Legends of Oz Review

Goodness, where do I start?  In all honesty, I didn't know what to expect.   I only know what I had hoped for.  Legends of Oz exceeded my expectations.  I absolutely loved it.  

The opening credits were really cool with the debris swirling through the tornado displaying the names of cast and crew.   The 3D was enjoyable but it didn't seem to make or break the movie.  Given the choice, I was happy to see it in 3D but I would have enjoyed it nonetheless.   Legends is beautifully animated. When the World, Even Then, and One Day are really good songs and the score is wonderful!!!

Legends picks up where The Wizard of Oz left off.  Dorothy is overwhelmed by the damage caused by the tornado.  It seem impossible to start over and anyway Dorothy & the townsfolk are forced from their homes by an unscrupulous character (harkening back to Elmira Gulch).   Nice MGM nod there. Dorothy's dilemma is very relatable to children.  How many children have wished to save their homes from whatever catastrophe has beset them?  Natural disaster, divorce, whatever.  Moving can be a very scary prospect for children.  

Meanwhile the land of Oz is overtaken by an evil Jester and the situation has turned dire enough for Dorothy to be summoned back by her old friends.  Dorothy & Toto's journey via Rainbow Mover was another neat sequence.  

There are some scenes of intense peril and I found the Jester to be more vicious than his predecessor, the Wicked Witch of the West.   Though, cinematically, I don't think he's as scary as the Witch.  Maybe because he's animated.  

It's always nice to be reunited with old friends, but the new ones are very welcome additions.  Hugh Dancy was very endearing as the honorable, unexpectedly love struck Marshall Mallow. The romance between Marshall and the China Princess is very sweet.  Which brings me to Megan Hilty.  Megan is just a delight in anything she does and she just glows onscreen.  Her effervescence comes through in her voice.  Always.  Patrick Stewart again is someone who is awesome in anything he does. It really touched me that after all his work in the Sci-Fi genre, he made his first trip to Comic Con for Oz.   I was afraid Jim Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, Kelsey Grammer, Oliver Platt, and Martin Short would be too hammy.  They were fabulous!! Martin Short and Oliver Platt had more freedom playing original characters.   They were just right.  Belushi, Aykroyd, and Grammer made the characters their own without attempting to be caricatures of Bert Lahr, Ray Bolger, and Jack Haley.  I think, along with the rest of the cast, they paid homage.  I really feel everyone involved with Legends of Oz handled it with love and reverence.  Lea Michele had the most daunting job of all and bless her  heart she pulls it off with panache.  She came across as kind, sincere, and plucky. She was able to embody everything Dorothy should be and she sings beautifully.  

And Toto..............this little guy is a JOY!!!  Instead of making him an accessory to Dorothy, the filmmakers infused him with SO much personality.  Being a huge Toto fan, I'm very happy with this portrayal.  

I loved the field mice and the wooden sawhorse.  I was waiting for Dorothy to address the hen at the beginng of the movie as Billina.  It never happenend!  That was a tiny letdown.  For those that don't know, the field  mice, wooden sawhorse,  and Billina were characters from L. Frank Baum's books.  

Big kudos for keeping the movie family friendly.  I think this is a perfect introduction to Oz for people that think The Wizard of Oz or Oz the Great and Powerful may be too frightening for their little ones.  Best of all, there's no lame pop culture references that will be meaningless in 2 years, no swearing, no sexual innuendo, not even a whiff of flatulence. 

Legends of Oz SHOULD NOT be compared to the MGM movie. The Wizard of Oz is in a class by itself.  There will never be another one, nor should there be.  There's nothing wrong with the old Oz, but a new Oz is okay too if expanded in a positive way.  The world of Oz is so vast and Legends of Oz touched on some of it beautifully.  People are really doing themselves (and Oz!!) a diservice by not embracing different interpreations with an open mind.  There's a great deal of wonder and magic left in Oz, if you'll let yourself feel it.  

Variety's scathing review mentions we've seen the Candy Country in Wreck-It-Ralph.  Where exactly did Disney get the idea from? Roger Baum's book Dorothy of Oz featured the Candy Country in 1989.  His great-grandfather wrote of a candy country in Dot & Tot of Merryland published in 1901. Characters from that book appeared in The Road to Oz in 1910. Wreck-It-Ralph came out in 2012.  You do the math.  (Thanks Jay Davis!) 

It's been a long and winding road for Legends of Oz from page to screen, but I found it to be totally worth the wait.   And it's definately worth seeing in theaters, but I can't wait for Legends of Oz to come to DVD so I can watch it again and again.  

L. Frank Baum didn't live to see the glorious MGM movie brought to the screen.  It's fortunate that his great-grandson Roger Baum saw his charming book brought to life.  In my opinion, as something created by a Baum,  Legends of Oz should be supported on that merit alone though the movie has many wonderful qualities unto itself.  The world owes a debt of gratitude to L. Frank Baum, the least we can do is support his legacy.   We should all be grateful to Roger Baum, everyone involved with Legends of Oz, and anyone who is willing to carry on that legacy despite the criticisms they know they'll face. 

THANK YOU ALL!!!

And I want to say a big hearty THANK YOU to Keepsakes of Oz, Madame Alexander, and Bandai for hanging in there through all the setbacks and producing some of the most darling merchandise.   The jewelry, collectibles, dolls and plush are all so very, very cute!!  It's sheer happiness to have momentos from such a lovely film. 

And thank you Ryan Jay for the use of your ad!!!  

Please see his review and cast interviews below!

More Dorothy of Oz Licensing

Licensing is Full Speed Ahead for DOROTHY OF OZ

More than a dozen licensing agreements are already inked, while Summertime Entertainment eyes more partnerships at Licensing International Expo in Las Vegas

LOS ANGELES, June 15, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Licensing is full speed ahead for DOROTHY OF OZ as more than a dozen licensees have already agreed to create merchandise for the upcoming feature film. The 3D CG-animated musical starring the voice and musical talents of Lea Michele as the beloved Dorothy Gale is produced by Summertime Entertainment, which is founded by the Carroll Brothers, the multi-media production company set on revitalizing the beloved Oz franchise.

Travis J. Rutherford, C.E.O of Travis James, LLC, who is spearheading the global licensing and retail development efforts on the DOROTHY OF OZ franchise for Summertime Entertainment, has confirmed that several major retailers will support the brand with a myriad of licensed products next year.

The film, an independently financed and produced project geared for a late summer 2012 release, has already acquired numerous licensees in categories such as: toys, apparel, accessories, back to school, paper goods, costumes and novelties, early in the film's production process – with Bandai America Incorporated, as the global master toy partner, as its most recent announced deal.

Rutherford aims to capture additional licensing partners to round out the product assortments in social expression, party goods, cosmetics, childrens electronics, candy and confections, publishing, bedding and home decor at the Licensing International Expo.

"We already have a very robust licensing program established," Rutherford said. "My goal at the Licensing Show is to meet with additional domestic and international licensing partners to fill the various open categories, assign the international agent representation rights, and present the franchise to the other major retailers who have not yet seen the outstanding animation and great merchandisable characters from the film."

"We are very pleased with the traction and feedback from the retail and licensing community thus far – especially with the film still being early in the production process. With many tier-one licensing partners along with the assistance of Travis James LLC, will be delivering a meaningful and comprehensive licensing and promotional program for the film opening next year," said Roland Carroll, President of Summertime Entertainment.

Recently, Summertime Entertainment signed and announced a Master Worldwide Toy License Agreement with Bandai America Incorporated. It will feature dolls, play sets, plush, role-play, trading cards and more.

Other licensees participating the program geared toward girls ages 4–8 include:

• The Awake division of Jem Sportswear will create a line of girls T-shirts and fashion tops.
• SG Footwear will handle footwear and SGI Apparel has been licensed for girls sleepwear, both a division of the SG Companies.
• Hypnotic will provide hosiery.
• A.D. Sutton & Sons will create a diverse line of bags, backpacks and lunch bags.
• IDW Publishing is doing a 4 title comic book series and graphic novel.
• Trends International will create posters and bookmarks with the possibility of adding calendars and stickers to the assortment.
• Culturenik Publishing will provide novelty paper goods.
• Just Play will do cut & sew role-play / dress up items, along with some novelty products in the HBA category.
• Madame Alexander is producing a beautiful collection of high-end collectible dolls.
• Attraction Media & Entertainment is producing a 3-D/4-D theme park attraction, which will incorporate footage from the film.

DOROTHY OF OZ is a 3D CG animated musical feature that stars Lea Michele ("Dorothy"), Martin Short ("The Jester"), Jim Belushi ("The Cowardly Lion"), Dan Aykroyd ("Scarecrow"), Kelsey Grammer ("The Tin Man"), Megan Hilty ("China Princess"), Hugh Dancy ("Marshall Mallow"), Oliver Platt ("Wiser the Owl"), and Patrick Stewart ("Tugg"). The film is based on one of the world's most popular and beloved fairy tales, "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" by L. Frank Baum, and the further adventure books written by his great-grandson, Roger Stanton Baum.

For more information, visit www.dorothyofoz.com

For more information, visit www.summertimemedia.com

About Summertime Entertainment:

Founded by the Carroll Brothers, Summertime Entertainment is a multi-media company specializing in family-friendly entertainment for film, television, digital, mobile, and other trans-media platforms. Currently, Summertime Entertainment is in production on a new franchise of epic proportions — the re-vitalization of the indelible and beloved Oz world originally created by L. Frank Baum and carried on through the creative minds of his descendants. Through various forms of digital worlds, online communities and a brand new stereoscopic, 3D-animated feature film, Oz will soon be brought back to life in literally new dimensions, for a whole new generation to love and cherish.

SOURCE Summertime Entertainment