(baffled) “WHY?!!!”
Why make a movie…about Tom and Jerry…and the Wizard of Oz?!
Look, I know I’ve reviewed ‘Tom and Jerry: Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory’ recently! I know that Tom and Jerry have done many mash-up films like this, based on classic works! But this?! This is ‘The Wizard of Oz’! The film is based on the original Judy Garland film with Tom and Jerry in it!
By the way, I purchased this movie for my Dad on his birthday this November! He enjoyed it! 😀 I enjoyed it too! But there’s no getting away from the fact that this is a bizarre combination of two of the most iconic cartoon characters with their slapstick violence and humour in joining Dorothy to Oz.
There’s two versions of this ‘Tom and Jerry: Wizard of Oz’ film on the DVD. It includes the original full-coloured version and another version with a black-and-white opening. My parents and I saw the version with the black-and-white opening to have the authentic ‘Wizard of Oz’ viewing experience.
In all fairness, this movie does stick to the original plot of ‘The Wizard of Oz’ story and even has some of the familiar songs from the original film, like ‘Somewhere Over The Rainbow’. But again, like the ‘Willy Wonka’ film, Tom and Jerry’s antics distract a lot from the emotional aspects of the movie.
Tom and Jerry are meant to protect Dorothy and Toto as promised by Aunty Em. Now this makes sense to give Tom and Jerry a purpose without having ‘no rhyme or reason’ to it. It’s not a very good reason, but it’s decent enough. Tom and Jerry even shake hands on the matter, despite the grudges.
There are also scenes that get cut out from the original ‘Wizard of Oz’ film into the ‘Tom and Jerry’ version. When Tom and Jerry arrive in Oz, we see what goes on from their point of view while many scenes with Dorothy meeting the Scarecrow, the Tin Man and the Cowardly Lion don’t get shown.
There’s also something else that I find amusing as well as bizarre. The Wicked Witch of the West seems obsessed about capturing Tom and Jerry as well as Dorothy. Not sure why that is. And there’s another thing! Why wasn’t there more interaction between Tom and Jerry with Toto during the movie?!
Tuffy the mouse makes an appearance in this movie and he turns out to be a Munchkin! Of course, he would be! And he gets to sing the song, ‘If I Only Had The Height!’ Guess where that’s from?! Tuffy helps out a lot in guiding Tom and Jerry to find Dorothy, Toto and her new-found friends in Oz.
Droopy also appears in this movie too as well as Butch. I found it amusing when Droopy happened to be one of the Wicked Witch’s guards at the castle. Though why he would work for the Wicked Witch is bizarre. First he was criminal mastermind in ‘Willy Wonka’, now this?! I am starting to get worried!
I found it very funny when Tom and Jerry kept running away and Droopy always seemed to be there. Just like all those good cartoons I saw in ‘Tom and Jerry Kids’. But hang on! Tom and Jerry aren’t McWolf, are they?! 😀 It was good to see Droopy in a more amusing role compared to ‘Willy Wonka’.
The film ends on a rather odd note when Tom and Jerry are back with Dorothy and her family. Tuffy and Droopy are also there too. Which…is odd, considering we never saw them in the black-and-white opening. Professor Marvel was there too, but his first scene with Dorothy was cut from this.
‘Tom and Jerry & The Wizard of Oz’ has been an entertaining and enjoyable bizarre combination of two cult followings. I’m pleased my Dad enjoyed his birthday present since I knew he liked ‘The Wizard of Oz’ with Judy Garland. He knew this one wouldn’t match to the original, but he enjoyed it.
Thanks for reading!
Bye for now!
Tim. 🙂
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