The Muppets' Wizard of Oz [G]

Dorothy wishes for nothing more than to get out of Kansas and become a superstar singer. And when a nasty twister uproots her house and dumps her in the Land of Oz, she finally gets a chance to make her wish come true. Armed with sparkly silver shoes, Dorothy sets off to ask the all-powerful Wizard of Oz to grant her wish, but along the way she’s going to learn there is a big difference between being a star and being a singer. 

Yet another adaptation of L. Frank Baum’s classic tale, The Muppets’ Wizard of Oz is an interesting take on the story, cleverly twisting it so that it reflects the Muppet’s personalities. I’d never even heard of it until a few years ago when it was released on DVD. I knew then and there that I just HAVE to have it my collection. 

Dorothy Gale wishes for nothing for than to get out of Kansas and be a superstar singer with an exciting life. When Kansas is hit with a nasty twister, Dorothy finds herself, Toto her pet king prawn, and her house uprooted and then stranded in the middle of the magical Land of Oz. When a good witch learns of Dorothy’s ambition to be a superstar, she recommends that Dorothy go and see the Wonderful Wizard of Oz to make her dream come true. Armed with magic and sparkly silver shoes, Dorothy heads off to see the wizard, being careful to avoid the West as the Good Witch’s evil sister lives there and would pry the shoes from Dorothy’s cold dead carcass if she learnt that Dorothy inherited them. Following a road of yellow brick and meeting new and needy friends along the way, Dorothy sets off on the adventure of a lifetime in order to make her dreams come true. But somewhere down the track, she’s going to learn that there’s a difference between being a star and being a singer. 

As I mentioned before, the Muppets’ version of Baum’s classic story is cleverly twisted so that it applies and relates to the personalities of the Muppets. As such we have Fozzie Bear playing the Cowardly Lion who, here, dreams of being Oz’s best stand-up comedian, but suffering from severe stage fright. Miss Piggy, the diva who will not be denied, plays the parts of all four witches (could you expect anyone else?). Some of the alterations to the story are obviously aimed for a more modern audience, e.g. the Poppy Fields is actually a psychedelic nightclub where Dorothy and Lion fall under the sleep-inducing power of the flower. 

As I mentioned before, the Muppets play many of the roles in the film. Piggy plays all four witches, Kermit is the Scarecrow, Gonzo is the Tin Thing, Pepe is Toto, and Fozzie is the Lion. Appearances are also made by Sam the Eagle, Scooter, Dr Bunsen Honeydew and Beaker, Statler and Waldorf, Dr Teeth and the Electric Mayhem, Rizzo the Rat, and Sweetums. 

Alongside the Muppets are a number of human stars including Jeffrey Tambor, Queen Latifah, David Alan Grier, Quentin Tarantino, and Ashanti as Dorothy. 

Backed by a very funny script and filled with new songs, memorable characters, great special effects, and a happy ending, The Muppets’ Wizard of Oz is a classic “Muppetational” take on the original classic. Well worth watching if you’re a fan of The Wizard of Oz or the Muppets.