OVER THE RAINBOWS

ZARDOZ ISN’T THE ONLY FILM TO PUT A STRANGE SPIN ON THE WIZARD OF OZ

THE WIZARD OF MARS (1965)

Astronaut Dorothy crash-lands on Mars and sets out along with three companions to find the Wizard (John Carradine). Meanwhile, a later science-fiction film whose name escapes us also features a protagonist who wishes they didn’t live on a farm whisked off to an adventure with a space wizard, a prissy tin man and an alien lion.

THE ABOMINABLE DR PHIBES (1971)

Vincent Price’s demented but stylish disfigured genius plays a spirited theatre-organ rendition of ‘Over The Rainbow’ as he is exsanguinated in in his Art Deco Rolls-royce coffin at the climax of the camp-classic horror film. For the sequel, Dr. Phibes Rises Again, the inimitable Price recorded a vocal version of the Judy Garland standard.

ALICE DOESN’T LIVE HERE ANYMORE (1974)

In the 1940s prologue, Martin Scorsese has young Alice — who’ll grow up to be played by Ellen Burstyn — dreaming of singing stardom as she frets on a miserable farm, offering a combined homage to the sepia Kansas of The Wizard Of Oz, the fire-lit Atlanta of Gone With The Wind and Fox musical star Alice Faye.

UNDER THE RAINBOW (1981)

A screwball comedy/spy story set during the making of MGM’S 1939 The Wizard Of Oz, this teamed hot ’80s names Chevy Chase and Carrie Fisher (both have disowned it as their worst film) with a cast of mostly small people, including original Munchkins Jerry Maren and

Ruth Ducci. It’s not very funny, but the theme song is catchy.

WILD AT HEART (1990)

Almost all of David Lynch’s films contain references to The Wizard Of Oz. This one is shot through with them: Sheryl Lee appears as a ringer for Good Witch Glinda, Lula (Laura Dern) clicks her heels together to get home, and her mother (Diane Ladd) rides a broomstick like the Wicked Witch Of The West.