Costume Design by: Raymond Hughes
The opening and ending sequences of
Return to Oz were set in the year 1899; a pinstriped dress with velvet trim was made for Fairuza Balk to wear as the young Dorothy Gale. According to
the Recycled Movie Costumes blog, this costume would end up reused in 2019's
Anne With An E.
I don't know if Balk's other costumes were custom-made for her or reused wardrobe stock from Bermans & Nathans and other costume houses; given they only appear in brief scenes, I imagine it was stock. However, I feel the white gown worn by Emma Ridley as the mysterious hospital girl, was custom-made for her.
Hughes also designed and custom-made a stern, sharply cut black dress with high shoulders for Jean Marsh as Nurse Wilson. With its dark colour and sharp cut, it already gives a sense of Wilson's callous nature - slightly evoking the 1939' Wizard of Oz's Wicked Witch of the West.
(I feel that the suit worn by Nicol Williamson as Dr. Worley, and Piper Laurie's assorted drab dresses as Aunt Em, were most likely reused wardrobe stock from assorted British costume houses, due to each roles fairly minimal screen time - and the costume budget mostly going to the Oz costumes!
The first costumes seen in the fantasy world of Oz are the garish tailcoats and ghoulish masks of the Wheelers. Each Wheeler costume was unique, coated in patchwork fabrics and tubing, giving them a contemporary punk, even futuristic fashion sensibility. Each performer wore wheeled limb-extensions, which I feel must have been a collaboration between the costume and special effects departments.
Hughes' most ambitious design had to have been the first dress worn by Princess Mombi, played in the film by multiple actresses (thanks to the character's ability to swap heads), but primarily by Jean Marsh. Judging by Hughes' original costume sketches, the inspiration may have came from Gustav Klimt's artwork.
The dress itself is coated in golden lining in asymmetrical patternss, and worn with a large cape also with patterned lining; the look is complated with a collar of metallic pieces evoking feathers, with another trailing cloak.
Marsh also wears a puffy-sleeved pink nightgown with patterning on the collar, which is sometimes worn with a burgundy cloak with golden lining, evoking the cape on her first dress.
The film's main villain, the Nome King, was primarily realized via stopmotion animation, voiced by Nicol Williamson. However, the scenes of the Nome King becoming progressively more human had Williamson in a stone-like prosthetic makeup, wearing a specially-made crown and robe. The robe is coated in layers of what appear to be hardened latex, with gemstones on the shoulders, giving a rocky appearance.
Another dress was designed and made an elaborate dress for Emma Ridley as Princess Ozma. Ozma's dress has a green and white colourscheme, evoking the Emerald City and giving her an ethereal quality. In a similar manner to Mombi's dress, Ozma's has a collar of metallic segments.
Judging by this promotional photo however, it seems another dress was made for Ridley, this one of a golden colour scheme. Sadly I cannot find any other images of this dress at all; was this a rejected design, or for a cut sequences?
Hughes followed the original Oz books' illustrations when it came to the Scarecrow, with a buttoned tunic and plaid pants; the costumes were made to look patchwork, as after all it's a scarecrow. The second image comes from
the Hollywood Movie Costumes & Props blog.
Many other costumes were made for the film's parade sequence towards the end, many of the costumes made to represent assorted characters of the Oz books - it would take a bit too long to name them all, but Scraps the Patchwork Girl and Polychrome, Daughter of the Rainbow especially are highlights.
Several fantastical Emerald City uniforms, in shades of green or red, were also made by Hughes' costume department. Again, the first three images come from
the Hollywood Movie Costumes & Props blog.
