The Muppets' Wizard of Oz
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DVD details
Actor: Ashanti (II), David Alan Grier, Jeffrey Tambor, Queen Latifah, Quentin TarantinoBrand: Buena Vista Home Video
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown), Dolby Digital 5.1; English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 5.1
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, NTSC
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 100 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2005-08-09
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Buena Vista Home Entertainment / Disney
Product features:
- Everyone's favorite story becomes one twisted tale as Kermit, Miss Piggy, and all The Muppets turn theic novel by L. Frank Baum into a madcap adventure filled with brains, heart, courage . and a whole lot of laughter! Grammy Award winner Ashanti stars as Dorothy, an aspiring singer whose dreams of fame and fortune seem worlds away from coming true in the Kansas trailer park where she lives wi
DVD Reviews of The Muppets' Wizard of Oz
DVD Review: Not Awful, Not Terrific, but Muppets Deserve Better
Summary: 4 Stars
I mainly wanted to write a review to counter the "Yuck or Yay" reviews already here. No, it's not downright awful, as some have said, but no, it's not terrific either, as others have claimed. It's certainly not terrific MERELY because of singer Ashanti (as one seemingly suggested).
I've got nothing against Ashanti, but she's one of those artists that make me ask, "Now remind me how you got famous, again... or why?" Don't get me wrong, she's not that awful, but like this movie, she's not that great, either. However, her opening song (the obvious "Over the Rainbow" pop-wannabe) was enough to drive my wife out of the room in the first minute of the film. On Ashanti's behalf, I will say (as the movie went on) they certainly could have done WORSE in picking a "name figure" in the realm of wannabe-actors, when it comes to sticking a potential pop-culture icon with famous funny characters. (Like I dunno, can ya say... Space Jam?)
Honestly, the whole "urban, modernized take" on Oz didn't bother me so bad. (We've seen that already with "The Wiz," though." ) But admittedly, I actually kinda like Queen Latifah and David Alan Grier, so I thought they made a reasonable choice for Aunt Em and Uncle Henry, if this is the path down the Yellow Brick road that's been chosen without fan consent.
The main "name cameo" I guess I had problem with were Quentin Tarantino as the most obvious. The fact that he's so out of place in a Muppet film sort of overshoots the attempted humor. I don't like him, and he's not funny. There. SOMEONE said it. Jeffrey Tambor falls into that category of, "Now remind me why I'm supposed to find you funny, again...?" Like Seinfeld, I suppose I kind of resent some unseen authority figure telling me I should find THIS person remotely amusing. There have got to be other deserving actors standing in a line somewhere wanting to work with the Muppets. That's my hunch.
Kelly Osbourne, just as out of place, was kinda funny, though. (You got me there.)
Oddly enough, I actually worked for an ABC station when this TV-movie premiered; heck, I even directed several TV spots promoting the film, (and as a former puppet-builder/performer, I even operated Kermit just for fun during our promo). And yet somehow, I forgot to watch the show when it came on.
Now let me say, I was a DIEHARD Muppet fan from age 9 (The Muppet Movie), and my career goal was to work with Jim Henson someday until my teens, when I decided I wanted to be a writer, and later an animator when I saw Roger Rabbit (which is what I finally arrived at). When Jim Henson died, it was like someone told me a member of our family had passed away.
One of the toughest things to get through my head when the primary performer for a famous character passes away is, "Yes, that performer may be gone, but that doesn't mean the character has to die." Like when Mel Blanc passed on, it was important that Bugs Bunny not die. Even though they've been through several performers, Joe Alaskey has done a fine job, most recently with the underrated "Looney Tunes: Back in Action." As far back as Roger Rabbit, when Mel was already unable to perform the larynx-cannon cameo voice of Yosemite Sam, Alaskey had me fooled until the end credits. The torch must be passed for these cultural icons to continue.
I was actually quite glad to see several Muppets in new appearances that I'd been missing. The first pleasant surprises were Scooter and Janice (her, more briefly), actually TALKING for the first time since Richard Hunt passed on. John Henson seems to be doing a fine job duty as Sweetums the Ogre (also a former Hunt character). And another late Henson character voice I'd been mourning has been the outrageous Dr. Teeth, who thankfully had at LEAST a line or two, during The Electric Mayhem song.
It was good to see Crazy Harry, the explosives-obsessed/pyromaniac ("Somebody say DYNAMITE?"), even though a face in the crowd of the Treasure Island pirate henchmen, now serving duty as the Witch's Flying "flunkies." I was glad to see them; they're some of the most creative original Muppet designs since Henson's passing.
And I begrudginlgy admit Frank Oz deserves to retire if he so chooses; he deserves to direct plain ol' live actors if he likes (Bowfinger is my favorite such Oz film). Eric Jacobson, the guy now doing Fozzie, Piggy, and Animal (my favorite, who could've used more lines here), is doing perhaps the best "replacement voice" job of them all. His Sam the Eagle made me think Frank was doing at least one voiceover, but... I still miss Frank!
And Steve Whitmire, a fellow Southerner (from Atlanta, where I currently reside) has done a great job with Kermit. Yeah, it's not Jim's Kermit. I know, and like Bugs Bunny, perhaps it's the most obvious replacement voice, but I think they made the best choice for an amphibious heir they could.
As for the computer effects, no they weren't Jurassic Park quality, but this isn't a Narnia feature, this isn't even a Disney feature, this is a made-for-TV family movie, folks! I enjoyed the Witch's floating castle, I enjoyed the four (plus) different creatures the Wizard made during his initial appearances to Dorothy and her friends, which was closer to the original Oz book than previous Hollywood versions. And I have to say, this was easily the most impressive interpretation of the Emerald City I've ever seen, even if only from the outer walls.
Unlike another reviewer, I think Muppet Treasure Island was one of the BEST post-Jim Muppet projects. It was a perfect vehicle for the Muppets, squeezing as many Muppet favorites into the storyline as comfortably possible. So it's natural that with as many people having as many different favorites, some are not going to get "enough lines."
In spite of that statement, my greatest disappointment, I guess, was in the limited appearance of Animal. His presence lacked the "bite" it usually has, and I was surprised he took the "hit" from Piggy's witch. That's like the Tasmanian Devil allowing himself to be spanked with a newspaper. It just wouldn't happen. But I guess it wouldn't have served that moment in the storyline for him to retaliate.
Maybe that's what comes from longtime Muppet writer Jerry Juhl's passing, as well...
I'm glad I rented this film; I don't think I'd buy it. I've bought the first two Muppet films (Muppet Movie and Muppet Caper), which were the best. I still haven't brought myself to buy a copy of Muppets from Space or Muppet Christmas Carol. Even Muppets Take Manhattan, made during Henson's lifetime, wasn't downright terrific. (I got that DVD free with a box of cereal, if that tells you anything.) If I could give Muppets Wizard of Oz more than just a number of stars, I'd give it an 80%, or B-. Not a bad effort, but don't give up. (Disney, Muppets, whoever you guys are these days...) Please keep trying for those of us, the 70s Kids, who want Muppets around for our OWN kids someday.
As you can tell from my "ups and downs" comments, this wasn't the best Muppet vehicle in recent years. Overall, I guess I'm just glad to see they're still giving the Muppets work. But like a group of actors whose shiniest days may be behind them (for now), they still deserve better material than what's been given to them.
Description of The Muppets' Wizard of Oz
MUPPETS WIZARD OF OZ - DVD MovieThere were good intentions in this Muppets adaptation of L. Frank Baum?s classic Emerald City story of Dorothy?s journey to see the Wizard with hopes of fulfilling her dream of stardom: the film is a nostalgic nod to the original 1979 Muppet Movie, where Kermit leaves the swamps for Hollywood to become a star, picking up some friends along the way. Grammy winner Ashanti plays Dorothy Gale, an aspiring singer who serves meatloaf to truckers and lives in a Kansas trailer park with her Aunt Em (Queen Latifah). In the ensuing chaos of a giant tornado, she gets dumped in the Land of Oz?along with her pet shrimp, Toto (Pepe the Prawn). Dorothy soon meets the familiar Scarecrow, Tin man, and Lion (Kermit, Gonzo, and Fozzie, respectively) and together they journey to see the Wizard (voiced by Jeffrey Tambor) who promises to grant her celebrity wish if first she defeats the Wicked Witch of the West (Miss Piggy). While the Muppets have survived a few cinematic flops before, this film is bereft of all they represent--the endearing innocence, engaging silliness, and cagey humor of Jim Henson?s legendary variety series. Instead, a mean-spirited cynicism with sexual subtext prevails that is not only unfunny, but also mildly offensive. In a desire to appear edgy and culturally relevant by the filmmakers (and executive producers Brian and Lisa Henson), the timeless spirit of the vintage Muppets is missing, as are the signature voiceovers by Frank Oz and Brian Henson. Onscreen chemistry between actors and Muppets feels contrived, not to mention Quentin Tarantino?s bizarre cameo. When Kermit delivers a religious joke of questionable taste, viewers might yearn for the swamp years, when Kermit the frog and the Henson Company could do no wrong. (Ages 4 and older) --Lynn Gibson
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