New film version of THE WIZARD OF OZ in the works

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 8/28/07 at 1:04am

From producer Todd McFarlane and Josh Olson (A History of Violence). The article is a little misleading. Its a new film version inspired by the darker sci fi elements of the original story (not a remake of the MGM classic). Sort of RETURN TO OZ meets LORD OF THE RINGS. The original book could use a strong non-singing filming - hopefully this will be it.

http://www.rte.ie/arts/2007/0823/wizardofoz.html
Updated On: 8/28/07 at 01:04 AM

[Roninjoey]

Posted: 8/28/07 at 2:05am

The book isn't exactly dark...

[Elphaba]

Posted: 8/28/07 at 7:45am

sheesh, first Tinman, and now this. Just gtell tehm to leave it alone....

[zepka102]

Posted: 8/28/07 at 7:51am

I was hoping that one day a non-musical movie based completely on the original book would be made. This doesn't sound like it. I'm curious to find out more details though.

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 8/28/07 at 8:20am

sheesh, first Tinman, and now this. Just gtell tehm to leave it alone....

That is a very funny post coming from someone named ELPHABA!

And what do you mean "FIRST Tinman"? They have been mucking with Oz since day one.

[misschung]

Posted: 8/28/07 at 8:34am

the darker sci fi elements of the original story

Interesting...

Never considered myself a sci fi fan, but maybe I was just fooling myself all these years

[best12bars]

Posted: 8/28/07 at 10:41am

Well, there isn't much sci-fi in Oz.

I don't even think there's much electricity in Oz!

But darker elements? Absolutely! Lots of wars, battles, takeovers, "monsters," magic, large-scale stuff. There's also a lot of whimsy and humor in the books. The MGM movie wasn't faithful to the first book, but it captured the "feel" pretty damn well. And anyone who thinks that Margaret Hamilton and those flying monkeys aren't "dark" and disturbing is crazy. According to AFI, she's the third most memorable villain in movie history.

For me, she's #1.

[best12bars]

Posted: 8/28/07 at 10:46am

""You've still got Dorothy trapped in an odd place, but she's much closer to the Ripley from Alien than a helpless singing girl."

Okay, I have to say I HATE that.

Dorothy isn't Ripley. She may not be a singing Judy Garland, but she isn't friggin' RAMBO. WAY off the mark there.

And if they want to make it more like the Lord of the Rings movie trilogy, they would do better to emulate the BOOKS. They didn't turn Frodo Baggins into Wil Smith either.

I like the idea of exploring the original material in a different way, but this sounds like an overtly obvious attempt to fit it into the blockbuster mold. And they'll sink quickly into conventionality and paint-by-numbers film making if they do that.

[ScottyDoesn'tKnow]

Posted: 8/28/07 at 10:52am

I hate the quotes by McFarlene. It's more musical-bashing tripe.

[Roninjoey]

Posted: 8/28/07 at 6:49pm

There are dark things, I suppose... but the books never felt dark to me. They never really seemed designed to scare. The darker elements seem common to any fairy tale--nightmarish situations, sure, but you never REALLY think Dorothy and the assortment of other young Oz girls won't come out okay.

That said I think Return to Oz was the closest to the original. That movie is a bit dark, in the 80s way.

This movie looks totally lame though. Why does Dorothy need to be Lara Croft?

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 8/28/07 at 7:02pm

Please save us from this.

What next, a musical of Citizen Kane?

[DG]

Posted: 8/28/07 at 7:52pm

"There are dark things, I suppose... but the books never felt dark to me."

On a related note, this is how I feel about the POTTER books - and why I look at the movies and think, "What?"

[best12bars]

Posted: 8/28/07 at 8:09pm

"What next, a musical of Citizen Kane?"



No, a sci-fi version of Citizen Kane... with giant battles, trolls, elves and newspaper nymphs.

Of course Kane will be played by Jude Law in a space suit.

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 10/12/07 at 4:04pm

Eh. I'll believe it when I see it. I remember back in the late 90's there was supposed to be a remake of ALL ABOUT EVE with Jodie Foster and Clare Danes. Never happened.

Unless its a classic horror movie, it probably won't get remade. Next up: NEAR DARK.