Yes, THE WIZARD OF OZ as a rock and roll Australian road movie and made in the Xanadu of screen musical decades, the 70s. I kid you not. So gobsmackingly awful that it is genuinely entertaining and with the nasal whining so endearing to International Audiences...and with rock songs, a surfing dude, grubby mechanic and a chick called...Dorothy, and a very camp fairy godmother (who would put Gerrit Graham from Phantom Of The Paradise back in queerschool) help to make OZ the dazzling home movie Aussie legend it is. Haven't seen it? track it down somehow and settle back for one of the best cinema treats of truly pre Priscilla campery (again) from Australia. It all ends up in Melbourne at a rock concert at the incredible 3000 seat Palais Theatre which is reason enough to watch. How Melbourne qualifies as a destination equal to any Emerald City is dubious. Everyone knows Emerald City is also Sydney's Australian nickname. We just can't help ourselves living here, can we! A guilty pleasure is OZ and a true pleasure is the land of Oz.
6 Reviews
What a Hoot
swassociates18 May 2001
Great fun for an evening on the sofa. Don't expect Academy Award stuff with this but it will leave you with a smile. The performance by Bruce Spence is truly good. The soundtrack shows off some great old Australian talent. Check out this and other true Aussie films.
A 1960s Australian movie, made in a 2000s European style.
interesting-25 June 2005
This film predates the Australian films Road Warrior and Priscilla of the Desert, and its influence on them is obvious: in the dialogue, locations, photography, direction and political philosophy. The photography is notably confident. The direction is stylish and for the most part well done. If you liked the early Australian films by Bruce Beresford, Peter Weir and George Miller then you'll love "Oz". The direction also reminds this reviewer of Edgar Wright's contemporary work. That similarity suggests that "Oz" was far ahead of its time. The critics of 1967 hated it and the public stayed away - 1960s Australia, like 1940s USA, was in some ways the sort of place where conformity was important, whereas this film is very different to what those viewers would have expected, especially after reading the promotional posters. This film will most likely have more appeal to contemporary audiences: it's still quirkily awkward and self-conscious, but in a contemporary European way rather than a 1960s Australian way. Joy Dunstan (who later appeared in the Australian TV series 'Prisoner') plays her role with less raw passion than her contemporary Jacki Weaver might have done, instead Dunstan's character in this film conveys some of the rather whimsical strength of Australian women most famously represented by Kylie Minogue playing Charlene Mitchell in the Australian TV series Neighbours and further developed in later roles in her career. Men will also enjoy this film, which presents various masculine issues in a different way than most other mid-sixties films from the USA or even Australia. In particular, Bruce Spence (who later went on to play Tion Medon in 'Star Wars III', the Trainman in the 'Matrix' films, and the chopper pilot in the 'Road Warrior' and 'Thunderdome' films) plays a central and sustained role which solidly supports the rest of the cast. This film is worth seeing for Bruce Spence's performance alone. 7/10 for some minor continuity problems.
Weirdness
BandSAboutMovies23 July 2020
Warning: Spoilers
Leave it to Australia - and experimental filmmaker Chris Löfvén - to transform Dorothy into a sixteen-year-old groupie who hits her head when traveling with a rock band. Now, she's on the road to see the last show of androgynous rock god The Wizard, but a thug - she killed his brother - is chasing her.
The Scarecrow is now Blondie the stoned surfer (Bruce Spence, who was the chopper pilot in The Road Warrior), The Tin Man is a mechanic named Greaseball and The Cowardly Lion is a biker filled with self-hatred named Killer, based on Australian convict Mark Brandon Read, also known as Chopper, who had a movie made about his life in 2000.
While most of the bands on the soundtrack - Jo Jo Zep & The Falcons, Ross Wilson - may be unknown to American audiences, the concert that was used for the close of the film was really one for The Little River Band and AC/DC. In fact, their manager Ned Kelly played one of the bad guys named Truckie.
This film flopped in its native Australia but supposedly did pretty well here. I'd never heard of it, much less knew that a modern musical version of The Wizard of Oz was filmed two years before The Wiz.
The Scarecrow is now Blondie the stoned surfer (Bruce Spence, who was the chopper pilot in The Road Warrior), The Tin Man is a mechanic named Greaseball and The Cowardly Lion is a biker filled with self-hatred named Killer, based on Australian convict Mark Brandon Read, also known as Chopper, who had a movie made about his life in 2000.
While most of the bands on the soundtrack - Jo Jo Zep & The Falcons, Ross Wilson - may be unknown to American audiences, the concert that was used for the close of the film was really one for The Little River Band and AC/DC. In fact, their manager Ned Kelly played one of the bad guys named Truckie.
This film flopped in its native Australia but supposedly did pretty well here. I'd never heard of it, much less knew that a modern musical version of The Wizard of Oz was filmed two years before The Wiz.
A Lost Gem
FrSallyBowles24 June 2006
Wow! An amazing, lost piece of Australiana AND a lost 70s glam-rock film rolled into one. This film warrants viewing simply to see what can be done with next to no budget but a lot of enthusiasm. As a retelling of the Oz story, the film borders on becoming too obvious but it is saved by it's eccentricities. The chance for a glimpse at how glam rock manifested in Australia will delight fans of the genre. This film used to be double featured with the Rocky Horror Picture Show, an indicator of the type of film that Oz is. While not as frivolous or well constructed as RHPS it's hard not to have fun with Oz.
Surprisingly, Oz has aged well- perhaps a by-product of how determinedly set in the real Australia of 1976 it is. The passage of history shows that many of the ideas being explored would eventually enter the mainstream. The willingness of the film to give prominence to gay characters is notable, especially as it dates to the 'revolution' period for the Australian gay rights push.
The performances range from flinchingly amateur to finely nuanced brilliance. The direction is lacking in subtlety and much of the dialogue may have benefited from an extra draft or two. Somehow, these flaws add to the appeal of the film which is mercifully unpretentious. Much like Australia in the 1970s this film has a certain naive charm.
There are several connections to the original Australian stagings of the Rocky Horror Show which will keep obsessives on their toes.
Oz is most certainly a minor classic and a potential cult favourite worthy of review. Laugh at the atrocious 70s fashion, swing along with the AusRock soundtrack, leave ANY expectations at the door and Oz is likely to delight.
Surprisingly, Oz has aged well- perhaps a by-product of how determinedly set in the real Australia of 1976 it is. The passage of history shows that many of the ideas being explored would eventually enter the mainstream. The willingness of the film to give prominence to gay characters is notable, especially as it dates to the 'revolution' period for the Australian gay rights push.
The performances range from flinchingly amateur to finely nuanced brilliance. The direction is lacking in subtlety and much of the dialogue may have benefited from an extra draft or two. Somehow, these flaws add to the appeal of the film which is mercifully unpretentious. Much like Australia in the 1970s this film has a certain naive charm.
There are several connections to the original Australian stagings of the Rocky Horror Show which will keep obsessives on their toes.
Oz is most certainly a minor classic and a potential cult favourite worthy of review. Laugh at the atrocious 70s fashion, swing along with the AusRock soundtrack, leave ANY expectations at the door and Oz is likely to delight.
We`re off to see the wizard..mate.
ANGRYPILLS10 November 1999
I rented this obscure aussie relic a few years ago to show at a friend`s place and it was an instant success.The classic tale of the wizard of oz with a decidedly cornball 70`s australian twist.The acting isn`t exactly shakespeare society stuff here,but later ,"Mad max"star Bruce Spence is a beautifully understated surfie/scarecrow and there are some wonderfull comic turns by Gary Wadell and Robin Ramsay as a deliciously 70`s camp fairy godmother/father character.Also note the musical contribution from ex-Daddy Cool frontman Ross Wilson on the title song.In a similar vein to later-day aussie comedies such as "Priscilla queen of the desert".Good fun.
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
