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'{{Short description|1985 film directed by Walter Murch}} {{Other uses}} {{Infobox film | name = Return to Oz | image = Returntoozposter.jpg | caption = Theatrical release poster by [[Drew Struzan]] | director = [[Walter Murch]] | producer = [[Paul Maslansky]] | screenplay = Walter Murch <br/> [[Gill Dennis]] | story = [[Gill Dennis]] | based_on = {{based on|''[[The Marvelous Land of Oz]]'' and ''[[Ozma of Oz]]''|[[L. Frank Baum]]}} | starring = {{Plainlist|<!--Per poster billing--> * [[Nicol Williamson]] * [[Jean Marsh]] * [[Piper Laurie]] * [[Fairuza Balk]] }} | music = [[David Shire]] | cinematography = [[David Watkin (cinematographer)|David Watkin]]<br />[[Freddie Francis]] (uncredited) | editing = Leslie Hodgson | studio = [[Walt Disney Pictures]]<br />[[Silver Screen Partners ]] | distributor = [[Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures|Buena Vista Distribution]] | released = {{film date|1985|6|21|United States}} | runtime = 113 minutes | country = United States<br/>United Kingdom | language = English | budget = $28 million<ref>{{cite news|title= Disasters Outnumber Movie Hits|work= [[South Florida Sun-Sentinel]]|url= http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1985-09-04/features/8502060585_1_ticket-million-box-office|access-date=2012-06-05}}</ref> | gross = $11.1 million (USA) }} '''''Return to Oz''''' is a 1985 British-American [[dark fantasy|dark]] [[fantasy film]] released by [[Walt Disney Pictures]], directed and written by [[Walter Murch]], co-written by [[Gill Dennis]] and produced by [[Paul Maslansky]]. It stars [[Nicol Williamson]], [[Jean Marsh]], [[Piper Laurie]], and [[Fairuza Balk]] as [[Dorothy Gale]] in her first screen role. The film is an [[unofficial sequel]] to the 1939 [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer]] film ''[[The Wizard of Oz (1939 film)|The Wizard of Oz]],'' and it is based on [[L. Frank Baum]]'s early 20th century [[List of Oz books|''Oz'' novels]], mainly ''[[The Marvelous Land of Oz]]'' (1904) and ''[[Ozma of Oz]]'' (1907). In the plot, Dorothy returns to the [[Land of Oz]] to find it has been conquered by the [[Nome King]], and she must restore it with her new friends [[Billina]], [[Tik-Tok (Oz)|Tik-Tok]], [[Jack Pumpkinhead]], [[The Gump]], and [[Princess Ozma]]. In 1954, Walt Disney Productions bought the film rights to Baum's remaining ''Oz'' books to use in the television series ''[[Walt Disney anthology television series|Disneyland]];'' this led to the live-action film ''[[Rainbow Road to Oz]]'', which was never completed. Murch suggested making another ''Oz'' film in 1980. Disney approved the project as they were due to lose the film rights to the series. Though MGM was not involved in the production, Disney had to pay a large fee to use the [[ruby slippers]] created for the 1939 film. ''Return to Oz'' fell behind schedule during production, and, following a change of Disney management, Murch was briefly fired from the project. ''Return to Oz'' was released in theaters on June 21, 1985. It [[Box-office bomb|performed poorly at the box office]], grossing $11.1 million in the United States on a $28 million budget, and received mixed reviews, with critics praising the effects and performances but criticizing the dark content and twisted visuals. However, it performed well outside the U.S and has since acquired a [[cult film|cult following]].<ref name="Geraghty">{{cite book | last =Geraghty | first =Lincoln | title =American Hollywood | publisher = Intellect Books | date =2011 | isbn =978-1-84150-415-5| page =187}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.etonline.com/movies/131252_Return_to_Oz_Flashback_with_Fairuza_Balk/index.html?viewFull=true|title=Flashback Exclusive: A 'Return to Oz'|last=Weiner|first=David|date=March 5, 2013|work=ET Online|access-date=March 15, 2013}}</ref> It received an [[Academy Awards|Oscar]] nomination for [[Academy Award for Best Visual Effects|Best Visual Effects]]. ==Plot== <!--KEEP THIS SHORT. Per WP:FILMPLOT, plots are 400-700 words only--> In October 1899, [[Dorothy Gale]] still talks of her adventure in the [[Land of Oz]], troubling her [[Aunt Em]] and [[Uncle Henry (Oz)|Uncle Henry]], who believe she is fantasizing, as the family struggles financially after the cyclone. In her yard, she finds a key with an Oz insignia. Aunt Em takes her to Dr. J.B. Worley for [[electrotherapy|shock treatment]], leaving her under the care of Nurse Wilson. As Dorothy is about to receive treatment, the asylum is struck by lightning and the power fails. Dorothy is freed from her restraints by a mysterious girl who proceeds to help her flee the asylum, before Dorothy becomes one of the "damaged" patients locked in a cellar. They escape, with Nurse Wilson in pursuit, and fall into a river. Dorothy clambers aboard a chicken coop, but the other girl vanishes. Dorothy wakes up in Oz near the Deadly Desert with her chicken Billina, who can now talk. They find the [[Yellow Brick Road]] and [[Emerald City]] in ruins and its citizens, except for the Scarecrow, have been turned to stone. Cornered by Wheelers, menacing people with wheels instead of hands and feet, they escape into a room as Dorothy opens a door with the Oz key. They meet a mechanical man, [[Tik-Tok (Oz)|Tik-Tok]], who defeats the Wheelers and learns from the Lead Wheeler that King [[Scarecrow (Oz)|Scarecrow]] has been captured by the [[Nome King]], who is responsible for the Emerald City's destruction. They also learn that the witch [[Mombi]] is now ruler of the Emerald City. They encounter Mombi in the royal palace, who decides to imprison Dorothy to take her head for her collection. In a locked room at the top of the palace, Dorothy, Billina, and Tik-Tok meet [[Jack Pumpkinhead]], who explains he was brought to life via Mombi's [[Land of Oz#Powder of Life|Powder of Life]], which gives them an idea of how to escape. They assemble a creature with furniture, rope, and the head of a moose-like animal called the [[List of Oz characters (created by Baum)#The Gump|Gump]]. Dorothy steals the Powder of Life from Mombi, but awakes her many heads, then rushes back to her friends to use the powder to bring the Gump to life. As he flies them across the [[Deadly Desert]], Mombi sends the Wheelers after them, but half of them are killed by turning into sand by touching the Deadly Desert. The next day, the remaining Wheelers take Mombi the safe route (The Nome King's Tunnel) towards the Nome King's Mountain. A collapsing Gump crashes on the mountain of the Nome King, who creates an earthquake to bring them all underground. There he tells Dorothy that he has turned the Scarecrow into an ornament and challenges Dorothy and her companions to identify which. After three guesses each, the Gump, Jack and Tik-Tok all fail and are turned into ornaments themselves. Before Dorothy's turn, the Nome King reveals he has the [[ruby slippers]] and offers to use them to return her home, but she refuses. She enters the ornament and gets her first two guesses wrong as Mombi arrives at the mountain with her Wheelers. With her third guess, Dorothy finds the Scarecrow and realizes the people of Oz turn into green ornaments, going on to restore Jack and Gump. Enraged, the Nome King imprisons Mombi for allowing Dorothy's escape, then assumes a fiery giant form in order to prevent the others from leaving. He prepares to eat Jack, but Billina, hiding in Jack's head, lays an egg which falls into the Nome King's mouth. As eggs are poisonous to Nomes, the Nome King and all of his kingdom begin to wither and crumble. As the mountain starts to collapse around them, Dorothy finds the ruby slippers. She quickly puts them on and wishes for the group to be returned to a restored Emerald City. There, they mourn the loss of Tik-Tok until Billina notices a green medal stuck on one of the Gump's antlers, allowing Dorothy to restore him. At a celebration, Dorothy is asked to be Queen of Oz, but she instead wants to return to Kansas. [[Princess Ozma]], the rightful ruler of Oz imprisoned in a mirror by Mombi, is released by Dorothy and now free to take her place on the throne of Oz. Dorothy hands over the ruby slippers to Ozma, who sends Dorothy home, assures her that she will check in on her from time to time, and that she can return to Oz at any time. Billina remains behind in Oz. In Kansas, Dorothy's family finds her on a riverbank. Aunt Em reveals that Worley's hospital was struck by lightning and burned down, and Worley died trying to save his machines. They see Nurse Wilson locked in a cage on a police buggy. In the rebuilt farmhouse, Dorothy can still see Billina and Ozma in Oz through her bedroom mirror, before going outside to play with Toto. ==Cast== ===Live action=== {{Cast listing| * [[Fairuza Balk]] as [[Dorothy Gale]] * [[Nicol Williamson]] as Dr. J.B. Worley/[[Nome King]] * [[Jean Marsh]] as Nurse Wilson/[[Mombi]] **[[Sophie Ward]] as Mombi II ** [[Fiona Victory]] as Mombi III * [[Piper Laurie]] as [[Aunt Em]] * [[Matt Clark (actor)|Matt Clark]] as [[Uncle Henry (Oz)|Uncle Henry]] * Emma Ridley as the Girl at the hospital/[[Princess Ozma]] * Justin Case as the [[Scarecrow (Oz)|Scarecrow]] * [[Pons Maar]] as Lead Wheeler/Nurse Wilson's assistant * [[Bruce Boa]] as Policeman * Tansy as [[Toto (Oz)|Toto]] * John Alexander, Rachael Ashton, Robbie Barnett, Ailsa Berk, Peter Elliott, Roger Ennals, Michele Hine, Mark Hopkins, Colin Skeaping, Ken Stevens, Philip Tan and Rob Thirtle as the Wheelers }} ===Voice cast=== {{Cast listing| * [[Denise Bryer]] as Billina * [[Sean Barrett (actor)|Sean Barrett]] as Tik-Tok * [[Brian Henson]] as Jack Pumpkinhead * Lyle Conway as the Gump * [[Pons Maar]] as Nome Messenger * Beatrice Murch as Princess Ozma (uncredited) }} ===Puppeteers=== {{Cast listing| * [[Mak Wilson]] as [[Billina]] * [[Timothy D. Rose]] as [[Tik-Tok (Oz)|Tik-Tok]] (head operator) * [[Michael Sundin]] as Tik-Tok (in-suit performer) * [[Brian Henson]] and Stewart Larange as [[Jack Pumpkinhead]] * Lyle Conway and [[Stephen Norrington|Steve Norrington]] as [[The Gump]] * [[Deep Roy]] as the [[Tin Woodman|Tin Man]] * John Alexander as the [[Cowardly Lion]] }} ==Development== [[Walter Murch]] began development of ''Return to Oz'' in 1980, during a brain-storming session with [[Walt Disney Pictures|Walt Disney Productions]] production chief Tom Wilhite. Murch told Wilhite he was interested in making an ''Oz'' film and Wilhite "sort of straightened up in his chair". Unbeknownst to Murch, Disney owned the rights to the ''Oz'' series and wanted to make a new film as the [[copyright]] was soon to expire.<ref name="murchinterview">{{cite news|url=http://www.filmfreakcentral.net/ffc/2012/05/a-conversation-ffc-interviews-walter-murch.html|title=A Conversation with Walter Murch|last=Chambers|first=Bill|date=May 9, 2000|work=Film Freak Central|access-date=2010-01-13}}</ref> ''Return to Oz'' is based on the second and third ''Oz'' books, ''[[The Marvelous Land of Oz]]'' (1904) and ''[[Ozma of Oz]]'' (1907). The element about [[Tik-Tok (Oz)|Tik-Tok]] being "The Royal Army of Oz" derives from ''[[Tik-Tok of Oz]]'' (1914), in which he is made the Royal Army of [[Oogaboo]] and also makes frequent cries of "Pick me up!" That book was itself based on a dramatic production, ''[[The Tik-Tok Man of Oz]]'' (1913). Murch also used the book ''[[Wisconsin Death Trip]]'' as a historical source for the film.<ref>{{cite book | title=The Conversations: Walter Murch and the Art of Editing Film | author=Ondaatje, Michael | year=2002 | page=6}}</ref> Murch took a darker take on Baum's source material than the 1939 adaptation, which he knew starting out would be a gamble. Between the development period and actual shooting, there was a change of leadership at the Walt Disney studios (with Wilhite replaced by Richard Berger), and the film's budget increased.<ref name="lakelandledger">{{Cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=rwEhk56xNqMC&dat=19850623&printsec=frontpage&hl=en|title=Lakeland Ledger - Google News Archive Search|website=News.google.com}}</ref> ==Casting== [[Leo McKern]] and [[Christopher Lloyd]] were each considered for the role of Dr. J.B. Worley/The Nome King before Nicol Williamson was cast.{{sfn|Arnold|2013|p=537}} ==Production== Once shooting began, Murch began to fall behind schedule, and there was further pressure from the studio. Five weeks into production, Disney was unhappy with the footage and fired Murch. High-profile film-makers including [[George Lucas]] and [[Francis Ford Coppola]] supported Murch in discussions with the studio, and Murch was reinstated and finished the film.<ref name="murchinterview" /><ref name="lakelandledger" /> Lucas guaranteed that he would step in as replacement if any further problems emerged.<ref name="murchinterview" /> The film was developed and produced without the involvement of [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer]], the studio behind the 1939 film. No approval was necessary because, by 1985, the ''Oz'' books on which it was based were in the [[public domain]], and the subsequent ''Oz'' books had been optioned to Disney many years earlier.{{sfn|Arnold|2013|p=537}} The [[ruby slippers]] were created by MGM specifically for the 1939 film to replace the [[Silver Shoes]] of the original stories{{sfn|Wolf|2016|p=186}} and, as the slippers remained MGM's [[intellectual property]], a fee was paid.{{sfn|Arnold|2013|p=537}} [[Principal photography]] began on February 20, 1984, and [[Wrap (filmmaking)|wrapped]] in October 1984.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1985/06/16/movies/after-46-years-hollywood-revisits-oz.html|title=AFTER 46 YEARS, HOLLYWOOD REVISITS OZ|first=Aljean|last=Harmetz|date=June 16, 1985|via=NYTimes.com}}</ref> Balk and Ridley, the only two child actors on set, had limited working hours per day.{{Citation needed|date=March 2020}} Whilst Balk did her own stunts, Ridley had a stand-in. Ridley, who was born in London, had her voice in the film dubbed by Beatrice Murch, daughter of Walter Murch, so that the character of Ozma would have an American-sounding voice.<ref name="ridley_interview_2015">{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TkMNzUtF4ds |title=Return to Oz - Emma Ridley "Ozma" Interview by Ryan Jay |date=September 2015 |access-date=21 March 2020}}</ref> Various scenes, in particular those with the Nome King, used [[clay animation]] to achieve the desired effect. When interviewed in 2020, director and animator Doug Aberle explained the process involved in animating the Nome King and other characters with clay, including the technical difficulties encountered. Each section, such as the outside rocks with faces on, was allocated to an animator. Nome King scenes in the throne room were animated progressively, with the character initially made entirely of clay, progressing gradually closer to human form until finally portrayed by Nicol Williamson in live action. Towards the end of the film when the Nome King crumbles, Aberle explains how it took him four attempts to animate this accurately.<ref name="aberle_interview_2020">{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0TB4JOyK0Ts |title=Return to Oz : I Killed The Nome King : Claymation Documentary 2020 Edition : Doug Aberle |date=March 2020 |access-date=1 August 2021}}</ref> The [[Emerald City]] scenes towards the end of film had to be fully reshot, as the character of Ozma was originally dressed in a gold lace dress which was deemed unsuitable during post-production. The scenes were reshot with the actress wearing a white and green dress.<ref name="ridley_interview_2015"/> At one point during filming these scenes, Balk collapsed due to the high on-set temperature.{{sfn|Arnold|2013|p=536}} ==Release== ===Theatrical=== ''Return to Oz'' had its world premiere in the United States on June 21, 1985. ===Home media=== The film has been released to [[VHS]], [[Betamax]], [[Laserdisc]], [[DVD]], and [[Blu-ray]] over the years. The initial release, to VHS, Laserdisc, and Beta, occurred in December 1985 shortly after the theatrical release, with the VHS initially priced with a list price of $79.95. Disney reissued it in 1992 with alternate cover art. In 1999, [[Anchor Bay Entertainment]], who had obtained the home video rights to several titles from Disney's live-action catalogue, issued the film on full-screen and letterbox VHS, as well as a DVD release featuring both versions. All three releases featured an intro by Fairuza Balk before the film and an interview featurette with her after it. All three versions went out of print shortly after their release. In 2004, Disney released their own DVD, which dropped the Anchor Bay disc's fullscreen version and added anamorphic enhancement for 16:9 TVs for the widescreen version, upgraded the audio to 5.1 surround, retained the Anchor Bay disc's extras, and added four TV spots and a theatrical trailer. In 2015, Disney released a 30th Anniversary Edition of the film on Blu-ray exclusively through the Disney Movie Club, featuring a newly remastered and cleaned up transfer and DTS Master Audio 5.1 sound, but none of the bonus features from the 2004 DVD. It is featured in the "From the Vault" Film section of Disney's streaming platform, [[Disney+]]. ==Reception== ===Box office=== It earned $2,844,895 in its opening weekend, finishing in seventh place.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/weekend/chart/?yr=1985&wknd=25&p=.htm|title=Weekend Box Office Results for June 21-23, 1985 - Box Office Mojo|website=Boxofficemojo.com}}</ref> It ultimately grossed $11,137,801 in North America.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=returntooz.htm|title=Return to Oz (1985) - Box Office Mojo|website=Boxofficemojo.com}}</ref> ===Critical response=== The film received mixed reviews. The [[film-critics|film critics]] aggregator [[Rotten Tomatoes]] records 54% positive reviews based on 35 reviews, its critical consensus reads: "''Return to Oz'' taps into the darker side of L. Frank Baum's book series with an intermittently dazzling adventure that never quite recaptures the magic of its classic predecessor."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1017488_return_to_oz|title=Return to Oz (1985)|website=Rottentomatoes.com}}</ref> Those who were familiar with the [[Oz books]] praised its faithfulness to the source material of [[L. Frank Baum]] such as author and critic [[Harlan Ellison]] who said, “It ain’t Judy Garland. It ain’t hip-hop. But it’s in the tradition of the original Oz books.”<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6YU0jzpUhv4|title=Harlan Ellison's Watching 2|via=www.youtube.com}}</ref> However, many critics described its tone and overall content as slightly too dark and intense for young children. "Children are sure to be startled by its bleakness," said ''[[The New York Times]]''' [[Janet Maslin]].<ref>{{cite news | first=Janet | last=Maslin | title=A New 'Oz' Gives Dorothy New Friends | date=1985-06-21 | url =https://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9F03EFD91039F932A15755C0A963948260 | work =New York Times | access-date = 2010-01-13 }}</ref> Ian Nathan of ''[[Empire Magazine]]'' gave the film a three out of five stars, saying: "This is not so much a sequel but an homage and not a good one."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/return-oz-review/|title=Return To Oz|website=Empire}}</ref> Canadian film critic [[Jay Scott]] felt the protagonists were too creepy and weird for viewers to relate or sympathize with: "Dorothy's friends are as weird as her enemies, which is faithful to the original Oz books but turns out not to be a virtue on film, where the eerie has a tendency to remain eerie no matter how often we're told it's not."<ref>{{cite news | first=Jay | last=Scott | title=Return to Oz | url =http://www.metacritic.com/movie/return-to-oz/critic-reviews | work =Globe and Mail | access-date = 2010-01-13 }}</ref> "It's bleak, creepy, and occasionally terrifying," added Dave Kehr of the ''[[Chicago Reader]]''.<ref>{{cite news | first=Dave | last=Kehr | title=Return to Oz | url =http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/return-to-oz/Film?oid=1073337 | work =The Globe and Mail | access-date = 2010-01-13 }}</ref> [[Amelie Gillette]] of ''[[The A.V. Club]]'' frequently refers to its dark nature as unsuitable for its intended audience of young children<ref name="auto">{{cite web | url=https://www.avclub.com/articles/childhood-scares,26455/ | title=Childhood Scares | publisher=A.V Scares | date=April 10, 2009 | access-date=January 14, 2012}}</ref> although it had been one of her favorite movies growing up.<ref name="auto"/> [[Neil Gaiman]] reviewed ''Return to Oz'' for ''[[Imagine (game magazine)|Imagine]]'' magazine, and stated that "Terrifying and visionary, funny and exciting, Return to Oz is one of the very best fantasy films I've ever seen."<ref name="Imagine29">{{cite journal | last = Gaiman|first = Neil |author-link=Neil Gaiman| title =Fantasy Media | type = review | journal = [[Imagine (AD&D magazine)|Imagine]] | issue = 29| pages =45 | publisher = TSR Hobbies (UK), Ltd. |date=August 1985| issn = }}</ref> ===Awards=== The film received an [[Academy Award]] nomination for Best Visual Effects, but lost to ''[[Cocoon (film)|Cocoon]]''. Fairuza Balk and Emma Ridley were nominated for [[Young Artist Awards]] and multiple [[Young Artist Awards|Youthies]]. It received two [[Saturn Award]] nominations for Best Fantasy Film (losing to ''[[Ladyhawke (film)|Ladyhawke]]'') and Best Younger Actor for Fairuza Balk (who lost to [[Barret Oliver]] for ''[[D.A.R.Y.L.]]''). ==Attraction== The film's interpretation of Oz is featured in the [[Storybook Land Canal Boats]] attraction at [[Disneyland Park (Paris)|Disneyland Park]] in [[Disneyland Paris|Paris]]. ==References== '''Citations''' {{reflist|32em}} '''Sources''' {{refbegin}} * {{cite book |last=Wolf |first=Mark |title=Revisiting Imaginary Worlds: A Subcreation Studies Anthology |year=2016 |publisher=Taylor & Francis |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MTQlDwAAQBAJ |isbn=9781317375944 }} * {{cite book |last=Arnold |first=Mark |title=Frozen in Ice: The Story of Walt Disney Productions, 1966-1985 |year=2013 |publisher=BearManor Media |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sz1KDwAAQBAJ }} {{refend}} ==External links== {{Portal|1980s|Film|United States}} * {{Official website}} * {{IMDb title|0089908|Return to Oz}} * {{allrovi movie|41132|Return to Oz}} * {{rotten-tomatoes|1017488-return_to_oz|Return to Oz}} * {{mojo title|returntooz|Return to Oz}} {{The Wizard of Oz (1939 film)}} {{Oz}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Return To Oz}} [[Category:1980s fantasy adventure films]] [[Category:1985 directorial debut films]] [[Category:1985 films]] [[Category:American dark fantasy films]] [[Category:American fantasy adventure films]] [[Category:American films]] [[Category:American sequel films]] [[Category:Apocalyptic films]] [[Category:British fantasy adventure films]] [[Category:British films]] [[Category:British sequel films]] [[Category:Films about witchcraft]] [[Category:Films about psychiatry]] [[Category:Films based on American novels]] [[Category:Films based on fantasy novels]] [[Category:Films based on multiple works of a series]] [[Category:Films based on The Wizard of Oz]] [[Category:Films based on works by L. Frank Baum]] [[Category:Films produced by Paul Maslansky]] [[Category:Films set in 1899]] [[Category:Films set in Kansas]] [[Category:Films set in psychiatric hospitals]] [[Category:Films shot at Elstree Studios]] [[Category:Films shot in Hertfordshire]] [[Category:Films scored by David Shire]] [[Category:Films using stop-motion animation]] [[Category:Films with live action and animation]] [[Category:Unofficial sequel films]] [[Category:Walt Disney Pictures films]]'