Return to Oz deserves a better DVD! (1 Viewer)

[Brenton]

In this post, I will talk about the 1985 live-action Disney film Return to Oz. For those who have never heard of it or haven't seen it, it's a terrific film based on L. Frank Baum's second and third Oz books, The Marvelous Land of Oz and Ozma of Oz, published in 1904 and 1907, respectively. Made in the dusk of pre-CG effects, it brilliantly utilizes Jim Henson's animatronic technology and Will Vinton's "Claymation". While many people talk about how terrible of a film it is when they compare it to MGM's 1939 release of The Wizard of Oz, the truth is that it wasn't made as a sequel to this film, but rather to the original story, as presented in Baum's 1900 novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. It really is a terrific film.
As the Anchor Bay release of the film three years ago was the first DVD I ever owned, I was unfamiliar with what was considered "good". I naturally loved it. But more recently, I've really gotten into DVD and I've found myself more and more disappointed with this release. Here are the specs on that bare-bones release.

• Widescreen Presentation (1.85:1) - non-anamorphic and full of all the original dust and scratches typical of a celluloid copy shown in theaters for several weeks.
• Pan-and-Scan Presentation (1.33:1) - bleh!
• An introduction star Fairuza Balk (Dorothy) - this is an annoying clip that represents the first chapter of the film. Balk says "Hi, I'm Fairuza Balk, and my first film, Return to Oz is on next. I hope you enjoy it." Then the film begins with Chapter 2. I always press the Skip Forward button and get right to the movie.

And when you go to the menu labled "Extras" (note the plural), you find this (and only this).

• An interview with Balk, called Fairuza Returns to Oz - just over eleven minutes... fairly interesting to watch.

This film deserves much better treatment. Here's the list of specs I would love to see for a Collector's Edition of this incredible movie.

• Anamorphic Widescreen Presentation (1.85:1) - made from a brand new print of the film (and do away with Pan-and-Scan altogether!)
• Surround Sound - Dolby Digital and/or DTS
• Audio Commentary with director/co-writer Walter Murch and star Fairuza Balk (and possibly co-writer Gill Dennis). Murch has such a rich voice, and Balk has sentimental memories of making this film at the tender age of nine.
• Original Theatrical Trailer(s) - I have no idea how many were made, but I know there was at least one, and I'd love to see it!
• Deleted Scenes - if they still exist...
• Documentaries and Featurettes - it would be great to see these cover the following subjects:
  The Oz Books - L. Frank Baum, his books, and the world created therein
  The Animatronic Characters - including Tik-Tok, Jack Pumpkinhead, and the Gump. These things are really breathtaking
  The Visual Effects - even today, Will Vinton's Claymation amazes me. Especially the Nome King's messenger and the scene where the infuriated Nome King attempts to devour Jack and the Gump
  The Actors - for obvious reasons
  The Premiere around the world - I hear the Japanese went nuts over the film, even though it wasn't so well accepted here in the U.S.

As a die-hard Oz fan, I can say that there are many, many people like me who would love to see a release of this nature.

 

[LukeB]

I'm sure Disney would be willing to do a Pan & Scan barebones DVD release of their own, similar to what Journey of Natty Gann received. Be thankful that Anchor Bay was able to release Return to Oz.

 

[Brenton]

From what I've heard, Disney is so ashamed at the box office failure of this movie, that they won't have anything to do with it. On the reverse side of the chapter listing insert included with the DVD is an image of the original poster. The phrase "Walt Disney presents" preceeding the title has been clevery Photoshopped out.

 

[Randy A Salas]

Surround Sound - Dolby Digital and/or DTS

But the DVD does have a DD 5.1 audio track--and a pretty good one, at that. Anchor Bay remixed the audio for the DVD. The bass during the thunderstorm at the asylum is impressive.

 

[Aaron Reynolds]

Please tell me that Walter Murch was involved in the audio remix...I mean, he's a God of sound, and personally I'd rather have his Dolby stereo mix than someone else's DD 5.1 track.

Walter Murch has supervised a number of excellent LD transfers, including Criterion's English Patient. Unless he harbors bad memories of Return to Oz, he could probably be convinced to work on a special edition.

 

[Jesse Skeen]

I have a 5-minute 35mm trailer for Disney's star-studded Summer 1985 lineup- featuring the mega-blockbusters Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend, Return to Oz, and The Black Cauldron.

 

[Rich Romero]

This is most definitely a great movie. One of my favorites when I was a kid.

 

[Vickie_M]

From what I've heard, Disney is so ashamed at the box office failure of this movie, that they won't have anything to do with it.

Then they're idiots. This is a gem, a classic, a brilliant and wonderful film. In disowning this film, if that is the case, they let fear override their good sense. They should be proud of it and realize that those who lambasted this amazing film are in the wrong. That some critics and the public didn't know what to make of this unusual movie doesn't detract a whit from its quality, beauty and magic.

I saw this in the theater when it was first released and it immediately became one of my very favorite films. I was an adult too.

Thank you Anchor Bay for releasing it at all. I assumed I'd never see it on DVD.

But, I'd like all of those extras also. Maybe someday this film will get the respect and attention it deserves.

 

[Brenton]

.

A quality they've proved of themselves by releasing certain films Pan & Scan-only.

 

[rutger_s]

Anchor Bay remixed the audio for the DVD.

The 5.1 soundtrack is not remixed. It is the original soundmix just like Apocalypse Now.

 

[Vickie_M]

Unless he harbors bad memories of Return to Oz, he could probably be convinced to work on a special edition.

Without knowing the man, or having a clue as to what he thinks, I would guess that the only bad memories he has of RTO has to do with the bad reviews from critics who didn't get it, and the public staying away. He has nothing to feel bad about concerning the film itself. It's a precious gem.
He never did make another movie though. I'd bet the negative reactions really hurt. :frowning:

 

[Vickie_M]

A quality they've proved of themselves by releasing certain films Pan & Scan-only

True. I was looking forward to The Journey of Natty Gann until I heard it was Pan&Scam. I would've been first in line, but now I refuse to buy it.

 

[Esten]

I really like this movie.I think it's better than "Wizard of Oz".Seriously.
I'd gladly buy a Special Edition.

 

[Richard Stammer]

Well, I remember Siskel and Ebert doing an entire show LAMBASTING this movie and the gaul of the makers in even considering doing another OZ movie. There contempt for this movie literally dripped from the screen. I couldn't believe it. I was particularly appalled at Ebert, who displayed no depth of knowledge about the original Baum books and how much closer this version was to the tone and illustrations of the second and third books.

I loved this movie as an adult. I thought Balk was terrific as Dorothy. I found it a haunting, beautiful movie. I showed it on video to my young nephew and he fell in love with it, watching it so many times that the tape wore out. I remember other adults so appalled at the witch's headless scenes and how they were too scary for children to see. Yeah, just give them some more Scoopy-doo crap. Absolutley no knowledge of the power of myth and fairy tale and a healthy child's ability to discriminate what is real and what is fantasy. So sad.

Fortunately, there are still many fans of this movie and we'll make sure that it stays alive even if the bunglers and anti-intellectuals at Disney don't have a clue.

 

[Vickie_M]

Well, I remember Siskel and Ebert doing an entire show LAMBASTING this movie and the gaul of the makers in even considering doing another OZ movie. There contempt for this movie literally dripped from the screen. I couldn't believe it. I was particularly appalled at Ebert, who displayed no depth of knowledge about the original Baum books and how much closer this version was to the tone and illustrations of the second and third books.

I'm glad I didn't see that show, it would've hurt too much. What gets me is that years later, Gene Siskel chose the as-dark-as-RTO and just as wonderful Babe: Pig In The City as that year's best film. I feel very confident in saying that people who like one should almost certainly like the other. They go hand in hand, they're up on the same shelf, cut from the same cloth, etc... I always wanted to urge him to give RTO another try, but it's too late now.
It's key to be able to let go of the first movie (which I grew up with and love too) and watch this on its own terms, keeping in mind that it's far closer to the books than the 1939 film. Many critics just weren't able to do that.
And yes, beautiful and haunting is a perfect way to describe Return To Oz.
Now, y'all get on over to IMDB and give a high vote to this movie. It's got a dismal (for a classic) 6.2 rating.

 

[Brian Kidd]

Having read all of the books as a child, I was astounded at how different the 1939 OZ was from the tone of the series. When RETURN TO OZ came out, I was right there on opening night. I loved it then and still do. I mean, WIZARD OF OZ is a great film for its own reasons, but RTO is definitely closer in spirit to the books.

On a side note, does anyone remember the stage version of THE MARVELOUS LAND OF OZ that played on HBO in the early 80's? Bizarre children's musical filmed in Minnesota, I believe. I ended up finding it in a bargain bin at Blockbuster some years ago. It's actually quite fun and also very close in tone to the original book. Worth a viewing if you can find it.

 

[Aaron Reynolds]

He never did make another movie though. I'd bet the negative reactions really hurt.

The good news is that although he hasn't made another film as a director, he has left his mark on a number of great films as an editor. The supplements on the Criterion Collection laserdisc of The English Patient really show just how much of an impact he had on that film. I truly doubt that it would have been half the film it is without Walter Murch's participation.

Also, I read (around Christmastime, I think) an article in The Globe And Mail in which Michael Ondaatje interviewed Murch about his role in re-constructing Apocalypse Now for its longer re-release, and damn, that man is brilliant. The article was apparently an excerpt from a forthcoming book to be called "Conversations with Murch" or something like that, by Ondaatje. I cannot wait to get my hands on this.

There are a number of articles on the web by Walter Murch (though most of them are about either his reconstruction of Touch of Evil or Apocalypse Now Redux), and they are uniformly great reading, regardless of the subject. The man is a giant in two fields (editing and sound), and has a lot to share. I missed a retrospective of his work in Toronto last year, including a speech by the man himself, and I'm still kicking myself over it.

That Return to Oz would have had a 5.1-style track for 70mm showings should have been obvious to me, since Walter Murch is primarily responsible for the 5.1 orientation we use today (two fronts, two rears, a centre and a sub).

Sorry, I have now posted way too much about Walter Murch. He's a bit of a personal hero of mine. :b

Heck, when I heard those remixes of the Godfather movies on the THX LDs and the new DVDs, I went out looking for his original (genius) mono mixes on laserdisc.

 

[John Berggren]

Way back when this film was being released theatrically, I was quite upset that anyone would make a sequel to the Wizard of Oz many years later. When I finally watched the film, I understood it was not a sequel, and in fact was more closely based on the original books that "The Wizard of Oz" ever was (though that film is a classic in and of itself). I absolutely love Return to Oz. It's unfortunate it didn't do well theatrically, but I think it COULD be embraced today, if people view it from the right perspective.

I love the DVD I have, as I never expected to get anything as good as it was at the time. Today I'd be perfectly happy to replace it with an anamorphic, cleaned up, special feature-enhanced edition.

Bring it on.

 

[Guy Martin]

Aaron-
That's great news about an Ondaatje book about Murch. Anyone with any interest in editing technique and theory owes it to themselves to check out Murch's own In the Blink of an Eye, a truly wonderful book-length essay (and the more recent editions include a wonderfully well thought-out essay on digital editing and filmmaking).
- Guy

 

[Josh Simpson]

I loved this movie. I watched an old VHS copy for years. Then I kind of forgot about it until I saw it on DVD about two years ago. I'd buy an SE of this in a second, though I am happy it's on DVD, unlike some of my favorite movies that arent.