Return to Oz is a 1985 film which is the semi-sequel to Victor Fleming's The Wizard of Oz. It was made by Walt Disney Pictures without the involvement of MGM, the studio that made the 1939 film. However, no approval was necessary, because by 1985, all of the Oz books on which the film was based were in the public domain. A large fee was paid, however, to use the ruby slippers, which were still the intellectual property of MGM at the time (the rights to the 1939 film and all elements now rest with Time Warner). The film was directed by Walter Murch, did not fare well at the box office and received mixed reviews from critics.
Plot summary
The movie's plot is a combination of L. Frank Baum's novels Ozma of Oz and The Marvelous Land of Oz, sequels to the novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.
It has been six months after the events of The Wizard of Oz and Journey Back to Oz, and Dorothy Gale (Fairuza Balk) cannot stop thinking about the experience and her friends the Scarecrow, the Tin Man and the Cowardly Lion. One night Dorothy sees a shooting star, and the next morning while checking for eggs from her hen Billina, Dorothy comes across a key that she thinks was sent from Oz on that shooting star. Aunt Em (Piper Laurie) is concerned over Dorothy's inability to sleep since her return, so she sends Dorothy to stay overnight at Dr. Worley (Nicol Williamson)'s clinic in Cottonwood Falls to "cure" her by electro-shock therapy. When waiting in her assigned room that night, Dorothy is visited by a mysterious blonde girl (Emma Ridley) who later helps Dorothy escape from the clinic when she reveals that patients have been driven insane by Worley's treatment. However, they are pursued by Nurse Wilson (Jean Marsh), and the two girls fall into the nearby river; Dorothy manages to climb aboard a chicken coop, but the other girl presumably drowns.
Dorothy awakens to find herself back in Oz with Billina, who now can talk (Denise Bryer). The two venture across the Deadly Desert, and upon entering the nearby forest, discover the yellow brick road destroyed. Dorothy follows it all the way to the ruins of the Emerald City, which has been deprived of all its emeralds. All its civilians, including the Tin Woodman and Cowardly Lion, have also been turned to stone. The Scarecrow, who was King of Oz, is missing. The city is policed with wheelers, humanoids with wheels instead of hands and feet. Hiding in a secret room accessed by the key obtained at the beginning of the film, Dorothy and Billina meet the Royal Army of Oz, Tik-Tok, a clockwork robotic man. After beating up the Wheelers, Tik-Tok makes one talk and take them to Princess Mombi, who is now the ruler of the city. Mombi, who is a witch and has 31 interchangeable heads, explains that the Nome King was behind the destruction of the Emerald City and the kidnapping of the Scarecrow.
Mombi locks Dorothy and Billina in the attic, where they meet Jack Pumpkinhead, a friendly stick man with a pumpkin for a head. He explains he was brought to life by Mombi's Powder of Life, and this gives Dorothy an idea to escape. Dorothy and Jack restore a wound-down Tik-Tok, who helps Jack build a flying machine using sofas and the head of a Gump, a moose-like animal. Dorothy steals Mombi's Powder of Life to bring the Gump to life, but Mombi catches her in the act. The group escapes on the Gump, who is able to fly. After flying all night, they later crash-land on the mountain of the Nome King. The Nome King explains to Dorothy that the Scarecrow "stole" the emeralds of the Emerald City, and he only reacted accordingly. The Nome King also reveals that he is now in possession of the Ruby Slippers, which allowed him to conquer Oz.
The Nome King takes pity on Dorothy when she cries, and offers her a chance to set things right. One by one, Dorothy and her friends venture into the king's ornament room, to search for an ornament that the Scarecrow has been transformed into. They each have three guesses, but if they fail, they themselves become transformed into ornaments and the Nome king increasingly becomes more human from his rock-like state. All fail except Dorothy, whose last guess frees the Scarecrow from his enchantment, realizing that all the ornaments that contain her friends are colored Green. Dorothy's friends are restored one by one, when an enraged Nome King attacks. He tries to eat Jack, but Billina, hidden inside Jack's head, lays an egg which falls down the king's throat, killing him (due to the fact eggs are poisonous to Nomes). Reclaiming the Ruby Slippers, Dorothy wishes for all her friends to escape the mountain, and to restore the Emerald City and all its citizens. They then find themselves in a peaceful field in the moonlight, accompanied by a trapped Mombi. (Who had been encased in a jail cell earlier by the Nome king)
The citizens of Oz celebrate Dorothy's triumph and ask her to become the Queen of Oz, but she declines in favor of returning to Kansas. The blond girl from the clinic, seemingly drowned earlier in the story, then appears in a mirror behind Dorothy. It is revealed that she is Princess Ozma, the rightful ruler of Oz, who was sealed away in a mirror by Mombi and the Nome King. Ozma ascends the throne of Oz and Dorothy is returned to her world, where she is found by Toto, Uncle Henry and Aunt Em. Aunt Em reveals that Dr. Worley's clinic burned down during the night and he died trying to save his machines. A jail cart travels by, with Nurse Wilson, looking suspiciously like Mombi, imprisoned inside.
The film concludes with Dorothy's new house being finished, and Ozma and Billina appearing in her bedroom mirror, hinting that her adventures in Oz may not be just a dream.
Cast
- Fairuza Balk as Dorothy Gale
- Nicol Williamson as Dr. Worley & The Nome King
- Jean Marsh as Head Nurse Wilson & Mombi
- Piper Laurie as Aunt Em
- Matt Clark as Uncle Henry
- Michael Sundin & Tim Rose as Tik-Tok (puppeteers)
- Sean Barrett as Tik-Tok (voice)
- Mak Wilson as Billina (puppeteer)
- Denise Bryer as Billina (voice)
- Brian Henson as Jack Pumpkinhead (voice)
- Stewart Larange as Jack Pumpkinhead (puppeteer)
- Lyle Conway as The Gump (voice)
- Steve Norrington as The Gump (puppeteer)
- Pons Maar as Lead Wheeler/Nome Messenger
- Emma Ridley as Ozma
- Justin Case as The Scarecrow
- Various Actors as The Wheelers
- John Alexander as The Lion/Wheeler
- Deep Roy as The Tin Man
- Bruce Boa as Policeman
- Tansy as Toto
Reception
Despite arriving amid much fanfare - the premiere was held at Radio City Music Hall, and a Return to Oz float along with characters from the film appeared as part of Disneyland’s Main Street Electrical Parade - it earned only $2,844,895 in its opening weekend, finishing in seventh place. The film ultimately grossed $11,137,801 in North America. It was a financial failure. However, in recent years, it has gained a cult following and has become popular among fans of the Oz franchise.
Awards
Received an Academy Award nomination for "Best Visual Effects". Fairuza Balk and Emma Ridley were nominated for Young Artist Awards. The film received two Saturn Award nominations for Best Fantasy Film and Best Younger Actor (Fairuza Balk).
Cultural Influence
- Amelie Gillette of the AV Club frequently refers to the film's dark nature as unsuitable for its intended audience of young children[2] despite it being one of her favorite movies growing up.
See also
References
External links
