If you’ve ever wondered how the Wizard in THE WIZARD OF OZ
(1939) came to be in Oz, or how the good and wicked witches became good and
wicked, then you will have all your answers this week, when director Sam Raimi
(EVIL DEAD, SPIDER-MAN) brings his new film, OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL to the
big screens. Raimi’s film is an un-official prequel to L. Frank Baum’s 1900
novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and the 1939 film.
Raimi’s film is certainly not the first return to Oz since
Judy Garland swooned her way into our hearts via glorious Technicolor all those
years ago. Since 1939, there have been seven films serving as official and
un-official sequels. These have ranged from animated versions, foreign films,
musicals and even a Muppet version. Raimi’s version, which is not a musical, is
CGI-heavy and looks to re-capture a lot of the whimsy that the 1939 film had.
Nostalgia may be on the plate, but there may be a few things missing…
Various lawsuits and litigation over the ownership of OZ
left Raimi with a few restrictions. Warner Bros. holds exclusive rights to
certain “iconic elements” of the 1939 OZ which they are not letting go of.
These elements include the Ruby Slippers and character likenesses such as the
Scarecrow, Cowardly Lion, and the Tin Man. The restrictions extended all the
way to the mole on the Wicked Witch’s chin…and the shade of green to her skin. However,
the restrictions do not seem to consider the Flying Monkeys to be an iconic
element, for they feature prominently in the trailers. Weird.
With this film taking place (presumably) decades before
Dorothy was even born, then it makes logical movie-sense for this story to
exclude certain elements. However, Raimi may have a few clever tricks up his
sleeve. His work-around for the Wicked Witch’s skin issue was to simply make it
a different shade of green, and there is nothing stopping him from at least
alluding to or making a sneaky reference to those pesky Ruby Slippers.
OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL seems to be offering a lot of
answers to questions that people have never really been asking…how the Wizard
wound up behind that curtain never really seemed to bother anyone; filmgoers
seemed content with the light inferences made in the original film. Either way,
a return trip is upon us, and considering the long and lasting legacy the
magical land of Oz still holds, there has to be a lot of curiosity.
*OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL is directed by Sam Raimi and is being released by Walt Disney Pictures. It stars James Franco, Mila Kunis, Michelle Williams, and Rachel Weisz. It opens Friday, March 8th.
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