In Defense Of Oz

by Bruce Kimmel

Return To Oz was one of the most critically lambasted movies in recent memory. In addition, audiences stayed away in droves. If one queried people at the time, the answer was usually that they thought the movie too dark and scary for children. Of course, these same people were plunking down their tykes to watch faces implode and bloodily melt away in Raiders Of The Lost Ark and its sequel. Even now when you ask people about Return To Oz they invariably say "Oh, that awful movie!" or some such phrase, but the fact is they usually say that without actually having seen the movie. This is all very unfortunate as Return To Oz is a mostly wonderful picture - well directed (Walter Murch, with an uncredited assist from Coppola and Lucas)-beautifully photographed (David Watkins) and unforgettably scored (David Shire). The one thing it is not, however, is The Wizard of Oz.

Given the unbelievable popularity of The Wizard it was probably a no-win situation for Disney...They were damned no matter what approach they took. No matter that Return to Oz is a lot closer in spirit to the books of L. Frank Baum...People expected to see a movie that would transport them back to the halcyon days of MGM, 3-strip Technicolor, little Judy and the Munchkins and instead they got something a little darker and more subdued. And certainly the film does lack humor. But it is very entertaining, filled with vivid performances of Fairuza Balk as Dorothy, Jean Marsh as Mombi (and various heads) Nicol Williamson as Doctor Worley and the Nome King and Piper Laurie as Aunt Em. There is a haunting quality to much of the film, and some of the images, especially the opening shot of Dorothy lying in bed unable to sleep, stay with you long after the end credits.

Hopefully someday people will discover the movie, and enjoy it for the fine film it is.

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