Return to Oz – Why is it Not Mentioned More?

Published June 19, 2011

When people begin listing their favorite fantasy movies from years gone by, why don’t they bring up Return to Oz – with a child actress by the truly fantastical name of Fairuza Balk – more often? The usual suspects are Labyrinth, Legend, Princess Bride and Willow, but Return to Oz is just as good.

For those who have seen the movie and may be groaning, “What? No way is that as good as The Princess Bride!” just give me a minute to explain what I mean here.

The story is pretty straight-forward, but many fantasy movie scripts are. The acting is so-so, but again, that’s nothing strange. The special effects are really pretty cool, considering the age of the movie. Come on! Giant talking rock faces in mountains? It’s an old movie, and you get what’s good for the time it came out. But again, you get the same thing in the other classics. Giant shrieking eels aren’t really the apex of modern movie magic, huh?

The ambience – yeah, fancy word for the Brooklyn dragon – is surreal.

And THAT is what makes this movie a great fantasy flick. In the destroyed city of Oz, you have these wildly cackling Wheelies who reminded me of a cross between bicycles and the teddy boys from A Clockwork Orange. The princess witch takes off her head and swaps it with the heads of a dozen or so hot chicks she offed in the past. Awesome!