Friend of Dorothy

Today, Callie posted on the Bust blog about the TV movie version of Alice in Wonderland which, like her, I remember loving as a child-- but also being a bit freaked out by. In fact, I think the scary aspect helped heighten my intrigue. 

This reminded me of another movie in that category: RETURN TO OZ

Oh yeah. That's a little Fairuza Balk as Dorothy!

This came out in 1985 (as did Alice in Wonderland!), and is something of a sequel to the The Wizard of Oz (starring Judy Garland, of course). It's actually based on the novels "The Land of Oz" and "Ozma of Oz" which were the second and third books in the Oz series begun by L.Frank Baum. There were fourteen in all! This one has a much darker spin from the beginning in comparison to its predecessor starting with when Dorothy is taken to a mental hospital by Aunt Em to treat her insomnia and for the crazy stories she tells about the Land of Oz! The doctor in the hospital is said to work miracles with electricity AKA gives SHOCK TREATMENTS! Dorothy escapes with the help of a mysterious girl who helps her back to Oz. Unfortunately Oz has become a terrible place due to the Gnome King's rule and she must rescue all her friends, and save Oz! 

By the movies that I liked as I kid, I think I was just destined to do drugs. There was no way around it. Watch the movie in its entirety HERE, you'll see what I mean.