Cirrus@Austlit

'A re-telling of the Wizard of Oz as a rock 'n' roll road movie with Dorothy as a groupie and the Wizard as a king of rock' (Source: NSFA. Sighted: 1/6/2012).

David Stratton described the film as 'one of the most inventive and enjoyable of Australian films - clever, brash, noisy, gutsy and uninhibited', while William K. Halliwell said, 'This is a light-hearted rip off of the Wizard of Oz story set to rock music. The film is rough and ready, but it is something just short of genius when you consider its originality, even though it's based on an old story. The comedy is quick and quite ahead of its time for mid-seventies Australia, which is probably why it failed here'. Source: Innersense Productions (http://www.innersense.com.au/mif/lofven.html). (Sighted: 1/6/2012).

The film is described as being based on L. Frank Baum's novel, but the doubling of roles suggests it was influenced more strongly by the 1939 film adaptation.

'We've asked The Danger Ensemble to employ their matchless vision to expose the hopes and fears of our own realities, using L. Frank Baum's original book and its 13 sequels. In 2013, who is the heroine? Who are those who lack courage? Who lack heart? Who lack brains?

'For this La Boite and Brisbane Festival world premiere event, we promise a fantasy equal to, but disturbingly different from, the Oz we know and love. What will be at the end of the rainbow? Not even the Wizard himself knows the answer yet, but we can't wait to find out!'

Source: La Boite program.

'The Wizard of Oz is a parable of biblical proportions. L. Frank Baum’s original novel invented a new kind of story: in the aftermath of a natural disaster, a young girl finds herself alone in a foreign land seeking answers from an all-powerful but unseen wizard – who turns out to be a man behind a curtain. This tale of power and discovery in a land of marvellous beauty has become as foundational in the contemporary imagination as Shakespeare or the Greeks.

'Adena Jacobs’ stark and sublime re-imagining is a theatrical poem about innocence, grief and the terror of growing up. Leave the kids at home for this radical feminist take on one of our most beloved myths.

'This is Oz as we’ve never seen it before…' (Production summary)

'‘How can I find the Emerald City?’ asked Dorothy.
‘You must follow the yellow brick road,’ the Good Witch replied.

'Join Dorothy and Toto in this beautiful 32-page paperback as they are whirled away to the magical land of Oz. As she follows the yellow brick road to find the Wizard of Oz, Dorothy meets the Scarecrow, the Tin Man and the cowardly Lion. Can the Wizard help the Scarecrow find a brain, the Tin Man a heart and the Lion some courage, and get Dorothy and Toto home, too?'

Source: Publisher's blurb.