Return to Oz
by Walter Murch
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DVD details
Actor: Fairuza Balk, Jean Marsh, Matt Clark, Nicol Williamson, Piper LaurieDirector: Walter Murch
Brand: Buena Vista Home Video
Cinematographer: David Watkin
Writer: Walter Murch
Producer: Colin Michael Kitchens
Producer: Gary Kurtz
Producer: Paul Maslansky
Writer: Gill Dennis
Writer: L. Frank Baum
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language)
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, NTSC, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.85:1
Running Time: 113 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2004-02-03
Audience Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Walt Disney Home Entertainment
Product features:
- 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
DVD Reviews of Return to Oz
DVD Review: Disney's Return to Oz on DVD, 1999 & 2004
Summary: 5 Stars
I'm sorry to have done this, but in order to have my review of the 2004 Disney DVD of "Return to Oz", I have just had to delete my review of the 1999 Anchor Bay DVD - Amazon.com doesn't allow customers to have 2 reviews on a particular item, even if they are entirely different editions. But as you will see below, I am reviewing both DVDs on this review.
I first saw "Return to Oz" on TV when I was maybe only 6 months (yeah, I know that sounds weird), and I loved it. I saw it on video much later when I was in High school but the tape was so old that there was static almost all over the place and many times it slowed down, which 'killed' my VCR, which of course I had to replace soon.
I have of course L. Frank Baum's 'the Marvelous Land of Oz' and 'Ozma of Oz' which were used to make this movie, along with a few improvements, like Dorothy being the 'long-brown-haired-in braids' girl of Denslow's drawing instead of John R. Neil's 'short-blonde-hair', Nicol Williamson's portrayal of the Nome King is much better and more menacing than John's fat illustration, and Ozma was just perfectly beautiful! John gave her blonde hair in 'Marvelous Land' - shown here in the movie, but changed to dark in 'Ozma'. I wish Glinda had been in this movie though, as she was in both books. But I really liked seeing Dorothy's old house, the Yellow Brick Road and the Ruby Slippers returning in this movie. And the music is just terrific! Maybe one day I'll get and review the CD Soundtrack. Although, sometimes I think this movie should've kept the alternate scenes where the Lion and Tin Woodman help Dorothy and Scarecroow, along with maybe the 'Army of Oz', then that way it could've been a little closer to the 'Ozma' book, but anyway it's still good. (* You'll have to look around 'Google' for the 'Return to Oz Deleted Scenes' *). Not to mention that despite what happened in the beginning, the Emerald City is perfectly designed as a palace. As always, everything turns out right in the end before Dorothy returns home, and this movie proved that Oz wasn't a dream by MGM, even though I don't really believe that.
But in 2004 my Dad helped me to order the 1999 Anchor Bay, and even though it was 'out of stock', I still managed to get it in 1 week. I was so excited as I watched it, listening to the movie, watching the picture in perfection (even if there were a few little scratches, etc. but I didn't mind) and joining Fairuza Balk as Dorothy on her adventure back in Oz, picking up a few surprises that I had forgotten.
The ANCHOR BAY DVD allows you to watch the movie in Wide-Screen and Full-Frame, starts the movie with a 'Fairuza Balk Introduction' (she is grown-up, says Hi to us and comments on us seeing the movie. The Introduction is included in the Chapter Index of the 24 Scenes). The Main Menu sets up with a rotating 'OZ' symbol and has Dorothy and her friends around her, while the faces of Aunt Em, Uncle Henry, Ozma, Toto, etc. appear and disappear behind them with the opening music. I was disappointed how there was no Theatrical Trailer (some site made me think there was). The "Fairuza Returns to Oz" Interview Feature had Fairuza Balk talking about what it was like for her to be in the movie, the Special effects, Director Walter Murch, Cast, the Parade Scene, her career and about 'Oz' itself (we only see her face as she is talking, no footage from film). But despite the lack of Special Features, I was happy to have gotten my favourite movie in perfect watching condition. That DVD has no subtitles.
Later, I wrote and sent a letter to Disney Studios (along with lots of design sketches) on making a "Disney's Return to Oz: 20th Anniversary Edition" DVD for 2005, but unfortunately they couldn't because I don't work them. But I wasn't totally upset though. Disappointed, but not heartbroken.
This year, in getting ready for the official 20th Anniversary of Disney's Return to Oz on June 21, I had decided that I would order all the books and the new 2004 DISNEY DVD. I found this DVD to be an improvement over the previous edition, even if it wasn't the Special Edition all of us were hoping and wishing for, like "Mary Poppins". This new DVD not only has the Widescreen Presentation (no Full-frame version), the 'Fairuza Returns to Oz' Interview Featurette and the 'Fairuza Balk Introduction" (which you can see when you press 'Play', not included in the Scene Selection), but it also has the Original Theatrical Trailer - which plays us some unheard music and a few alternate takes/different angles of scenes not seen/heard in the movie) with 4 TV Spots, subtitles (great, since some lines are hard to understand/hear. Unfortunately not included on Anchor Bay) and the ORIGINAL 'Walt Disney Pictures (CASTLE)' Opening (not seen on Anchor Bay). An earlier review said that the picture was 'full of scratches and dirt'; I disagree - The picture has the same picture quality as on the previous DVD, but because it is in its original Wide-Screen presentaion, it actually looks quite a bit better and clearer. Just ignore the scratches/dirt. The Scene Selection has the movie in 12 chapters, though (but it's better than the 6 episodes of 'the Wizard of Oz' (1925) and 'His Majesty, the Scarecrow of Oz' (1914) DVDs. It would have been nice if "Return to Oz" actually had 2 Theatrical Trailers (the other being a bit longer) and for the TV Spots to look like the 'Mary Poppins TV Spots' on the "40th Annivesrary Edition" DVD, but watching them is pleasant enough. The menus, although they don't set-up like Anchor Bay, have the lovely ending credits music. The Main Menu has Dorothy looking at the Emerald City, with a rainbow and the movie title behind the palace. There is, of course, a 'Set-Up' Menu for the languages and subtitles. But I don't like how they manipulated the picture for this cover. The Oz background, though beautiful, has the Emerlad City looking almost exactly like the MGM towers instead of the realistic Disney Palace. Dorothy's face is unnatural, her dress is incorrectly all pink, and the Tin Woodman has been taken out of another photo and is now inserted into this picture.
One of (if not) the BEST thing about is this movie is that even though Dorothy meets, makes and is helped by new friends (Billian the 'Yellow' Hen, Tik-Tok the Mechaninal Man - Royal Army of Oz in this version, Jack Pumpkinhead and the Gump), Dorothy must rely on herself (and not Good Witches and/or her beloved friends) to save Oz, the Emerald City and her friends from Mombi and the Nome King, who in both Kansas and Oz/beyond the Deadly Desert, try to conquer Oz by making Dorothy forget. Also, despite combining with 'Ozma', this is possibly the only adaptation where 'Marvelous Land' has enough excitement so that it is not depicted as a little child's performance (no-one knows if the 1910 Selig film still survives, the 1987 Cinar series was faithful but later only half is on English Video/DVD, the 1969 version is absolutely baby-like in appearance and who knows what Shirley Temple's 1960 version is like - although I have yet to see the two 60's versions and find out if there was ever an Anime version). The only part I hate in the 'Marvelous Land of Oz' book is the Woggle-bug, who slows down the story, gets into useless discussions with the friends and is unimportant to the story, so therefore having Dorothy (somehow) return to Oz is much better, something which never happened in the actual story, although there is a tiny picture of her when Scarecrow and Nick Chopper the Tin Woodman make a reunion.
But a few weeks before the movie was released, some PBS Stations showed a 60 min Documentary called "the Whimsical World of Oz" (by Production Associates (UK),) which was both a 'Making of Return to Oz/General Oz' feature, (Colour & B&W). Starring and narrated by Mason Adams, it had many stars, among them being the Dorothy actresses of Fairuza Balk, Diana Ross, Liza Minnelli, Romola Remus Dunlap, along with Ray Bolger, Jack Haley Jr., Dr. Robert Baum, Ozma Baum Mantele, and many others (you can read about it in "the International Wizard of Oz Club" and the "Inernet Movie Data-Base". I wish it had been released onto Video, then the DVD's could've been much better.
'Return to Oz' is available to buy/rent on DVD in Australia, but unfortunately it is a rip-off: the music has been taken out of the menus along with the title and there are no Special Features. So I would suggest ordering it from Amazon.com or buying it from Disneyland.
Even if there is no 'Return to Oz' Special Edition DVD, I am happy to have both DVDs in my possession and soon all the books as well - although I wish I had thought to order the CD Soundtrack too. Happy 20th Anniversary to "Disney's Return to Oz" on June 21. You made a great movie Walter Murch, you were an excellent Dorothy, Fairuza Balk. Emerald City, it was beautiful.
Description of Return to Oz
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