Return to Oz (1985)

Very close to L. Frank Baum's books

By RobA  Aug 16, 2002

I read the whole series of Oz books before seeing this film. This film is actually a combination of books 2 & 3, and that is the only reason I mark a point off. Each story could have been told on its own they were so good. The effects (for the fil...m's time) are outstanding, with particular care being paid to make the Oz characters look and feel like the original book artwork. Particularly delightful is Tik-Tok, whom you'll come to love as much as the trio of Dorothy's pals from the first film. If you are an Oz fan, watch the crowd scenes for several cameos of other recognizable Oz characters from the whole book series.Also of note is the marvelous way that the Kansas world once again foreshadows the Oz world. I particularly liked the link between the attendants wheeling squeaky carts and the Wheelers of Oz. Understand that this is not a musical and some scenes are pretty scarey for youngest kids. Winged Monkeys and green witches look simple compared to a few scares here. But this darker natured film is actually much more authentic to L. Frank Baum's style. Still, there is a lot of fun and humor here, and what kid wouldn't be fascinated by a tree that grows picnic lunches? Of course the ending is happy.I just wish Disney had done the whole series... Read more Less