Interesting history about this particular prop this prop was part of the tour at MGM Disney Studios at least through the entire 90s it was just up towards the ceiling on a Shelf and it was clear as day I saw it every time I went through there.... also I knew immediately that it had been restored because the color of it was different on the tour it was more of a brass color shiny brass newer brass
We're lucky when our partners get and appreciate our obsession, as my wife daily walks past yellow barrels used in the production of Jaws. So wonderful to see this guy still in existence, a great prop from a wonderful movie.
Fun fact, Tik-Tok was also probably the very first robot in fiction. Ozma of Oz, the novel in which he first appears, was published in 1907, 13 years before the word 'robot' was even invented in 1920! Hence why he's called "the clockwork man." He was probably inspired by existing automatons, but his ability to think distinguishes him from them. Sorry, just felt like sharing because I love this character so much and was so thrilled, when Return to Oz came out, to see him come to life on screen at least once!
Yes! And Baum has so many deep ideas about artificial intelligence. For instance, both Tik-Tok and the Tin Man are 100% mechanical, but the Tin Man was a human who was replaced piece by piece while Tik Tok was constructed. In Baum's world, magic that affects living things affects the Tin Man but not Tik-Tok. There's so much wonderful stuff in those books.
@@joshuamartin7756 did you ever get to read "The Master Key"? He has some amazing ideas about technology and its consequences in a lot of his stuff. "John Dough and the Cherub" touches on that too, with all the inventors on the Isle of Phreex.
@@fujifilm5127 I just looked up that myth, I didn't actually know it very well. I don't actually know why the author of the book I read didn't count Talos. Maybe because he's powered by magic and therefore more closely resembles a golem than a robot? It's an interesting question, and one I don't actually know the answer to. :-)
@@azarsuerte4060 Samuel butler wrote a book in 1872 called Erewhon that contained a section that spoke of machines capable of conscious thought and self replication a full like 30 years before the wizard of oz. The book just isn't very good and wasn't very popular compared to the wizard of oz so that's the one everyone credits because everyone knows it
You don't know how big a smile I got on my face when I saw this. Or how loud a gasp. Seeing Tik-Tok is still around is amazing. Much less getting a look under his hood. This episode is a definite highlight to my day. Thank you, Adam!
@@brightmacsworld8353 Wow, triggered much? It's definitely darker than the first movie, but is also more closely based on the books and is well loved despite also being known as one of the creepiest kids movies out there. Let people enjoy things. If you don't like it, keep scrolling.
I found a video on youtube called "Return to Oz Location Report" by VHS video vault and at the 3 minute mark there is a quick cut of them opening up Tiktok and letting Michael Sundin out. Adam's description somehow doesn't covey just how tight it was in there. I still don't know how he managed to work the arms while wearing it.
I am just thrilled someone actually kept it rather than scrapping it (as happens far too often for fantasy and sci-fi props and outfits). Loved this movie and adored this character as a child and still do as an adult.
Or props get split up and used in other things... That happened to the original Robbie, he got reworked and parts swapped out that by the time he actually went into long storage there was only something like a third of the original costume left. There is an ep of Startrek Voyager, the one with the gold or silver 'automated units', take a look at the table Bealana is working on the prototype on. You'll see one of Johnny Five's arms is attached to the table... poor J5
Props don't get scrapped now as they did in the past since studios know there's a collector's market. But often they rent pieces from a prop house which will often reuse pieces.
Very true. I met Toby Philpott who worked on a number of films and he told me that after the filming of Jedi, the puppet of Jabba the Hutt was binned. The builder was devastated.
Also, don't forget that while Michael Sundin was curled into a ball inside the suit, walking backwards, he was doing all that while looking at an upside-down TV monitor showing him a 3rd person shot of TikTok, while at the same time operating the left arm with his right and the right arm with his left. Amazing co-ordination.
One of my all-time favorite films. It’s severely underrated, and didn’t get the mainstream success deserved upon release, mainly because of its dark tone (which is one reason I find it so enjoyable), and I think audiences were expecting another 1930s musical. Would love to see a series outlining more return to Oz props, as well as props from Labyrinth, Dark Crystal, Legend, and anything else 1980s “dark.”
@@paulwoodford1984 Absolutely! Even if we view these movies as Their Own Thing rather than an adaptation of the books, Return To Oz has actual characters that feel so much more sincere, and grow to care for.
@@paulwoodford1984 Mombi and the Nome King were better baddies than the Wicked Witch of the West, and their 'real' world' personas as the Head Nurse and Dr Worley were riveting to watch too.
I love Return to Oz so much! Thinking about how Tik-Tok moved, the contortionist walking backwards makes so much sense. It's funny how the limited mobility of the guy inside actually gave Tik-Tok the best stilted clockwork movement. I am so jealous! Tik-Tok ties with Johnny 5 for favorite movie robot.
I am a HUGE Return To Oz fan and seeing this brought tears to my eyes! Just amazing! Thank you SO much for sharing this!! If I remember correctly (and if it's true), there used to be one of the Tik-Toks in the garden of Lucasfilm. I've been talking to some of the effects houses here in Los Angeles about building me a Gump head to put in my library - I need to see if I can build a replica of Tik-Tok as well. I learned things about the Tik-Tok costume from this episode I never knew! Absolutely amazing. Again, thank you SOO much for sharing this!!
I think when Toto howled in sorrow at Dorothy's departure without him we knew she was in for a much rougher ride than last time, and Fairuza's reaction at that exact moment said it all, as though she felt she was never coming back from wherever she was being taken. And the Sanitarium was a perfectly horrific Victorian venue.
Yes, Michael Sundin went on to become a Blue Peter presenter, and his intro to the show coincided with them doing a 'behind the scenes' feature on the Return To Oz movie while it was in production. He was also in the Boy George video for the song "I'll Tumble 4 Ya" (he's the tumbling guy), and he passed away at just 28 years of age in 1989 from what was at the time the "big disease with the little name." en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Sundin
I remember him in my Blue Peter annual, bent double and watching a tiny TV screen so that he could move around correctly during filming. My memory was of Peter Duncan bent double but I was wrong! - Michael Sundin is a name I had quite forgotten.
I think the best part of this entire video is just the pure and utter JOY you can hear in Adam's voice; that is the most authentic nerdy happiness/glee in getting to see something you really enjoy or geek out about that you never thought you would and I just love Adam for that Never change Adam Savage; never ever change!
Return to Oz is one of my favourite movies. Got my parents to rent the video all the time. I once visited the Museum of Moving image in London back when that it still existed and they had one of the Tik Toks displayed there. His arm had come off which was so sad but I remember looking at the model for ages as I was so thrilled that it was there. It’s a shame when these things fall into disrepair and I’m glad that they are trying to restore this one.
Clockwork man alive! It's the original Tik-Tok! I love Return to Oz and Tik-Tok was always my favourite character. I never imagined that he would still be around. It's like seeing an old childhood friend. 😄 This must be the only movie left that's not had a toy line produced. Who do I need to see about this?!
There was an action figure line for this movie, there were four figures produced, Tik Tok, Jack, Scarecrow and The Tinman, they are exceptionally rare and might’ve only been exclusive to like a Japanese Disney park or something I remember reading, they also made hand puppets of TikTok, Scarecrow and The Gump! 🎉
@@noodlefire64 What? What? What?! I've just gone cross-eyed and my socks have shot off in different directions! Wow! I never knew that toys were produced, albeit a limited run. What with so many nostalgic films and tv shows having toy lines made these days, I'm surprised nobody has revisited Return to OZ. That and 1984s Supergirl. Now give me a minute to tie my socks back on before you tell me that Supergirl had a toy line too. 😄
When I first saw Return to Oz, I was struck by how conceptually faithful to John R Neill's drawings of the character Tik-Tok was, with minimal necessary adjustments to permit it to function in a film environment. A truly great character piece.
@@brightmacsworld8353 Have you read all the original Oz books? There are some pretty dark bits. Return to Oz was pretty faithful aesthetically to John R Neill's illustrations for the series, and he did the art for almost all of them after the very first one.
I want to see a video of you working on the mechanisms to get it brought more to life! Either a couple of videos with one day builds in your workshop and install back there with a full revisit. It would be incredible. Return to Oz was such a unique movie, dark for the OZ movies but well worth the watch. Lots of memories in that one. It got me to read the books. Which explains a lot of the world in the second movie. Please do a follow up video on this!
"I am not alive, and never will be, thank goodness!" I grew up watching Return to Oz and I'm amazed this still exists and functions. Though seeing the inside of the costume was a little bit like, well, pulling the curtain back on the wizard.
Oh one of my favorite movies, I clicked on the video so fast. I love seeing this look at an actual Tik-Tok and as always you have Adam's infectious enthusiasm as he just geeks out all over it. And I would really love seeing a video on if Adam does help restore head functionality.
I loved this movie so much. I remember renting it over and over again and I loved it. I thought it was superior to the original movie. The characters in this were so cool to me. I remember seeing the Tin Man and Scarecrow and the Lion in this movie and loving the way they looked. This movie was dark and it was my favorite. The world was so much more interesting and surreal. Great video!!!
I seem to remember the special Blue Peter episode they did about presenter Peter Duncan being the guy squashed inside TikTok.. then again my thinkworks could be a tad rusty.
In a sense it already exists. Look up "The Stuff Dreams Are Made Of." The podcast is hosted by writer-producers/collectors Dave Mandel (Veep) & Ryan Condal (House of the Dragon), but Brandon's been on a couple times and Adam... is going to be on there this Wednesday - so excellent timing!
Its been awesome to see them both become fast friends over time, and him to kinda use Adam to help him with his own knowledge to find more incredible pieces. Top notch duo.
One of my all time favourite movies! So glad to see Tik-Tok is still being looked after! Adam really appreciates things like this and it’s great to see, that robot means so much to me and so many others the Return to Oz Facebook community loves this! 🎉🎉🎉
I absolutely LOVED this movie when I saw it for the first time, but was it ever difficult to find at my local video store. They had no idea The Wizard of Oz had a sequel!
Crazy how it got swept under the rug. I remember having those same conversations with people who didn't know it had a sequel. I was a kid when I watched it at the theaters and I just remember it freaked me out.
Same boat. It took a decade or so to find it at a blockbuster. Borrowed it and someones VCR so I could hook two up and record it. Eventually it came out on DVD fortunately.
oh man this is one of my favorite things ive ever seen on this channel, please please PLEASE make a video restoring this to full working order, please!!
I remember watching "Return to Oz" as a kid and getting so freaked out by it. Tik-Tok was always my favorite part of the movie, he somehow made me feel safe.
Absolutely fantastic! Return to Oz is one of those landmark films from my childhood that creatively shaped me. It's so good to see Tik-Tok having a good home and I especially appreciate the love being shown towards Will Vinton and his claymation creations (those were also inspirational in my formative years). All these things matter and should be preserved so again, thank you for this video and the work being done -- clearly out of love for the craft.
Awesome! Return to Oz freaked me out as a kid but I loved it and still do! My wife told me the same happened to her. The Wheelers, the shock therapy, & the hall of heads we found especially creepy! Our son really liked it, we introduced our daughter to it a couple of weeks ago and she loved it. This is so cool! I collect movie figurines & cars and they have to be relegated to my cabinets (Ikea Billy’s 😉) as my wife doesn’t want them everywhere but I think she’d accept a Tik-Tok too. Please keep finding and showing us these amazing and iconic film props from our childhoods! Loving it! 👍😁
You aren't the only one. That movie gave me genuine nightmares. Which was wild because the OG 80's slashers didn't even phase me, and the wheelers were just creepy as heck.
How in Hell did the guy contort himself into that tiny space, crab walk backwards, and puppeteer the arms WHILE FACING BACKWARD all at the same time??? Incredible performer, incredible craftsmanship, incredible engineering… all coming together to make movie magic.
It was a English TV presenter, actor, trampolinist and dancer by the name of Michael Sundin. He actually did a video article for the TV show Blue Peter, which was a presenter on at the time, to show how he worked inside the costume
IT'S TIK-TOK! Oh my gosh, absolutely amazing to know he's still around! I adored Return to Oz as a child, & it's still a favourite to this day. I'm so happy to see him still around all these years later! :D
I just got goosebumps!! This was the first movie we saw Fairuza Balk in. (nancy from The Craft) So cool to see Tik-Tok still alive an in one piece, a lot of these movie relics are lost to time. Remember reading a while back about his horrible condition on reddit when he was found. Bet this guy has a Bubo owl too. This is the coolest inside look thank you for sharing and thanks to Brandon and his team for restoring it, i hope you both can get him up and running again someday :D
Wow! The orginal Tik Tok long before social media. I love the striking contrast between his amazing eyes and body color. Such a cool character. My younger sisters was scared watching the movie. I thought it was creepy, funny and weird in a good way.
thank you so so much for showing this and letting us see, Return to Oz was my favourite film as a child and I was obsessed and I think it's why I'm obsessed with practical effects to this day!
Michael Sundin's story came to a very sad and early end, but I'll always remember the footage of him unfurling himself out of the Tik-Tok suit on Blue Peter.
I thought of that as well and was hoping someone else remembered him as a Blue Peter presenter. I was unaware though of his very sad and untimely passing.
Yes I remember Michael explaining how he was bent over and had to walk backwards..sad but a marvelous legacy he left ..I think of him every time I see this movie.
Me too. Blue Peter did a story on the making of Return to Oz in 1984. Michael was interviewed by Janet Ellis and off that he got the job of presenter on the show when Peter Duncan left(temporarily). He was only on the show for about 8 months. I was only 7 but I can recall him well, many people don't remember him at all these days sadly.
@@sirgarg I worked on the film from start to finish. I never saw Michael in it for more than a few minutes, Walter Murch was very concerned about how long he was in the suit.
Omg I remember watching that movie when I was a kid. Back in the late 80s early 90s. The wheelers freaked me right out. Not as bad as the tornado scene from the original. That tornado scene scared me to the point were I would hide behind my parents or leave the room.
The tornado freaked me also gives you the creepps found out how they did it it is a long piece of rubber spinning and connected under the model set and a motor to spin it and a track to follow through the set i love finding out what they did
This prop was part of the MGM disneyo Studios tour back in the '90s for at least a decade or more. And it was front and center well in the background on your tour when you went through the actual Studios... I knew immediately that it had been restored and repainted also because during the tour it was more of a brass color instead of a rust color
That TikTok lived at my place while I did most of that restoration and paint work mentioned here. It's one of my favorite movie robots ever and I miss seeing him everyday. Such an incredible experience to have so much hands-on time with it. Glad to see it getting shared with Tested!
Also, the movie is the most accurate to the Baum books. Tik Tok is just as he was drawn in the original books. The weirdness was all Baum and it's still my favorite of the adaptations because it is so faithful to the original stories.
Not exactly, but it is a close inspiration. The actual story of Return to Oz isn't from the books and the the books are less mysterious. I actually think the movie is better in this sense. This is in part because Baum never actually wanted to write the later Oz books but had to as a "starving artist" so the books don't have as much passion as they could have had.
@@Yekulten The movie is pretty close to the 2nd and 3rd books of the Wizard of Oz, and it basically takes both of their stories and makes them into one movie. Albeit getting rid of a strange plot thread in the books of a young Orphan boy named Tip actually being a transformed princess of Oz named Ozma, and the rightful heir to the throne, before being overthrown by the Wizard of Oz.
What absolute JOY to behold...TIK TOK!?!?!! Amazing. Such a fantastic movie. I do remember the late Michael Sundin presenting Blue Peter. So sad he died so young. 😢
I've read a good chunk of the original Oz books written by Baum so I can say that the character designs in Return to Oz are FAR closer to those books than the MGM film was! Also, the tone of the 1986 film was more faithful, too. The film doesn't talk down to children. A lot of was made of the "dark tone" of the movie and people skipped out on an excellent motion picture. The box office failure of Return to Oz also killed studio adaptations of Oz stories for years with the exception of animated TV shows. Return to Oz is an underrated classic with spectacular visuals and a very good orchestral soundtrack. Besides Fairuza Balk, Nicol Williamson (best known as "Merlin" in the 1981 Excalibur motion picture) appears as a sinister psychiatrist and the voice of the Nome King. Jean Marsh was also excellent as Mombi. I don't think there's a bad performance in that movie. It's a shame this movie has been overlooked by people. I personally think it's the best adaptation of the Oz books to film. The Blu ray release (which is a Disney Movie Club exclusive; you don't have to be a member but it is cheaper to buy through them than outside the Club; sellers constantly price-gouge on the DMC exclusives) has very good picture and audio quality but all the extras (including an interview with Fairuza Balk/"Dorothy") are on the DVD release. Disney is VERY cheap with back-catalog Blu ray releases and omits the extras the previous DVD releases had.
I remember watching the movie and I was just terrified by the faces and by how much work had to be done on return to eyes and how much aesthetical it was and how it combined it with like live action and with real characters using 3D animation in effects and stuff I remember it
I LOVED the wizard of Oz series growing up and even named my characters after them, so I am blown away that this is still around and I’m this great of shape!
One of my all time favorite props. If you make the head function, you must make his mustache move and play an mp3 of him clearing his throat to get attention.
Love watching all the nerdgasms these segments give. This is like the best parts of antiques roadshow or Pawn Stars and there are just so many brilliant stories that go along with each piece, it's awesome to watch. Thanks for sharing!
So cool to see this on Adam's channel! Return to Oz is an incredible film that sadly never stood a chance because of the legacy of The Wizard of Oz. I don't think anyone at the time thought "I really want to see a post-apocalyptic Wizard of Oz without musical numbers," but that's exactly what you get in Return to Oz, and it's amazing! The sets, costumes, puppets, and stop motion/claymation effects are all absolutely top notch. An overlooked gem of a movie that just didn't sell tickets and sadly destroyed Walter Murch's career as a director. His first and few outings in the role. Do yourself a favor and watch it on Disney+ if you have it!
When the coming attractions were on TV when I was a kid I was repulsed by the look of that movie. I resented that they changed it so much from the original. I have still never seen the movie, something tells me I was barking up the wrong tree back then!
@@Captain_MonsterFart Yeah it's definitely not as colorful or cheerful as the original, but that's the point because Oz has been taken over by evil. So I could see why it wasn't appealing as a kid. They really took a risk with this one, which is what I liked about it.
It’s not that dark as there’s a sense of humor from billina to the climax as things are restored. It’s getting rediscovered and reappraisal. I hope Disney and Sony do a uhd 4k
Return To Oz is possibly my favorite childhood movie, so this was very exciting to see! 😄 I had no idea there was a contortionist in there walking BACKWARDS, of all things.
I love how you can see the people from propstore are basically a mix between hardworking business people and nerds. Also love their reactions whenever Adam hands them a piece of trivia they didn't know yet.
Return to Oz haunts my dreams and nightmares (Wheelies... dear lord, the WHEELIES!), but I do and always have loved Tick-Tok. This was great! Thank you, Adam and Brandon!!
Thanks for this Adam and the team. I get great joy out of these videos and I'm glad it keeps this history of many of these great props and films alive.
Return To Oz is one of my all time favorite movies & it’s gotten such a bum wrap for so long! I’m so glad someone kept Tik-Tok & kept him in good condition, and just that people are finally giving this movie it’s due.
I can not even express how happy this made me. Even though the movie kinda weirded me out when I was younger and saw it, Tik-Tok was always a personal favorite and he still is a top character for me. I would totally have something like this myself. Such a cool treat to see the actual thing and how it worked!!
Fun Fact: Originally the Scarecrow, Tin Woodsman and Cowardly Lion were to have more prominent roles in this film, however, budget cuts forced their appearances to be reduced to cameos
Another reason why those familiar Oz characters weren't prominent is because most of the movie was based on Mr. Baum's book Ozma of Oz, they were not in the book and new characters were created.
AAAAAA Return to Oz is my favorite movie ever and this was delightful to watch! It’s particularly exciting hearing the SOUND he makes when he moves-I had no idea that wasn’t added in post-production??? It’s also great hearing genuine praise for the film-people rip into it way too often.
Tick Tock is my favorite movie robot hands down! And he matched so close to what I pictured when I read Ozma of Oz. (Granted I honestly can’t remember if I read Ozma of Oz first or saw Return to Oz first. It’s a bit chicken on the egg though)
No one ever knows about this movie. I’ve always mention it as one of my favorites. From what I read the movie was released/made during the switch over from ceo and was kinda drop off during that transition
Check out the props and costumes at Prop Store: www.propstore.com
I saw the thumbnail and thought Adam had built himself a mechanical Jamie Hyneman for a second.
1:40 Carbon fiber or fiber glass?
Interesting history about this particular prop this prop was part of the tour at MGM Disney Studios at least through the entire 90s it was just up towards the ceiling on a Shelf and it was clear as day I saw it every time I went through there.... also I knew immediately that it had been restored because the color of it was different on the tour it was more of a brass color shiny brass newer brass
"Main Per" is short for "Main Performer", giving one more piece of evidence it is an actual hero suit.
We're lucky when our partners get and appreciate our obsession, as my wife daily walks past yellow barrels used in the production of Jaws. So wonderful to see this guy still in existence, a great prop from a wonderful movie.
I love how this series has basically turned into a nerdy “Antiques Roadshow” without prices 😂❤
Got to watch the auction if you want to see the prices
Yet we still know they’re all priceless!
Nerdy? here?
@@Ktcsr17 Indeed. They belong in a museum.
I'd watch a weekly show of Adam looking at movie props
Fun fact, Tik-Tok was also probably the very first robot in fiction. Ozma of Oz, the novel in which he first appears, was published in 1907, 13 years before the word 'robot' was even invented in 1920! Hence why he's called "the clockwork man." He was probably inspired by existing automatons, but his ability to think distinguishes him from them. Sorry, just felt like sharing because I love this character so much and was so thrilled, when Return to Oz came out, to see him come to life on screen at least once!
Yes! And Baum has so many deep ideas about artificial intelligence. For instance, both Tik-Tok and the Tin Man are 100% mechanical, but the Tin Man was a human who was replaced piece by piece while Tik Tok was constructed. In Baum's world, magic that affects living things affects the Tin Man but not Tik-Tok. There's so much wonderful stuff in those books.
how about Talos from Greek mythology?
@@joshuamartin7756 did you ever get to read "The Master Key"? He has some amazing ideas about technology and its consequences in a lot of his stuff. "John Dough and the Cherub" touches on that too, with all the inventors on the Isle of Phreex.
@@fujifilm5127 I just looked up that myth, I didn't actually know it very well. I don't actually know why the author of the book I read didn't count Talos. Maybe because he's powered by magic and therefore more closely resembles a golem than a robot? It's an interesting question, and one I don't actually know the answer to. :-)
@@azarsuerte4060 Samuel butler wrote a book in 1872 called Erewhon that contained a section that spoke of machines capable of conscious thought and self replication a full like 30 years before the wizard of oz. The book just isn't very good and wasn't very popular compared to the wizard of oz so that's the one everyone credits because everyone knows it
You don't know how big a smile I got on my face when I saw this. Or how loud a gasp. Seeing Tik-Tok is still around is amazing. Much less getting a look under his hood.
This episode is a definite highlight to my day. Thank you, Adam!
Same! I still have sleeping people in my house, so I had to carefully rein in my excited squeals of happiness.
Literally inside my head I thought, "Tik-Tok!!!"
If anyone's going to watch return to us it is creepy disgustingly horror and discussingly terrifying he'll give you nightmares don't even watch it
@@brightmacsworld8353 Wow, triggered much? It's definitely darker than the first movie, but is also more closely based on the books and is well loved despite also being known as one of the creepiest kids movies out there. Let people enjoy things. If you don't like it, keep scrolling.
I found a video on youtube called "Return to Oz Location Report" by VHS video vault and at the 3 minute mark there is a quick cut of them opening up Tiktok and letting Michael Sundin out. Adam's description somehow doesn't covey just how tight it was in there. I still don't know how he managed to work the arms while wearing it.
CGI will not leave behind any beautiful artefacts like this.
I am just thrilled someone actually kept it rather than scrapping it (as happens far too often for fantasy and sci-fi props and outfits). Loved this movie and adored this character as a child and still do as an adult.
Or props get split up and used in other things... That happened to the original Robbie, he got reworked and parts swapped out that by the time he actually went into long storage there was only something like a third of the original costume left.
There is an ep of Startrek Voyager, the one with the gold or silver 'automated units', take a look at the table Bealana is working on the prototype on. You'll see one of Johnny Five's arms is attached to the table... poor J5
Props don't get scrapped now as they did in the past since studios know there's a collector's market. But often they rent pieces from a prop house which will often reuse pieces.
I love him too 💝
Who doesn't
Very true. I met Toby Philpott who worked on a number of films and he told me that after the filming of Jedi, the puppet of Jabba the Hutt was binned. The builder was devastated.
Also, don't forget that while Michael Sundin was curled into a ball inside the suit, walking backwards, he was doing all that while looking at an upside-down TV monitor showing him a 3rd person shot of TikTok, while at the same time operating the left arm with his right and the right arm with his left. Amazing co-ordination.
One of my all-time favorite films. It’s severely underrated, and didn’t get the mainstream success deserved upon release, mainly because of its dark tone (which is one reason I find it so enjoyable), and I think audiences were expecting another 1930s musical. Would love to see a series outlining more return to Oz props, as well as props from Labyrinth, Dark Crystal, Legend, and anything else 1980s “dark.”
It was more entertaining and had more memorable characters than the 1930’s movie, in my opinion
@@paulwoodford1984 Absolutely! Even if we view these movies as Their Own Thing rather than an adaptation of the books, Return To Oz has actual characters that feel so much more sincere, and grow to care for.
@@paulwoodford1984 Mombi and the Nome King were better baddies than the Wicked Witch of the West, and their 'real' world' personas as the Head Nurse and Dr Worley were riveting to watch too.
Dude, this has ALWAYS been one of my favorite movies. I have had multiple copies over the years.
The fact that this still exists is just incredible. I’ve only seen miniatures. This made me so happy seeing this.
I love that Brandon has his own pieces. It’s his job, but also his passion! And you call tell him and Adam love nerding out over props. So wholesome
I love Return to Oz so much! Thinking about how Tik-Tok moved, the contortionist walking backwards makes so much sense. It's funny how the limited mobility of the guy inside actually gave Tik-Tok the best stilted clockwork movement. I am so jealous! Tik-Tok ties with Johnny 5 for favorite movie robot.
I am a HUGE Return To Oz fan and seeing this brought tears to my eyes! Just amazing! Thank you SO much for sharing this!! If I remember correctly (and if it's true), there used to be one of the Tik-Toks in the garden of Lucasfilm. I've been talking to some of the effects houses here in Los Angeles about building me a Gump head to put in my library - I need to see if I can build a replica of Tik-Tok as well. I learned things about the Tik-Tok costume from this episode I never knew! Absolutely amazing. Again, thank you SOO much for sharing this!!
I think when Toto howled in sorrow at Dorothy's departure without him we knew she was in for a much rougher ride than last time, and Fairuza's reaction at that exact moment said it all, as though she felt she was never coming back from wherever she was being taken. And the Sanitarium was a perfectly horrific Victorian venue.
Yes, Michael Sundin went on to become a Blue Peter presenter, and his intro to the show coincided with them doing a 'behind the scenes' feature on the Return To Oz movie while it was in production. He was also in the Boy George video for the song "I'll Tumble 4 Ya" (he's the tumbling guy), and he passed away at just 28 years of age in 1989 from what was at the time the "big disease with the little name."
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Sundin
I remember him in my Blue Peter annual, bent double and watching a tiny TV screen so that he could move around correctly during filming. My memory was of Peter Duncan bent double but I was wrong! - Michael Sundin is a name I had quite forgotten.
I think the best part of this entire video is just the pure and utter JOY you can hear in Adam's voice; that is the most authentic nerdy happiness/glee in getting to see something you really enjoy or geek out about that you never thought you would and I just love Adam for that
Never change Adam Savage; never ever change!
Return to Oz is one of my favourite movies. Got my parents to rent the video all the time. I once visited the Museum of Moving image in London back when that it still existed and they had one of the Tik Toks displayed there. His arm had come off which was so sad but I remember looking at the model for ages as I was so thrilled that it was there. It’s a shame when these things fall into disrepair and I’m glad that they are trying to restore this one.
Clockwork man alive! It's the original Tik-Tok! I love Return to Oz and Tik-Tok was always my favourite character. I never imagined that he would still be around. It's like seeing an old childhood friend. 😄
This must be the only movie left that's not had a toy line produced. Who do I need to see about this?!
There was an action figure line for this movie, there were four figures produced, Tik Tok, Jack, Scarecrow and The Tinman, they are exceptionally rare and might’ve only been exclusive to like a Japanese Disney park or something I remember reading, they also made hand puppets of TikTok, Scarecrow and The Gump! 🎉
@@noodlefire64 What? What? What?! I've just gone cross-eyed and my socks have shot off in different directions! Wow! I never knew that toys were produced, albeit a limited run. What with so many nostalgic films and tv shows having toy lines made these days, I'm surprised nobody has revisited Return to OZ. That and 1984s Supergirl. Now give me a minute to tie my socks back on before you tell me that Supergirl had a toy line too. 😄
When I first saw Return to Oz, I was struck by how conceptually faithful to John R Neill's drawings of the character Tik-Tok was, with minimal necessary adjustments to permit it to function in a film environment. A truly great character piece.
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The movie was nothing but creepy creepy creepy creepy creepy creepy aesthetical horrifying terrifying to children
@@brightmacsworld8353 Have you read all the original Oz books? There are some pretty dark bits. Return to Oz was pretty faithful aesthetically to John R Neill's illustrations for the series, and he did the art for almost all of them after the very first one.
Omg the memories flooding back seeing this character again
I want to see a video of you working on the mechanisms to get it brought more to life! Either a couple of videos with one day builds in your workshop and install back there with a full revisit. It would be incredible. Return to Oz was such a unique movie, dark for the OZ movies but well worth the watch. Lots of memories in that one. It got me to read the books. Which explains a lot of the world in the second movie. Please do a follow up video on this!
"I am not alive, and never will be, thank goodness!"
I grew up watching Return to Oz and I'm amazed this still exists and functions. Though seeing the inside of the costume was a little bit like, well, pulling the curtain back on the wizard.
Oh one of my favorite movies, I clicked on the video so fast. I love seeing this look at an actual Tik-Tok and as always you have Adam's infectious enthusiasm as he just geeks out all over it.
And I would really love seeing a video on if Adam does help restore head functionality.
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I've don't think I've ever clicked on a video faster. I loved Tik-Tok from the movie, and love his general design. Awesome find!
I loved this conversation - two people who are so passionate about this topic and sharing that joy with us.
Thank you both!
I loved this movie so much. I remember renting it over and over again and I loved it. I thought it was superior to the original movie. The characters in this were so cool to me. I remember seeing the Tin Man and Scarecrow and the Lion in this movie and loving the way they looked. This movie was dark and it was my favorite. The world was so much more interesting and surreal.
Great video!!!
Yes/som great clayanimation near end of the film itself
I am a huge OZ fan and they did a fantastic job. TikTok was such a great character!
Hello Elizabeth how are you doing,
where are you from?
I seem to remember the special Blue Peter episode they did about presenter Peter Duncan being the guy squashed inside TikTok.. then again my thinkworks could be a tad rusty.
@@juliapigworthy Michael Sundin is his name
my all time favourite childhood film, I made sure my children watched it growing up too, its so magical and nostalgic to see this! thankyou
Can you imagine the amount of stuff we'd learn if these two gentlemen had a pod cast to discuss movies and props?
Ooooooh. Yes, please! I want all of the nerdy knowledge 🤓😎❤
In a sense it already exists. Look up "The Stuff Dreams Are Made Of." The podcast is hosted by writer-producers/collectors Dave Mandel (Veep) & Ryan Condal (House of the Dragon), but Brandon's been on a couple times and Adam... is going to be on there this Wednesday - so excellent timing!
Its been awesome to see them both become fast friends over time, and him to kinda use Adam to help him with his own knowledge to find more incredible pieces. Top notch duo.
If anyone's going to watch return to Oz? it is disgustingly horror creepy terrifying and evil
I grew up on Return to OZ. Tik Tok was my absolute favorite! 🥰 How amazing to explore the real thing!
One of my all time favourite movies! So glad to see Tik-Tok is still being looked after! Adam really appreciates things like this and it’s great to see, that robot means so much to me and so many others the Return to Oz Facebook community loves this! 🎉🎉🎉
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Gotta admit... made me misty eyed when I saw Tik-Tok here. Such a great movie with such great memories for me. Thank you both for this! 😀
I absolutely LOVED this movie when I saw it for the first time, but was it ever difficult to find at my local video store. They had no idea The Wizard of Oz had a sequel!
there's a Disney Club exclusive blu ray. Not easy to find, but also not impossible.
Crazy how it got swept under the rug. I remember having those same conversations with people who didn't know it had a sequel.
I was a kid when I watched it at the theaters and I just remember it freaked me out.
Same boat. It took a decade or so to find it at a blockbuster. Borrowed it and someones VCR so I could hook two up and record it.
Eventually it came out on DVD fortunately.
I feel like prop store could make even more money as a museum.
oh man this is one of my favorite things ive ever seen on this channel, please please PLEASE make a video restoring this to full working order, please!!
An underrated movie, I loved it when I was younger.
I remember watching "Return to Oz" as a kid and getting so freaked out by it. Tik-Tok was always my favorite part of the movie, he somehow made me feel safe.
Absolutely fantastic! Return to Oz is one of those landmark films from my childhood that creatively shaped me. It's so good to see Tik-Tok having a good home and I especially appreciate the love being shown towards Will Vinton and his claymation creations (those were also inspirational in my formative years). All these things matter and should be preserved so again, thank you for this video and the work being done -- clearly out of love for the craft.
I know I should not be surprised but I am blown away by Brandon’s knowledge.
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Awesome! Return to Oz freaked me out as a kid but I loved it and still do! My wife told me the same happened to her. The Wheelers, the shock therapy, & the hall of heads we found especially creepy! Our son really liked it, we introduced our daughter to it a couple of weeks ago and she loved it. This is so cool! I collect movie figurines & cars and they have to be relegated to my cabinets (Ikea Billy’s 😉) as my wife doesn’t want them everywhere but I think she’d accept a Tik-Tok too. Please keep finding and showing us these amazing and iconic film props from our childhoods! Loving it! 👍😁
You aren't the only one. That movie gave me genuine nightmares. Which was wild because the OG 80's slashers didn't even phase me, and the wheelers were just creepy as heck.
@@benknrobbers C'mere.. CHICKEN! And ".....Dorothyyyyy GaaaaAAAAAAALE!"
How in Hell did the guy contort himself into that tiny space, crab walk backwards, and puppeteer the arms WHILE FACING BACKWARD all at the same time??? Incredible performer, incredible craftsmanship, incredible engineering… all coming together to make movie magic.
OMG no kidding!!! That takes amazing tolerance and perseverance. Much respect to the guy who made this happen 🙂
@@ladyk8459sadly, the man, Michael Sudin, died of AIDS a few years after the movie came out
It was a English TV presenter, actor, trampolinist and dancer by the name of Michael Sundin. He actually did a video article for the TV show Blue Peter, which was a presenter on at the time, to show how he worked inside the costume
You forgot while operating the left arm with his right and the right arm with his left. 🤣 Incredible co-ordination and concentration.
So good Adam. Return to Oz is so creepy and wonderful. It's the closest the films have got to the Oz books.
IT'S TIK-TOK! Oh my gosh, absolutely amazing to know he's still around! I adored Return to Oz as a child, & it's still a favourite to this day. I'm so happy to see him still around all these years later! :D
Adams enthusiasm towards these things is so innocent
so appreciative and knowledgable
I would watch a series that was just Adam and Brandon looking at things.
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I just got goosebumps!! This was the first movie we saw Fairuza Balk in. (nancy from The Craft)
So cool to see Tik-Tok still alive an in one piece, a lot of these movie relics are lost to time. Remember reading a while back about his horrible condition on reddit when he was found. Bet this guy has a Bubo owl too. This is the coolest inside look thank you for sharing and thanks to Brandon and his team for restoring it, i hope you both can get him up and running again someday :D
Wow! The orginal Tik Tok long before social media.
I love the striking contrast between his amazing eyes and body color.
Such a cool character.
My younger sisters was scared watching the movie.
I thought it was creepy, funny and weird in a good way.
Far better than that abomination people know today. Plus, it works like clockwork lol.
thank you so so much for showing this and letting us see, Return to Oz was my favourite film as a child and I was obsessed and I think it's why I'm obsessed with practical effects to this day!
Michael Sundin's story came to a very sad and early end, but I'll always remember the footage of him unfurling himself out of the Tik-Tok suit on Blue Peter.
I thought of that as well and was hoping someone else remembered him as a Blue Peter presenter. I was unaware though of his very sad and untimely passing.
Yes I remember Michael explaining how he was bent over and had to walk backwards..sad but a marvelous legacy he left ..I think of him every time I see this movie.
Me too. Blue Peter did a story on the making of Return to Oz in 1984. Michael was interviewed by Janet Ellis and off that he got the job of presenter on the show when Peter Duncan left(temporarily). He was only on the show for about 8 months. I was only 7 but I can recall him well, many people don't remember him at all these days sadly.
Lol, clicked on this purely to see if Michael got a mention :-)
@@sirgarg I worked on the film from start to finish. I never saw Michael in it for more than a few minutes, Walter Murch was very concerned about how long he was in the suit.
Omg I remember watching that movie when I was a kid. Back in the late 80s early 90s. The wheelers freaked me right out. Not as bad as the tornado scene from the original. That tornado scene scared me to the point were I would hide behind my parents or leave the room.
The wheelers were SOOO scary as a kid!
The tornado freaked me also gives you the creepps found out how they did it it is a long piece of rubber spinning and connected under the model set and a motor to spin it and a track to follow through the set i love finding out what they did
This prop was part of the MGM disneyo Studios tour back in the '90s for at least a decade or more. And it was front and center well in the background on your tour when you went through the actual Studios... I knew immediately that it had been restored and repainted also because during the tour it was more of a brass color instead of a rust color
That TikTok lived at my place while I did most of that restoration and paint work mentioned here. It's one of my favorite movie robots ever and I miss seeing him everyday. Such an incredible experience to have so much hands-on time with it. Glad to see it getting shared with Tested!
Also, the movie is the most accurate to the Baum books. Tik Tok is just as he was drawn in the original books. The weirdness was all Baum and it's still my favorite of the adaptations because it is so faithful to the original stories.
Not exactly, but it is a close inspiration. The actual story of Return to Oz isn't from the books and the the books are less mysterious. I actually think the movie is better in this sense.
This is in part because Baum never actually wanted to write the later Oz books but had to as a "starving artist" so the books don't have as much passion as they could have had.
@@Yekulten The movie is pretty close to the 2nd and 3rd books of the Wizard of Oz, and it basically takes both of their stories and makes them into one movie. Albeit getting rid of a strange plot thread in the books of a young Orphan boy named Tip actually being a transformed princess of Oz named Ozma, and the rightful heir to the throne, before being overthrown by the Wizard of Oz.
Thank you for showing off these wonderful childhood memories. Always brings a smile to my face.
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The only acceptable Tik Tok.
What absolute JOY to behold...TIK TOK!?!?!! Amazing. Such a fantastic movie. I do remember the late Michael Sundin presenting Blue Peter. So sad he died so young. 😢
I've read a good chunk of the original Oz books written by Baum so I can say that the character designs in Return to Oz are FAR closer to those books than the MGM film was!
Also, the tone of the 1986 film was more faithful, too. The film doesn't talk down to children. A lot of was made of the "dark tone" of the movie and people skipped out on an excellent motion picture. The box office failure of Return to Oz also killed studio adaptations of Oz stories for years with the exception of animated TV shows.
Return to Oz is an underrated classic with spectacular visuals and a very good orchestral soundtrack. Besides Fairuza Balk, Nicol Williamson (best known as "Merlin" in the 1981 Excalibur motion picture) appears as a sinister psychiatrist and the voice of the Nome King. Jean Marsh was also excellent as Mombi. I don't think there's a bad performance in that movie.
It's a shame this movie has been overlooked by people. I personally think it's the best adaptation of the Oz books to film.
The Blu ray release (which is a Disney Movie Club exclusive; you don't have to be a member but it is cheaper to buy through them than outside the Club; sellers constantly price-gouge on the DMC exclusives) has very good picture and audio quality but all the extras (including an interview with Fairuza Balk/"Dorothy") are on the DVD release. Disney is VERY cheap with back-catalog Blu ray releases and omits the extras the previous DVD releases had.
I remember watching the movie and I was just terrified by the faces and by how much work had to be done on return to eyes and how much aesthetical it was and how it combined it with like live action and with real characters using 3D animation in effects and stuff I remember it
85
I LOVED the wizard of Oz series growing up and even named my characters after them, so I am blown away that this is still around and I’m this great of shape!
One of my all time favorite props. If you make the head function, you must make his mustache move and play an mp3 of him clearing his throat to get attention.
Always wonderful to see two dorks sharing stories about something they love.
Love watching all the nerdgasms these segments give. This is like the best parts of antiques roadshow or Pawn Stars and there are just so many brilliant stories that go along with each piece, it's awesome to watch. Thanks for sharing!
Is there an extended cut of this video, because I could have watched them geek over Return to Oz for another 4 hours
So cool to see this on Adam's channel! Return to Oz is an incredible film that sadly never stood a chance because of the legacy of The Wizard of Oz. I don't think anyone at the time thought "I really want to see a post-apocalyptic Wizard of Oz without musical numbers," but that's exactly what you get in Return to Oz, and it's amazing! The sets, costumes, puppets, and stop motion/claymation effects are all absolutely top notch. An overlooked gem of a movie that just didn't sell tickets and sadly destroyed Walter Murch's career as a director. His first and few outings in the role. Do yourself a favor and watch it on Disney+ if you have it!
Everything this person said!^^^^
When the coming attractions were on TV when I was a kid I was repulsed by the look of that movie. I resented that they changed it so much from the original. I have still never seen the movie, something tells me I was barking up the wrong tree back then!
@@Captain_MonsterFart Yeah it's definitely not as colorful or cheerful as the original, but that's the point because Oz has been taken over by evil. So I could see why it wasn't appealing as a kid. They really took a risk with this one, which is what I liked about it.
It’s not that dark as there’s a sense of humor from billina to the climax as things are restored.
It’s getting rediscovered and reappraisal. I hope Disney and Sony do a uhd 4k
Please please please get an all star team to restore functionality on this Tested channel!!!! I loved seeing Adam’s face light up.
Return To Oz is possibly my favorite childhood movie, so this was very exciting to see! 😄 I had no idea there was a contortionist in there walking BACKWARDS, of all things.
Lol i like the movie too
Yes, please, Adam. Please do a whole episode of you guys restoring the mechanics in Tik Tok!!!!!!
Isn't that the most amazing thing, ahhh my childhood come to life
I love how you can see the people from propstore are basically a mix between hardworking business people and nerds. Also love their reactions whenever Adam hands them a piece of trivia they didn't know yet.
I loved this movie I never thought I’d hear someone mention it!!! It was crazy to scroll and suddenly see tik-tok out of nowhere
Return to Oz is my NUMBER ONE favorite film of all time. TIK TOK always makes me cry happy tears. Thank you for showing him. ❤
A very underrated film adaptation
I gasped when I saw the thumbnail! Tick-tock was such an incredible puppet/costumes! So lucky to be standing next to it!
omg I love that movie. the wheelers scared the hell out of me though 😀
Not even knowing the movie, just hearing those 2 talking with such passion is entertaining.
Return to Oz haunts my dreams and nightmares (Wheelies... dear lord, the WHEELIES!), but I do and always have loved Tick-Tok. This was great! Thank you, Adam and Brandon!!
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Thanks for this Adam and the team. I get great joy out of these videos and I'm glad it keeps this history of many of these great props and films alive.
I really enjoyed this movie as a kid growing up, im 45 now and still love this old robot! Thanks for sharing!
Such a forgotten movie! I loved that movie!!
Wizard of Oz 2: Dorothy Goes to Hell
What an amazing character!
The Gump is one of my favorite characters. Felt so bad that he was hastily constructed and basically fell apart.
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Return To Oz is one of my all time favorite movies & it’s gotten such a bum wrap for so long! I’m so glad someone kept Tik-Tok & kept him in good condition, and just that people are finally giving this movie it’s due.
Before I knew I liked steampunk, he embodied it.
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I can not even express how happy this made me. Even though the movie kinda weirded me out when I was younger and saw it, Tik-Tok was always a personal favorite and he still is a top character for me. I would totally have something like this myself. Such a cool treat to see the actual thing and how it worked!!
Fun Fact: Originally the Scarecrow, Tin Woodsman and Cowardly Lion were to have more prominent roles in this film, however, budget cuts forced their appearances to be reduced to cameos
I didn’t know that, good info 👍
Wonder what they're doing now? :0)
Another reason why those familiar Oz characters weren't prominent is because most of the movie was based on Mr. Baum's book Ozma of Oz, they were not in the book and new characters were created.
Such an underrated movie.
There was a glimmer of fear when he said, I know you like to pull things apart 😂😂😂
AAAAAA Return to Oz is my favorite movie ever and this was delightful to watch! It’s particularly exciting hearing the SOUND he makes when he moves-I had no idea that wasn’t added in post-production??? It’s also great hearing genuine praise for the film-people rip into it way too often.
Tick Tock is my favorite movie robot hands down! And he matched so close to what I pictured when I read Ozma of Oz. (Granted I honestly can’t remember if I read Ozma of Oz first or saw Return to Oz first. It’s a bit chicken on the egg though)
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About that chicken 🐔 or the 🥚 egg thing,the actual hero of the movie is a chicken and her egg!!
He's so firmly entrenched in my memories. He's lovely to see and in marvelous shape. One of the best and most frightening films I have ever seen.
Very cool. I MUCH prefer Return over the original. I always loved Tik-Tok.
me too!
we need more of that personal collection material, so cool
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a hidden, unnerving, gem! Return to Oz wasn't bad!
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Tick-tock!
I loved that character in the movie and am thrilled to know there's an example of him still around! This made my day.
adam finally robotizied jamie
That was so neat getting to see his insides and that he still works! One of my favorite movies
No one ever knows about this movie. I’ve always mention it as one of my favorites. From what I read the movie was released/made during the switch over from ceo and was kinda drop off during that transition
Such a tremendous movie and nightmare fuel in my childhood. Now as an adult, the thing is just incredible.
Adam's excitement is a prefect reaction that all of us would have
return to oz has long been one of my favorite movies, I love that they stayed true to John r neil's illustrations!
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That might be the single best paintjob and weathering I've ever seen on a prop.
Im so happy he still exists. Seeing what happened to some of the characters from the 80s always makes me so sad when they’re falling apart
Always nice to see Adam and Jamie reunite.
I came to the video late and was looking for a comment like this.
Glad I was not disappointed.