Classic Musical Limits "Oz" Potential

Earlier this week I began reading the classic book "The Wizard Of Oz" by Frank L. Baum. I hadn't read it since 2000 and it's one of the books I enjoy reading over and over again. As I read about Dorothy and her adventures on the way to the Emerald City I couldn't help but visualize some of scenes I was reading as they were depicted in the classic 1939 MGM film. Doing that made me realize that the movie and it's popularity over the years has done a great disservice to the book on which it was based. Here's what I mean.

Ever since the first Harry Potter movie hit the screen, fantasy/adventure movies have become very popular; not only with kids but with adults as well. The "Potter" films and the 3 Lord of The Rings films have been the most successful. But the "Chronicles of Narnia" series has had 2 successful releases and there have been other lesser successful films such as "The Golden Compass" made that were based on fantasy adventure stories written mostly for children.

I'm sure Hollywood is chomping at the bit for literary source material that will translate in a popular way to the big screen. The success of the "Twilight" movie is testimony to that. Having said that I present to you my case for "The Wizard of Oz" book series.

Yes, I said "series." Although not many people realize it, after "The Wizard Of Oz", Frank Baum wrote 13 other books about the magical land. In them he introduces Dorothy to other enemies beside wicked witches and introduces a plethora of strange characters who would only be found in Oz. There is one problem with Hollywood deciding to make more movies about Oz: the popular 1939 film.

Although there are some very dark elements to the movie (did the flying monkeys or the green faced wicked witch scare you when you first saw them) for the most part it's a very light hearted film with a soundtrack as carefree and and whimsical as any that have ever come out of Hollywood. That "all's well that ends well" ending emphasizing the fact that "there's no place like home" ties a happy little bow around the lovable movie package generations of Americans think of when "The Wizard of Oz" is brought to mind.

I have read all the books, at least once, and believe they would provide wonderful material for a potentially successful film franchise. The expansion of the main characters from the first book along with the unique characteristics and aspects of others introduced in subsequent story lines would be enough to keep the plots and visual presentation fresh for several films. However I believe the American public would be hard pressed to accept any "Oz" movie that's not a musical or takes itself the least bit seriously.

Now I know that "Oz" has not been totally ignored by the world of performing arts over the years. The story has been told in several genres. "The Wiz" and "Wicked" on Broadway and in 2008 a miniseries called "Tin Man" aired on the Sifi Channel. My wife enjoyed "Tin Man" and she even has the DVD. But to be honest the series just vaguely resembles the Oz created by Frank Baum. There have been many other versions of "The Wizard of Oz" produced, including one starring the Muppets, but I'm not going to take the time to try and mention them all.

In 1954 Walt Disney, a long time fan of the Oz stories, purchased the rights to 11 Oz stories to be used as the basis for a Disney movie. But in 1958 the idea of making the film was tabled by Disney himself. In 1985, 18 years after Disney's death and a few years before Baum's books would become public domain, Walt Disney Pictures released a movie called "Return To Oz." The film contained elements of Baum's 2nd & 3rd Oz books but included characters from nearly all of them. The film received mixed critical reviews and only finished 7th at the box office it's opening weekend. Ultimately it only made just over $11 million dollars in its domestic release. It's production budget was nearly $25 million. A "PG" rated non musical Oz sequel which was not suitable for small children failed.

Once again let me state that recent Hollywood history indicates that fantasy/adventure stories written for children can serve well as basis for films that appeal to an audience with a wide range of demographics. I believe the Oz stories could still be successful at the box office. As an fan of Baum's books I would love to see them played out on the big screen. Nevertheless I don't believe that idea is still alive in the movie making community. My main point of this entire post is that the main reason for this happened back in 1939 when for the very first time Victor Fleming yelled "action" and Judy Garland as Dorothy and her dog "Toto" took their first musical steps in order to "Follow The Yellow Brick Road."