Wizard of Oz goes Sci-Fi
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24′ writers Steven Long Mitchell and Craig Van Sickle are on tap at the Sci-Fi channel to create a six hour reimagining of the Wizard of Oz called “Tin Man”.
Emboldened by the success of Battlestar Galactica, and past Mini-Series success Taken, SCI-FI is boldly gutting the classic OZ in favor of a surreal story with trippy sci-fi overtones.
In TinMan, Dorothy is now a goth hottie named DG (Dorothy Gale, perhaps?) who finds herself sucked into an alternate dimension called the “Outer Zone”. All major characters have been updated and some forgotten altogether, (most notably, the scarecrow), with more modern archetypes.
Interestingly enough, “Tin Man” was the original name of the 30’s version of Wizard of Oz. Three other versions of Wizard of Oz were produced prior to the Judy Garland version, but the 1939 Victor Fleming production is the one most of us think about when we hear the title. Sci-fi is hoping that will change when it unleashes its six hour epic in 2007.
Ed Orta said,
Wrote on November 23, 2006 @ 10:21 am
Outstanding…. Love the Sci Fi Channel
kim said,
Wrote on November 23, 2006 @ 11:01 am
i love that movie, and i think sci fi will do a good job
David Jones said,
Wrote on November 23, 2006 @ 11:19 am
I’m sorry but this is sad. Because they seem to be out of new, fresh ideas, they must, just must mangle a classic.
Please leave some things alone. When will they learn????
How many remake movies have be better than the original?
Charles Volcher said,
Wrote on November 23, 2006 @ 11:20 am
Why is the SCI-FI channel is F*N with the Wizard of Oz LEAVE WELL ENOUGH ALONE!!!!!!
al wilson said,
Wrote on November 23, 2006 @ 12:32 pm
We are completely out of ideas. It shows that this generation was given too much and has no creative imagination. It’s pitiful….. (you do know the original oz book was a politial commentary on the silver standard, right?)
David said,
Wrote on November 23, 2006 @ 12:51 pm
I think this is crazy and stupid…People need to leave this movie alone. I think These stupid people need to be sued for messing up a GREAT LEGENDARY MOVE!!!!!!! LEAVE IT ALONE!!!!!
nova said,
Wrote on November 23, 2006 @ 1:18 pm
How does a remake ruin the original? It exists independantly of whatever comes after it. They can mangle the story all they want as long as my original is unfooled-around-with.
Scottt said,
Wrote on November 23, 2006 @ 1:19 pm
I dont look at it as a remake at all..seems like its not going to be very simalar to the orginal at all. Besides there has been quite a few remakes already..remember the remake with Michael Jackson called “The Wiz”? I also remember going to see one as a kid in the early 80s..think it was just called Oz. There are also like 3 other remakes I believe. Unless it is extreamly good, in several years this one will be forgotten as well.
Jim Bernstein said,
Wrote on November 23, 2006 @ 2:06 pm
I don’t know whether to laugh or cry! There is simply no need to “modernize” great achievements in literature and film. They become classics simply because they are done so well that the stories and images reach across time. The Wizard of Oz that has delighted audiences for nearly 70 years will always be a classic. I suspect that the SciFi Channel version - now matter how high tech and hip it tries to be - will become a footnote to the folly of imitation.
Sam said,
Wrote on November 23, 2006 @ 2:25 pm
Keep in mind that the 1939 movie itself “mangled a classic.” The book was written as a children’s fantasy adventure story, with some social satire thrown in, which in some ways was ahead of its time. Apparently, it was still ahead of its time when they made the movie, becuase MGM, for the most part, threw the book away and turned the story into a musical comedy.
So, I’ll withhold judgement on Sci-fi’s updated version for now. However, what I’d really like to see is a remake done right, that as much as possible is true to L. Frank Baum’s original intent.
phantom 309 said,
Wrote on November 23, 2006 @ 2:32 pm
give the scifi guys a brain—-leave dorothy and her pals alone!!!!!
joesph said,
Wrote on November 23, 2006 @ 3:08 pm
hey sci-fi ever herded the saying “if something works DONT _ _ _K WITH IT! THE WIZARD OF OZ IS A PERIONAL FAVORITE THAT WE ALL GREW UP WITH NOT I REPEAT A SCI-FI EXPEREMENT!!!!! DIDNT YOU IDIOTS LEARN THAT WHEN MICHAL “THE FREAK” JACKSON TRYED TO REMAKE IT WITH HIS VERISON “THE WIZ”? DO THE WORLD A FAVOR AND LEAVE THIS ONE ALONE!!!!!!!!!!
Bryanna said,
Wrote on November 23, 2006 @ 3:44 pm
AGHHH I neveer seen it but now I think I might wonnaaa =)
I love the original Wizard ofOz..
YUHS
Shadowknight said,
Wrote on November 23, 2006 @ 4:06 pm
Last I checked, this was still a “free” country. They have the freedom to do it and we have the freedom to choose to watch it or not. I loved the original as a child, now I can’t stand it. If you don’t want your precious story “mangled” then simply invoke your right to not watch it. Personally, I hope the do a good job with it. I’d love to see a modernized and hopefully “adult” version do well.
Jere said,
Wrote on November 23, 2006 @ 5:25 pm
The book was and still is a classic. The 1939 movie is another story. It was and still is an abomination of Baums original work. This is going to be a retelling of the story, not the movie. And for those who can not fathom the creation of a new movie, get over it, and go read the book instead of watching the movie over and over.
scifinc said,
Wrote on November 23, 2006 @ 7:21 pm
I have to put myself squarely in the “leave well enough alone” camp.
I personally didn’t think they did that great a job on Battlestar.
Once again leave well enough alone.
I had the oppurtunity to work on a local stage production of “The Wiz”. Although it was fun I would have much prefered to have done the original.
Throwing a large net here for a moment, sequel movies are rarely as good as the originals. Rocky should have stopped at 2. So shouldn’t have the “Elm Street” movies.
Just my opinion which I’m sure somebody out there will say I’m entitled to.
I don’t remember who said on here,but I have to agree withhim. If you loved the original and don’t want it messed with,vote with your pocketbook and don’t watch the remake. I know I don’t intend to.
emstreetop said,
Wrote on November 23, 2006 @ 9:50 pm
First, a word for ALL of you commenters (commentators?)… please, please PLEASW check your spelling BEFORE you send your pearls of wisdom for all the world to see. I’m still trying to figure out “PERIONAL”!
As an OLD person, as the most of you scifiers are want to say, I actually had the privelage of not just reading the original work, but other books in the series as well. The point had been made by a couple of astute individuals is that they were “children’s” fantasy books. The social and political satire was not meant for the average child to understand, but rather their parents. Who were more in tune with the goings on of their government than many of today’s “average” citizens. As is most written science fiction.
As such, the biggest challenge for the SCIFI Cahnnel is not whether to make it “good” or not. But rather to match the same goals that the original writer had. This is no small task for any “Visual” (film or video) media, as you are working under both time constraints, as well as the need to “Dumb” down much of the material, so that the mainstream viwewer could understand at least half of the message.
In essence, NONE of the film/video versions have gotten the point across that the original auther was trying to make. If they can pull THAT one off, then they’d have made something not just worth watching, but also worth remembering.
Frank said,
Wrote on November 24, 2006 @ 4:16 pm
How about a update of Forbidden Planet?
Just think what they could do with Robby.
While they are at it why not The Day the Earth stood still? Might as well steal the best.
Rebecca Gibson said,
Wrote on November 25, 2006 @ 2:41 am
The SciFi Channel never fails to disappoint me. So I don’t expect much from “The Tin Man”. They should shy away from creating their original programs and stick to broadcasting movies and series from people with the talent to produce quality programming. This being said the pocket books rules and as long as there are people who are willing to watch crap then that is what will be given to them. If more of us would demand quality then we would receive quality. But until then be prepared for bad scripts, bad acting, and as stated in an earlier post dumbed down plots, it there is a plot at all.
153957 said,
Wrote on November 26, 2006 @ 4:06 pm
Perhaps inspired by the short (in a sci-fi setting) Wizard of Oz appearance in Stargate SG-1’s episode ‘200′?
Rebeccalou said,
Wrote on November 27, 2006 @ 4:47 pm
Look at the success of ‘Wicked’ at the theatre. It’s all pretty much a gamble. I say go for it. Might just come up with something totally unique.
Besides, although I LOVE the fun hollywood-version of the Wizard of Oz, it’s different than the series. Plus the Oz series has about 12-14 books in the set right? What about Ozma of Oz? What about the other ‘humans’ from earth that also end up in Oz, and their stories?
I’ve been looking forward to a ‘darker’ remake for years.
Doug said,
Wrote on November 29, 2006 @ 2:28 pm
Looks like the Sci Fi channel is inspired by the Greg Mannino comicbook series that already broke that ground. Check out “Dorothy” at http://www.dorothyofoz.net.
Remember the recent outrage over the supposed remake of Willy Wonka? It wasn’t a remake at all, no singing Oompa Loompas, but another film based on the same novel. Same deal here.
Your Father said,
Wrote on December 15, 2006 @ 12:51 am
A SCI-FI Wizard of OZ with a “Goth chick” as Dorothy? I dont see how anyone could think that would be cool, but hey, to each his own. I find the majority of the sci-fi channels original movies to be cheap and unwatchable.
Anna G. said,
Wrote on March 10, 2007 @ 1:13 pm
This is terrible. Absolutely terrible. The Wizard of Oz is a classic and is something that many of us have grown up with. It is my favorite movie, as well as my pick me up when I’m down. I am in the play this year, which has made it even more meaningful to me. This should be off-limits…..OZ IS NOT SOMETHING TOBE FOOLED AROUND WITH!!!! I normally love sci-Fi movies, but this is ridiculous. Think of how many people will be hurt; children and adults alike by this. Oz has touched the child in everyone…Now think of all those children who will be crushed by this.
John French said,
Wrote on March 21, 2007 @ 7:15 pm
Remake it in the style of a Civil War Film and transtion into a Medieval Setting in Oz make Dorothy her right age again 8 years old and not a teenager have it done the way the baum book was done and give her back the sliver Shoes and most of all Do it Right.
John French said,
Wrote on March 21, 2007 @ 7:21 pm
You Should Base it on The Baum Book and Historical Events of the Medieval and Civil War Events and stay true to Baums Book get rid of the roby shoes go back to basics,
and Honor Baum’s Book.
John French said,
Wrote on March 21, 2007 @ 7:23 pm
You Have to Remember Baum Wrote the book after The Civil War and wanted to make children happy.
John French said,
Wrote on March 21, 2007 @ 7:26 pm
Read The Wonderful Wizard of Oz By L. Frank Baum and you will know what I am talking about.
John French said,
Wrote on March 21, 2007 @ 7:29 pm
You Should Base it on The Baum Book and Historical Events of the Medieval and Civil War Events and stay true to Baum’s Book get rid of the roby shoes go back to basics,
and Honor Baum’s Book.
Definitive_One said,
Wrote on October 13, 2007 @ 2:04 am
I personally feel ‘THE WIZ’ is a much better version than the 1939 OVER-RATED version. The WIZ is absolutely an amazing brilliant visually stunning film.
The message in The Wiz is much deeper and more meaningful than in the 1939 movie version. Believing in yourself sums up the message of this version perfectly. It is portrayed superbly by Diana Ross and the entire cast in this beautiful magnificent movie that is THE WIZ.
THE WIZ is a million times better than The Wizard of OZ. Unfortunately because the characters are portrayed by people of color and the story has an urban feel with sybolic messages throughout, most White people don’t want to like this version. THE WIZ has become a major threat to the 1939 version because it is just that excellent.