The Muppets' Wizard of Oz (2005)
Finding out the Muppets did their own take on the classic Wizard of Oz, I had to rush out and rent a copy. I thought it would be really cute, but it didn’t really act on all the opportunities presented. An obvious example was the casting choice of the Wizard. He could have been Kermit (because of his green-ness), Fozzie Bear (re-named Ozzie Bear), the Great Gonzo (re-named the Great Oz), or even Rizzo (so that the big behind-the-curtain reveal is a shock). Instead, a human actor was cast, projecting a different computer image for each of the people who come to see him. For the cowardly lion, he makes himself a fire-breathing dragon. For the tinman, who lost his heart because of his one-true love, he turns into a big-busted, scantily-clad temptress. For a Muppet movie, this is surprisingly adult. There are numerous references to sex, the poppy scene takes place in a 1970s drug-infested nightclub, and the Wicked Witch of the West tries to chop Dorothy’s feet off with a buzzsaw to get the magic slippers.
If you love the Muppets and want to see them skipping down the yellow brick road with Ashanti (who plays Dorothy), you will be entertained. Instead of Toto the dog, Ashanti has a pet prawn she saved from being plated at Aunt Em’s diner, played by the puppet Pepe. Miss Piggy plays all four of the Witches, Kermit is the scarecrow, Gonzo is the Tinman, and Fozzie is the lion. Modern humor fans will be very pleased, since there are countless pop culture references, and the usual amount of puns that make you roll your eyes and laugh in spite of yourself.
Those on the lookout for humans will see Queen Latifah and David Alan Grier as Aunt Em and Uncle Henry, Quentin Tarantino, Jeffrey Tambor, Edward Hibbert, and Kelly Clarkson. Next time I want to watch a different take on The Wizard of Oz, I’ll watch the 2015 live Thanksgiving performance of The Wiz, also featuring Latifah and Grier. But Muppet fans will probably want to check this one out.
DLM Warning: If you suffer from vertigo or dizzy spells, like my mom does, this movie will not be your friend. During nearly every scene, there are tilting, swerving, or swirling camera movements that will make you sick. In other words, “Don’t Look, Mom!”
More Queen Latifah movies here!
Be sure and check out Hot Toasty Rag's review of 1939's The Wizard of Oz here!
Be sure and check out Hot Toasty Rag's review of 1972's Journey Back to Oz here!
Be sure and check out Hot Toasty Rag's review of 2013's Oz the Great and Powerful here!
Be sure and check out Hot Toasty Rag's review of 2015's The Wiz Live! here!
If you love the Muppets and want to see them skipping down the yellow brick road with Ashanti (who plays Dorothy), you will be entertained. Instead of Toto the dog, Ashanti has a pet prawn she saved from being plated at Aunt Em’s diner, played by the puppet Pepe. Miss Piggy plays all four of the Witches, Kermit is the scarecrow, Gonzo is the Tinman, and Fozzie is the lion. Modern humor fans will be very pleased, since there are countless pop culture references, and the usual amount of puns that make you roll your eyes and laugh in spite of yourself.
Those on the lookout for humans will see Queen Latifah and David Alan Grier as Aunt Em and Uncle Henry, Quentin Tarantino, Jeffrey Tambor, Edward Hibbert, and Kelly Clarkson. Next time I want to watch a different take on The Wizard of Oz, I’ll watch the 2015 live Thanksgiving performance of The Wiz, also featuring Latifah and Grier. But Muppet fans will probably want to check this one out.
DLM Warning: If you suffer from vertigo or dizzy spells, like my mom does, this movie will not be your friend. During nearly every scene, there are tilting, swerving, or swirling camera movements that will make you sick. In other words, “Don’t Look, Mom!”
More Queen Latifah movies here!
Be sure and check out Hot Toasty Rag's review of 1939's The Wizard of Oz here!
Be sure and check out Hot Toasty Rag's review of 1972's Journey Back to Oz here!
Be sure and check out Hot Toasty Rag's review of 2013's Oz the Great and Powerful here!
Be sure and check out Hot Toasty Rag's review of 2015's The Wiz Live! here!