Tock moves his moustache and the pumkin head barely moves. One would think that since 1939, they could come up with some great characters with great graphics or at least make them adorable, none of which have come to fruition. My God, what happened to the scarecrow, really pathetic compared to the original scarecrow. I wonder what were the art directors of this movie thinking? These characters look like some high school theatre project, without the naive simplicity and innocence. There is no real plot, no higher purpose, no real goals, no great lines, if this was not a sequel to Oz, it would have little value at all. Too bad the new Dorothy did not have a movie to live up to her fine acting and child spirit. Gad, the tin man and lion are jokes. Why does she call the lion the Cowardly Lion cowardly, did not he become courageous?
Dorothy stands out as a child to be reckoned with as an actress and character. The fact that Dorothy looks younger is also odd as well. She is sweet, strong and did a good job, too bad the film did not live up to its promise.
The new bad guy Nemo has a playful side which is amusing, neither all bad nor all good. The only character who wants something valuable, King Nemo, wants to become fully human, at least he has some goals and he is killed off.
Simply put, this movie lacked imagination. I am not sure why some people feel a need to defend it as something special, perhaps just to be different. I wish I could have liked it, but my imagination does not go that far.
15 Superb!
This movie truly is excellent. While it doesn't have any groundbreaking material, it is far superior to the Wizard of Oz. I LOVE the Wizard of Oz movie, but it seems terrible compared to this wonderful movie. Basically, Dorothy find a key that says O-Z in her yard, and it turns out the Scarecrow needs help. She's propelled back to Oz, and she must defeat TWO villans -- the Nome King, and the Princess Mombi. However, I only criticize that the Scarecrow didn't get enough of a role. In fact, the principals from the first movie don't do very much in this one. Actually, they only appear in the climatic final 20 minutes. Most of the movie is Dorothy, her chicken Billina, Tik-Tok the Robot, Jack Pumpkinhead and the Gump. Toto is apparently still alive but doesn't come to Oz. This movie is superbly done. It's much darker than the first one, but also more suspensful. The music is perfection -- well done, if creepy. It's all in all, a MUST see.
16 Scary . . . careful with kids
I haven't seen this DVD edition yet so I can't really comment on it, but I just wanted to put in one word about the movie. I saw it at age 5 or so when it was in the theaters, and it scared the stuffing out of me. There were a few parts that gave me nightmares and still make me shiver. It's probably not as bad as I've made it out to be, but do use caution letting younger kids watch this.
17 My Favorite Childhood Film!
"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! :)
18 As if you can really attempt a sequal to a classic
When young Dorothy starts having trouble sleeping and raving about how she knows her friends in oz are in trouble, Aunt Em takes her to a hospital for shock therapy.
Anyway, fast forward to Oz. The yellow brick road is crumbled, the Emerald city has been turned to stone and Oz has a modern day Wicked Witch (sort of).
The characters were nothing like the originals, Dorothy seemed to grow younger, and chickens can talk. Some good new characters, like Tick Tock the wind up loyal soldier and Jack, the scarecrow with a pumpkin for a head. But overall, not that terribly great IMO.
19 The BEST Return to Oz I have Seen!
My dad helped me order this DVD of my favourite movie, and even though it was "out of stock", I STILL GOT IT IN 1 WEEK FROM WHEN I ORDERED IT!! Iwas SO excited!! The movie was fantastic, the music is brilliant, and the Menu is excellent. when you play this movie, it first ask 'would tou like to see this in Full-frame or Widescreen?" - I pick the Widescreen - and then just before the opening credits of the movie, Fairuza Balk (now grown-up, 1999) says Hi to us and comments on us seeing the movie. The Ruby Slippers were SO BEAUTIFUL - MUCH BETTER THAN MGM!! And teh Emearld City was PERFECT!! The music sounds like a mix-up of the Neverending Story, the Worst Witch and a bit of Pokemon. You can really hear the violins/fiddles in the music. The picture of the movie was SO CLEAR and COLOURFUL too.
The Main Menu came up after the movie finished and has the best effect by a rotating OZ symbol and flashing the faces of Aunt Em and Uncle Henry, Toto, Dorothy's friends and the wicked people.
The "Fairuza Returns to Oz" Interview is 1999 and she talks about what it was like for her to be in the movie, talking about the Special Effects, Director Walter Murch, Cast, the Parade Scene and the other things releated to the movie - like how people asked "where's the video?" and such. We don't see any flashbacks to the movie in the interview, we only see her face.
However, I'm disappointed that this DVD did NOT include the THEATRICAL TRAILER, something I was really looking forward to. I'm aslo a bit disappointed that Glinda wasn't in this movie, asd she appeared in both the 'Marvelous land" and "Ozma" books. I LOVE this movie and I ENJOYED the DVD.
At the moment, I'm working on a letter to Disney Studios about making a "Disney's return to Oz: 20th Anniversary Edition" DVD for 2005. I hoep they approve of this and agree to make it, being disappointed at teh 2004 DVD - which I don't have.
Hope you enjoyed my DVD Review.
20 A MUST SEE! 15th april 2004.
I wanted this film for ages, but they don't sell it anywhere, and amazon was where i managed to get it from. ACE film, about a girl who's house blew away in a tornado and now they are living in the middle of nowhere apart from nearby. [similar to wizard of oz]Dorothy gale from kansas ends up in oz again, but it has been turned into something bad since she last went........
21 I can't buy it in Australia
I love this movie, it was on T.V once when I was about 7 or 8 and we taped it, but as the other reviews have said it was dark and a bit weird for little kids so my mum taped over it because my 4 year old brother got nightmares. It was the worst mistake my mum could have made. Im 19 now and have always wanted it to come back on TV but it never did. In the last fews days after seeing The Wizard of Oz (That I have seen 30+ times) I decided to look on the net to see if I could buy Return To Oz. BUT you can't buy it anywhere in Australia, and there is not point buying it from the USA because I can't play it on my DVD player beacuse Return To Oz needs Region 1 to be able to play. But if you can buy this please do it is the best movie ever!!!!
22 Good Movie, Bad DVD
The latest release of "Return to OZ" (a re-release despite Disney saying it's new to DVD on the box) is a mixed blessing. While it's nice to have an anamorphic transfer of the film, the film itself is a disappointing transfer. At least the Anchor Bay version wasn't filled with scratches and dirt as this Dsiney reissue of the film is. Also, I couldn't pick a chapter by pressing a number on the remote but had to hit the forward button to get to the one I wanted. This wasn't a problem with the Anchor Bay version but is on the Disney one. On the other hand, the Disney version has a few more extras than the old release. Besides the short featurette that was on the old release, we have a trailer and some tv spots. The trailer is alright but why bother with those tv spots when they are in such lousy condition. They were pieced together from various sources (most look like 2nd-3rd generation video copies complete with timecode). Anyway, if you have the Anchor Bay version of "Return to Oz", hold on to it but if you want a version that'll fit your widescreen televisions, get the Disney DVD of the film.
23 I Think Both Movies are Awesome
This is an awesome movie an so is the old Judy Garland musical and I highly recommend both.
They are completely different in every way but both are awesome movies on their own!
I can't wait for the new Wizrd of Oz Movie that they said was going to be filmed and I hope they are still going to make it.
24 The Real OZ rather than the MGM version
This is about as close as you can get in a movie to the real Oz books by Frank L. Baum. This largely remains faithful to Baum's work. It has a good script, good acting and great effects (given the year it was produced). Don't expect an MGM sugar-coating. Return to Oz is great viewing.
25 The best OZ movie to date!!!!
I love this movie. It is more in the spirit of L.Frank Baums books and sticks to the book so closley. The characters such as the Scarecrow, Tin Man, the Lion, Tik Tok, Jack, and Gump look more like they should from the covers of the original books(not people in make-up and colorful clothes). If you are thinking of getting this and have silly ideas of it being like the classic musical DON'T! It's much different, but in my mind better. Tik Tok is my favorite character and he looks and sounds so cool. Hope this helps anyone interested in this movie. Being from Kansas i should know right? -LOL
26 ~Amazing! A childhood favorite! Based so much on the books~
L. Frank Baum would be very happy with this movie in my opinion. This movie is based so much on the books and Disney did a good job staying with the storylines in "Ozma of Oz" and "The Land of Oz."
This movie was one of my childhood favorites even though I admit it is a little on the dark side! But it is a great film that in my opinion could be considered a classic.
Join Dorothy, Billinia, Jack, Tik-Tok, the Gump, and some old favorites on a journey back to Oz!
This should not be compared to the original as it is a movie all on its own. The original "Wizard of Oz" is a timeless claasic and this movie is often not recognized for its greatness because so many people want to compare it.
Enjoy this film for what it is and please use no comparisons and I think you will find it very enjoyable!
This movie is great and I highly recommend owning it if you are an Oz fan!
I have to admit I was a tad disapointed that there were not many DVD extras but there is a new edition coming out in February "04" so I will be waiting for that edition as well! Maybe it will contain more extras! :-)
This is a movie that has been misunderstood throughout the years but when not compared and just enjoyed, it is in a league all of its own! Enjoy! :-)
27 I Love It, But Others...
I thought this was a great movie, myself. However, two sets of warnings. Number one: DON'T get this movie for children under 8. There is some scary stuff, and while these days it's not the same level of scariness as it was when I first saw it, it can still creep you out.
Number two, I recommend this movie solely for those who enjoy the book series, not just the musical. If you're a fan of the Judy Garland version of "The Wizard of Oz" then I strongly suggest skipping this movie, because there is very little in this movie that compares to the musical. But if you love the series, this is a great adaptation and still one of my favorite movies after 15 years.
(BTW, I was seven when I watched this for the first time, and while I understood if was fantasy, my then four year old sister did not; it was a really bad idea for her to watch it, hence the first warning).
28 A Great Movie
I grew up on this movie and it still moves me. It has a colorful story line, and has a cheerful spirit. Do not expect hi-tech graphics, since this movie was released in 1985. However, one should enjoy the movie for the sentimental reasons and for an imaginative story.
29 The Dark Side of Oz
It's a good guess that American McGee's Alice was inspired from this movie. Instead of the funny dances, singing, and the nonchalant task to get back home, the world is a twisted nightmare with aides and moments of reprieve far and few between.
Dorothy takes up the task to abolish a dominating king that finds his actions justified for his perceived wrong that every individual of the emerald city must pay the price for. She is far more resourceful and has a look of intelligence rather than a prisy, naive look. Heh, what girl power's all about.
30 Definitely PASS OVER THIS ONE! TERRIBLE!
I have never written an online review, but I felt compelled to warn anyone who thinks of buying this DVD that this film is probably the single worst film ever released...Do not go near this one...The production values are laugh-out-loud terrible and the storyline is completely uninteresting. Do not go near this and who gave this film 4 or 5 stars??? I am shocked
31 This is a Good Movie!
I grew up watching The original Black and White Wizard of Oz Movie that starred Judy Garland when it used to be shown on TV every year by CBS and I saw Return to Oz in the movie theater I think in 1985 and I really liked this movie too. It's alot different then the Judy Garland movie and the plot is a lot more bizarre and kind of a more twisted version but I liked it and I highly recommend it and in fact I recommend both movies! Judy Garland was a good Dorothy but so was Fairuza Balk so give this movie a chance and enjoy!
32 The Darker Side Of The Rainbow...
Return To Oz is such an underrated sequel to The Wizard Of Oz. Being a child of the 80's I can honestly say that I watched this movie over and over again and can remember going with my parents to see it in the theater when I was 5 years old and being utterly frightened, enthralled and just blown away by this fantasy adventure film. The movie is one of the most dark and haunting childrens films out there. I was babysitting a year ago and put this on for a 3 year old little girl and a 7 year old little boy and had bad results from them-They were freaked out and I had to turn the movie off...so, this isnt a movie I would recomend to young children who arent used to seeing creepy images (The wheelers might just torment a kids nightmares for months after seeing this)...But, this truly is an epic classic that many 80's kids will probably say was one of there favorites alongside Labyrinth and Goonies while growing up. If you have never seen this emotive depiction of Oz than you should definetly rent this movie or buy it! Adults and kids over a certain age will all love this movie.
33 A excellent sequel!
Forget Judy Garland in 1939, move over 'cause Faruzia Balk is a all fingers and thumbs up Dorothy. This isn't a musical and a darker sequel to The Wizard of Oz. I mean forget it!
Faruzia Balk is a 10-year-old Dorothy Gale, (though in 1st she was 12, but who cares)? And it's 1889, and Dorothy's Aunt Em and Uncle Henry are going to put her in for shock therpy.Luckily, she escapes. With a female compainion, Ozma. And so, she gets to Oz by Chicken Coop, and finds that all is lost.
Like, the yellow brick road, muckinland, the emerald city! Which is under the rule of Princess Mombi, with her slaves--The Wheelers! She meets 4 new freinds. Billina, a talking chicken, Jack Pumpkinhead,The Gump,and Tik Tok.
And so, she tries to find it's ruler--The scarecrow. But the gnome king took him as prisnor or an "ordiment." So, they have to find him, and just watch the movie.
But, you gotta love the end with the victory parade song. So whoever said it's to scary, maybe some parts are kinda juvenile, but so what? The Wicked Witch used to scare us 3 year olds too!
If you're a really, real lover of The Wizard of Oz. Trust me, you'll hate this film. If your really, really, not a fan, you'll love it. Toto is diffrent by-the-way.
ENJOY,
From, A RETURN TO OZ MOCHO FAN
34 Not your parents yellow brick road!
Film editor extraordinaire Walter Murch has only one film to his credit as a director, this one, and it's quite good. Perhaps in another 30 years when most of us have died off and the movie can be viewed without the inevitable comparisons to the more famous Judy Garland vehicle, RETURN TO OZ will be seen in proper perspective, namely an attempt to show L. Frank Baum's creation as he might have done it if HE'D been a movie director instead of a writer.
One caveat; For a supposed fairy tale, it IS a slightly darker vision that's shown in this movie than a young child might be comfortable with. There are scenes showing some of the questionable medical practices of the late 19th century which are very scary and I could see 6-year-olds having nightmares about them. There are also the Wheelers, who are at least as frightning as the flying monkeys were in the 1939 WIZARD OF OZ. Jean Marsh, however, is not as scary a wicked witch as Margaret Hamilton was, so that leavens things somewhat. Fairuza Balk, in her first film, makes a very charming Dorothy, and Piper Laurie and Nicol Williamson are well-cast in their supporting roles.
The DVD transfer itself leaves something to be desired. The first ten minutes of the film are marred by very apparent dustspecks and scratches on the transferred print; you'd have thought that, budget DVD or not, some care might have been taken in this regard. Extras are few and badly-positioned; there are no scene-selection menues and if you had no prior knowledge that there is a ten-minute interview with Fairuza Balk right after the closing credits, you'd miss it entirely. The sound transfer and mastering, however, is excellent and once you get past that first scratchy ten minutes, everything looks and sounds great.
This is a piece of Eighties filmmaking which, hopefully, will get a new lease on life on the big screen after a few more decades roll by. American Film Institute, take note!
35 Good, but not the same
I watched this movie first time at age 5, I used to rent it at Easy Video. One time, the movie got stuck in the VCR, so EV (Easy Video) Told me to keep it. I love this movie, It's not the same though, as I mentioned, New Cast, No Wizard, etc.
I like all the new people like Jack Pumpkinhead, Tik Tok, and Billinia. It's one of my dad's and mine personal favorites. Mombi and The Knome King are evil, and all the characters in the beginng, match a person in Oz.
Machine = Tik Tok
Girl = Ozma of Oz
Pumpkin = Jack Pumkinhead
Girl Doctor = Mombi
Doctor= Knome King
People who wheel Dorothy around on cot= The Wheelers
Billina = Billina
It's great, if you liked MGM's Version, you'll love this!
P.S. Toto is a diffrent dog
P.P.S. This Toto is just as good.
36 An embarrassment to Oz fans
I'm a huge Oz fan. I own all of Baum's Oz books and I've read them all numerous times. I've practically memorized the script of the 1939 Wizard of Oz movie. If I haven't convinced you that I'm obsessed, I even have an Oz cookbook! But I've only seen Return to Oz once, and I don't want to see it again.
The overall tone of the movie is way too dark for Oz, even though it seems as though it was intended to be a sequel to the 1939 Wizard of Oz. The whole insane asylum/electric shock treatment concept is rediculous, not to mention unbelievable. Why would Dorothy be considered insane for believing in Oz? She's only a little girl.
Other reviewers seem to think that Return to Oz is based on an actual story by L. Frank Baum. It's really a combination of two books, The Marvelous Land of Oz, and Ozma of Oz. But the two storylines are mixed together, and they're completely unlike either book. It's as if the writers of this movie never even read the books.
If you're a fan of the Wizard of Oz, the movie, and you want "more of Oz", don't waste your money on Return to Oz. Instead, I would recommend reading Baum's books.
It's really no wonder Return to Oz wasn't as successful as The Wizard of Oz was.
37 Beats a Blank....
I'm glad to see any of the other Oz stories even acknowledged, let alone made into film. Having said that, this film wasn't that bad at all. It would have been better had I not been so familiar with all of the characters of the Oz series. Everything was fine until they misnamed the princess with the mix & match heads Mombi! Mombi was a wicked OLD witch with a patch over one eye & a crooked walk. She was responsible for turning Princess Ozma into a boy (thus hiding her) named Tip. The princess with the changing heads was called Princess Languere & she was easily bored, thus she changed her look & mood.
This may seem a minor detail to the novice, but they basically
left out a huge chunk of story by trying to combine characters.
Read the books!
38 Best Underrated Fantasy Film Ever
This is one of the best fantasy films you've never seen. It's truly a _fantasy_ not a cute musical that's more about Hollywood than the story.
"Return to Oz" sticks to Baum's original concept. True fantasy is sometimes dark and speaks to our psyche, and Baum's original characters and setting is all here in this film which has more to say to us about honesty and compassion than a dozen of Disney's other "sweetness and light" films.
39 BETTER THAN THE ORIGINAL!
I was subjected to watching The Wizard Of Oz every year while I was growing up. I am sure that it is a fine movie, but I truly became tired of it and now prefer to not watch it. When my wife suggested watching Return to Oz I simply stated that I had never heard of it and was slightly scared of what it might be like. I LOVED IT! I was relieved to see a different cast and entirely different feel to the movie. This movie will surprise you with the slight darkness to it, but keep you very entertained. This one I can watch more than once a year and still look forward to seeing it again.
40 The Most Compelling Story of Oz I've Ever Seen
I first saw this film when I was about 5 years old (1987) and from that first viewing I was hooked. The film haunted me until I saw it again in the early 1990's. The tale is one of an Oz that Dorothy would never have survived in. An Oz that is only an eerie shell of what it once was. It was truly a modern day retelling of the land of Oz. I strongly recommend this movie to anyone whether or not they've seen the first Wizard of Oz; this film can stand on it's own.
41 Return to Oz, a hidden classic
Return to Oz has always been one of my favorite films. It is very different from the Wizard of Oz, but Return to Oz is much closer to Baum's Oz books. The movie is based on Baum's books Ozma of Oz and The Marvolous Land of Oz. Many people will not even watch this great film simply because it does not contain the same cast as The Wizard of Oz. While mostly everone else has not even heard of this film. This film is indeed a hidden classic and I know that one day it will be looked upon as one of the greatest films ever made. This is one movie that no one can be dissapointed in buying. The Wizard of Oz is my all-time favorite movie and I approve Return to Oz as a perfect addition to the Oz story.
42 I'm an 80's film buff.
I loved this film. I would love to see it again. I thought it was fantastic. Adventurous and sort of darker than the original. Worth a look.
43 A worthy sequel
One of the big trends of the 80's was the seemingly endless trend of half-baked sequels, remakes and other assorted attempts to "improve" what was already recognized as perfect (remember the new coke?). Perhaps that was why so many people dismissed Disney's sequel to the 1939 film. "The Wizard of Oz." It is a shame that "Return to Oz" did not get the exposure it was due, because it is a great movie.
Fairuza Balk was exceptional as Dorothy. She was the right age for the character (Judy Garland, talented as she was, was considerably older than the Dorothy of the books). More importantly though, she was everything a child star should be. Her Drorthy was brave, compassionate and enjoyable, without a trace of the cloying "cutsieness" or smart aleckiness many child actors demonstrate. The supporting characters, particularly Brian Henson's Jack Pumpkinhead, were not only excellent, but very true to the original books. The special effects that went into bringing them to life hold up very well today, excpet for Billina, the yellow hen, who is obviously mechanical. Her wit and pluck make her a very enjoyable character anyway though.
Some have said that this movie is too scary for kids, which really makes no sense. The scary parts of the movie; the wheelers, the gnome king, the deadly desert that turns people to sand, the witch Mombi, the princess who changes her head to suit her whims and threatens to take Dorothy's, all of these were created by L. Frank Baum, the creator of the Oz series. They have lived in his books for almost 100 years, and will probably outlive us all. When did these elements suddenly become "too scary" for children?
My complaints about the movie are few. For one thing, when Dorothy arrives in Oz she passes by her old house and then, in the next scene, arrvies at the Emerald City. Later she looks out from one of the city's towers and sees the desert surrounding Oz. This gives the impression that Oz is about four square miles. Second, Dorothy notes that the deadly desert will turn anyone who touches it into sand. When did she learn this? Because reference is made to the ruby slippers, we can assume this is a sequal to the 1939 movie and not the book (which featured silver shoes), but when was this fact revealed in the movie? This latter detail is a bit of a nit pick I admit.
Overall there is much to recommend in "Return to Oz." Do not watch it expecting to relive the 1939 picture. Instead, try to appreciate it for its own merits.
44 an entertaining yet frightful trip to oz
trust me, the oz series were the best childrens books in history, and return to oz is no exception. Fairuza Balk was a very cute and charming actress in this movie, i'd have to say she is my favorite actress,(and NO, she doesnt dance and sing like shirley temple). my favorite part of this movie is when they show how beautiful the emerald city is when they get the gems back and they did a good job of comprehending what l. frank baum was writing, but they did it with their own twist.
this movie is my favorite movie ive ever watched.
45 Equally great as the orginal!
"Return to Oz" has to be one of my all-time favorite movies. I believe I like it more or just as well as the original "Wizard of Oz." Though no one can be as great of a Dorothy than Judy Garland, a young Fairuza Balk stars in her first movie(recognized in such movies as The Craft, Almost Famous, The Waterboy, etc.) she captures Dorothy's image beautifully. In this sequel, Dorothy escapes a strange clinic type place to get rid of her bad dreams. On her second journey back to Oz she is accompanied by Belinda a talking chicken. Only this time the merry ol' land of Oz has been destroyed by the Gnome King who has captured Dorothy's best friend from Oz, the scare crow. She is on a mission with new friends Tic-Toc, Jack, and a couch/moose head-brought to life by magic dust she steals from an evil princess who collects beautiful womens' heads, and traps Dorothy in there intending on getting her head as well. New things are introduced to this movie such as rollers, the Gnome King, the evil Princess (can't remember her name at the moment). The ONLY thing this movie lacked was the realistic features of the tin man, scare crow, and lion, they look VERY different than they do in the Wizard of Oz. Overall i recommend it to anyone. Though some scenes may be disturbing for very young children.
46 A GOOD CONTINUING SAGA
WHEN I FIRST HEARD OF THIS MOVIE I THOUGHT "OH GOD ANOTHER DOROTHY MOVIE, HOW UNORIGINAL". I BELIEVE THE MARKETING OF THIS FILM WASN'T VERY GOOD. EVERYONE WAS COMPARING IT TO THE CLASSIC 1938 JUDY GARLAND VERSION OF THE WIZARD OF OZ & EXPLAINS SOME OF THE BAD REVIEWS.
WATCHING IT NOW WITH AN OPEN MIND I REALLY ENJOYED THIS LITTLE GEM. THE ACTING IS ALL VERY GOOD, EXCELLENT SPECIAL EFFECTS, HIGH QUALITY CINEMATOGRAPHY, GREAT SOUNDTRACK (ALBUM IS VERY DIFFICULT TO FIND). THE SCREEN PLAY IS VERY CLOSE TO FRANK BAUM'S ORIGINAL STORY BOOK.
SO WHILE IT'S A DRASTIC DEPARTURE FROM SEEING JUDY GARLAND, I REALLY THOUGHT IT WAS FUN TO SEE WHAT HAPPENED TO DOROTHY GALE WHEN SHE LANDED BACK IN KANSAS.
ALSO, THERE'S A LOT OF POSTITIVE MESSAGES IN THIS FILM.
PARENTS SHOULD NOT BE TOO QUICK TO ENTRUST THEIR CHILDREN TO STRANGERS!!!!! HAVING CONFINDENCE IN YOURSELF & BEING TRUE TO YOUR FRIENDS IS VERY IMPORTANT. A WORD OF WARNING TO PARENTS OF SMALL CHILDREN, THIS FILM IS INTENDED MORE FOR THE 1O TO 15 YEAR OLD CROWD & ANY ADULTS WHO LIKE IMAGINATIVE STORIES. SOME OF FRANK BAUMS IDEAS ARE MORE LIKE GRIMS FAIRLY TALES/NIGHTMARES, SO PARENTS OF SMALL CHILDREN, MAKE THEM WAIT UNTIL THEY ARE OLDER TO WATCH THIS ONE.
47 True To The Novels, A Worthy Sequel As Film
1985: Despite the comments of other reviewers, such as the one nex to mine, Walter Murch's "Return To Oz" is an incredible film, true to the novels by L. Frank Baum and a worthy sequel to the 1939 "Wizard Of Oz". True, the sing-song, luminous quality of the first film is gone and true, an old classic can never really have a successful sequel (even Gone With The Wind had a sequel "Scarlett: Tomorrow Is Another Day" which was never as praiseworthy) - but "Return to Oz" captivates us and transports us yet again to the magic land envisioned by L. Frank Baum and in my personal opinion, works a miracle. The cinematography, visual effects and beautifully haunting music are combined to make a masterpiece.
First of all, "Return to Oz" is true to the novels by L. Frank Baum. Around the turn of the century (1912-1918), L. Frank Baum created "The Wizard Of Oz", whose plot is treated in the 1939 version starring Judy Garland. A young girl from Kansas is taken to an enchanted land, befriends a scarecrow, a tin man and a cowardly lion, defeats an evil witch and returns home via the magic of shimmering ruby slippers. You might say that although the first film was tremendously successful, a classic and a work of art, there are some imperfections. For example, Dorothy should be played by a little girl, roughly ages 8 to 10, to be more in tune with the novel, but Judy Garland was not ages 8 to 10. On the other hand, Fairuza Balk (in her debut, would later appear in other films, including "The Craft"), is 10 at the time of the film's production, looks more like Dorothy and performs the role with precision and care. A lot of the people who saw the 1985 film were disappointed at the events in the first minutes of the film- no one believes that Dorothy has been to Oz and she is taken to a psychiatric clinic where she will undergo shock therapy. This emphasizes horror and more cynical aspects of a children's story, but it is a scene that is completely harmless.
This film is drawn from elements in the two novels "The Land Of Oz" and "Ozma Of Oz". A Gothic, darker mood dominates the plot. An evil Gnome King (played by a powerful-voiced Nicol Williamson, formerly Merlin form John Boorman's 1981 Excalibur) has taken over Oz, stolen the emeralds from the Emerald City, broken the Yellow Brick Road and turned its inhabitants into stone. Princess Mombi (Jean Marsh), a sinister headless queen who changes her heads frequently, now rules over the Emerald City and has trapped the rightful child queen Ozma in a magic mirror.
Dorothy befriends some new Oz creatures- a talking hen named Bellina, a wind-up robotic army general named Tick-Tock, the stick-thin, Halloween-costume-looking Jack Pumpkinhead (who would not be out of place in a Tim Burton film or in "The Nightmare Before Christmas"), and a gump's head. Outsmarting the evil Gnome King and his desire to turn Dorothy and her friends into ornaments as part of his collection, he is defeated and the melancholy, dead Oz becomes once again the vibrant, peaceful and happy world it once was. Although Dorothy is wanted as queen, she instead pulls out of the magic mirror its rightful queen, Ozma, who turns out to be Dorothy's own alter ego and "double" in Oz. Dorothy returns to her plain farm life in Kansas but she can glimpse the magic world of Oz and return whenever she wants through a magic mirror.
This film is a perfect follow up to the old classic and it will delight audiences and generations of children as well as adults. The magic returns and on DVD, the experience is very refreshing, included is scene selections and commentary by the now grown up Fairuza Balk.
48 darker than the one with judy garland
this trip to oz is deinitley diffrent from the journey with judy as dorothy. i love that good old one. but this is so terrific too. .... faruza baulk is great as dorothy....i will never forget those weird beings with wheels on thier hands and feet, tick tock, and the cabinet of heads. worth owning and viewing again and again. definitley a whole different cup of tea from judy one. you won't be disappointed if you like a good adventure.
49 Yikes
This movie scared the stuffing out of me as a kid. Please, please: if you have a kid with a strong imagination, DON'T give them this film to watch. I had nightmares for YEARS.
50 Still horrified at 21.
To be honest, I've only watched this movie twice. Once at the age of *4* when my dad took me to see it at the theater. I VIVIDLY remember leaving there screaming like a bat out of hell and crying. The second time I saw it on tv 3 years ago. This movie is scarry as all hell even now. Visions of heads in curio-cabinets really messed me up as a child and even now looking back on it I've got goosebumps. This movie was messed up. I'm definantly renting it for movie night tonight with my friends LOL. OMG...wheels for hands! Why did I come to this site??? LOL
51 nostalgia...
I first saw this movie when it was broadcast on the Disney Channel when I was in Kindergarten or first grade. At the time I was just starting my massive Oz phase (which lasted several years) wherein I set out to read every Oz book ever published.
I loved this movie. I owned copy of this movie that we had taped off television up until I wore the tape out years later.
Fast forward about fifteen years. I had nearly forgotten all about this until I happened to stumbled across the aged and worn out tape in our videocassette library. I instantly knew I had to find this on DVD. Fortunately Amazon had it and I bought it.
I'm glad I did. Watching again after not having seen it for over a decade brought back a whole lot memories and I remembered why I loved it in the first place.
People, whose only experience with Oz is through the Garland movie, will be in for a surprise. It's certainly a lot darker than they would expect, but anyone who read Baum's original books would know that Oz was never a technicolor place all the time.
The DVD itself is decent. The video and audio quality is not a high as most current movies but I believe it's because it was transferred from original (and aging) film stock. There isn't much in the way of extras other than a segment of Fairuza Balk fondly reminiscing on making the movie.
As a child-hood fan of this movie I was certainly glad that the studio chose to release it like this after all these years. And I'm definitely glad I bought it.
52 Dorothy and A Darker Oz
When Dorothy dreams in that readily-awakened state that constantly keeps her from sleep, she dreams of Oz and the kinship she felt amongst its residents. This fact readily streams into her conversations that oftentimes lead to points on that fantastic land, disturbing her beloved Aunt Em and Uncle Henry to the point that they are willing to do just about anything to cure this woefully bestricken child. It is then that a solution presents itself, one masking itself as a clinic powered by treatments birthed from electricity. Before Dorothy can be treated and properly cured, however, she is thrust into a series of bizarre events leading her into the her beloved Oz. Still, Dorothy - accompanied by her talking companion/chicken - quickly discovers that this isn't the Oz she beheld in her fantastical past and sets off to find the king here, The Scarecrow, and some answers to questions plaguing her.
In many ways, I found Return to Oz to be quite enjoyable because of the rather dreary aspects flooding every turn in that dilapidated world of wonderment. It seemed to emanate from a landscape portrayed as a broken mesh of shattered buildings and devastated monuments, with headless dancers and other denizens frozen in an eternal stone-laden slumber, and ooze from the pores of any character Dorothy happened across. From the rather psychotic Wheelers to Queen Mombi and her obsession with interchangeable heads to further her conquest of the beautiful, it quickly became apparent that this rendition of Oz wasn't the Oz of my or Dorothy's childhood; a fact that become even more transparent as Dorothy's adventure pressed onward and ends up in the realm of the Nome King (Nicol Williamson, or Merlin from Excalibur).
Coupled with that were the additions of characters that strayed from the original aspects remembered by most fans of the Wizard of Oz, showcasing instead: Tick Tock AKA The Army of Oz, a living Scarecrow, and an animated Moosehead/couch. This straying from the atypical led to something that is not only memorable and that transcends the realms of what typifies returns to any successful movie, it also made it a tale that survives to this day. For this reason, I still love and recommend that voyage.
53 A brilliant work--but for adults, not children
The great film editor walter Murch got the chance in the early Eighties to make a spectacular film compressing the first two sequels to THE WONDERFUL WIZARD OF OZ, THE MAGICAL LAND OF OZ and OZMA OF OZ, as a tribute to the Baum books he loved. The film was a popular flop, given that almost everyone who took their children to it expected it to be a sequel to the famous M-G-M film version of 1939. (In Murch's version, there are no songs and the carryover characters from the first film--Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Tin Man and the Lion---look like the original illustrations of them by John Neill and W. W. Denslow rather than the way they were portrayed in the 1939 film.) But the film has endured as a cult classic, a master of the film art's tribute to the books and illustrations he loved from his youth.
It's an amazingly beautiful film, but it would be insanity to show it to small children. It starts out with Uncle Henry and Aunt Em, rebuilding their house and farm from the cyclone, take Dorothy, who has been speaking of wild stories of cities made of emeralds and scarecrows who talk, to Topeka for electroshock therapy. The asylum they bring her to is a terrifying chamber of horrors, and when she escapes it for Oz she is confronted with incredible other visual terrors, such as the lunatic Wheelers and the Princess Mombi (a variant of both the old witch Mombi and the Princess langwidere from the Oz books), who exchanges pretty heads for her body the way other women change dresses. The scene where Mobi's headless body chases Dorothy through her chamber of heads (as the other dismebodied heads scream in horror) is one of the scariest things I can imagine a child ever viewing.
But this is really a film for adults, and the creepiness of its details add to the mature viewers' pleasure. The sets and costumes are spectacular, the cast includes such accomplished actors as Piper Laurie (as Aunt Em), Jean Marsh (Mombi) and Nicol Williamson (the Nome King), and the David Shire score is one of the most beautiful film scores ever written--period. As for Dorothy herself, the producers chose such a unusually haunting Dorothy (with marvelous multicolored eyes and a curious plaintive quality to her voice) that the actress, Fairuza Balk, has spun a strong acting career from her early cult fame in this part.
54 Baum's True Vision
Many people verbaly attack this wonderful story & claim to be "Wizard of Oz" fans, but I being a true fan of everthing "Oz" I love this story as much as "The Wizard of Oz". This movie much truer to L. Frank Baum & John R. Neill's vision of "Oz". Many people expected "The Wizard of Oz 2" which is impossible, this film helped bring a teen-following to the "Oz" stories. This is an adaption of "The Marvelous Land of Oz" & "Ozma of Oz" not "The Wizard of Oz 2". The story features in my opinion only one mistake which is putting Dorothy in shock-treatment. After escaping the hospital Dorothy floats to "Oz" in a chicken coop, her & her talking chicken, Billiana follow a broken Yellow Brick Road to the ruins of the Emerald City, where the evil Mombi is in charge with 31 changeble heads. Dorothy meets Tik-Tok & Jack Pumpkinhead who helps her build a flying "Gump" to flee to the Nome King's mountain, there they rescue the Scarecrow & restore Oz with the return of The Ruby Slippers. The end is a great Parade scene featuring many charecters from the "Oz" books. Over all it's a great film, which deserves a chance. Recomended for children 7+
55 Baum's True Vision
Many people verbally attack this movie & claim to be fans of "The Wizard of Oz" I am a true fan of all things Oz. I love "Return to Oz" as much as I love "The Wizard of Oz". "Return to Oz" truly captures L. Frank Baum & John R. Neill's visions of Oz. Many people were expecting the "Wizard of Oz 2" but it was nearly 45 years after the "Wizard of Oz" was made & it would be impossible to create an exact sequal & times had changed the movie-goers of the 80s didn't want musicals. "Return to Oz" should be viewed as its own movie, not "The Wizard of Oz 2", it should be viewed an adaption of "The Marvelous Land of Oz" & "Ozma of Oz" that just happens to use the Ruby Slippers from the "Wizard of Oz". "Return to Oz" also captures more Teen age audiences, many of my school-mates prefer "Return to Oz". Please give this film a chance.
56 Belated sequel
Disney captures L. Frank Baums darker side of Oz in this belated sequel to the 1939 classic, The Wizard Of Oz. 10 year old Faruza Balk takes the role of Dorothy Gale and makes the part her own. There is a much darker undertone to this Oz film. No colourful lands or jolly songs! Infact its mood is vastly sombre and hauntingly atmospheric throughout which may make it a little scary for very young children but its still an enthralling and compelling classic which is (for once) a respectable sequel, though you can never beat the origanal.
The story is set months after the tornado which had transported Dorothy over the rainbow into the colourful land of Oz. Dorothy is haunted by her adventures there and so Aunt Em decides to take her to a clinic to see a doctor. She has to stay over night at the dark, eerie looking clinic. These particular scenes are spooky and jumpy and will have children on the edge of their seat. Its whilst during a torrential thunder storm, she manages to escape but whilst running away from the evil Nurse Wilson (played to perfection by Jean Marsh), she falls into a river and is swept away into the land of Oz. To her amazement she sees her old house that landed on the wicked witch of the East on her first adventure there but then to her horror she discovers the yellow brick road all broken into bits and her old friends like the scarecrow, the tinman and the cowardly lion have all been turned into stone. Dorothy soon makes new friends with Pumpinkhead, Tik Tok the clockwork man and a talking chicken (accompanying her on her jouney throughout in replacement for Toto). On her adventures she sees trees that have sandwiches growing from them and has to encounter the evil wheelers, the Nome King and Princess Mombi (another fantastic and effective turn from Jean Marsh who is superb in each of her roles in the film) whilst trying to restore Oz back to how it was before. Particularly chilling are the scenes where Dorothy is in Mombies castle and goes into a room which is mirrored with different heads. Plenty of jumpy moments and Will vinnton's Claymation special-effects sequences are superbly done. Surprisingly Return To Oz didn't garner nearly as much praise and recognition as it should have done but even so, this is a fantastic classic that makes essential and compelling viewing!
57 Not Quite Over The Rainbow
Disney has owned the film rights to L. Frank Baum's sequels to "The Wizard of Oz" for decades, and actually started preproduction on "The Rainbow Road To Oz" back in the '50s. That film never got made, and Disney shelved the Oz books until the '80s when it released this film. "Return to Oz" is based mostly on the second and third books in the series--the basic plot coming from "Ozma of Oz" (which is the story of Dorothy and Ozma rescuing the royal family of a neighboring kingdom, who have been turned into ornaments by the Nome King), with additional characters and episodes from "The Marvelous Land of Oz" (which is about an all-girl army overthrowing The Emerald City, and had already been loosely adapted as "Journey Back to Oz") added in, along with some original material. The new material is the weakest part of the movie--I don't think Baum would have sent Dorothy for shock therapy--but Disney does well by some Baum characters and scenes, especially the Wheelers, the Gump, Tik-Tok, and Princess Mombi (actually a combination of two characters) with the detachable heads. The Nome King was a big disappointment, though. In the books, he's a fat, little troll (as a Nome or Gnome should be), but Disney decided to use the latest in computer animation, turning the Nome King into a talking rock-formation; they'd have done better to go with the original model. He's less a character here than a special effect, and an oportunity to present Baum's humor which is totally lacking here was missed. Fairuza Balk, however, is a revelation as Dorothy. No, she's no Judy Garland, nor does she try to be. She gives a faithful interpretation of Dorothy as written by Baum, and she is the glue that holds this picture together. And, like Garland, she has a little magical spark in her that comes across on film. Altogether not a bad movie, but Baum's wonderful books deserve better than this. With a new Oz movie and a TV series which each present different/modern views of Oz on the way, it's a shame nobody will simply film the stories from the books. MGM did it, and look what a success they had!
58 Strange and Beautiful
Sometimes wonderful things aren't wrapped in shiny wrapping. Such is Return to Oz which finds a happy, realistic, medium between the 1939 film and L. Frank Baum's books. The grenadine has been sucked out, but remnants of the 1939 film still remain (such as the RUBY slippers). What we find could be another socio-commentary film - the aftermath of growing up and child-hood dreams (or the reality of child-hood dreams revisted - that not everything is as it seemed). Fairuza Balk is beautiful and real in her creation of Dorothy - the score is haunting and has some of the same orchestral beauty of Arthur Freed's 1939 score. Some issues in this movie are not for kid's who grow up on Gumby and Barney - but if you wanna jolt your kid into reality at an early age - this flick is for them.
59 Dorothy's Return
I wasn't born until 2 years after this film came out theatres. When it came out on video in the early ninties, my mom and I always used to watch it with me. I'll be honest, this movie always used to scare the bejesus out of me. But I thought this was a well done, no, that would be an understatement, a TERRIFIC movie. It was nice to see the return of the ruby slippers. Although, the part that scared me most was when Mombi put on that scary head that she put on when she went psycho. I always used to cover my eyes.
It was also nice to see Dorothy's old house in the ruins of Munchkin Land. And Dorothy's confusion as to the Munchkins whereabouts. I guess the reason why I like it is because a girl is the hero. I'm a boy, so I've always been intrigued by heroines. Especially Dorothy. This is one of the greatest movie sequals of all time. What would be even more amazing would be a triqual.
60 Return to Oz
The thing with this movie is YOU CAN'T COMPARE IT TO THE JUDY GARLAND CLASSIC.To me this wasn't ment as a sequel to the 1939 version.If people would stop comparing it to "The Wizard of Oz" I mean don't get wrong The Wizard of Oz is my FAVORITE movie but this movie makes it seem that OZ is more real.This movie is MUCH more scarier to the Judy Garland Dorothy.Sit down and watch this DVD but DO NOT I REAPT DO NOT COMPARE IT TO THE WIZARD OF OZ.
61 "We're a long way from Kansas..."
The ability to revisit childhood classics can be a poisoned chalice. We all know this. There are few things more disheartening than returning to a book or a film of which you have such fond memories, only to discover that it's actually rubbish of the lowest order.
I rented 'Return to Oz' this weekend - and found it to be not only still fantastic, but even better than I remember it being.
I first saw this film at the cinema when I was five years old. At the time, I was thrilled and freaked out in equal measure; watching it again now, at a remove of seventeen years, I get the same emotions. It's wonderfully twisted: Dorothy undergoing shock treatment to get rid of her dreams of Oz, the shattered yellow brick road, Princess Mombi with her interchangeable heads (and the headless dancing girl statues that she harvested them from!). There are no twee songs or overly-optimistic fluffiness here. Well, a little of the latter, but I can forgive a happy ending when the journey there is so deliciously dark and uncompromising. A genuine sense of menace pervades the whole film; Dorothy's victory over Mombi and the Nome King never feels like a foredrawn conclusion.
And the Wheelers are just as creepy as they ever were...
Fairuza Balk turns in an excellent performance as a brave, intelligent little girl determined to do whatever it takes to save what she believes in; and there is a real sense of character development by the end of the film that doesn't consist solely of "Aren't we all better people now?"
Distinctly creepy and disturbingly clever, today just as it was for a five-year-old in 1985.
But why-oh-why isn't available in PAL VHS or Region 2 DVD? I want my own copy...!
62 Every kid should see it.
I remember watching this overseas when my parents would go to the embassy, while I was in the 2nd/3rd grade. I love the movie so much back then that I'd watch it whenever we'd go over there. It was scary, of course, with all the heads in cases and whatnot, but come on... I'm 23 now, and I own a copy myself to watch whenever I want a good squirm (but, then, maybe it's just because I remember being so freaked out by Mombi when I was a kid... maybe not...). I definitely recomend it for someone who wants to watch a great "kids" movie with or without children in their presence. It's good for everyone.
63 OZ has gone OZ-some
I first watched this when i was 10 yrs old when my mother brought it home one night for me to watch and I loved it more the origianal film. I am also glad they didnt go by the way Dorothy was portrayed in the later books as a short haired blonde,lol. Anyways, I loved how they mixed The Land of Oz and Ozma of OZ togehter. The sets were beautiful and well made to portray the book and I believe that they shoulkd actually come out with another movie just for the [heck] of it! Awsoem movie check it out. You wont be disapointed. oh by the way I am 17 now so yeah, lol.
64 Just What the Author Intended...?
I saw this film at its premiere in Seattle (The Emerald City) in 1985. I had read the Oz books for years (including the then-elusive non-Baum books written after his death) and always loved the mix of danger, whismy, and enchantment in the books.
I grew up (like every other person in America)with memories of the 1939 musical--but even as a kid I hated the fact that the MGM musical messed so much with the dangerous and frightening aspects of Oz, turning everything into a candy-coated Technicolor dream.
Thus, when I finally saw RETURN TO OZ (based on two books, OZMA of OZ and THE LAND of OZ), I realized that the filmmakers had actually sat down and read the books. Gone were the happy go-lucky images of a very safe place (was Judy Garland's Dorothy ever truly in danger?!?) and in its place was a fairyland full of dark dreams, scary villains, and entirely unique characters. And yet, most of America kept asking, "Where's the Munchkins?"
In fact, the film critic for our local paper so trashed the film on its release that I (as a lowly high school sophomore) wrote him a detailed letter explaining what he had missed in the film by spending all his time comparing it to the MGM film. He (like most of America) missed some wonderful moments: Fairuza Balk's film debut as a real, brave, and sometimes scared little girl being called on to save an entire country from extinction, the Oscar-nominated special effects that brought to life characters that had only existed on paper (like Tik-Tok, Jack Pumpkinhead, and the Nomes), and the great performances by British actors Nicol Williamson and Jean March as the villains.
Walter Murch and his team got everything right with this one, even down to character design: look at how closely the Oz chracters (Tik-Tok, the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodsman, etc.) match the way they looked in John R. Neil's illustrations; listen to the amazing score composed by David Shire, full of life, brilliance, and haunting motifs (the opening credit sequence alone gives chills); and the use of Will Vinton's Claymation (of California Raisins fame) to bring the rock-based Nomes to life.
Unfairly dumped by Disney in the ensuing years (to the point that this DVD version isn't even released by them), the film is only now being rediscovered by people who love great fantasy, great filmmaking, and who truly love to see OZ on screen.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
65 GREAT MOVIE!
This was a pretty good sequel. Many people didn't like it because it didn't live up to the standards of the 1939 masterpiece The Wizard of Oz. Well, let's face it, you can't remake a clasic! For a sequel, this was pretty good. It's a little too scary for the smaller children, but other than that you see a lot of great stuff.
66 One of the best
One of the coolest movies I've ever seen. It was really unique, just like The Labyrinth. It was pretty 'artsy'. I mean that it was totally abstract and original. It's better suited for viewers that are older than 7 because any younger and they might get frightened due to the unfluffy atmosphere of the movie. It's really good and I suggest it for anyone.
67 Not the awful movie the critics want you to think it is!
The Wizard of Oz is one of my favorite movies and even though Return to Oz is so completely different with a much darker plot and some rather creepy elements it is a good movie that has gotten a bad rap from critics and by people who keep comparing it to the Wizard of Oz and I think if they gave this movie a chance and stopped comparing it to that 1939 classic they would see that this is a very entertaining movie and they might actually have to admit that it isn't the awful movie they are trying to make everyone think it is. Judy Garland may be my favorite Dorothy but I think the cute as a button Fairuza Balk did a very good job and I was satisfied with her performance!
68 "The Wizard of Oz it is not--should not be!
For those expecting this movie to be a sequel to MGM's 1939 Wizard of Oz are in for a disappointment, but such expectations are unfair. Judy Garland's "Wizard of Oz" is grand, glorious, and gets better every time I watch it (can you catch all the rainbow images in the film) but it is a plush MGM musical-comedy, beautifully adapted from the book, with "adapted" the operative term here. "Return to Oz" is in many ways actually closer to the Baum books, particularly in its common-sense, fairly young heroine who does not DREAM her way to Oz, but actually journeys to this "cut off" part of the world. The music-less adaptation is also more in keeping with the original, which are so plainly stated that critics have claimed the works are not really that good. The "Baum Oz" is a surprisingly dark and weird place at times, and the more horrific aspects of "Return to Oz" are in keeping with its folktale qualities. Plus the work has a real feeling of time; that is, turn of century of America--with its fascination and trust of machinery (Dorothy is being given electrical treatments for her depression), the Gilded Age (Mombi's palace is momument to conspicuous consumption including changeable heads; it even has a cluttered attic which, before charitable organizations began accepting donations, is where old, outmoded stuff used to be stored). Live settings increase the reality of this Oz, replacing the deliberately artificial qualities of the 1939 Oz land. The special effects make the fantastic elements in this film "realistic," down to the talking chicken and the Nome King gradually assuming humna life. And then there is the rag-time music . . . If you are willing to accept "Return to Oz" on its own terms, you will find it a wonderful, eye-filling film with a treat--some rather strange!--around every corner.
69 Good & gets better with each viewing
An engaging movie, if a bit disquieting, it's not the best chaser to the 1939 MGM/Garland production "The Wizard of Oz". However, it does give a nod to the latter while staying closer to Baum's source material.
"Return" has a definite dark, bittersweet character that keeps one coming back for repeat viewings, with lush sets and not too much Disney silliness; the main Wheeler is way overdone, though.
Fairuza Balk is well-cast as Dorothy, and refreshingly the other Oz characters lack the vaudeville heritage and limitations of the MGM cast. The naturalistic acting and settings of mid-1980's sensibilities dominate. Plain optical printing, Will Vinton's claymation, some clever animatronics and puppetry lend visual reality to action that has yet to be matched by subsequent years of CGI trickery.
The only downside of this DVD edition is that the widescreen option is really a letterboxed fullscreen. One can choose to view the pan & scan 4:3 version but then it's cropped. I understand that there is now a later release which works satisfactorily with widescreen displays; make sure of which version you buy.
Definitely recommended!
70 Return to Oz
My older sister and I always liked this movie. It was nothing like the original "Wizard of Oz", but it was still very, very good. Fairuza Balk portrays a Dorothy Gale who clearly looks much younger than the Dorothy that Judy Garland carried out in the original. Basically, the sequel picks up the story several months after the "tornado" that propelled Dorothy to Oz for the first time in the original. Little Dorothy is having trouble sleeping, and her Aunt Em is worried about her because she can't seem to stop talking about a fanciful place called Oz. Determined to restore Dorothy to her old self and make her forget about Oz, Aunt Em takes Dorothy to a therapist who plans to snap the child back into reality with some wacky machine. Left alone with the therapist and his witch-like assistant, Dorothy is suddenly grabbed and pulled to safety in Oz by a mysterious young girl. Now that she is back in Oz, Dorothy is looking forward to revisiting the beautiful land and all of her friends--the Scarecrow, Tinman, and Cowardly Lion. However, Oz is not the same as it was when she left it--her beloved friends have been turned to stone, and she is confronted with an array of new enemies--the evil Princess Mombi, a team of "Wheelers," and some sort of "stone" character who is Dorothy's only hope in rescuing the Tinman, Lion, and Scarecrow. Luckily, Dorothy also has a group of new friends to help her along the way, including a kindly robot named "Tick-Tock," a talking pet chicken named Bellina, and a troubled "Jack Pumpkinhead," whose features can most likely be guessed =)All in all, this is an enjoyable movie with many good points, but I can understand how it can be a little frightening for young children. There is a scene where Princess Mombi leads the dumbfounded Dorothy into a long room with a variety of different heads individually placed in glass cases. Apparently, Mombi has stolen these heads from real women and is able to pull her own head off and wear any other head she wants, obviously to deceive others and cater to her various moods. This film does not have the same magic that you might expect after seeing the original "Wizard Of Oz"--for instance, the Scarecrow is the only one of Dorothy's 3 original friends who talks, and the talking chicken can get a bit annoying at times. But, it is still a good movie. I recommend it for kids 9 and older.
71 i like it, tho i shouldn't....imagine that
Everything about this movie says i shouldn't like it. It's dark, cynical, and fairytale-ish. BUT, i LOVE this movie. It's imagination, social commentary and RETURN to the TRUE feel of the REAL Oz books makes this a movie a TRUE Oz fan cannot dislike. The characters only a true fan of Oz knows, the ones that read the books, come to life.
This is a must see.
72 "Where's My Powder of Life!?!"
When I was five years old, my Aunt took me to see my very first movie on the big screen. That movie was "Return to Oz". The memory of this strange and wonderful movie is among my very first, and I begged my mother to take me to see it again. She, of course, was totally horrified once she saw the film for herself, as it is definitely not your average children's movie, what with the lunatic asylums, poisoned nomes, and dismembered heads.
A surprising and unexpected film, "Return to Oz" is best watched on a stormy October night when it's subtle creepiness can be properly appreciated. The movie picks up six months after "The Wizard of Oz" ends, with Dorothy (eerily played by a young Fairuza Balk) back at home with Aunt Em and Uncle Henry in Kansas. All is not well ,though, as their first house was of course destroyed in the tornado and winter is fast approaching with the new house still unfinished. Then there is the problem of Dorothy herself; she doesn't sleep well, acts queerly, and is full of tales of a magical world located over a rainbow.
It is at this point that the film takes a truly unexpected turn as Aunt Em decides that the best way to cure Dorothy's illusions is electro-shock therapy (!). From here on the movie really takes off, as Dorothy (thanks to a wild storm) finds herself once again in Oz, this time via something called the "Deadly Desert", which, Dorothy explains to her talking chicken Balina, turns any living thing that touches it into sand. (If you get the feeling that we will have a distrubing demonstration of this phenomenon later, you would be right.)
From then on the film swiftly moves from bizarre episode to bizarre episode as Dorothy makes various friends and enemies. Highlights include meeting the "Army of Oz" (one lone mechanical man), discovering someone trapped in a mirror, and a truly stunning set-peice towards the middle detailing Dorothy's escape from "Princess Mumbie"'s castle, thus avoiding becoming part of Mumbie's twist-on twist-off head collection. It all ends on the horrific Nome King's mountain, where Dorothy learns the value of friendship, loyalty, and chickens.
So, for those worried about some of the above reviews warning that this movie is not for young children, I say ; That depends on the child. Beautiful and haunting, this is a must-own for every lover of great unappreciated cinema.
73 Scary and true to the stories
A lot of people have criticised this for ruining the image of Oz that was imprinted on everyone's mind when they saw the classic musical 'The Wizard Of Oz'. Yet this is what the Disney remake's main attraction is, that it is bold and daring and sticks closely to the actual stories.
The distinction between the grey real world is well evoked (although admitedly this distinction was better in the original movie). Oz is a sparkling land of wonder whilst home is boring and overcast. Dorothy (a superb debut from 'The Craft' actress Fairuza Balk) finds Oz after a nightmarish experience at a clinic where she's to receive some kind of electric therapy. This theme of nightmare and dreams is constant, with plenty of eerie figures that will probably scare younger children. Whilst the first movie was a lot more sweet-natured, this is more grim. The 'wheelers' and even the good guys such as the talking chicken, are perturbing to say the least. However, Mombi the witch is what people will really remember. Missing a head, she keeps the heads of all of the beautiful maidens of the land locked up in a long corridor so that she can switch whenever she feels like it. Indeed, a corrupted Oz with a crumbling yellow brick road and a delapidated emerald city couldn't be further removed from the original and give a worrying air of anticipation that is rare in a children's film.
The final scene involving a rescue attempt of the Scarecrow are also brilliant, with some truly impressive special effects as well as a touching scene between Dorothy and new-found friend Tick-Tock, a robot. It's a shame that this wasn't a bigger success at the box office, as its ending involving Dorothy looking at her reflection to find the princess of Oz and then finding that it's vanished, provoke a dreamy quality which marks the escapism that people require from the mundane, workaday world.
74 "Return to Oz" an oddity and an honest failure
Bad movies are almost always bad for one reason: the writing. It's rare that you find a wonderful script and a stinking picture. "Return to Oz" was a big budget flop for Disney, and an unfortunate fledgling directorial outing for the brilliant editor Walter Murch. But as wrongheaded as much of it is, you sense that Murch was sincerely committed to the material and the strangeness of the whole enterprise will keep you watching. Dorothy, here played by the young, wide-eyed, rather stolid Fairuza Balk, isn't sleeping too well after returning from her first trip to Oz. For God knows what reasons, the moviemakers decided to have her sent to an insane asylum, run by an obviously unhinged Nicol Williamson (actually, Williamson always seems unhinged) and a nightmare matron played by Jean Marsh. That Aunt Em (Piper Laurie, Carrie's mom) would leave her here suggests that Aunt Em is the one who needs to be committed. During a thunderstorm, Dorothy escapes and is swept away in a chicken coop which, somehow or other, deposits her and her barnyard buddy Billina the hen in Oz. This mode of transportation is lifted from the third Oz book, "Ozma of Oz," though in that story Dorothy was swept overboard while returning from Australia on an oceanliner. What follows is a hodgepodge of "Ozma of Oz," "The Land of Oz," and "The Emerald City of Oz." Perhaps, in an attempt to give the material a "modern" feel, Murch and screenwriter Gil Dennis have given the work a dark tone completely out of keeping with the spirit of the original books, which were entirely shadowless. This works, in a spotty way, until Dorothy and friends arrive in the kingdom of the Nome King (wacky Williamson again) at which point the picture falls completely apart. Nonetheless, there are some lovely moments: Dorothy's exploration of the ruined Emerald City; Tik-Tok and Jack Pumpkinhead; the assembling of the Gump; Dorothy's horror film encounter with many-headed Princess Mombi (Marsh again) and the return to life of the Emerald City at the end of the film. Also of special note is the inspired score by David Shire. Though "Return to Oz" does not hold together in the long run, it still has a unique, melancholy flavor all its own, and will be of interest to fantasy fans and Ozaholics.
75 Good,But just a few problems,,,,,,,,,,,
While this movie has a dull first 10-20 minutes,the action picks up when Dorothy is swept back to Oz.Things are bad-The Evil Princess Mombi and The Nome King have taken over Oz.The Yellow brick road is broke to bits.The City is a slum.With hopes of finding the scarecrow,Dorothy sets out to Mombi's with help of Tik-Tok,a robot,and her Talking Chicken,Ballina.Things go okay at first,with Mombi in a nice-girl head.Soon as she changes her head,she's mean and angry.She Locks Dorothy and Friends in the Attic room of the mansion,Where Jack Pumpkinhead is introuduced.
However,In order to escape,Dorothy must go to Mombi's Head Collection,In Cabinet 31,With Mombi;s First head and a can of powder of life.She ties leafs to a chair and sticks a Stuffed Gump head on front.Than with the Life Powder,He is brought to life,and away they fly.Now the movie gets dull.They arrive at the Nome Kings Mountain.He has a large collection of ornaments.He makes a deal with the friends:You have three guesses to find the scarecrow each,Touch an ornament and say OZ.
No one but Dorothy Sucseeds,Who eventually gains back all her friends.She wishes Oz restored.Than goes home.
Don't Get me wrong,i like this movie,But a few plot holes are present:How could Ozma be in the mirror for awhile,but help Dorothy get to oz anyway?THat is my big question,
Otherwise:GREAT MOVIE!
76 No captions?!
I have loved this movie since the day I saw it in the theatre when I was about a year younger than Fairuza Balk was when she was in it. I loved that they had Fairuza Balk talking about her role and the experiences she had but I found that there was one drawback. The movie has not been closed captioned! I didn't know that they released movies these days that are not closed captioned. Very disapointing for my brother since he has loved this movie almost as long as I have and is hearing impaired. I hope someday they will release a closed captioned version so he can finally hear/read everything and understand the story fully.
77 Return to the Marvelous Land of Oz With a Disney Twist
Most people think that Oz ended when Dorothy clicked her heals together three times and said "There's no place like home". Little do they know that L. Frank Baum and other authors wrote Dorothy, Toto and friends in to 40 more adventures in Oz. Return to Oz is based on the next two books after The Wonderful Wizard of Oz(The Marvelous Land of Oz and Ozma of Oz). This wonderful adaption starts when Dorothy is back in Kansas. Although Dorothy is happy to be back with Uncle Henry and Aunt Em, there is still an empty spot in her heart for her friends in Oz. Dorothy can't stop thinking about Oz and this leads her to loose sleep. Aunt Em and Uncle Henry are sure the cyclone that carried Dorothy to Oz made her delusional. They think the only way to make Dorothy forget these sily fantasies is to take her to get shock treatment. Once at the clinic she meets doctor J.B. Worley who tells her the treatment won't hurt a bit. After the interview, Aunt Em returns home leaving Dorothy to stay at the clinic over night for treatment. Later that night, Dorothy is taken into one of the rooms for treatment. When the doctor is about to push down the switch, a lightning storm hits and the power is out. As all the doctors leave the room to check the power, Dorothy is rescued by Ozma, the princess of Oz who(in this world) only Dorothy can see. Before they are out the front door, Nurse Wilson sees them and persuses them all the way to a river. Ozma tumbles in leaving Dorothy to belive she has drowned. Dorothy climbs into a crate and heads down stream. Once in Oz with her now talking pet chicken Ballina, Dorothy starts out from the deadly desert to find the famous Yellow Brick Road broken, the Emerald City a mess and all the citizens, including the Tin Woodman and the Cowardly Lion, turned to stone. Dorothy goes on to meet many new friends like Tik-Tok(the clockwork man), the Gump(a creature Dorothy and her friends created that is a mooses head attached to a sofa) and Jack Pumpkinhead. Together with Dorothy's pet chicken Ballina, They venture together to conquer Mombi(a witch who choses one of her 31 heads to wear each day), the Wheelers(the nasty servants of Mombi) and the Nome king who has enslaved the Scarecrow(the current ruler of the Emerald City) and turned him into an ornament. This movie, made by Disney, features amazing claymation and an amazing cast including the unbelivable 10 year old Fairuza Balk in a better portrayal of Dorothy than Judy Garland(I do think though that Judy is unforgettable in her portrayal), Piper Laurie as a stunning Aunt Em that seems to have jumped from the pages of the book, Jean Marsh as the well acted part of Nurse Wilson and Mombi and Nicol Williamson in his amazing portrayal of doctor J.B. Worley and the Nome King. The plot is closely based to the books and ventures to the darker yet unforgettable side of Oz. The story may be a bit scary for younger children but still enjoyable. You will not be disappointed with the this version of Oz. Of course how could you be? It's got a great cast, amazing claymation, great scenes, great plot, and it's made by Disney. If I could, I'd give this movie 1,000 stars. Enjoy your Return to Oz.
78 The Most Under Rated Movie Ever.
Return to Oz is and always will be my all time favorite movie. It is a pity that people around the world have failed to embrace this wonderful story. I saw this movie for the first time about 14 years ago and was totally blown away by the visuals and story. This movie combines the books The Land of Oz and Ozma of Oz into one story, featuring Tik-Tok, Jack Pumpkinhead, Gump, and Billina the chicken, as well as the original characters. The reason people dismissed this beautiful movie was because it was not a Judy Garland, musical, technicolor marvel like the original they grew up with. It is clear that the film makers wanted to stay true to L. Frank Baums books, and not just make a sequel to the original. When I read the books as a kid, this is how I imagined Oz would be. The characters are believable and not just a guys in face paint.
This movie could be so huge if people would have just given it a chance. I can only dream how cool it would be if they made sequels to this based on the other books. The cast is great, the music is beautiful, the visuals are amazing, and I cannot recommend this movie highly enough.
79 An Unappreciated Classic That Must Be Seen
1939. The Wizard of Oz musical movie sensation starring Judy Garland makes history. The timing was right. The U.S. and the whole world was entering WWII. We needed to laugh again, to fall in love with a timeless innocence, as is depicted with Judy Garland's performance, the Munchkin and the Romantic scope of the film. There is no doubt that The Wizard of Oz is a classic. However, L. Frank Baum wrote an extensive series, following the Wizard of Oz, in which Dorothy returns to Oz and has further exploits. Return To Oz, starring Faureza Balk as Dorothy, is more or less faithful to some of the characters and darker aspects of Baum's Oz novels. In the novels, the evil Gnome King, a bearded greedy little creature similar to the character of Alberich in the Nibelung saga, has seized power and taken over Oz, casting it into darkness and ruins. The only hope lies in the liberation of Ozma, the beautiful and benevolent enchantress who has been trapped in a mirror. Mombi, a truly wicked spectre, is a princess with a fetish for putting on human heads as easily as wigs. These Gothic images, the haunting milieu of the film, are perfectly captured. The novels had dark moments, such as the broken Yellow Brick Road, the ruined Emerald City and darkened skies, Mombi's henchmen, all perfectly made into Muppets and Tim Burton-like creations. Faureza Balk, in the end, is a more believable Dorothy. Judy Garland was too old to play a little girl. In the Baum novels, Dorothy was only a prepubescent child. Perhaps the success of the 1939 film lay in the charm of Judy Garland's voice, "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" became the no. 1 song of the 20th century, and in the fact that America did not want to see the spoils and ravages of war. However, as all good fantasies, and Baum's is no exception, the land of Oz is saved once again from evil by Dorothy and her friends. This is a terrific film, with dazzling special effects, haunting and beautiful music (which is similar to the same Gothic Romantic sounds of Danny Elfman who wrote music for Edward ScissorHands) and wonderful, believable performances by Faureza Balk and Jean Marsh as Mombi. Before you see Return to Oz, however, you'd best read the novels. They will help explain the drastic transition from the 1939 Oz we all love and remember to the 1985 Oz. Enjoy.
80 Liked the movie, liked the actors, and liked the mandolin!
Though I liked The Wizard of Oz starring Judy Garland as Dorothy better I did also like Return To Oz starring Fairuza Balk as Dorothy and though Return to Oz is very different it is good in it's ownright and not a terrible movie at all, I guess it's one of those movies that you either like or hate but I really liked it and I recommend this movie be watched and enjoyed and admired for it's own merits instead of being compared to A Wizard of OZ which was just an entirely different kind of movie. Retun To Oz also has given me a appreciation for the mandolin the unusual looking stringed instrument that Mombi played which another reviewer said was a piccolo but even though it's probably of little importance to anyone and probably being nitpicky but I wanted to point out that it was a mandolin and not a piccolo.
81 Beautiful to Look At
This movie is a visual treat, but be warned--it is not a spiritual sequel to the classic MGM version of "The Wizard of Oz." This movie is much more in keeping with the tone of L. Frank Baum's original novels than the beloved Judy Garland movie and may be too disturbing for young children.
The story takes place after the twister devastated the Gale house. Dorothy (Fairuza Balk) is depressed, and no one wants to believe her stories about her trip to Oz. Finally, in hopes of curing her of her delusions, Auntie Em (Piper Laurie) takes Dorothy to see a psychiatrist in the big city. The psychiatrist convinces Auntie Em that all Dorothy needs is a bit of shock treatment to make her better.
Auntie Em leaves Dorothy in the Doctor's care, but before he can give her the treatment, a fierce electrical storm cuts off power to the hospital. Dorothy escapes with the help of a mysterious girl, and gets swept down a raging river. She winds up back in Oz where she if befriended by a talking hen, Jack Pumpkinhead, and the robotic Tick Tock. Oz has fallen on bad times, overrun by the Gnome King (Nicol Williamson, happily chewing the scenery) and his ally, the evil Princess Moombi (Jean Marsh, who gives a fun performance). It is up to Dorothy and her friends to restore Oz to what once it was.
The real stars of this movie are the design and the puppetry. The movie is a visual feast. However, it is also slow going. I can't imagine kids sitting through it easily. It's hard enough for adults. The pacing is awkward and Fairuza Balk (in her screen debut) doesn't have the charaisma to be sufficiently entertaining to keep the viewer's interest in the slow parts.
It's hard to strongly recommend this movie to casual viewers, but those who enjoy beautiful set design, effective camera work, excellent special effects, and superb animation may be sufficiently entertained.
The DVD allows you to choose between letterbox and fullscreen presentation. It also includes an introduction by Fairuza Balk (she doesn't have anything terribly interesting to say, unfortunately) and an interview featurette. I suspect that people who enjoy the movie for its technical achievements will be disappointed by the featurette, especially if they are seeking more insight into the work that went into making the movie.
If you enjoy this movie, you may also like "James and the Giant Peach", "The Iron Giant", "The Nightmare before Christmas", and "The Wizard of Speed and Time".
(C)2001 Joe Edkin
82 True Following of the Books!!
This takes us back to the dark ages of The Wizard of Oz, with the following up of Return to Oz which introduces actress Fairuza Balk. As a child I had read the Wizard of Oz novels by Frank L. B. this followes the stories rather than the movie "Wizard of Oz" with actress Judy Garland. People I think where split on the movie because they were expecting a sequal just like the first movie. However, I think it was brilliant because it still follows the imagination of the child Dorthy and what happened after her trip to Oz, and the coming back to Oz. What happenes to a child back when the come back from a world of their own imagination back at the time? The parents or aunt and uncle who has lost their own imaginations thinks there is something wrong with Dorthy espically when she can't sleep. So at the time of age for new technology they take her to get shock therapy. However, when she escapes through the help of a mysterious friend she finds herself back in the Land of Oz where everything is ruined by the Nome King and Princess Mombi who has lots of extra heads for fashion wear.
Dorthy is in the search of the locked up Scarecrow, and she meets new and fun friends along the way such as Tik Tok a helpful robot, Jack the pumpkin head, and a rather sort of strange Gump to save the Scarecrow and the rest of Oz. This also introduces the Queen Ozsma in which she was heavily played in the Oz novels.
If you are looking for this movie to be a sequal to the movie which stars Judy Garland in "The Wizard of Oz." Then you will be disappointed.
However, if you like the original novels for which Oz was really a bit darker than what the Hollywood Industry made the book title to be, and you want a fantastic adventure then you will love this movie.
Also the people who made the movie is Brain Henson of Jim Henson productions who put together glamerous re-creation and more added fairy tale backgrounds and creatures.
Fairuza Balk does an increadable job recapturing Dorthy. She was in movies such as "The Worst Witch," and then much later "The Craft."
This is really a great movie for children probably 13 and up. I just recently received this DVD for Christmas, and in my 20's I still find it fantastic. It also brings a lot of childhood memories back. And also including in the DVD is an interview with Fairuza Balk who explains the making of the movie!
83 Return to Oz.......omg!
This film has to be my favourite film. It's so scary for a childrens film and the acting and the directing are fantastic for a disney film. Everything about this film is magical. If you haven't seen it, see it! It's worth your time. I know every single line in this film and I must have seen it over 500 times (seriously, I never get bored of it.
84 Return to Oz- a must see
I am 16 years old and I absolutely love Return to Oz, infact, it is my favorite movie. The characters are portrayed in a new parallel compared to the original Wizard of Oz. Dorothy, Princess Maumbi, Tick Tock, the Wheelers and the Knome king bring the movie to life. I love how the characters in the real world are characters in Oz. For instance, Tick Tock being the shock machine, the doctor being the Knome king, Princess Maumbi being the wicked lady at the hospital and the men wheeling carts as the Wheelers. I also love the director's use of foreshadow throught the beginning. For instance, the scene where the blonde girl brings Dorothy the pumpkin. I definitley reccommend this movie to anyone who wants a different kind of fairy tale. The best part is watching it over and over and seeing things that you missed before! Watch it!!!!!
85 Incredible movie, So-So DVD
This is one of my favorite childhood movies (also Neverending Story, Dark Crystal, and the Goonies). All of these movies are slightly scary and very "dark" - perfect examples of 80's treasures.
Fairuza Balk is even cuter as a 10-year-old then she is now (and that's pretty cute!) and she makes this movie precious.
This film was out of print for a while, but then was re-released as a collector's edition clamshell VHS and DVD. The DVD doesn't have anything more than the VHS - they both have an interview with a much older Fairuza.
I highly recommend this film to anyone who loves fantasy and the darker kind of movies.
(P.S. - it's NOT a musical)
86 OH DEAR!!!!
Bulina the talking chicken is the coolest and funniest chicken I've ever seen in my entire life!!!!!! She is awesome!!! She should never be destroyed by someone named Chelsea B. or anything like that!!! She says things like OH dear! Oz?!?!? Lunchpale tree!!!!! and many many other hilarious things. Behind My teacher ate my homework, and maybe the 5th element, this is one of the best movies I've recently seen!
87 Beautiful DVD
I remember renting this one over and over again until a few years afterwards I couldn't remember the title of it anymore and it disapeared from the shelves. I think they could have done a better job with Dorothy being a bit older than what Judy Garland was in the first, but its neat to see the cast from a different light it kind of makes it fresh again, more like the storybook than hollywood. Get this one, Save it, Cherish it.
88 A misunderstood Gem!!!
This is an AMAZING fantasy film! And I am a loyal fan of the 1939 Judy Garland classic, but let's remember that it's not like that is really the source of the Oz stories! I love both films. They are totally different. While this one is sometimes described as a horror film, it's really not, but it has a lot of very scary moments! It would be interesting to see this film done as pure horror, and the same thing goes for Alice in Wonderland, but while this is scary and may give some kids nightmares, it's not a horror film, it's a magical fantasy that is dark in comparison to Garland's Oz. I've never read the books, not yet anyway, but I hear this one is far more loyal. The effects are wonderful! People who call them laughable must only be doing so out of spite! I notice that a lot in reviews lately. This is a visually stunning movie, and as every other fan here has said, it by no means is a sequel to the '39 version. I realize it's called Return To Oz, but that just means the character has been there before!! Still, there are several throwbacks to the '39 classic for those of us who are loyal fans. While I would never want to change the old classic, Fairuza Balk was probably waaaaay more appropriate for the role, and all the other characters were far more like they would actually appear had it been real as well! This film is done in a serious mode, and that works fine. Just don't watch this thinking it's a Judy Garland sequel! Come on, it's from the '80's! I don't remember if I saw this one in theaters or not, but I think I did. It probably would have done much better had it been released today! By the way, this is a great movie to watch around Halloween, and if you enjoy it I strongly recommend the Worst Witch, also starring Fairuza Balk and made shortly after.
89 A sardonic twist of lemon to sour the sickening Wizard of Oz
it's pretty damn funny, the idea that Dorothy was sent to a mental ward for shock therapy after she couldn't stop ranting about Oz to aunt Em. I mean, what sick twisted Twilight Zone version of the Wizard of Oz is this?!! Imagine that happening to Judy Garland! But the concept is only funny with the MGM movie association. As a film, respectively, this is a gem. For that highly imaginative age group ranging from 8 to 80.
90 Definitely Fairuza over Judy !
I saw this movie when I was young on the Disney Channel and I was really scared, especially when Mombi takes off her heads, and when she sleeps headless and wants to catch Dorothy, it still gives me the chills. Anyway, a few months later, it played again and I taped it. Why? I have no clue but I must have liked it back then and after that it stayed on the shelf unwatched. A few years back, I started watching it again and again and I loved it (I still do), Fairuza Balk was definitely born to play the part of Dorothy. In the version I had taped, I noticed that some scenes had been taken out compared to the prior version I had seen and I remembered them so when I got this wonderful DVD, I saw that some missing scenes were quite important to the plot and that the editors carelessly cut them out. I also started to read the Oz books, so, if you're looking for accuracy in this movie, you have the wrong one, they completely mixed up The Marvelous Land Of Oz and Ozma Of Oz with an entirely new background story. But if there is one reason why you should watch this movie, it's for the mood, contrarily to the first one where you watched it for the munchkins. And although I liked that one, I find it too musical, too happy and too dramatic (Dorothy cries hysterically out of nothing, give me a break!).
If you don't believe me here are the most important reason that make RTOz the best of the two:
--This Oz is much closer to the one Baum invented
--Dorothy looks her age
--She is faced with real dangers (NOT Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!!)
--She doesn't cry every ten minutes
--She doesn't burst into song every ten minutes
Anyhow, Return To Oz will amaze you and you'll never want to go back to Judy Garland. It's also made by Disney so you know it's gotta be good. Although it may not be suitable for young children, anyone who read the Oz books and who are not overly attached to Judy Garland and her version should love this indefinetly.
91 A SEQUAL.....
I RATE THIS WITH 3 STARS BECAUSE OF THE FOLLOWING:
1. DOROTHY'S AUNT EM WOULD NEVER TAKE HER TO SHOCK THEROPY FOR BELEIVING IN SOMETHING. SHE WOULDN'T IN THE BOOKS OR THE 1939 CLASSIC. SHE IS (I THINK) SOMEWHAT CREUL. 2. I LOVE THE FACT THAT THE RUBY SLIPPERS MAKE THEIR APPERANCE. 3. OZMA AND OTHER OF THE NEW CHARECTORS FROM THE BOOKS ARE HERE.THE OLD CHARACTERS MAKE THIER APPEAANCE TOO. 4. MOMBI IS A LITTLE BIT TOO SCARY! THE HAUNTING WORDS "DOROTHY GALE, DOROHY GAAAALLLE" KEPT ME AWAKE FOR HOURS. 5. I WAS SURPRISED AT DISNEY, KNOWN FOR MAKING CLASSICE FILMS. TO MAKE A DARK MOVIE IS STRANGE.(FOR THEM)
I DID BUY THIS ON TAPE BUT IT DOES TAKE A WHILE TO GET USED TO. IF YOU BUY IT, SOME GRAPICS AND SCENCES MAY BE INAPROPRIATE FOR KIDS UNDER 10.
92 What, no Munchkins?
Dorothy travels back to Oz, only to find it taken over by the Knome king. The cast is wonderful, but the story line is the real spledor here. It's not a sequal to the original, but rather an entirely new film that does the books proper justice. The bet scene by far is Princess Momby playing the Piccalo thing in the beautiful palace, before returning the head. It's just to classic! Please watch this movie, it's delightfully chilling and not too difficult to understand. Every detail is justified. Everything in Oz is some sort of subset of Dorethy's experience, but includes thed twist of the original, wondering whether Dorothy is dreaming, or if the reality of Oz is in actually a real place. It's just amazing!
93 A mystifying journey back to Oz
'Return To Oz' is a curious and intriging film in the fantasy film genre and a remarkable one. This film is a departure from the 1939 sunshine and beloved musical film 'The Wizard of Oz', as it stays closely to the books by Frank Baum. What is offered here ia a darker,sophiscated and stylish vision of Oz. This film is actually a tale combined from two novels in the Oz series, 'Ozma of Oz and The Land of Oz'. First time director, Walter Murch takes us on a journey which starts out rather disturbing and may not appeal to younger children, but as we flow with the proceedings, we are in for a fantastic trip into the imagination. In fact, this film will go down well with adults for it's seriousness and artful. The film opens in Kansas where we see Dorothy having diificulties sleeping after her return from the adventures in Oz. The fram is in disrepairs caused by the cyclone. Dorothy is then send to a psychological instuition to help her overcome her insomnia. It is here where the darker side of the Oz books is revealed and at the same time, the fantasy elements creepes in. She meets a mysterious girl and helps Dorothy to escape when a freak thunderstorm hits and burns the instuition down. Their escape leads them to a river and Dorothy is swept off by the running waters. When she awakes, she finds herself in Oz again and the mysterious girl is nowhere to be found, instead she finds, Belina (a talking hen from the farm). We are now in the world of fantasy and magic and her adventures begins once again. In this film, we are introduced to new and fascinating characters who befriends and help Dorothy, as well as deliciously created villains. Familiar characters from the original Oz plays a secondary role in this one. This version depicts the land of Oz decimated, the yellow brick road in ruins and the magnificient Emerald City completely ruined and the citizens of Emerald City turned to stone and it is up to Dorothy to save the day again. New characters like Tik Tok, Pumpkinhead, The Gump and Belina teams up with Dorothy to go against Princess Mombi and The Gnome King, the new ruler of Oz. The plot this time is to free Oz from the curse of the Gnome King and restores Ozma (who happnes to be the mysterious girl) to her rightful throne. Though the film opens on a sombre note, it ends nicely and on a happy note. A truimphant and joyful victory for all. Production design are superb and opulent especially the Palace sequence and the finale. Specail effects are impressive and for the first time, 'claymation' is utilise to portray and depict the Gnome King, his subjects and his palace and it is cleverly used to maximise the effect. This method is coutesy of Will Vinton productions. Music score is provided by David Shire and he comes up with a visual score. Fairuza Balk plays the pivotal role of Dorothy and she carries her role well and for a newcomer, she shows great potential. As for the adult cast, Nicol Williamson(The Gnome King), Jean Marsh(Princess Mombi). Piper Laurie (Aunt Em) and Matt Clark (Uncle Henry)gives a commendable role. Though uncredited, both Steven Spielberg and Francis Ford Coppola lend a helping hand to Walter Murch to tackle a mega budgeted fantasy film and their magic are seen every now and then during the proceedings. When it was released in 1985,'Return To Oz' was open to a very mixed reveies from both critics and the public, saying that the film was too heavy and the dark undertones scares younger audiences and coming from the Disney studios, it was totally different. Simple reason is that it is always compared to the 1939 classic. I do agree that the 1939 is indeed deserving, but this sequel stands on it's own merit and it is an achievement for the director, the production people and to Disney to take this brave new challenge and in my books they did. Watch this new 'underated' classic on it's own merit and enjoy this splendid journey.
94 A Horror Movie for Kids
Yeah so The Wizard of Oz is a classic. I am a big fan of that film. Love that film all you want, and then open your mind a bit and accept the fact that Dorothy went on to other adventures and I'm glad that Disney showed us a little bit more of L. Frank Baum's brilliant world.
Disney could have easily tossed off a sugary sweet rendition of Oz, but director Walter Murch stepped up to the plate and instead produced a wholly unique film: a child's horror movie. OK, its not a typical horror movie - no blood or death or violence. Its tense, its eerie, its unflinching in painting life as hard and some people as bad. Its not REALLY scary if you're over 8 years old, but it is dark, it is disturbing, and it bravely shows how easily dreams and nightmares can evolve from one to the other.
A particularly eerie scene, that is effective because of its simplicity, occurs shortly after Dorothy is locked in a hospital. As she stands in a stark white room, on a thin metal bed, the world is as un-magical as any Kansas in MGM's OZ. The difference: the reality here is not just plain, its downright oppressive. While looking out the single dirty window we are suddenly conscious of a the reflection of another entity. As Dorothy turns around she finds a frail young girl, quite pretty, yet abnormally mature and subdued. The camera films her from Dorothy's higher perspective, making her shrink even further into the corners of the room. Her countenance is so strangely adult, and so contrary to her appearance, you know she has to be an apparition. She's frightening, yet immediately we know she means no harm. There is nothing menacing about her sulleness, a truly remarkable combination of character composition and a brilliant rendering of spooky realism - all accomplished with no special effects, no startling sound cue, no threat of violence or gore. Old fashion macabre suspense. Best of all, this is done by two honest, focused, natural young women, and a director who obviously respects and trusts young people.
Other horrors include the wheelers (again showing how easy it is to achieve the effect you want with talented performers rather than expensive computers) and the delightfully cruel witch Mombi, played to perfection by Jean Marsh.
Fairuza Balk is good, simply because she lacks all that annoying child actor cuteness. She's never 'clever' or 'bratty' or 'heroic' or 'cloying'. She simply reacts to what happens to her. Nothing more, nothing less. Her Dorothy is a curious and self sufficient little girl, but still a little girl. Its refreshing to see a young actor simply 'be' on screen.
People who hate this movie probably don't care for fantasy. If you like the genre, and if you like it a little on the dark side, then you will probably like this film. If you still relish in make-believe, see this film. If you are capable of re-imagining your surroundings, see this film. If you recognize and face life's most ugly characters and come away both stronger and more compassionate for it, see this film.
If you want every movie to have dancing munchkins... well... I'm sure you know what to watch.
95 Awesome Sequel to Wizard of Oz.
I bought this movie the other day cause i love Fantasy and i am satisified with it. Dorothy ( Fariuza Balk) goes back to Oz and finds it a disaster area, she meets new friends and must rescue the kingdom from a evil worse than the Wicked Witch of the west. good-acting, a well-written script and lots of fun that makes this a Trip that you and your kids would love.
96 Wow... great movie!
The first time I saw this movie, I was about 10 years old, and it was stuck in my mind ever since. I just recently bought it and it brought back all those memories that stuck in my mind throughout. It was better the second time around being that I can now fully understand the movie in it's grand scale. Great effects and the way they implemented the original movie into this new plot was fascinating. Anyone who liked the original movie and is in for a new twist and tangent should get it!
97 Flawless and perfect Sequel to the Great Wizard of Oz.
In the summer of 1985, a film called " Return to Oz" bombed at the box-office, failed with critics but it did recieved a cult following including with Children of the 80's. the plot starts with " Dorothy Gale" ( Fariuza Balk) who goes back to Oz and finds it in the hands of Princess Mombi and The Nome King. Now it's up to her with new pals " Tic-Tok", " Gump" and " Jack Pumpkinhead" to restore the whole mess that is going on in Oz. One of my top fantasies of all time with it's prequel Wizard of Oz, it's great for Kids but it gets a little scary and dark at times, but Who cares! it's still a good time for the whole family.
Recommendations: The Dark Crystal, Labyrinth, The Last Unicorn, Wizard of Oz, The Evil Dead, City of Lost Children, Brazil, Time Bandits, Adventures of Baron Munchausen, The Fifth Element, Total Recall, Neverending Story, The Black Cauldron, Willow, and Sword in the Stone.
98 There's no movie like Return to Oz
This movie was a movie that I so much enjoyed watching as a child and still do. Faruiza Balk did an amazing job as Dorothy Gale in her first movie ever. This movie had everything:great villains, beautiful scenery, great acting, laughter, chills, suspense, tears. At first when I saw that this movie was a continuation of The Wizard of Oz, I thought "Oh great a sequel, it probably won't be good at all" I thought that with many sequels they can't really live up to the first movie, but I was proved wrong. Return to Oz is amazing in every way. The villains such as the evil Princess Mombie was played to perfection by Jean Smart. Her acting was amazing, and even to this day she still gives me chills when I see her in this movie. The wheelers probably scared me the most and still do, just hearing their wheels squeak and their evil laughter frightens me, and the Gnome King is another great villain. It was nice to see some of the old Wizard of Oz characters return such as Scarecrow, the Tin Man and The Cowardly Lion an
