Oz Reviews

20TH CENTURY OZ is yet another telling of L. Frank Baum's classic story. In this version, Dunstan (as Dorothy) is knocked unconscious after her pickup truck crashes when she is out on a date. She wakes up in the new and different world with one idea on her mind: not to return home but to see the farewell performance of the great rock star The Wizard (Matters). Along the trail she meets Spence, a surfer (for the Scarecrow); Carmen, a mechanic (for the Tinman); and Waddell, a biker (for the Lion). The Good Fairy arrives in the form of a boutique with that name, and the Wicked Witch is a 210-pound truck driver who proves to be quite a menace. A charming and often very clever film, it's hampered by a rock score that is often overbearing, particularly the title tune and the unfortunately anticlimactic concert. Dunstan isn't bad, but she could have used a few more acting lessons. The direction is sharp, doing a nice job of turning Melbourne side streets into the land of Oz. The film may be a little bawdy for younger viewers, but the teens will get a kick out of it.