Return to Oz (1985) User Reviews

An undeservedly maligned fantasy treasure

[La Gremlin · 8/10 · 15 August 2001]

To truly understand and appreciate "Return to OZ", you've got to know two things.

First off, this is NOT a follow-up to the classic MGM movie. This can't be emphasized enough. It is actually a synthesis of the first five or so sequels to the BOOK. (This isn't a dig at the movie, mind you. If you don't like it on some level or other, you can't be human. It's just that the movie was based on the book in the respect that the characters in the movie had the same names as the characters in the book.)

Secondly, L. Frank Baum's original, printed-page OZ is, quite possibly, the most messed up imaginary universe ever created. There's a land of beings who throw their own heads at you as weapons. There's a land of sentient vegetables who raise *people* in their gardens (think "Motel Hell" and you've got the idea). To top it all off, it turns out that Dorothy's buddies are really good at killing things; in particular the dear, heartless Tin Man who bloodies up his hatchet with unsettling apathy.

What I'm trying to get at here is that "Return to OZ" is an OZ movie that is much more faithful to the books. Much more "THIS is how long you have to be alive!" than "We represent the Lullaby League". I think it goes without saying that you'd be legally insane to show it to little kids, but fantasy fans, OZ enthusiasts, and fans of cult movies should hunt it down as soon as possible.

By the way, please note that the old-school herky-jerky puppets and claymation monsters in this movie are scary as all get out. Compare this to the awful remake of "the Haunting" with it's stupid cartoonish CGI creatures (and this isn't a dig at computer animation, but since the technique is inheritely realist, it's not scary). There is a lesson here.

We're off to see the Sequel, the wonderful sequel of Oz

[Coventry · 7/10 · 12 December 2005]

Cherubic Dorothy Gale is catapulted back to the magical world of Oz in this enchanting, but very atypical Disney Production that got released 46 years after Victor Fleming's original (none of the original cast-members lived long enough to ever see this sequel!). In the story, however, only six months have passed since Dorothy was brought to Oz by a tornado. During some medical tests, performed because she keeps talking about her unbelievable journey, a mysterious girl helps Dorothy escape from the hospital and back to Oz for a new adventure! The screenplay, based on two L. Frank Baum novels at once, introduces a large amount of imaginative new characters that are either Dorothy's loyal friends…or malicious new enemies. It soon becomes clear that she was called back to Oz for a reason, as the evil Nome King has turned everyone to stone and the mad Princess Mombi is after more human heads for her collection. Despite the presence of a talking chicken, this is a frighteningly grim and obscure fantasy tale, perhaps not even suitable for the typical Disney-target groups. The events and characters in "Return to Oz" are often quite macabre (decapitation for a hobby, eerie guys on wheels…) and the tone of the film is heavier since there isn't any singing and dancing going on. Perhaps a little too scary for the smallest children but "Return to Oz" nonetheless is a compelling and spontaneous adventure, highly recommended to those who like their fairy-tales sinister. The special effects are really terrific, with stunning stop-motion animations and some very engaging mechanical machinery (Tic-Tok!). The young Fairuza Balk is an unbelievably convincing follow-up to Judy Garland! The talented Piper Laurie ("Carrie") is regretfully underused, though. This film, along with "The Dark Crystal" and "The Neverending Story", was a huge favorite of mine when I was young and they seemly only got better with years. Good stuff.

A wonderful film, I'll always return to Oz

[Smells_Like_Cheese · 7/10 · 27 January 2004]

Honestly I do not know how I am this sane because when I think of my childhood, one of my favorite movies was Return to Oz. I absolutely adored this movie, but it scared the heck out of me. I was shopping and found Return to Oz on DVD and without hesitation bought it, it's always nice to go down nostalgia lane and I was thinking maybe since I was a kid I was just easily scared by silly things, nope, I was so wrong. This is a major mind screw of a movie. However, I cannot believe that I still adore this movie, I love the risks it took and that it didn't insult children's intelligence like most movies do. Don Bluth, one of the greatest animators and story tellers of our time, said that kids are more resilient than you would think. That's so true and Return to Oz is a wonderful magical movie that leaves you breathless.

Dorothy Gale has become a melancholic child who cannot stop dreaming of the people she met in the magical world of Oz, concerning Aunt Em and Uncle Henry. The two decide to take her to see Doctor Worley, known for his shock therapy treatments. Before going, Dorothy finds a key she believes her friends from Oz sent to her on a shooting star. Aunt Em leaves Dorothy at Dr. Worley's laboratory under the care of Nurse Wilson. As she is taken to have treatment, the lab has a blackout, and Dorothy is saved by a mysterious girl who reveals that some patients have been driven insane by Worley's treatment. The two escape but fall into a river. The blonde girl vanishes underwater and Dorothy returns to Oz. Upon awakening, Dorothy finds her chicken who can now talk named Billina for company. The two discover the ruined Yellow Brick Road, which leads them to the Emerald City, now in ruins, missing its emeralds, and all of its citizens including the Tin Woodman and Cowardly Lion turned to stone. She swears that she will restore Oz with the help of some new friends while being chased by some disturbing new villains.

I remember as a kid being terrified by Princess Mumbi, she has this room full of heads that she can change as she pleases and when Dorothy has to go to retrieve a potion from her cabinet with the "main head" she accidentally knocks over a jar and the head screams "Dorothy Gail!!!" and all the other heads start screaming! God, that scene is still horrifying to watch! But there is an extremely touching scene that always gets me in tears, Jack Pumpkinhead who Dorothy meets asks her if he could call her mom until he finds his real mother, she agrees with a kind heart and as they are laying on their flying couch called The Gump, he puts a scarf on her and says "good night, mom". I loved their relationship, it was beautiful. Also she has a great relationship with Tik Tok, a robot who was part of the Army of Oz and has to be wound up in order to work, his personality fits so extremely well with the group since you have the silliness, you need the intelligence too. The effects are still outstanding to this day in my opinion, the acting is very good, the sets, the lighting, the costumes, the characters, I just love Return to Oz. It's a great movie. Parents today are so afraid of showing their children movies like Return to Oz because it might give them nightmares, take advice from me and Mr. Bluth, your kids are a lot stronger than you think, and I'm perfectly fine and I'm so glad I have this movie in my collection. It's a wonderful film not to be missed.

10/10

When all you can do, is return to Oz...

[David, Film Freak · 3 November 2000]

As a young kid, The Wizard Of Oz was one of my favourite-est movies in the world. The movie was bright, colourful, cheerful, happy and undoubtedly saccharine. And while it was a Box-Office smash and collected millions of Oz fans worldwide, it displayed nearly none of the points that made the book series so successful. So when after viewing Return To Oz, I was extremely happy.

While thousands blasted the film calling it 'dark' and even 'scary', I thoroughly enjoyed it. New characters, magic powders, creepier witches, talking chickens and flying couches - what more could an imaginative youngster want?!

Faruiza Balk portayed Dorothy Gale exceptionally well, and at times, takes on Judy Garland's version so similair, it's scary! Return To Oz was, I mean, is, better than the original, because it was more based on the books, whereas The Wizard Of Oz was a cross between the original book, bittersweet sets and a symphony orchestra.

While some disagree, I believe that 'Return' was not all a weak sequel, but more of a non-sequel sequel, which had little to do with the original, and had an exciting, haunting, script, which worked really well.

Well it's been about 10 years since I first saw Return To Oz, and I still think that it's one of the best children's movies ever made (however scary) and it's in everyone's best interests to rent it out - even if you hated it's predacessor.

Quick Reviews!!

[malkane316 · 7/10 · 4 April 2005]

In this minor dark fantasy classic, we return to Oz with Dorothy Gale who has not been able to adjust to normality since her primary adventures. Her Auntie and Uncle do not know what do to with her, and no-one believes her amazing stories. Eventually she is sent to a psychiatric hospital, and unknown to her family it is run by near-masochists who supposedly perform terrifying experiments on children. As this is above all a kids' movie, none of this is shown, but the suggestion is pretty heavy, and there are 'implements' all over the hospital. Jean Marsh plays Nurse Wilson who is relentlessly horrifying, and pursues Dorothy through the stormy night in which Dorothy escapes. Dorothy jumps into a river, and when she wakes she is in Oz with a chicken called Billina. However, after some exploring it appears that Oz has been infected with some kind of evil, and it is no longer the enchanting place it was, but is now the place of nightmares. The Emerald city and all inhabitants including the Cowardly Lion and the Tin-Man have been turned to stone. After a chase by the brilliantly memorable and scary Wheelers, Dorothy meets Tik-Tok, a mechanical man, and they try to find the Scarecrow and work out what has happened. Soon Dorothy is taken prisoner by the wicked Princess Mombi, Jean Marsh again, who is obsessed with her appearance, stealing the heads of beautiful young women. It seems that the Nome King has become immensely powerful, turning all to stone as his personal statues. The struggle to return Oz to its glory is one which will take all of Dorothy's skill and love.

This film is a definite classic for kids, but beware, it is dark and has many moments which will be scary. I saw this recently, having not seen it in a few years, and although the impact has dwindled, and the faults are clear, it is still a good film although should definitely be seen at a young age. There are many things to recommend it, although fans of The Wizard of Oz my be disappointed by the lack of music and light-hearted fun. The acting is all top notch;Jean Marsh is excellent in her roles, an extremely talented actress, and Fairuza Balk is outstanding in her first role, seeming both timid and strong and giving a good account of what may be a disturbed child. The new characters are all just as good as those in the 1939 film, particularly Pumpkinhead and Tik-Tok. The effects here are also extremely good for their time, and they are still pretty good to see today. Scary moments include the Wheeler chase, the final encounter with the Nome King, and of course the infamous screaming heads scene which will likely stay in the memory of all who see it. If you have children with strong imaginations, or with an interest in reading or fantasy, then this is a film they should be shown, but if they are scared easily it may not be such a good idea.

7.5

Underrated sequel

[Leofwine_draca · 6/10 · 28 May 2016]

RETURN TO OZ, the sequel to the 1930s classic, was a massive flop when it was put out by Disney in 1985, which is why I doubt many people today know of its existence. Having just watched an excellent quality, high definition copy of it, I was surprised at how entertaining it is; it's no masterpiece for sure, but it has the edge on the recent OZ: THE GREAT AND THE POWERFUL put out by Sam Raimi.

Yes there are disparities when compared to the original film but this was intended to be more in line with the L. Frank Baum novels than the MGM classic. Fairuza Balk is an effective choice as a younger, wide-eyed Dorothy, carted off to a mental asylum and then transported back to Oz where she discovers a terrible tragedy has befallen the Emerald City. Soon she's hooked up with a new group of allies to go on a brand new adventure.

In my opinion, the 1980s was the pinnacle of the special effects film. Animatronics and prosthetics were the best they were going to get, and computer graphics were in but had not yet overwhelmed cinema. RETURN TO OZ is a great film for effects fans: all practical, all great looking, particularly Nicol Williamson's Nome King. I got a chuckle out of seeing Jack Pumpkinhead, a character that storyboard animator Henry Selick would later 'borrow' for THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE Christmas. Tik-Tok is another good creation, full of character, but my favourite is Billina.

RETURN TO OZ isn't a perfect film, as it does feel a bit uneven in terms of pacing and the opening sequences are perhaps a little too dark for kids. Jean Marsh is overwrought and ineffective in her role too, and should have toned things down a bit. However, the sheer effort that has gone into the world building, and the genuinely suspenseful extended climax, make this a fun movie. And it's impossible not to love the painstaking effects work - including Claymation - that's gone into the production.

Yep, dark and disturbing

[ptb-8 · 9/10 · 19 August 2005]

After reading about 40 of the other comments here, all of whom say RETURN TO OZ is dark and disturbing, I will make a different comment. In the early 80s Disney certainly were off the cash trail with a range of films, each expertly produced, that were box office disasters. One may recall SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES, TRON, THE BLACK CAULDRON, ONE MAGIC Christmas and a few others that had much to offer any thinking crowd,and each had special effects that were quite astonishing. Disney were in a very bleak period and the films, attempting to reflect perhaps a more mature or even grown up perspective chose, oh dear I have to say it: a dark and disturbing theme. At the time of release every critic bleated at the grim and melancholy tone of RETURN TO OZ, and sadly themselves neglected to celebrate the original book look, a choice Disney execs applauded themselves for. One Exec infamously said to us theatre owners: "We're going for the Frank L Baum book illustrations and nothing like that 1939 vaudeville thing". Oh dear, I thought at the time. You mean the world's most popular kids film? Well. $27 million dollars later in production costs returned maybe a quarter in theatre film rentals and RETURN TO OZ for all its merit and lavish production care and superb scary special effects....was consigned to the Disney dud bin. At the time I was irritated by the fixed goony expressions on Jack Pumpkinhead and the Scarecrow (loved Tik-tok, though, a fascinating and completely compelling design and movement piece) This time around I didn't mind it and actually appreciated the fact that they were 'book' expressions. Viewed 20 years later on a Disney DVD of dubious quality, I have to say it is a film more suited to these dark and disturbing times and if released today would certainly get a better reception and better crits...and possibly make a lot of money. I think the world is tuned into this type of family film more now than in the Flashdance 80s. The production values of RETURN TO OZ are simply breathtaking. Scene after scene perfectly realised: the green walled horror of the psychiatric asylum in reel one, the amazing claymation of the Gnome King, and especially the glittering halls of Mombi's castle. One genuinely screamworthy scene in the hall of Heads with a headless Queen rushing about in a nightmarish vision is almost only for adults, so intense is it's genuine horror. The glittering climax of a restored Emerald City is a triumph of green and silver/gold set design, I defy any viewer not to rewind it several times just to see each and every part. Yes nominated for 5 Oscars, it won none and vanished for 20 years. The no-marquee name Fairuza Balk didn't help the public embrace, no matter how exquisite she is. At least she wasn't named Soleil Moon Fry. In the same class as The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth, RETURN TO OZ now deserves its place there as part of a trilogy of superbly crafted fantasy for smart kids and astonished adults. That 'vaudeville thing' it certainly isn't. But not a failure either. The DVD is lacking trailers and production material that should and could be included. Bad Disney! Good film! I also defy any viewer not to shriek with laughter at the Gnome King revealing he is wearing the ruby slippers, a sly joke well presented.

a dark, crazy story that is perfectly fine for children! really

[Quinoa1984 · 7/10 · 5 March 2015]

I don't see why people got into such a hubbub about Return to Oz when it came out... actually, that's not correct for a couple of reasons. For one, sadly, it didn't do well at the box office, so presumably a lot of children didn't see it who might have. But for those that reviewed it, the consensus was it was "too dark" for kids. Hogwash. Kids can actually take much more dramatic and terrifying things than we think - maybe some may be more sensitive than others, but so are adults - and a response to feats of imagination are always eye-catching to them. If it was about the story and characters, that's another matter.

On an artistic, sensory-visual level Return to Oz is mostly spectacular work, with a plethora of eye-catching and inspired practical effects (one of which I have to imagine the character of Jack Skellington was the inspiration for), matte paintings, marionettes and puppets, claymation, the works, with an Emerald city that looks like a Russian communist block from that time period (and I mean that in a complimentary way - it's exquisitely run-down) . And I liked how dark and weird it got, that was fine.

If I didn't care for something it was most of the supporting characters who become Dorothy's companions. They didn't have the strong-memorable personalities or sense of enchantment (or even just good acting) of the three that accompanied Dorothy in 'Wizard' - or, hell, even the companions in Oz: The Great and Powerful, which I'd argue is maybe a more inspired film than this, albeit with CGI. And the villain - aho is appropriately bad-*ss and deranged, is only most effective by the third act, with a one-dimensional shrieking witch (albeit with wonderful multiple heads to choose from) in the rest of the film.

So, Return to Oz is a really good movie. If it's a lost classic? Depends who you ask, I suppose. Nevertheless, Balk is fun to watch in a role where she's constantly thinking and reacting well in her acting - a sophisticated acting job young or otherwise.

Dark, disturbing, captivating... where did the first movie go so wrong?

[stufff · 10/10 · 19 February 2001]

The first time I saw this movie I was about 6 or 7. It really scared me, I remember having nightmares of Mombie for weeks... I also remember rewatching it week after week. Now 10 years later I've rediscovered it and it's still chilling. Not because it was meant to be a horror, but because the imagery and plot is so vivid and captivating I can't help but feel like I'm really drawn into another world. Very few movies have done that for me... this is right up there with movies like Willow, Labrynth, and The Neverending Story. If you like musicals, bright colors and munchkin's dancing around, then stay away from this one, but if you want to go on a journey of pure imagination that will leave you breathless on the edge of your seat, rediscover Oz for yourself!

Nightmare fuel for all ages

[rtmackenzie · 7/10 · 8 December 2021]

For some reason my younger sister loved this movie when we were kids so we watched it more times than anyone really should.

I'm not even sure how to describe this movie beyond it being a bad trip for kids.

It starts grim, then becomes bleak, then becomes magically farcical, all whilst maintaining a general feeling of eeriness and unease.

Would recommend watching for the experience.

Creepy---MEGA-creepy...and I really hated that chicken!

[planktonrules · 4/10 · 24 April 2014]

"Return to Oz" is not the sort of film I'd normally watch. However, my daughter insisted I needed to see it simply because the movie was so incredibly dark and child-unfriendly. This had my curiosity piqued--and I finally got around to seeing this film.

Soon after the film started, I saw just how dark it was. In this semi- sequel to "The Wizard of Oz", it picks up several weeks or months after the previous film. However, continuity and realism is the key--the Gale family home is NOT magically restored like in the previous movie but WAS destroyed in the storm. As a result, Dorothy's uncle has PTSD! But even worse, when Dorothy regales her aunt with her stories of Oz, Auntie Em thinks Dorothy has lost her mind. Eventually, she takes Dorothy to an ultra-creepy clinic where a psychiatrist is planning on giving her shock treatment to stop these delusions!! Just after Dorothy is strapped down and she's about to receive a bazillion volts of electricity, a little girl shows up and saves her--and whisks her magically back to Oz.

Oz has changed a lot since Dorothy left. The Nome King and Mombi (who are Oz incarnations of the evil psychiatrist and his nurse) have destroyed everything and the Emerald city is in ruins. So, it's up to Dorothy and some creepy new friends to right everything and make the kingdom a happy one once again.

If this doesn't sound like a good film for your kids, you are correct. It's a film I would never dream of showing to younger kids--this would be like child abuse. But, for older and more cynical folks, it's a neat re-imagining of the books. However, there IS one major problem regardless--and reason I disliked the film. Dorothy's companion from home is NOT Toto (who is a Border Terrier in this film instead of a Cairn) but a super-annoying chicken. The voice is just awful and the comments are very often obvious and banal. I truly hated everything about this character--even if she did, inexplicably, help to save the day. I'd have just roasted her!!

Also, because Kansas is so dull and awful, why in the heck did Dorothy want to return?! She MIGHT have gotten shock treatment or been lobotomized!!!

Major Impact

[MightyViper · 9/10 · 18 April 2006]

Most of the comments on this film seem to be from people who saw this when they were little, and haven't been able to forget it. The imagery of this film lingers long after first view, and its marked stylistic and thematic differences to Wizard Of Oz have a hypnotic effect on a certain type of viewer.

In Return, the central theme is one of deep unhappiness with reality and a wish to return to fantasy, where as Wizard focuses more on the concept of "there's no place like home". I admire and am still deeply effected by this film because, in some ways, it is braver than Wizard. It isn't afraid to deal with the conflict - that the misery of a grey Kansas is very real.

It expresses a rippling dissatisfaction that seems more in keeping with Baum's original works, and is all the more satisfying for it. In particular, I enjoyed the parrallels between the real world and Oz- for what it suggests about our world- and the Nome King's conversation with Dorothy. For a children's film, there is great depth in both, and most of the film can be interpreted on several different levels. The implications of the corridor of heads alone is enough to send any first year pysch/lit student into a whole mess of garbage.

But don't be fooled. This also an excellent children's film, that deserves more attention than it got.

DARKER ENTHRALLING SEQUEL THATS STILL GOOD!

[sachin-73003 · 7/10 · 22 December 2021]

Return to Oz is a sequel(kind of) to the Wizard of Oz.

With almost everyone recast and a new director this sequel is still entertaining but its tone isn't much friendly but perhaps scarier.

Set after months of the tornado of the previous film our Dorothy has been having sleepless nights leading to her aunt being distressed over her condition as Dorothy keeps rambling on about Oz.

To cure her of these thoughts Dorothy is sent for an electrical therapy!!

Yeah it got serious pretty quick.

However a magical girl helps her escape and soon she lands back to Oz, where things are not the same as they once were.

A king nome has turned everyone to stone taken all the Emeralds and trapped King Scarecrow, plus there is a queen Mombi who has her own evil desires.

Queen Mombi, Jack-o-lantern, tik-tok are some of the creations of the original author in his sequel books plus Ozma is here too.

If you are a fan of the books there will be several things to notice and point out.

If the first one was characterized by loving and whimsical songs this one has creepy creatures and imagery, the wheelers are a group of sadistic skating beings all slaves of Mombi who herself has 14 different heads (which she has taken from other women) and Mr. Nome who has a habit of turning everyone to stone!!

Its all entertaining in a twisted way but a lot of fun nonetheless. However the emotinal impacts of the first one were spot on and this sequel misses quite a few marks on that one. Plus the absence of Judy Garland is felt even if the new actress is charming.

Dorothy is still our lovable girl who uses her intelligence and wits to overcome the odds and return truimphant once again even if the journey was scarier than ususal.

There seems to be an undertone of mental illness which I feel the director seems to subtly want to convey that adds another layer to this film and it clearly is a directors vision even more so than the first one.

I would still recommend this one even if it might mess with your head alittle bit.

Warning to all parents

[Ben_Cheshire · 1/10 · 27 October 2003]

Do not let your littlies see this one, thinking there'll be lots of sunshine and Dorothy and yellow brick roads - there are not. There is only darkness and misery and awfulness. I saw this when i was say ten and it scared the bejesus out of me.

Very Underrated Classic

[Big Movie Fan · 28 August 2002]

There have been many people since this film came out who have tried to compare it to The Wizard of Oz. I don't think you can compare the two films and neither film is better than the other. They're both fantastic.

This is an enjoyable movie which can be enjoyed time and time again. Dorothy returns to Oz and teams up with Tik-Tok (a robot), Jack Pumpkinhead (a pumpkin man obviously) and the Gump (don't ask)to battle the evil Nome King and Princess Mombi. There's plenty of fun throughout as Dorothy and friends battle the likes of the wheelies and all manner of creatures.

The finale is perhaps one of the best ever for a fantasy film. Yes, it really is that good as Dorothy and friends meet up with the Scarecrow and battle the evil Nome King and Princess Mombi.

The original Wizard Of Oz was a timeless classic still talked about today. It is no exaggeration to call Return To Oz a classic movie either.

A strange mix of the original OZ & A Clockwork Orange.

[bumstead-killah · 7/10 · 1 January 2001]

Not a movie for the younger kids, Return To Oz is a dark fantasy set in the original Oz after almost everything has been destroyed or turned to stone. This movie is pretty strange in that it is very dark and there are some scary characters such as the head changing evil princess Mombi & the fiendish Gnome King. Return To Oz made me think of a mixture of The Wizard Of Oz & Stanley Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange.I know that sounds weird but this movie is weird. I found return... pretty entertaining but like I said in the begining this movie is not for the younger kids (it would probably scare the heck out of them!).

Solid children's fantasy film, minimal entertainment for adults

[funkyfry · 6/10 · 18 July 2006]

On the whole, this was a good film for kids, probably very effective I think especially in terms of "scary fantasy". Less effective for adults compared to films like "Time Bandits" and the original "Wizard of Oz".

The plot set-up is a little unconvincing, as it has Aunt Emm so upset over Dorothy's continual talk of Oz that she sends her for electroshock therapy! Dorothy and another girl escape from the sanitarium and a river whisks her away to the land of Oz again. Ruinously, she has brought an annoying chicken instead of her faithful dog Toto. Once in Oz the chicken is able to speak English through the magic of Oz, with no explanation as to why this didn't happen to Toto. She finds all her friends have been turned to stone except the scarecrow who has been abducted by the evil "Nome King". Her confrontation with the witch who has a collection of removable heads is probably the film's high point. The sets are incredible, basically a hall of mirrors with Victorian gold and brass embellishments that puts the original film's sets to shame. Dorothy is captured by the witch, who intends to make her an addition to her collection of heads once she's grown a bit. She manages to escape with the aid of her friends and some magic powder of life, then sets off to find the Nome King.

Nicol Williamson's performance as the Nome King is interesting but nowhere near his classic turn as Merlin in "Excalibur". Sad to say that dude is more memorable and effective when he's completely over the top. Personally I think the scene where he was dispatched was quite a bit anti-climactic. His exit line "eggs are poison" is nowhere near as memorable as "I'm melting! I'm melting! What a world, what a world!".

Fairuza Balk turns in a very competent child performance. Harder than it seems. The biggest problem I had was with the chicken, which was only marginally less annoying than Jar Jar Binks. I can't remember a time in my childhood where a character like that would actually be endearing. Denise Bryer's voice is totally inappropriate and grating, and her Midwest/southern accent is very unconvincing. The animatronics are good on the chicken, and indeed all the puppets in the film are very well done. The effects in general have held up well. The Nome King is mostly done with stop motion though there are some scenes with Williamson with a lot of makeup on, looks like a real pain to put on. Tic-Toc is a particularly convincing puppet. The mattes are a bit too elaborate to be fully convincing.

On the whole a pleasing fantasy film that presents only mildly annoying elements for adults and a lot of good dark fantasy elements that will appeal to both kids and adults. May disappoint fans of the original as there is no singing and dancing here and we see very little of the original group of Dorothy's friends. The film also strays pretty far from Baum's mythos, including use of the device where the elements she comes across in Oz are reflections of people or places she's been in Kansas. This was not an element in Baum's stories but seems to have been imported here to stay closer to the 39 version. I think this film will excite the young, might be scary for very young kids, but the effects are still good enough to pass grade and the film may even inspire some kids to pick up some of Baum's books after they finish with old Harry Potter.

Wow, that was a lot more enjoyable to watch as an adult.

[Aaron1375 · 8/10 · 18 December 2019]

I first saw this film back when I was a kid and I was not all that wild about it. I guess my mind could not grasp the idea of an Oz movie that was faithful to the book and was confusing because it did not seem like it was part of the original film's world. Now that I am an adult, I really dig this one more than the original 1939 film as it is darker to the point of being almost a horror/fantasy film and there are not a bunch of chirpy songs coming from nowhere. Honestly, the original was essentially a Broadway stage play that was filmed. This one, however, was more like the Oz portrayed in the books.

The story has poor Dorthy suffering from sleepless nights due to her adventures in Oz. Her aunt's solution? Why, take her to a doctor that using electroshock therapy of course! Well, Dorthy ends up in a creepy asylum and is about to be zapped when the power goes off, another girl frees Dorthy and both she and the other girl end up falling into a river just outside the asylum during a very violent storm. The other girl seemingly drowns as the river somehow transports Dorthy back to Oz; however, it is now run down and full of strange beings known as Wheelers who promptly give chase. Dorthy manages to find her way into a room and enlists the aid of Tic-toc, a wind up soldier. She will also find help from Jack Pumpkinhead and meet her old friend Scarecrow too. However, a strange demented Princess named Mombi and the Nome King will do everything in their power to stop Dorthy from returning Oz to its former glory!

Watching this film, one gets more of a sense of what Oz is all about, it is a mirror world where there are people from our world living within it. I get the feeling Stephen King and Peter Straub used the Oz series as inspiration for their collaboration, The Talisman as it too features a parallel world. While I found this one good as an adult I also found at times the outside world of Oz too mundane, though the interiors do look fantastical. It is a shame this bombed at the box office, because this Oz is so much more delightful and frightful than the 1939 version.

So, in the eyes of an adult, this movie actually improved for me. Usually, you watch stuff as a kid and later as an adult and like the film less, but not here. It is a strange world that is put together by Disney, who were going through bit of a dark phase during this time. They were also going through a rather rough time as there just were not too many hits during this era in their history. Not that the films were not good, just not what people expected from a Disney film at the time. This one is one such case, really good, but people expected lighter fare and something more in the line with the 1939 film.

CLASSIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[reddiemurf81 · 7/10 · 3 April 2020]

I saw this when it came out at the movies,, so I was about 4, or barely 5 at that time. I remember being a little scared of it then, but WoW,, it is so good!! Just the right touch of darkness, without being too dark. Also,, was the pumpkin character in this the inspiration for Jack Skellington?!?

Go watch it!!

How OZ should have been done the first time

[XweAponX · 10/10 · 16 April 2018]

This film shows more of what OZ really was, or is, if you believe an alternate universes. It's a mirror of our own world. And we can exist there and here at the same time, all we need is a pair of ruby slippers and a counterpart who lives in a mirror.

I rented this on a beta tape and watched it with my mom after it had finished its original theatrical run. We both liked it, but without the widescreen format and a theatrical sound system, it lost some of its ability to overwhelm us. But we still enjoyed it, quite a bit.

I wish my mother were here now that I have a 50" HDTV and a halfway decent DVD copy, and a Kenwood surround sound system. I can sit in the middle and it is just as if I am sitting in a seat in a theater because that's where this needs to be watched. Because when I watched it last night, I was completely overwhelmed by this amazing movie.

The "Kansas" scenes are very dismal, not sure where they were filmed actually although I know some of this was filmed in London. But the landscapes looked very much like a dismal Kansas late fall prior to the turn of the 20th century.

Nicol Williamson represents a type of "doctor"/quack that dangerously fiddled around with electronic devices before people really understood how electricity worked, and his Oz mirror alternate is none other but the Gnome King himself . Joan Marsh was his nasty looking nurse (and Mombi). Piper Laurie is Auntie M and Matt Clark is Uncle Henry. But the breakaway performance in this film is Fairuza Balk who really captures the spirit of Dorothy as laid down by Judy Garland. The DVD which I found has a very good interview with Fairuza where she talks about being one of 1000 girls that they interviewed for this part, of all the kids that they looked at she was the most perfect for this.

Although this film does not have musical numbers, it does have animatronics by Brian Henson and I didn't know it at the time but claymation by none other than Will Vinton, who put life into the Gnome King in such a frightening way.

Some other reviewer said this, but this is actually a horror movie, the last we saw Oz before Dorothy went home it was not like this Oz. This is apparently six months after that and something very bad has happened and it is up to Dorothy, her chicken, and the Royal army of Oz "Tic Toc" to find out what is going on. And there is also a mysterious girl who shows up in mirrors, that gives Dorothy a helping hand now and then: Who is this?

This movie could have and should have been made long ago, shortly after the original had been made. But if it had been, there's a high probability it could not have been done as well as this.

And somebody else also said this is not a sequel to the original, but it is a continuation of that same story. Most importantly, it reveals characters that were part of the Oz stories that were not mentioned in the first film. Bellini, Tic-Toc, Ozma, Mombi.

Maybe in another 20 years they can continue the story. It could happen, and it should happen.

Dorothy Gets Shock Treatment

[Cineanalyst · 6/10 · 12 January 2020]

I've read L. Frank Baum's "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz," as well as a bit of some of the rest of the series years ago, and, for the most part, it's bland kiddie junk. (I come to this conclusion despite the best efforts of Michael Patrick Hearn's notes in "The Annotated Wizard of Oz" pretending it to be great literature.) In a sense, Baum was right in promoting the abandonment of a moral in writing modern fairy tales, but not entirely regarding the "blood-curdling incidents" from the likes of Grimm and Andersen, let alone his distaste for the complexities of Lewis Carroll's Alice books. "Return to Oz," however, returns somewhat to the more frightening aspects characteristic of fairy tales of yore--not the listless sentiment and stupid humor comprising much of today's children's movies. Indeed, the works of Baum, too, are less bowdlerized than that which has followed. Finally, for instance, "Return to Oz" is the first film to faithfully render the author's curious fondness for decapitations (seriously, go read the books; it's there).

I don't care to get too far into the territory of writing a parents' guide, but I do suspect that if one is raised on bland entertainment, they tend to grow up bland. Some protection of children from serious adult issues of the world is one thing, but extending that ignorance to stories where the witches or stone men are scarier than the usual Disney fare is another matter. For instance, IMDb's top reviewer, Martin Hafer, goes so far as to hyperbolically state that showing "Return to Oz" to younger kids "would be like abuse." As promising as that line and other reviews have made it out to be, "Return to Oz" isn't nearly that shocking. Yet, Dorothy does almost receive electroshock treatment after Aunt Em drops her off at the loony bin--because the poor little girl can't sleep or shut up about her recent cyclone-induced trip to the land of Oz.

Appreciably, Oz, this time, is more shocking, as well. Since her last visit, Oz has become a dystopian wasteland where all her friends have been turned to stone and where, in the spirit of Baum's aforementioned obsession with head removals, a witch changes hers like they were hats. Of course, there's the Jack-o'-lantern guy, too. Hey, if the film being set during the Halloween season didn't tip you off that you're not in MGM's Kansas and Oz anymore, then it's your own fault. Nevertheless, a standard fantasy quest occupies most of the proceedings, and after Dorothy's visit to Mombi, it's quite tame. Oddly enough, too, eventually the Nome King has Dorothy and company enact a first draft of the finale of "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" (1989).

Beside the Halloween-themed horror and dystopian elements, as well as some naturalistic writing for and acting by Fairuza Balk as a young Dorothy (closer to the age of Baum's character as opposed to Judy Garland and other, older variations), the other thing I appreciate about this reinterpretation of Oz is the introduction of a mirror motif. Mombi's castle is covered in them. Moreover, they take on a similar function to that in Carroll's Alice sequel, "Through the Looking Glass," as a gateway, with one character being trapped in them, and suggesting Oz as being a sort of reverse-image of Kansas. Tellingly, this Dorothy doesn't just want to go home; she wishes she could be in both places at the same time.

Middle Of The Road

[mentalcritic · 5/10 · 20 April 2005]

Return To Oz is very much like a retread of The Wizard Of Oz, with most of the major events of one film repeated in the latter. About the only significant difference is that Return To Oz, while wearing its origins as a Disney production on its sleeve, is a little less saccharine, or sugar-coated, compared to its predecessor. Not so much that it could score ten out of ten from an older audience, but enough so that you could show it to audiences who have more than one digit in their age, and not draw protests. Unfortunately, this does not necessarily make it a good film.

Whereas the cast of heroes in The Wizard Of Oz were very distinct from one another, the heroes of Return To Oz are fairly generic. The plot, such as it is, concerns itself with a Troll-like King who comes out of the stone of one mountain. Somehow, he has acquired the ruby slippers from the previous film, and used them to sack the city of Oz. The populace is found turned to stone, and the streets patrolled by Wheelers, a bunch of ugly human types who look a lot like Johnny Rotten at a roller-disco. The Wheelers are controlled by an evil princess who collects heads to wear, while she is in turn controlled by the Nome King, who I've already spoken about. The plot is very simple and by the numbers, as opposed to how every new location seemed natural or spontaneous in the original. In fact, there are only three or four major locations in Return To Oz, and most of them are passed through in the blink of an eye.

Children who have yet to see The Wizard Of Oz will not notice the most major problem with this sequel. In a nutshell, it is continuity. The Dorothy shown in The Wizard Of Oz was played by Judy Garland, who was about seventeen years old at the time. Disney, in their endless attempt to pander to a child audience, decided to make Dorothy ten years old, in spite of the number of references made to six months passing since the tornado hit the Gale farm. These not-so-subtle continuity faults aside, the story is competently told, and Fairuza Balk makes a decent fist of playing the young Dorothy.

Another plus in Return To Oz is that the support cast is considerably less annoying in its perpetual perkiness. Tik-Tok has more personality than the entire cast of The Wizard Of Oz put together, while Pumpkinhead manages to be dopey without seeming insulting. Something that was utterly beyond the cast of... well, you get the idea. Another plus is that we are spared the agony of the cast breaking into song every ten minutes. The only point where the film falls down is when the weight of the Disney desire to claim that they are making films suitable for everyone when in reality they are only suitable for four-year-olds becomes too much for the screenplay and actors to deal with. Quite obviously, this sequel was churned out in order to make a quick buck, as the minor flood of spin-offs of the time showed. Still, it gets a little closer to the tone of L. Frank Baum's novel, and that can only be a good thing.

All in all, I gave Return To Oz a five out of five. Unlike the "everyone loves it, we say so" advertising that is prevalent in trying to sell The Wizard Of Oz, Disney seem to have adopted a "here it is, take it or leave it" attitude to Return To Oz. Which is the biggest improvement I can think of.

As good at 36 as at 9

[oliverthered · 10/10 · 27 July 2013]

I dug this movie out because I've just met someone who has a child and I thought my step son may like to watch it as I did when I was a child and had my milk snatched from me. I never got to watch it with my step Son but I am sat watching it at home, on my own, with the lights out. This film immerses you in a world of dark emotion control and dare I say it, insanity. So real it's like looking out the window, so fantastic it's like reading strewlpeter for the first time. Do not be expecting this to be a continuation of the song and dance that was the wizard of oz, this is much closer to the books and far away from the rose tinted world of Judy Garland.

If you don't like heads this film may be for you.

Not A Sequel

[aesgaard41 · 7/10 · 11 December 2001]

I never saw this movie when it first ran in theaters although I would have liked to. I finally saw it recently on the Disney Channel where I noticed it was not made to be a sequel, but a more closer recreation closer to the Frank L. Baum story with all the images and lore crammed in as far as possible and as many differences created to show the two apart. The special effects are over the top though and it tries too hard to be charming, but unlike the original film, the real world of Kansas is too harsh and nasty for little kids to appreciate. It is worthy to note that Fairuza Balk of "The Craft" was such an adorable and beautiful child in her youth, and quite a believable actress. I do like the scenes with the witch who chooses identities from different heads up until she ruins everything with the head of Jean Marsh; how'd she get in there ?! Dorothy's innocence is played up in several scenes and too far in others as she learns how her visit tampered with the grand scheme of things in Oz. None of the characters of the first film are given very large roles, but the visual creations are stunning and worth it to give the film a look.

Diminishing "Return"s....

[Mister-6 · 5/10 · 14 October 1999]

The main reason that "Return to Oz" did so badly is simple enough.

People went in expecting another light-hearted, toe-tapping, bright and cheery trip down the yellow brick road. Instead, they got a dark, creepy and sometimes scary trip akin to an "Indiana Jones" movie.

All that was missing was Dorothy (Balk) wearing one of Indy's fedoras.

This is clearly not a children's film, and any parent who lets an impressionable young child watch this film should have his head examined! This is more of a special FX maker's film, with great and loving detail to all the effects paramount in the story, secondary to any consideration towards the actual plot.

There are ingenious characters here, more familiar to those familiar with Baum's books. But even for 1985, they're impressive. And the final showdown with the Nome King was extremely well done.

All in all, it depends on how you go into this one as to whether you'll appreciate it. Don't go in expecting Judy Garland, dancing scarecrows and dazzling Technicolor and you may just be entertained. If you still believe in rainbows, though....

Five stars, for the FX. But if it only had a heart.