Plot: What’s it about?
After her little jaunt through the land of Oz, the little girl with ruby slippers had to open her big yap and tell the story of her journey. Of course, no one believes her story, and Auntie Em thinks a visit to the mental health ward is in order. The doctor agrees some trauma is present, and decides the best approach to curing her is shock therapy. Of course, Dorothy (Fairuza Balk) knows she does need any therapy, let alone shock treatment, so she plans to escape the facility. The nurse in charge of her is a mean old battle ax (Jean Marsh), so the escape wasn’t easy, but Dorothy did manage to get away. Outside, Dorothy and her pet chicken are swept away in a storm, to awake the next morning…in another land. Of course, she is back in Oz, but the once glorious land looks much different now. As she and her now talking chicken wander through the lands, she discovers the yellow brick road has been demolished, many of the residents have been turned to stone, and a new couple rules over the land. Along with her new friends Tik-Tok, Gump, and Jack, Dorothy and her talking chicken are off to the city again, this time to try to save it from certain doom.
As with any movie that tries to follow a massive success, this movie has an uphill battle in most people’s minds. Since the movie was made so long after the original, there is little resemblance, but thankfully this cast and crew created a new spin on Oz, and made a stylish and fun movie in the process. The land of Oz looks much different, and honestly, I find the visuals and characters to be downright spooky at times. The workers at Jim Henson’s place did the animatronics for this movie, and the characters are awesome, very unique in nature and appearance. Tik-Tok is excellent, looking like an early 1900s version of a robot, and anyone with a pumpkin for a head, like Jack, is cool by me. While I am not sure rabid fans of the original will be pleased, those looking for a fun way to spend an hour and a half will be happy. The unique visuals alone are enough to warrant a viewing, and the movie itself has enough entertainment value to watch it a few more times. If you like this movie, you’ll be pleased since the movie has been missing for some time from home video. While this disc is lacking serious supplements, I recommend the disc, for rental or purchase, due to the wonderful film to be found.
This is Fairuza Balk’s first motion picture, and she manages to create an above average rendition of the original Dorothy. While this role had some big shoes to fill, Balk does a superb job, especially given her age and experience. While she isn’t the best actress in the business, Balk always makes her characters memorable, even in the most minor cases. She was the perfect choice for an evil teen in The Craft and made a wonderful rebel girlfriend in The Waterboy. Other memorable performances can be found in American History X, Things To Do In Denver When You’re Dead, and The Island of Doctor Moreau. Jean Marsh plays the nurse in charge of Dorothy, and she gives the role a natural and scary feel. Marsh (Willow, The Changeling) has a resume with varied roles, but she is always good as the bad woman. The supporting cast in Return To Oz includes Matt Clark (Class Action, A Stranger In The Kingdom), Piper Laurie (Inherit The Wind, The Crossing Guard), and Nicol Williamson (Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride, Christopher Columbus).
Video: How does it look?
Return To Oz is presented in a 1.85:1 widescreen transfer, which is not enhanced for widescreen televisions. For those who despise those black bars, a full frame version is also included on the disc. The colors look excellent, handling both bright and more natural tones with no problems at all. The contrast levels also perform well, with good shadow layering and no detail loss is evident. While anamorphic enhancement would have made the image a little sharper, Disney would not allow Anchor Bay to create a new transfer.
Audio: How does it sound?
A remastered Dolby Digital 5.1 track powers the audio, which is outstanding. The surrounds, including the subwoofer, will be active throughout the movie, setting a good atmosphere for the events. Dialogue is crisp and clear as well, every word is heard perfectly.
Supplements: What are the extras?
The disc includes an introduction from Fairuza Balk, as well as an interview featurette with her. The interview is quite good, and gives insight into the casting process and on the set anecdotes.
