Voices of Grey DeLisle, Joe Alasky, Spike Brandt, and Rob Paulsen
Directed by Spike Brandt and Tony Cervone
Music and Lyrics by various
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory was far from the first franchise Warners dumped Tom and Jerry into. They appeared in six direct-to-home-media "movies" before this, including the previous crossover Meet Sherlock Holmes. That one went over well enough for them to try inserting the cat-and-mouse duo into one of the most famous musicals of all time. Does it work out better than their visit to Willy Wonka's domain did, or should it have a house dropped on it? Let's begin in Kansas, where a certain cat and mouse (Brandt) chase each other while Dorothy Gale (DeLisle) laments that no one listens to her, and find out...
The Story: Tom and Jerry are shocked as anyone to be caught up in a Kansas twister. Also along for the ride are Dorothy and her dog Toto, who land in Oz ahead of them. The cat and mouse duo first encounter Munchkin mouse Tuffy (Kathy Soucie) when they arrive. He leads them down the Yellow Brick Road to find Dorothy and her new friends the Scarecrow (Michael Gough), the Tin Woodsman (Paulsen), and the Cowardly Lion (Todd Stashwick). On the way, they steal the wand of the Wicked Witch of the West (Larraine Newman), incurring her wrath. No one is happy when the Wizard (Alasky) sends them to capture the witch, least of all Tom and Jerry! They'll have to work together to save Dorothy and figure out who the Wizard really is.
The Animation: At least someone did their homework. This is made to resemble the Hanna Barbara and Tex Avery shorts of the 1940's and 50's. Dorothy looks like a younger Red Hot Riding Hood, while Tom, Jerry, and Winkie Guard Droopy closely resemble their versions from the late 40's-early 50's. It's obviously cheap and it doesn't move very well, but at least it's colorful and relatively suits the characters.
The Song and Dance: I will say that Tom and Jerry work slightly better in Oz than they did in Willy Wonka's domain. Oz is already a fantasy world filled with flying monkeys and talking lions. They're also integrated slightly better, notably helping the others figure out how to get rid of the Wicked Witch of the West. (In fact, Tuffy comes up with a great idea to scare off the Winkie guards that I wish they used in the original film!) The colorful animation suits Oz, the characters, and the time period this was set in well.
Favorite Number: Even Tom and Jerry (briefly) stop their antics long enough to watch Dorothy sing "Over the Rainbow," though Tom can't resist trying to eat some of the bluebirds who gather to listen. A frustrated Tuffy sings "If I Only Had the Height" in Munchkin Land, since he's too small to be considered a full munchkin. "We're Off to See the Wizard" is heard twice, when Tuffy, Tom, and Jerry head off to find the others, and after they've caught up with them near the Emerald City. We get the ensemble number "Merry Old Land of Oz" when they've all arrived in the Emerald City. The original "If I Only Had a Brain/Heart/Nerve" is heard over the end credits, along with "Off to See the Wizard."
What I Don't Like: Tom and Jerry do fit in a little better...but that doesn't mean this should have happened in the first place. You don't really get to see much of Dorothy and her friends, or hear the original score. Often, what you do get is a rehash of the much-better live-action movie. DeLisle tries hard, but she's no Judy Garland, and Gough isn't Ray Bolger, either. Newman's Wicked Witch is an improvement, but she still lacks Margaret Hamilton's menace.
The Big Finale: Tom and Jerry's trip to Oz isn't great, but it's still a lot sweeter than their venture into Road Dahl turf. Fun for kids who are Tom and Jerry and/or Oz fans.
Home Media: Easily found in all formats.
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