''The Muppets' Wizard of Oz'' is a 2005
musical
Musical is the adjective of music.
Musical may also refer to:
* Musical theatre, a performance art that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance
* Musical film
Musical film is a film genre in which songs by the Character (arts), charac ...
fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction that involves supernatural or Magic (supernatural), magical elements, often including Fictional universe, imaginary places and Legendary creature, creatures.
The genre's roots lie in oral traditions, ...
television film
A television film, alternatively known as a television movie, made-for-TV film/movie, telefilm, telemovie or TV film/movie, is a film with a running time similar to a feature film that is produced and originally distributed by or to a Terrestr ...
directed by
Kirk R. Thatcher, and the third television film featuring
the Muppets. The film stars
Ashanti,
Jeffrey Tambor,
Quentin Tarantino,
David Alan Grier,
Queen Latifah, as well as Muppet performers
Steve Whitmire,
Dave Goelz,
Bill Barretta, and
Eric Jacobson. A contemporary adaptation of the 1900 novel ''
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'' by
L. Frank Baum, the story follows young
Dorothy Gale, who works in her
Aunt Em's diner, but dreams of becoming a singer somewhere beyond her small
Kansas
Kansas ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the west. Kansas is named a ...
town. Swept up by a tornado, in her trailer home with pet prawn
Toto, she lands in
Oz and embarks on a journey to meet the Wizard who can help make her dreams come true.
Following
The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company, commonly referred to as simply Disney, is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was founded on October 16 ...
's acquisition of the rights to the Muppets in 2004, pre-production took place throughout February 2004, and
principal photography began seven months later. ''The Muppets' Wizard of Oz'' was co-produced by
The Muppets Holding Company,
The Jim Henson Company,
Fox Television Studios, and
Touchstone Television, marking The Jim Henson Company's final involvement with the Muppets after more than five decades of ownership.
ABC made several changes after the initial script was written, ultimately deciding to adapt plot elements from Baum's original novel as well as
the 1939 musical film adaptation. ''The Muppets' Wizard of Oz'' became a musical, and included five new songs composed by
Michael Giacchino.
It is the first Muppets film without the involvement of veteran performer
Jerry Nelson following his 2004 retirement from physical performing. His characters of
Lew Zealand and
Floyd Pepper were respectively performed by
Bill Barretta and
John Kennedy. Barretta also debuts as the new permanent performer of
Dr. Teeth, a character originally performed by
Jim Henson. The production also marked the feature film debut of
Eric Jacobson as the performer of
Sam Eagle, a character originally performed by
Frank Oz.
''The Muppets' Wizard of Oz'' premiered on April 27, 2005, at the
Tribeca Film Festival
The Tribeca Festival is an annual film festival organized by Tribeca Enterprises. It takes place each spring in New York City, showcasing a diverse selection of film, episodic, talks, music, games, art, and immersive programming. The festival ...
, and made its television premiere on ABC's ''
The Wonderful World of Disney'' on May 20, 2005. The film received mixed to negative reviews from critics, who felt that the film was too mature for young audiences and that the
cameos and popular culture references were unnecessary.
Plot
Dorothy Gale is an orphaned teenage girl living in a trailer park in
Kansas
Kansas ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the west. Kansas is named a ...
with her
Aunt Em and
Uncle Henry. Her dream of becoming a singer is slim, but when she overhears that the Muppets are looking for a backup singer, Dorothy hurries to the audition and gives them a demo CD. In returning home, the
civil defense sirens sound as a
tornado
A tornado is a violently rotating column of air that is in contact with the surface of Earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. It is often referred to as a twister, whirlwind or cyclone, although the ...
is headed for Dorothy's
trailer park. When Aunt Em and Uncle Henry run into the county storm shelter for safety, Dorothy hurries back to her family's mobile home to get
Toto, her pet
prawn. She does not make it out in time, and the two are swept by the tornado across the vast fields of Kansas. When Dorothy climbs out of the wreckage, she finds that Toto can talk and that she is in
Munchkinland, part of the vast
Land of Oz
The Land of Oz is a fantasy world introduced in the 1900 children's novel ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'' written by L. Frank Baum and illustrated by William Wallace Denslow, W. W. Denslow.
Oz consists of four vast quadrants, the Gillikin Countr ...
.
The Munchkins inform Dorothy that the land's ruler the
Wizard, has the power to grant her wish of becoming a famous singer. She meets the
Good Witch of the North and receives a pair of magic
silver slippers from the
Wicked Witch of the East, who was killed when Dorothy's trailer fell on her. Dorothy and Toto embark on a journey on the
yellow brick road to meet the Wizard of Oz.
On her journey, she meets a
Scarecrow (Kermit the Frog), a
Tin Thing (Gonzo), and a
Cowardly Lion (Fozzie Bear). They are also seeking the Wizard of Oz to give them a brain, heart, and courage, respectively. The group meets various obstacles before arriving at the Emerald City and meeting the Wizard. Before he grants their wishes, the Wizard sends Dorothy and her friends to retrieve the
Wicked Witch of the West's magic eye, a tool she uses to see anything she desires in the Land of Oz.
The Wicked Witch of the West sees them coming and sends the
Flying Monkeys to deal with them. The Witch and the Flying Monkeys capture Dorothy, Toto and Lion while Scarecrow and Tin Thing are dismantled. Toto calls the Munchkins, who set him and Dorothy free and hold up the witch. Dorothy kicks the witch into her own "bottled water bath," which contains tap water (to which she is severely allergic). This causes the Wicked Witch of the West to melt. Dorothy finds the magic eye floating in the tub unharmed and grabs it.
Dorothy gains control of the Flying Monkeys and has them rebuild Scarecrow and Tin Thing. Then she and her friends travel back to the Emerald City to have their wishes granted. When they all storm into the Wizard's room, they discover it is merely a Hollywood effects stage and that the Wizard is just an ordinary man. He asked for the witch's eye so that she could not see him for who he really was. Even so, he still proceeds to grant their wishes. Dorothy finally becomes a singer in the Land of Oz, but realizes that all she ever really wanted was to go back home and be with her family. After traveling back to Munchkinland, she meets
Glinda the Good Witch of the South, who tells her that by clicking her heels together three times, she will be able to go anywhere she desires. Saying "take me home to Aunt Em", Dorothy is spun by the slippers' magic into Kansas and finds out that she has been chosen to sing with the Muppets.
Cast
*
Ashanti as
Dorothy Gale: A
Kansas
Kansas ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the west. Kansas is named a ...
teen dreaming of leaving her home and becoming a singer.
*
Queen Latifah as
Aunt Em: Dorothy's aunt and co-owner of the family diner in Kansas.
*
David Alan Grier as
Uncle Henry: Dorothy's uncle and co-owner of the family diner.
*
Jeffrey Tambor as
Francis Cornfine / The Wizard of Oz: The legendary Wizard of Oz. This is Tambor's second appearance in a ''Muppet'' film, the first being ''
Muppets from Space'' (1999).
*
Quentin Tarantino as himself: In a short appearance with
Kermit the Frog, Tarantino discusses violent ideas on how to stop the
Wicked Witch of the West.
;Extended version:
*
Kelly Osbourne as post-makeover Dorothy Gale: Appears in a brief cameo as Dorothy when she first comes out of the ''Magic Makeover Machine'' in
Emerald City.
*
Edward Hibbert as the stage manager (uncredited): appears in the very beginning when Dorothy arrives to give her CD demo version to the Muppets.
Muppets performers
*
Steve Whitmire as:
**
Kermit the Frog as Himself/
Scarecrow: A scarecrow in search of a brain. Scarecrow is constantly mocked by the crows in Oz, as he is defenseless and cannot do anything to stop them. Prior to Dorothy's journey, Kermit organizes a talent scout for a star for a new show. After her return, he hires her.
**
Beaker: He appears as an Emerald City Technician. Beaker also appears at the end in the Muppets' show.
**
Rizzo the Rat as Himself/Mayor of Munchkinland. He occasionally aids Dorothy when she is in danger. Prior to Dorothy's journey, Rizzo is seen assisting
Bean Bunny in loading equipment into the Muppets' bus. He returns for the Muppets' show in the climax.
**
Bean Bunny: Prior to Dorothy's journey, Bean Bunny is seen assisting
Rizzo the Rat in loading equipment into the Muppets' bus.
**
Statler as Kalidah Critic #1. He heckles Dorothy and her friends as they try to cross a log.
**
Foo-Foo: Foo-Foo appears as the pet dog of the Wicked Witch of the West.
*
Dave Goelz as:
**
The Great Gonzo as Himself/
The Tin Thing: A robot in search of a heart. Originally human, the Tin Thing was turned into a robot by the Wicked Witch of the West who was angry at him for asking to leave her palace and marry his
fiancée,
Camilla the Chicken. He also appears at the end of the film in the Muppets' show.
**
Dr. Bunsen Honeydew: He appears as an Emerald City Technician. He also appears at the end of the film in the Muppets' show.
**
Waldorf as Kalidah Critic #2. He and the other Kalidah Critic heckle Dorothy and her friends as they try to cross a log.
**
Zoot: He performs backup for the songs "Naptime", and for "The Witch is in the House", and appears at the end of the film in the Muppets' new show.
*
Bill Barretta as:
**
Pepe the King Prawn as
Toto: Dorothy's pet prawn and first companion on her journey. In Kansas, Toto was a prawn that lived in a fish bowl in Dorothy's room.
**
Dr. Teeth: He performs "Naptime", and also performs in "The Witch is in the House". He appears again at the end of the film in the Muppets' show.
**
Johnny Fiama: He appears as one of the henchmen of the Wicked Witch of the West, and is supposedly her love interest.
**
Lew Zealand: He briefly appears in Emerald City at the red carpet event, asking Dorothy to sign his boomerang fish.
**
The Swedish Chef: He provides the
Bran Flakes for the Wizard.
** Bubba the Rat: He assists the Mayor of Munchkin Land in getting Dorothy and the Lion out of Poppyfields.
*
Eric Jacobson as:
**
Miss Piggy as herself: She appears early on with Kermit, and tries to get rid of Dorothy. She returns at the end of the film for the Muppets' show. She also appears as the Four Witch Sisters of Oz:
*** The
Wicked Witch of the West: The Wicked Witch that terrifies all that meet her.
***
Tattypoo the Good Witch of the North: The Good Witch that gives Dorothy the silver slippers.
***
Glinda the Good Witch of the South: The other Good Witch that shows Dorothy how to get home.
*** The
Wicked Witch of the East: The original owner of the magic slippers who was killed by Dorothy's falling mobile home.
**
Fozzie Bear as Himself/
Cowardly Lion: A nervous and frightened lion stand-up comic that accompanies Dorothy and the others on their journey. Fozzie shows up at the end of the film in the Muppets' show.
**
Animal
Animals are multicellular, eukaryotic organisms in the Biology, biological Kingdom (biology), kingdom Animalia (). With few exceptions, animals heterotroph, consume organic material, Cellular respiration#Aerobic respiration, breathe oxygen, ...
: He performs in the songs "Naptime" and "The Witch is in the House", and appears at the end of the film in the Muppets' new show.
**
Sam Eagle: He appears as the Guardian of the Gates.
*
Brian Henson as:
** Sal Manilla as Sal, a
Flying Monkey: He accompanies Johnny for much of the film.
*
Kevin Clash as:
**
Clifford: He appears as the manager of the Poppy Field Club.
** Mulch: He appears briefly in Poppyfields.
** Black Dog as a
Flying Monkey
*
John Kennedy as:
** Angel Marie as a
Flying Monkey: A servant of the Wicked Witch of the West.
**
Floyd Pepper: He performs in "Naptime" and "The Witch is in the House", and appears at the end of the film in the Muppets' new show.
* Rickey Boyd as:
**
Scooter: He appears as the Wizard's Assistant.
**
Crazy Harry as a
Flying Monkey
*
Tyler Bunch as:
**
Janice: She performs in "Naptime" and "The Witch is in the House", and appears at the end of the film in the Muppets' new show.
** Aretha as a
Flying Monkey
*
Julianne Buescher as
** Wizard's Green Lady and Chicken Forms
*
John Henson as
**
Sweetums as a
Flying Monkey: He provides the keys for the Cowardly Lion's escape from his cage.
*
Mike Quinn as
** Calico as a
Flying Monkey
*
Allan Trautman as
**
Crow
A crow is a bird of the genus ''Corvus'', or more broadly, a synonym for all of ''Corvus''. The word "crow" is used as part of the common name of many species. The related term "raven" is not linked scientifically to any certain trait but is rathe ...
: He bothers the Scarecrow.
** Old Tom as a
Flying Monkey
*
Drew Massey as
** Spotted Dick as a
Flying Monkey
*
Alice Dinnean as:
**
Camilla the Chicken: The Tin Thing's girlfriend. The two are reunited later on in the film.
In addition, Whitmire and Goelz make on-screen cameos as audience members at Aunt Em's Diner during the finale.
Production
When
The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company, commonly referred to as simply Disney, is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was founded on October 16 ...
acquired the Muppets franchise from
The Jim Henson Company in February 2004,
["''The Muppets'' at the Jim Henson Company."](_blank)
The Jim Henson Company. Retrieved: April 26, 2008.["Tarantino to star in Muppets film,"](_blank)
''BBC News
BBC News is an operational business division of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs in the UK and around the world. The department is the world's largest broad ...
'', August 27, 2004, Retrieved: April 26, 2008. the Muppets were re-introduced to the public by marketing products and guest appearing on television shows such as ''
Good Morning America
''Good Morning America'', often abbreviated as ''GMA'', is an American breakfast television, morning television program that is broadcast on American Broadcasting Company, ABC. It debuted on November 3, 1975, and first expanded to weekends wit ...
'' and ''
America's Funniest Home Videos''. After a new film titled ''The Muppets' Wizard of Oz'' was announced by The Jim Henson Company,
Fox Television Studios,
Touchstone Television, and the
Muppets Holding Company signed on to help produce it.
[Gates, Anita]
"Muppets as Munchkins: We're Not in Kansas Anymore."
''The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'', May 20, 2005, p. E26. Retrieved: March 11, 2008. This was the last Muppets production to be produced by the Jim Henson Company once Disney purchased the rights to the Muppets franchise.
Filming took place throughout September 2004 in
Vancouver
Vancouver is a major city in Western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the cit ...
,
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Situated in the Pacific Northwest between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains, the province has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that ...
.
Before filming, ABC announced that the production would adapt elements from the original 1900 book, rather than
the 1939 film,
[Adalian, Josef]
"The Muppets ready to take Oz."
'' Variety'', March 15, 2004. Retrieved: April 26, 2008. such as the
Silver Shoes instead of the
Ruby slippers. On August 25, 2004, it was announced that
Hilary Duff
Hilary Erhard Duff (born September 28, 1987) is an American actress, singer, author and businesswoman. She is the recipient of List of awards and nominations received by Hilary Duff, various accolades, including a World Music Awards, World Mus ...
,
Jessica Simpson, and
Ashanti had auditioned for the role of
Dorothy Gale, but Ashanti had won the part. When asked about how she felt about working with the Muppets, Ashanti replied, "I love children, and to me, the Muppets are just like little kids."
[Fonseca, Nicholas]
"Wizard of Frog."
''Entertainment Weekly
''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American online magazine, digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, ...
'', Issue 820, p. 66, May 20, 2005. Retrieved: April 26, 2008. She also stated, "The director had to give me a few pointers and tips for acting with them, but the most important thing that I learned was to keep eye contact."
Also in August 2004,
BBC News
BBC News is an operational business division of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs in the UK and around the world. The department is the world's largest broad ...
reported that
Quentin Tarantino would appear in the film.
Music
Michael Giacchino, who had previously worked on the video game ''
Muppet Monster Adventure'', would become an
Academy Award
The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence ...
-winning composer. Giacchino worked alongside Jeannie Lurie, Adam Cohen, Debra Frank and Steve L. Hayes to write five original songs for the film:
"Kansas", "When I'm with You", "The Witch is in the House", "Nap Time" and "Good Life".
"When I'm with You" was nominated for a
Primetime Emmy in the
Outstanding Music and Lyrics category.
["''The Muppets' Wizard of Oz'' nominated for Primetime Emmy."](_blank)
Emmy Awards
The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the year, each with their own set of rules and award categor ...
. Retrieved: March 27, 2008. Ashanti and the Muppet cast, mainly Barretta and Jacobson, contributed the vocals for each of the songs.
Ted Kryczko produced the album, Booker T. Washington White prepared the songs for recording, and Paul Silveira and Brandon Christy mixed the songs.
Soundtrack
''The Muppets' Wizard of Oz'' official soundtrack was released on May 17, 2005.
["''The Muppets' Wizard of Oz'' Soundtrack."](_blank)
'' Amazon.com'', 2005. Retrieved: March 4, 2008. The album was an enhanced soundtrack titled ''Best of Muppets featuring The Muppets' Wizard of Oz'' as it was not a film-specific soundtrack, but a compilation album featuring the Muppets' best songs from ''
The Muppet Show'' as well as songs from the film.
Track listing
Release
''The Muppets' Wizard of Oz'' premiered on April 27, 2005, at the
Tribeca Film Festival
The Tribeca Festival is an annual film festival organized by Tribeca Enterprises. It takes place each spring in New York City, showcasing a diverse selection of film, episodic, talks, music, games, art, and immersive programming. The festival ...
. The television premiere was on May 20, 2005, at 8:00 pm on ABC in the US.
It aired in Canada on
CBC Television
CBC Television (also known as CBC TV, or simply CBC) is a Television in Canada, Canadian English-language terrestrial television, broadcast television network owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the national public broadcasting, p ...
, and in the UK on December 18, 2005. In the US, the film's official soundtrack was released on May 17, 2005.
Buena Vista Home Entertainment released the DVD and VHS in both the US and in international territories.
["''The Muppets' Wizard of Oz'' at Disney Videos."](_blank)
Disney Videos. Retrieved: April 8, 2008. The film was released to
Region 1 DVD and
VHS on August 9, 2005.
["''The Muppets' Wizard of Oz'' DVD/VHS."](_blank)
Amazon.com. Retrieved: March 4, 2008.
The
Region 2 DVD was released on April 3, 2006.
["''The Muppets' Wizard of Oz'' Region 2 DVD."](_blank)
Amazon.com. Retrieved: March 4, 2008. The film was rated U by the
British Board of Film Classification
The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) is a non-governmental organization, non-governmental organisation founded by the British film industry in 1912 and responsible for the national classification and censorship of films exhibited ...
,
[ "''The Muppets' Wizard of Oz'' rated U by the BBFC."](_blank)
BBFC. Retrieved: March 7, 2008. K-3 in
Finland
Finland, officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It borders Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of Bothnia to the west and the Gulf of Finland to the south, ...
,
["''The Muppets' Wizard of Oz'' rated "3" by the FBFC (VET)."]
VET. Retrieved: March 7, 2008. and G in Australia.
["''The Muppets' Wizard of Oz'' – Anniversary Edition."](_blank)
EzyDVD. Retrieved: March 7, 2008. The DVD and VHS were released under the title ''
Extended Version'' in the US
and ''
Anniversary Edition'' outside the US.
The extended version contains less than 15 minutes of footage cut from the feature film,
including the footage of the
Kelly Osbourne and
Quentin Tarantino cameos.
The DVD and VHS included an extended interview with Quentin Tarantino, a blooper reel, and a behind-the-scenes look at the film guided by
Pepe the King Prawn. In the US, the DVD and VHS release of the film was in a 1.33:1 (
pan and scan) aspect ratio, whereas the international versions are in the original 1.78:1 (
anamorphic widescreen) aspect ratio.
During
Macy's annual Flower Show promotion, the store's windows along
Broadway displayed flower arrangements illustrating six scenes from the movie, while the store sold ''The Muppets' Wizard of Oz''-related merchandise, such as plush dolls.
Critical reception
7.75 million viewers watched ''The Muppets' Wizard of Oz'' on its television premiere night in the United States; it ranked as the forty-second most-watched television program of the week.
["Weekly Program Rankings."](_blank)
ABC Medianet, May 24, 2005. Retrieved: October 22, 2008. Michael Schneider of ''
Variety'' wrote that it "performed solidly ... particularly with adults 18–34, teens and kids."
[Schneider, Michael]
"The Muppets pull strings at ABC."
'' Variety'', October 24, 2005. Retrieved: April 5, 2008. The film received negative reviews from critics. At
Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is an American review aggregator, review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee ...
, the movie currently holds an approval rating of 30% based on 10 reviews, with an average rating of 4.3/10.
["''The Muppets: Wizard of Oz'' at Rotten Tomatoes."](_blank)
Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is an American review aggregator, review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee ...
. Retrieved: January 28, 2025.
For the film's positive response, Kevin Carr stated that "When you dig down and actually find (and watch) the new Muppet material, some of the magic is still there." MaryAnn Johanson of Flick Filosopher said that, "It's not on a par with the Muppet movie madness of old, but it's darn close." According to the Bums Corner's review the film was a "treat for all ages, and that it was a colorful, musical, humorous romp." Keith Allen of Movie Rapture gave the film 2.5 stars out of 3, explaining that the film's humor was surprisingly clever, and that the film would frequently make you laugh. Mutant Reviewers commented that although the Muppet deal with Walt Disney was "disappointing", the film managed to be funny and witty.
In contrast, David Nusair of Reel Film Reviews warned that the film was "strictly for kids."
[Nusair, David]
"Five Muppet Movies from Disney."
Reel Film Reviews. Retrieved: March 5, 2008. Nusair felt that although Ashanti can sing, she cannot act.
Joshua Tyler of Cinema Blend explained that Dorothy visiting the Wizard of Oz to become a star instead of going back home was a big mistake,
[Tyler, Joshua]
Cinema Blend, July 31, 2005. Retrieved: March 7, 2008. and that it showed how shallow society has become.
R.J. Carter of The Trades gave the film a B−, also stating that Dorothy's wish to become a star was a selfish one. Ultimate Disney's review found that the extended DVD version of the film did more harm than good;
'' Ultimate Disney'', August 9, 2005. Retrieved: April 26, 2008. Andy Dursin of The Aisle Seat said that the original film was "dull" and that the extended version was an improvement.
["Kung Fu Craziness: Andy Reviews Stephen Chow's ''Kung Fu Hustle'' Plus: ''Winn-Dixie'' and ''The Muppets Visit Oz''!"](_blank)
The Aisle Seat, August 10, 2005. Retrieved: April 4, 2008. Cold Fusion Video felt that although the film was entertaining, it lacked the heart and wit of Jim Henson's Muppet films.
["''Muppets’ Wizard of Oz, The'' (2005)."](_blank)
Cold Fusion Video, August 31, 2005. Retrieved: April 4, 2008. Bryan Pope of DVD Verdict said that the film drained the Muppets of their spirit and was slightly gratuitous. Techtite TV reviews felt that the film was done poorly on all levels, and that the film was on the higher end of TV-PG.
Other reviewers felt that the film's attempt to appeal to an older, more mature audience was ultimately a bad idea. Kerry Bennett of Parent Previews warned that it sometimes steered "dangerously off course" due to an excess of sexual content and violence.
[Bennett, Kerry]
"''The Muppets' Wizard of Oz''."
Parent Previews. Retrieved: April 4, 2008. Referential humor to the marriage of
Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lynn Lopez (born July 24, 1969), also known by her nickname J.Lo, is an American singer, songwriter, actress, dancer and businesswoman. Lopez is regarded as one of the most influential entertainers of her time, credited with breaking ...
,
Manolo Blahnik style silver shoes, and properties such as ''
Girls Gone Wild'', ''
The Passion of the Christ'', ''
Apocalypse Now
''Apocalypse Now'' is a 1979 American psychological epic war film produced and directed by Francis Ford Coppola. The screenplay, co-written by Coppola, John Milius, and Michael Herr, is loosely inspired by the 1899 novella '' Heart of Darkn ...
'' and ''
Kill Bill: Volume 1'' were seen as too mature.
Cold Fusion Video judged the Kelly Osbourne cameo in the extended edition as "pointless".
Dursin contrasted the two guest appearances and found that the Tarantino cameo dragged the film down.
Critics were split on the merits of ABC's modernized adaptation to rely on plot elements from the
original novel instead of the iconic 1939 film.
"Richard Scheib film review."
Moria.co.nz, 2007. Retrieved: April 4, 2008.
See also
* List of television films produced for American Broadcasting Company
References
External links
*
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Muppets Wizard Of Oz The
2005 television films
2005 films
2005 children's films
Canadian fantasy television films
English-language Canadian films
The Muppets films
The Muppets television specials
The Jim Henson Company films
2000s children's fantasy films
American fantasy television films
American children's fantasy films
Walt Disney anthology television series episodes
Films based on The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
Films scored by Michael Giacchino
Canadian musical fantasy films
Films directed by Kirk Thatcher
Films about witchcraft
Films set in Kansas
20th Century Fox Television films
20th Century Fox direct-to-video films
2000s American films
2000s Canadian films
Disney controversies
Obscenity controversies in film
Canadian children's fantasy films
American musical fantasy films
Canadian musical television films