"Return To Oz"...A Childhood Favorite (Happy Birthday Fairuza Balk!)

As a child I grew up with both Oz films. My mother was a fan of the original (I love it as well). It's definitely a piece of old Hollywood history, that much is sure. But as a fan of the Oz mythos, I always gravitated towards "Return To Oz." I was the right age to have been transported to that magical place. I was old enough to have sucked it up when all of the creepy parts came around (The Wheelers were definite nightmare fuel). And it always felt like MY Oz. And Fairuza Balk is MY Dorothy.

She was an unusually mature and natural actress for her age and taking on such an iconic role of Dorothy in the Oz franchise was no small feat. Yet she was an absolute delight. She continues to be an amazing actress, getting out of the child actor phase and becoming a solid actress who I believe should be more visible in today's Hollywood. Maybe she had enough of the Hollywood machine...who can blame her.

The film never got the audience I feel it deserved. It was panned by critics and was a box office bomb. This was around the time when Disney were treated as old fashioned and they were trying to make a comeback with audiences (imagine that!). But I believe over time it has gained cult status and I still enjoy watching it to this day.

Here's to MY Dorothy...happy birthday Fairuza Balk!