Return to Oz

Don’t be scared of what you don’t understand

Favorite:) actually probably live it better than wizard of oz

This is a lot darker than what you would expect. If you’re looking for something that seamlessly follows up to the Wizard Of Oz, then this isn’t it. It is, however, great in its own right. I loved this when I was younger, and still do to this day. It has a stand alone story, and some unique characters. It’s well worth a watch.

A must-see for Oz, George Lucas and Tim Burton fanatics. This production was doomed from the beginning. They tried to make a sequel to the 1939 classic (though fanatics will tell you otherwise... yes, I’m looking at YOU, ruby slippers) and also be true to the source material. To satisfy both objectives resulted in this disaster. The script is a mess, Dorothy was miscast, and it’s just too bizarre and freakish for mainstream audiences. The rest of us, however, will find an endearingly flawed, freakish art film of epic mutation. The music is very good and the special effects are stunning to this very day. This whole production is the poster child of “corporate disaster”, from its formulaic premise, terrible box-office performance and scathing reviews. I honestly believe, however, that this film inspired Tim Burton’s stylistic look. Jack Pumpkinhead is glaringly reminiscent of Jack Skellington, and the style and themes portrayed in this film are Tim Burton to a “T”. This film is hardly entertaining, but infinitely fascinating.

I used to watch this movie all the time when I was little! It's so underrated.

Giggles

This is one of those '80s films that traumatized you for life if you saw it as a kid. It's a strange mix of big-budget blockbuster and small-budget camp film, of a kid's move and a horror movie, a weird lovecraftian love-child of Tim Burton and Jim Hensen that you have to see to believe. But be warned, you can't unsee this one! ;-)

Don't let this awfully rendered movie poster fool you. This little masterpiece came and left theaters within two weeks in the summer of 1985. Critics wrote it off as an awful, unnecessarily scary followup to the classic 1939 musical, "The Wizard of Oz." and audiences listened. While it is bleak, dark, and too scary for little kids, the movie is still closer to the look and spirit of the original L. Frank Baum books than the technicolor Judy Garland musical was (Dorothy being a little girl instead of 16, etc.). Master editor Walter Murch's directoral vision will stay with you long after the film has ended; From the bleak, somber introduction of a sleepless Dorothy, to the bright and opulent celebration in Emerald City. The cinematography is simply gorgeous. And the film even touches on some powerful themes: depression, losing your childhood imagination, the power of creation, friendship, reality vs fantasy. The film doesn't even play as a children's film, it just happens to feature a child in the lead. And even if you don't like this movie, you cannot deny David Shire's score, which has to be the most haunting, beautiful scores I've ever heard. How did he not win an Oscar for this!?

I love Disney but this movie was terribly done. Awful stupid show.

Before viewing this movie, it’s important to realize that it is NOT a sequel to the original 1939 movie by MGM, but rather a film adaptation of the second and third books in the Oz series. That being said, as a standalone movie, Return to Oz is a masterpiece and highly underrated because of its continual comparison to the classic Wizard of Oz. Yes, there are parts that can be scary, especially for the little kids this movie is intended for, but I personally do not think these shorts parts detract from the overall quality of the film. The story is well done, the visuals are beautiful, and the score in enchanting. Everything harkens back to the early 1900’s, when the books are set. Fairuza Balk does a wonderful job in this film (especially considering most of her acting is done with just herself and animatronic characters) and is one of few actresses that gets the original book Dorothy right. All around, I would recommend this movie to anyone willing to sit down and enjoy the magical ride that is Return to Oz.