Throwback Thursday: Is ‘Return to Oz’ Classic Or Creepy? [VIDEO]

The summer of 1985 was jam-packed with Generation X blockbusters such as, Back to the Future, The Goonies, Pee-Wee's Big Adventure, Rambo, and Return to Oz? Yes, thirty years ago, my cousin Jennifer and I went to see what would be one of the creepiest movies ever made. It's time to remember Dorothy's second journey to Oz.

Where do I start? I realize I'm about to reveal all kinds of spoilers, so if you have never seen Return to Oz, which may be a good thing, stop reading now!

First of all, this loose sequel to one of the most beloved films of all-time was NOT a blockbuster. It barely managed to recoup half of its $25 million budget at the box office. It was produced by Walt Disney Pictures. And something I didn't remember, it was nominated for an Oscar for Best Visual Effects.

All of that aside, what in the heck is going on in this movie? The basics, Dorothy is back in Kansas, which by the way, got totally eroded/destroyed by the tornado. Seriously, why was the land so barren?, talk about depressing. Uncle Henry seems to think all of Dorothy's Oz talk is affecting his crops. Also, since Dorothy can't sleep, Aunt Em decides to send her away to some sort of institution, where the famed doctor there, his preferred form of therapy is electro-shock! Nope! A creepy nurse who is mean to Dorothy at the hospital chases her when a thunderstorm knocks out the power before she gets shocked.

After the storm, Dorothy finds herself back in Oz, but boy has it changed. In short, the yellow brick road has been decimated, all of her friends (Scarecrow, Tin Man, Lion) have been turned to stone, and the Wheelers keep watch on the Emerald City. If you thought the Flying Monkeys were creepy (they still are), the Wheelers bring a whole new sense of sheer horror to the big screen.

I'll stop there to spare you from all the shocking surprises you'll find once you watch it or watch it again after thirty years. There's the hall of Mombi the Witch's heads, okay! I'll stop. I had one friend growing up who always used the adjective "morbid" to describe Return to Oz, it's strong, but not way off.

Oh yeah, I own it! It never scared me, it just creeped me out a bit. Is it underrated? I would say to a degree, yes.