Oz the Great and Powerful
Posted by Itheliving 12 years, 8 months ago to Movies
Oz the Great and Powerful / Rated PG for storm violence, an out of control muscle man and scary witches one of which is witch green.
After Warner Bros. Jack the Giant Slayer laid a bomb it’s opening weekend Disney Pictures was probably a little worried about the new version of the old story namely Oz etc. All the Studio Heads at Disney were looking at the same fate which no doubt befell the Warner Bros. Execs Monday morning after the premiere namely trying to make a very large mortgage payment and the monthly dues on the Maseratti out of their $1200 a month unemployment check instead of the monthly automatic deposit from WB’s of over a million bucks. It won’t be easy.
Disney had close to $300 million in the Oz etc budget and are now breathing a sigh of relief as the film took in over $80 million domestic gross opening weekend and $150 million worldwide. Another Oz film will be on the way. A Jack the Giant Slayer sequel will have to wait till after production wraps on John Carter II.
The main reason for the Disney Oz success is the eternal popularity of the original film. The Wizard of Oz is now considered to be the film seen by more people worldwide than any other in history. OTGAP is how it all got started. James Franco plays Oscar Diggs aka Oz etc. performing in small a small town traveling circus sideshow with less than stellar results. While being chased by the Circus Strongman he escapes, but barely, by balloon. Just like in the original WOO he ends up being transported by tornado to the Land of Oz. He ends up befriending a lady in red and a monkey with wings wearing a bellhops costume. Since he is in the Land of Oz and goes by the professional moniker of The Wizard they think this is the guy who can save the land from destruction by the evil forces lurking about. Although he is just a cheap sideshow magician he takes the job because it pays regularly, he gets to live in a castle and becomes automatic owner of the entire treasury.
Unfortunately there are strings attached. It’s the strings that make the story fun. That and the stunning and expensive special effects. I don’t even want to talk about China Doll as it gives away to much that you need to find about for yourself. China Doll is not a character left over from Miss Saigon.
While a little over long at two hours and 10 minutes the story moves along well enough that a nap is not in order. The characters are great fun especially the above mentioned China Doll and the winged and costumed monkey Findley. The witches are outlandishly acted by Mila Kunis and Rachel Weisz. Glinda, the good witch in the bubble, is played by a sickeningly sweet Michelle Williams.
Besides the superb special effects which look great in 3-D and COMPLETELY in focus a stand out is the fully symphonic and neat score by Danny Elfman. Danny E. has become what Bernard Herrmann was to films in the 50’s and 60’s when he was the master of suspense and fantasy. BH’s films include Hitchcock’s Vertigo, Psycho and North by Northwest. His fantasy films for the period included The 7th Voyage of Sinbad and Jason and the Argonauts. Danny E. is living up to a reputation he began way back with Batman in 1989 and continuing forward to Oz etc. His use of orchestra and chorus to create magic, wonder and horror is almost unmatched amongst today’s film composers.
While not perfect Oz etc is well worth a viewing on the big screen. While possibly scary for those under 8 you will probably take them anyway. If Margaret Hamilton as the Wicked Witch in the original Judy Garland classic didn’t scare the kids this probably won’t either. I first saw the WOO at around age 6 when it was re-released to theaters. Margaret Hamilton scared the doo wop out of me. Hide Toto, hide.
Rated 3.4 out of 4.0 feet tall which was the limit for any actor wanting to be a Munchkin.
After Warner Bros. Jack the Giant Slayer laid a bomb it’s opening weekend Disney Pictures was probably a little worried about the new version of the old story namely Oz etc. All the Studio Heads at Disney were looking at the same fate which no doubt befell the Warner Bros. Execs Monday morning after the premiere namely trying to make a very large mortgage payment and the monthly dues on the Maseratti out of their $1200 a month unemployment check instead of the monthly automatic deposit from WB’s of over a million bucks. It won’t be easy.
Disney had close to $300 million in the Oz etc budget and are now breathing a sigh of relief as the film took in over $80 million domestic gross opening weekend and $150 million worldwide. Another Oz film will be on the way. A Jack the Giant Slayer sequel will have to wait till after production wraps on John Carter II.
The main reason for the Disney Oz success is the eternal popularity of the original film. The Wizard of Oz is now considered to be the film seen by more people worldwide than any other in history. OTGAP is how it all got started. James Franco plays Oscar Diggs aka Oz etc. performing in small a small town traveling circus sideshow with less than stellar results. While being chased by the Circus Strongman he escapes, but barely, by balloon. Just like in the original WOO he ends up being transported by tornado to the Land of Oz. He ends up befriending a lady in red and a monkey with wings wearing a bellhops costume. Since he is in the Land of Oz and goes by the professional moniker of The Wizard they think this is the guy who can save the land from destruction by the evil forces lurking about. Although he is just a cheap sideshow magician he takes the job because it pays regularly, he gets to live in a castle and becomes automatic owner of the entire treasury.
Unfortunately there are strings attached. It’s the strings that make the story fun. That and the stunning and expensive special effects. I don’t even want to talk about China Doll as it gives away to much that you need to find about for yourself. China Doll is not a character left over from Miss Saigon.
While a little over long at two hours and 10 minutes the story moves along well enough that a nap is not in order. The characters are great fun especially the above mentioned China Doll and the winged and costumed monkey Findley. The witches are outlandishly acted by Mila Kunis and Rachel Weisz. Glinda, the good witch in the bubble, is played by a sickeningly sweet Michelle Williams.
Besides the superb special effects which look great in 3-D and COMPLETELY in focus a stand out is the fully symphonic and neat score by Danny Elfman. Danny E. has become what Bernard Herrmann was to films in the 50’s and 60’s when he was the master of suspense and fantasy. BH’s films include Hitchcock’s Vertigo, Psycho and North by Northwest. His fantasy films for the period included The 7th Voyage of Sinbad and Jason and the Argonauts. Danny E. is living up to a reputation he began way back with Batman in 1989 and continuing forward to Oz etc. His use of orchestra and chorus to create magic, wonder and horror is almost unmatched amongst today’s film composers.
While not perfect Oz etc is well worth a viewing on the big screen. While possibly scary for those under 8 you will probably take them anyway. If Margaret Hamilton as the Wicked Witch in the original Judy Garland classic didn’t scare the kids this probably won’t either. I first saw the WOO at around age 6 when it was re-released to theaters. Margaret Hamilton scared the doo wop out of me. Hide Toto, hide.
Rated 3.4 out of 4.0 feet tall which was the limit for any actor wanting to be a Munchkin.
