The Muppets’ Wizard of Oz-An Odd Muppet TV Movie
The Muppet's Wizard of Oz is a strange movie. It's comedy, compared to other Muppet productions, feels oddly adult. There are references to "Girl's Gone Wild," a moment where Pepe touches Gonzo's nipples, and a cameo by Quentin Tarantino that comes out of nowhere. There's also a moment where a Giant CGI temptress flirts with Gonzo and then turns into a giant chicken. Admittedly, there's a novelty to seeing these strangely adult moments in a Muppet production.
Otherwise, aside from those adult jokes and references, as well as a few of the humorous puns and physical gags you expect from the Muppets, there's nothing much else here. The film is a pretty by-the-numbers retelling of The Wizard of Oz, hitting all the beats you expect. Any changes to modernize the story, such as making the poppy fields into a hip nightclub or having the Wicked Witch of the West and her gang be a Motorcycle gang, feel pretty redundant and don't add much.
As a TV movie, the film looks very cheap. The opening Kansas scenes are shot with this ugly, bloom-heavy look typical of most early 2000s TV productions. The scenes on Oz are pretty serviceable, with some basic sets and costumes. There's also some ugly-looking early 2000s TV budget CGI that hasn't aged well and looks terrible.
If there's anything I can say about The Muppet's Wizard of Oz, it is that it's a neat novelty, with its oddly crude and adult sense of humor, and it's interesting to see a Muppet production on a TV budget. But aside from that, there's nothing much else to it. The story is a serviceable retelling of The Wizard of Oz, and it lacks the production value of most Muppet movies. It's a fun novelty, but otherwise, there's no real reason to watch the film. In a way, it makes sense Disney tries to bury this film by not putting it on Disney Plus and limiting where it's streaming, as it feels like an odd early 2000s time capsule that's understandable the studio wants to keep hidden.
Available to Rent or Buy on Vudu in the U.S
