Wizard of Oz

Post by **Mason_Ireton** » March 12th, 2005, 7:18 pm

I got this crazy idea during play pratice, I was looking at our play's script Wizard of Oz and I realized that the book would be the perfect Disney animated film course they would stir away from the famous Judy Garland film and define the characters then MGM did back in 1939, I would cast: Anne Hathaway or Christy Carlson Romano as Dorthey, Dick Van Dyke as the Wizard, Debbie Reynolds as Aunt Em, Patrick Stewart as Uncle Henry, Nathlan Lane or Toby Magiure as Scarecrow, Peter Behn as Tinman, Eartha Kitt as Wicked Witch, Mike Myers as Lion, and Julie Andrews as Glinda. You come up how this possible movie idea would work for a animated feature.

Post by **askmike1** » March 12th, 2005, 9:29 pm

Although not animated, Disney is currently doing the Muppets Wizard of Oz staring Kermit, Miss. Piggy, Fozzy, Gonzo, Ashanti, Queen Latifa, and a cameo by Quentin Tarantino. It looks really good and will air on ABC in May of this year. Also in it are Beaker, Bean Bunny, Sam the Eagle, Animal, Rizzo, Statler & Waldorf, Bunsen, Swedish Chef, Jeffery Tambor & David Alan Grier.

Post by **Mason_Ireton** » March 12th, 2005, 10:22 pm

I know, but I see the classic tale being touched as animated feature with Disney magic, and if the oringal material is studied properly then the story will work as a feature length.

Post by **Josh** » March 12th, 2005, 10:27 pm

From what I understand, Walt Disney considered making an animated Wizard of Oz either before or after Snow White. I am not sure why he never did, though. However, one of the major problems with creating a new Wizard of Oz musical is that it will always be compared to the timeless Judy Garland classic. In my opinion, if a studio ever wants to create another epic Oz feature that will be as accepted as Garland's, then the new movie will have to be a project as grand as the Lord of the Rings films.

Still, I would be open-minded to a Wizard of Oz traditionally animated musical.

GeorgeC · Post by **GeorgeC** » March 13th, 2005, 7:44 am

Disney had the rights to Oz books for years but only made one film true to the original books' designs.

That film, Return to Oz, Faruza Balk's first movie, was a commercial disaster. Besides being unfairly compared to the MGM Judy Garland movie, it was deemed to scary for kids. (To be frank, the witch in that film scared the hell out of me, too!

)

I wonder if any of the parents who saw that film with kids had ever read the books?

The point is that Return to Oz was far truer to the spirit of the original Frank L. Baum banks than the MGM musical starring a NEARLY-ADULT Judy Garland and visually close the original artistic style of the Oz books. Those books were NOT a "gay-old" time extravaganzas like the MGM film.

The problem is that as books get older and people move away from reading older literature, films often get defined as the "definitive" versions of stories. It's happened not only with The Wizard of Oz but also a ton of even older fairy tales that ironically Disney has turned into animated features!

Anyhow, after the failure of Return to Oz, the Disney company backed away from seriously pursuing adaptations of the Oz books until somebody got the bright idea to do a new version with the Muppets and another version of Brandy!

Although the Muppets are new to the mix, this wouldn't be the first time a black actress was cast as Dorothy! Anybody else remember The Wiz with Diana Ross and much younger, still-black Michael Jackson as the Scarecrow?

P.S. -- If you're interested in seeing it on DVD, The Wiz is sold in the cheap DVD sections of both Media Play and Best Buy. It still occasionally pops up for $8.99 or less...

Post by **askmike1** » March 13th, 2005, 11:16 am

Also, I believe this is the first time that dorothy has been true to the book (with black hair).

Post by **Josh** » March 13th, 2005, 2:31 pm

I thought Dorothy was blonde in the book.

Post by **Ben** » March 13th, 2005, 4:47 pm

The Wiz is a terrible film George! I'd put it on a great double-bill with Xanadu!

The Oz books were all re-printed when Return To Oz came out (their big mistake in inviting comparisons to the 1939 version? Making it a "sequel") and I piocked them all up.

They'd make great LOTR trype films, once we're done with Narnia. Maybe Hugh Lofting's Dr Doolittle books could be taken seriously as well!

GeorgeC · Post by **GeorgeC** » March 13th, 2005, 11:31 pm

Whoaaa...!

I never claimed The Wiz was a great film!

That's the reason I suggested people pick it up CHEAP...

Seriously, though, I got a lot of the Baum Oz books, too. A company named Books of Wonder published hardcover facsimiles of the original books starting around 10 years ago. I got most of them except perhaps the last 2-4. (Sorta lost interest in them, but I may get the rest online...) Baum wrote something like around 14-16 Oz books. The majority of the books written after he died were written by people not associated with him (with the exception of the second Oz illustrator who wrote 3-4 books himself). Oddly enough, Baum's great-grandson wrote an Oz book around 12 years ago...

GeorgeC · Post by **GeorgeC** » July 8th, 2005, 8:44 pm

From theDigitalBits.com, Friday July 8, 2005 --

"Warner has revealed that it will debut new 2-disc and 3-disc versions of The Wizard of Oz on DVD on 10/25. The 2-disc edition will SRP for $29.99, while the 3-disc will be $39.92. Both editions will include newly-remastered video (using Warner's Ultra Resolution process) and audio, audio commentary with historian John Fricke, 4 documentaries (including one on the restoration), deleted scenes and outtakes, composer Harold Arlen's home movies from the set, recording session materials, radio shows and promo spots. The 3-disc version will add a documentary about Oz author L. Frank Baum, 5 pre-1939 Oz movies and reproductions of the film's premiere invitation and program."

Am I glad I waited! The 3-disc edition is the one for collectors to get!

Fantastic film... It's being shown around the world more recently in refugee camps -- including those in Afghanistan. Very uplifting and magical for sad times.

Post by **Randall** » July 9th, 2005, 4:14 pm

This sounds like an amazing release. Warner knows how to do right by classic films. Their multi-disc sets are just terrific.

Post by **Ben** » July 10th, 2005, 6:54 am

I still have the Ultimate Oz LD release with all the plethora of extras on that.

Seems most of that was ported to the current SE, but this sounds great! Only problem is how I am going to afford all the titles coming at the end of the year - Ben Hur, King Kong, Titanic, War Of The Worlds and the Disney Treasures are all must haves, as well as standard releases that I'd buy in any month anyway, plus Cinderella, and... oh my...

I wonder if there will be anything dropped from the current release, of it it will all get dragged across?

Post by **Wonderlicious** » July 12th, 2005, 12:44 pm

Despite having the old 1 disc, I've got to get that new 3 disc set as soon as possible. But I can imagine Warner UK not releasing it ala Willy Wonka special edition, so it looks like I'll have to import.

Post by **Ben** » July 12th, 2005, 2:34 pm

Best way anyway. You'll get it at the right speed and pitch!

That's why I always import my films from the US, and out of my collection, only three/four are PAL discs.

Post by **Wonderlicious** » July 15th, 2005, 1:45 pm

Ben wrote:Best way anyway. You'll get it at the right speed and pitch!

That's why I always import my films from the US, and out of my collection, only three/four are PAL discs.

I'm not that picky with films normally (;)), but you've got a good point saying that with this film...then I may be able to listen to the dark side of the moon perfectly , typo! I mean, listen to Judy Garland perfectly whilst watching the movie!

Wizard of Oz

Wizard of Oz

RE: Wizard of OZ

New Wizard of Oz DVD release in fall...