Oz - A Rock N Roll Road Movie

This reworking of The Wizard of Oz (1939) although wanting somewhat artistically is a wonderful document of its time.

Joy Dunstan in her first and last screen appearance, plays wannabe rock band groupie, Dorothy, who after a car crash finds herself on a strange trip which takes her to the farewell concert of The Wizard (Graham Matters), a concert which was shot at the Myer Music Bowl in Melbourne as part of a real concert that featured AC/DC and The Little River Band. Along the way she teams up with a surfie (Bruce Spence), a bikie (Gary Waddell) and a mechanic (the appropriately named Michael Carman), whilst being pursued by a truckie (Ned Kelly, who was AC/DC's road manager).

Director Lofven (pronounced Lavane) was probably the first director of music videos in Australia and with its soundtrack by a post-Daddy Cool Ross Wilson and also a contribution from Jo Jo Zep and the Falcons this, Lofven's debut feature, is squarely pitched at the hedonistic post-adolescent market of the time. The outcome is an often-engaging and revealing window on mid-70s Australian youth culture that although going on too long offers, for those who were there, much to enjoy and rue its passing.

 

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