Return to Oz (TV special)
Return to Oz | |
---|---|
Genre | Videocraft International Crawley Films |
Original release | |
Network | NBC |
Release | February 9, 1964 |
Return to Oz is a 1964
Crawley Films also produced the earlier 1961 animated series Tales of the Wizard of Oz and brought similar artistic character renditions to the special.[3] There is also a 1985 live-action Disney film of the same name.
In the special, Dorothy and Toto arrived back at Oz, after they received a letter from one of her Oz friends wanting her back, only to later be warned by a good witch, Glinda, regarding the Wicked Witch of the West, who has been restored back to life, and cast the dark spell by erasing her friends' abilities and kidnapping the Wizard of Oz for her revenge plot on Dorothy to steal away her magic silver slippers. So along with the assist of her Oz pals, Dorothy and Toto must journey to foil and rid Oz of the Wicked Witch for good.
Plot
The plot is virtually a retelling of the storyline of
Dorothy sets off to find her friends, without knowing the Wicked Witch is watching them in her Crystal Ball. She finds and oils Rusty who has rusted after the Witch tricked him. They find Socrates in a cornfield on a pole scaring crows again and get him down. They find Dandy crying, and after some unexpectedly cruel
Characters
The following characters appear in the special, with associated voice actors:
- Dandy Lion (Cowardly Lion) and The Wizard of Oz – Carl Banas
- Dorothy Gale – Susan Conway
- Dorothy Gale (singing) – Susan Morsefilm editorof the same name)
- Dorothy Gale (singing) – Susan Morse
- Glinda, the Good Witch of the North – Peggi Loder
- Rusty the Tin Man (Tin Woodman) and The Wicked Witch of the West – Larry D. Mann
- Socrates the Strawman (Scarecrow) – Alfie Scopp
- Toto – Stan Francis
Production
Return to Oz was produced as a 90-minute successor to the Tales of the Wizard of Oz series, although edited to fit an hour-long time slot for NBC's broadcast. The screenplay originated from New York while the voice track was recorded in Toronto at RCA Victor studios.[5] The animation consisted of 140,000 images drawn by 40 staff members at the Crawley studios in Canada.[6]
Video/DVD
Return to Oz was released on VHS in the late 1980s by Prism Entertainment. It was released on DVD by
See also
- List of American films of 1964
- Adaptations of The Wizard of Oz– other adaptations of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
References
- ISBN 0-8108-2198-2. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
- ISBN 0-8160-3831-7. Retrieved 6 June 2020.
- ^ "The Bootleg Files: 'Tales of the Wizard of Oz'". Film Threat. 30 March 2007. Retrieved 11 December 2018.
- ^ The Royal Podcast of Oz – Here Comes A Moonbeam: An Interview With Susan Morse
- ^ Gardiner, Bob (7 August 1963). "Televiews". Ottawa Citizen. p. 26. Retrieved 20 March 2010.
- ^ Pike, Dave (31 October 1964). "Films From Canada". Calgary Herald. p. Herald Magazine 3. Retrieved 2 May 2013.
- ^ "Return to Oz". Amazon. 7 March 2006. Retrieved 1 December 2017.