Is New "Oz" Film Too Scary For Young Movie-Goers?
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- It was the stuff of nightmares.
Filmed in 1939, "The Wizard of Oz" play evil havoc with a good night sleep for multiple generations with its Wicked Witch and flying monkeys.
Now comes the prequel, "Oz: "The Great and Powerful," complete with flying baboons.
"Which are actually more terrifying than the monkeys in the original 'Wizard of Oz.' And this time, they are in 3D, so they are actually jumping out of the screen at you," said Drew Moniot, KDKA-TV film critic.
"Oz" is following Hollywood's dimly lit yellow brick road, which has seen the traffic of "Snow White" turn into the more recent "Huntsman" version, Tim Burton's take on "Willy Wonka" and "Hansel and Gretel" become shotgun toting witch hunters.
"These films are geared towards a teenage audience," says John Mowad, KDKA Radio's film critic. "They are geared towards an audience - they have their parents money, they are going to a movie at night. It all comes down to money."
So, that brings us back to "Oz." How young is too young?
"I would think kids who are 10 or 12. I would think they would be able to handle this okay," said Moniot.
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Barbara Vancheri says 7 or 8 and older. Mowad says to be aware if your child is easily scared.
"Then you know as a parent that this might not be the film for them right now," he said.
And how did it play with the first young Pittsburghers to see the film today?
"I really did liked it; although, there were some parts that did jitter me up," said Kevin McManus, Jr. of Sewickley.
"The flying monkeys did, that's basically what scared me a lot," added Maggie McManus, also of Sewickley.
"I'd say if you're six or anywhere below, that you are going to go to sleep and you are going to hide under your covers thinking a giant monkey is going to come and attack you," added Zachery Jurges, of Oakdale.
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