The Summer movie season kicks off this weekend with a Marvel-based character making it official. Should we be surprised it coincides with the annual Free Comic Book Day? Before we launch into what a great run (2012 was eventful) or an awful streak (most years), Somara and I wanted to catch what many have dubbed the John Carter of 2013. Personally, I think both flicks will be slowly vindicated. People are starting to come around to Speed Racer, anything is possible.
Oz is a prequel explaining how the Wizard (nee Oscar Diggs) came to the mythical land and became its ruler 30 odd years before Dorothy Gale sought his assistance. I liked how the writers made Oscar a womanizing stage magician because it plays into how events unfurled in the 1939 film: why did the people of Oz make him their ruler and why do the wicked witches hate him, namely Theodora (aka the Wicked Witch of the West). The movie also makes Theodora a more sympathetic, tragic character who was transformed into an evil person by Oscar’s actions. It was more plausible than Darth Vader’s origin eight years ago.
My only complaint with Oz is technical. Thanks to movies being presented digitally, the flaws in the special effects (CG characters, makeup) were more obvious. With traditional film, it wouldn’t have been as noticeable. I still enjoyed the story which was more important, I just prefer not to detect the visual shortcomings during my first viewing.
There were a handful of things I loved immensely to push me into the “pro” camp: the colors, the imagery, the witches’ costumes…namely Theodora’s, Oscar’s magic tricks and the black and white opening. Some reviewers hated the latter claiming it was pandering. I disagree, it’s a tradition. The “real” world is supposed to be bland, dull and the Land of Oz is bright, alien and enormous. If you pay attention, the screen gets wider when Oscar lands too.
Alamo’s extras were amusing: the trailer for Return to Oz circa the mid-Eighties, past versions of The Wizard of Oz (a Chuck Jones cartoon, a silent movie, a weird Russian take), scenes from The Wiz and finale to Kentucky Fried Movie‘s parody of Enter the Dragon.