Journey Back to Oz *** (1972, voices of Liza Minnelli, Mickey Rooney, Milton Berle, Margaret Hamilton) – Classic Movie Review 8332

Director Hal Sutherland’s 1972 full-length musical cartoon adventure Journey Back to Oz is exactly what the title says, with Liza Minnelli voicing her mother Judy Garland’s best-known role as Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, who returns to Oz to fight an evil witch, Mombi (Ethel Merman). Despite the moderate animation, it is a pleasant and enjoyable feature, with pleasing songs, although the real pleasure comes from listening to the iconic, well-known voices.

Journey Back to Oz was made in 1964 but strangely not released until 14 December 1972 in London and finally on 5 December 1974 in the US.

The Wizard of Oz’s Wicked Witch of the West Margaret Hamilton voices Aunt Em, Garland’s friend and frequent co-star Mickey Rooney voices The Scarecrow, Milton Berle voices The Cowardly Lion, Danny Thomas voices The Tin Man.

Other voices are by Paul Ford (Uncle Henry), Rise Stevens (Glinda, the Good Witch), Mel Blanc, Herschel Bernardi, Risë Stevens, Jack E Leonard, Paul Lynde, Jack E. Leonard, Dal McKennon [Dallas McKennon] and Larry Storch.

The network TV version runs 96 minutes and adds new live-action sequences with Bill Cosby as The Wizard of Oz, and the sub-plot is to get the children back to Kansas to join Dorothy for Christmas.

Ethel Merman performs If You’re Gonna Be A Witch – Be A Witch and An Elephant Never Forgets, Liza Minnelli performs Keep A Happy Thought, A Faraway Land, Return To The Land Of Oz March and That Feeling For Home, and Mickey Rooney performs B-R-A-N-E, all written by Jimmy Van Heusen and Sammy Cahn.

The writers are Fred Ladd and Norm Prescott, with additional dialogue by Bernard Evslin, based on the novel by L Frank Baum.

 © Derek Winnert 2019 Classic Movie Review 8332

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