Return to Oz (1985)

Director:

Walter Murch

Writers:

L. Frank Baum (novels)
Gill Dennis (writer)

Release Date:

21 June 1985 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Family | Fantasy | Mystery

Tagline:

An all-new adventure down the yellow brick road.

Plot:

Dorothy, saved from a psychiatric experiment by a mysterious girl, is somehow called back to Oz when a vain witch and the Nome King destroy everything that makes the magical land beautiful.

Plot Keywords:

Doctor | King | Mysterious Girl | Scarecrow | Chicken

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 5 nominations

Cast

Fairuza Balk	...	Dorothy
Nicol Williamson	...	Dr. Worley / The Nome King
Jean Marsh	...	Nurse Wilson / Mombi
Piper Laurie	...	Aunt Em
Matt Clark	...	Uncle Henry
Michael Sundin	...	Tik-Tok
Tim Rose	...	Tik-Tok
Sean Barrett	...	Tik-Tok (voice)
Mak Wilson	...	Billina
Denise Bryer	...	Billina (voice)
Brian Henson	...	Jack Pumpkinhead (voice)
Stewart Larange	...	Jack Pumpkinhead
Lyle Conway	...	Gump (voice)
Stephen Norrington	...	Gump (as Steve Norrington)
Justin Case	...	Scarecrow

Also Known As:

Oz (USA) (working title)
The Adventures of the Devil in the Sky (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

113 min | Finland:110 min (uncut) | Finland:109 min (cut)

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | Dolby (35 mm prints)

Certification:

Canada:G (Nova Scotia) (original rating) | Canada:PG (Nova Scotia) (re-rating) (2003) | Finland:K-10 (uncut) | Finland:K-8 (cut) | Netherlands:MG6 | Iceland:L | Iceland:LH (video rating) | Australia:G (re-rating on appeal) | UK:PG (video rating) (1986) | UK:U (original rating) | Australia:PG (original rating) | Sweden:11 | USA:PG | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Elstree Film and TV Studios, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, England, UK

Company:

BMI (No. 9) Ltd.

Trivia:

In order to include the ruby slippers as part of this film, Disney had to pay royalties to MGM, the studio which had produced The Wizard of Oz (1939). The ruby slippers did not appear in the original novel "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz"; they were invented for the 1939 film to better take advantage of the newly developed Technicolor process. Interestingly enough, in "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz," Dorothy wore a pair of magical silver shoes which were actually destroyed when she used them to return to Kansas. In the subsequent novel "Ozma of Oz," one of the books on which this film is based, Dorothy and her friends meet the Nome King who possesses a magical belt with properties similar to those of the silver shoes. Early drafts of the script for Return to Oz reflect this, with the Nome King possessing a magical ruby belt which had been created from the ruby slippers.

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): Doctor Worley says that 1900 is the first year of the 20th century. 1900 is the last year of the 19th century. The first year of the 20th century is 1901.

Quotes:

Billina: Some place for a chicken coop! How big is this pond anyway?
Dorothy: I don't think it's a pond, Billina. When did you learn to talk anyway? I thought hens could only cluck and cackle.
Billina: Strange, ain't it? How's my grammar?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Beetle Juice (1988)

Not a sequel, judge it on it's own merits.

Despite the title, this is not a sequel to the classic film that everyone loves. This is a different story about Dorothy and OZ that is actually more faithful to the series of L. Frank Baum books than the Judy Garland film was. Tik-Tok, Jack Pumpkinhead, Mombi, the gnome king, and the wheelers were as much a part of the original stories (published in the very early 1900's) as the scarecrow and tin man were. I understand why some people don't like the movie as I didn't the first time I saw it. No film that trashes emerald city and has Dorothy recieving shock treatment is going to make fans of the first film very happy.

However on my second veiwing years later it was nice to get an idea of the much darker vision that the author of the books had created. He created an OZ that had a very scary side to it, but ultimately good would always triumph. Although this isn't a film for kids under 8 years of age, I believe most kids would probably like it. I do think the special effects could have been a little better, as this was made in 1985. And I wish that they would have had Dorothy interact more with the scarecrow, lion and tin man.

If you only want to see more of the first film then I wouldn't recommend this, otherwise enjoy.