If you loved THE WIZARD OF OZ, you'll love accompanying Dorothy on this second thrilling adventure based on L. Frank Baum's "Oz" books! Dorothy finds herself back in the land of her dreams ... and makes delightful new friends (like Tik Tok, Jack Pumpkinhead, and the Gump) ... and dangerous new enemies (the creepy Wheelers, the head-hunting Princess Mombi, and the evil Nome King). With every twist in the yellow brick road, you'll find awesome new surprises and special effects that will astound you!
You don't fool with Mother Nature, spit into the wind, remake Casablanca, or trash the land of Oz. Perhaps that is why the 1985 live-action sequel split critics and audiences alike. The 1939 classic musical is so beloved that it's almost impossible to imagine seeing Dorothy in shock therapy, a crumbled yellow brick road, the ruins of Emerald City, and the Tin Man turned into stone. But L. Frank Baum, the author of the original Oz books, portrayed just that with his continuing stories of Dorothy. When you get by these tough facts, the film version is solid entertainment for the over-7 set.
Dorothy (a 10-year-old Fairuza Balk in her debut) is back in Kansas, where Aunt Em (Piper Laurie) is at the end of her rope: her niece is not sleeping and going on about a place called Oz. Therapy may be the answer, but luckily the scary clinic goes dark before Dorothy can be, er, cured (but the lead-up will scare the munchkins out of most kids). She wakes up in the land of Oz, now in tatters, and searches for its king, the Scarecrow. A new set of friends, including a tin soldier, a talking chicken, and a pumpkin man, help her against new villains, including Princess Mombi (Jean Marsh)--complete with a set of detachable heads--and the evil Nome King (Nicol Williamson with a great assist from Will Vinton's Claymation). The sole directorial effort of Oscar-winning editor Walter Murch is stuffed with marvelous effects that foreshadow later works by Tim Burton and the Henson non-Muppet films. --Doug Thomas
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.5 / 5.0
AN EVERLASTING, TERRIFIC CULT CLASSIC:
Let's make a little background. I am a huge fan of sci-fi, adventures and romantic-comedy genres, but cartoons are very special to me. As a cartoon lover, Disney movies -and Disney brand in general- are such a genre that always delights me. So, since I was a child, I was acustomed to all what my parents put on TV about Disney. So,it was inevitably caught by the influence of Disney's "freak movies-era", mainly by two movies: The Watcher in the Woods and this one -Return to Oz. Of course I was watched the... more info
NOT a sequel to the musical...:
...and if you view it with that understanding, you may be pleasantly surprised. Another very imaginative childrens' fantasy of the 80s (right up there with Labyrinth and The Never Ending Story). My 4 year old daughter loves this movie. Some reviewers here have complained that it is too dark, but I think children will generally prefer a dark, but emotionally honest, film to a condescendingly bright movie any day. Still, some kids are more susceptible to nightmares than other, so be aware that there are a few... more info
Dark and weird, but fascinating:
The cover of this DVD does a terrible job of preparing the viewers for what they're about to witness. The cover is bright, cheery and green: exactly what the movie is not. People who come into this expected a follow-up to the Judy Garland film, complete with song and dance numbers, are going to be severely disappointed. And possibly a little traumatized. Nonetheless, this is a very good movie...just not the sort of thing most people envision when they think about Oz. Our story begins with Dorothy--an... more info
return to oz:
i'd like to start off by saying this isn't exactly a sequel, obviously judy garland isnt in it, and obviously this time around its a lil 9yo girl instead of a 16yo girl. But the story is still great, even though this movie got extremely mixed reviews. i'm on the side that fell liking it. From what i've read, this movie falls a lot darker then the first movie. Its more in tune to the original books, than its first movie counterpart. but it still has that great magical feeling to it. i honestly suggest people... more info
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