40 Films in Robotech: The Wizard of Oz (1982)

   

I think I finally found my favorite cinematic version of The Wizard of Oz…

 ROBOTECH MENTION:  

Super Dimensional Fortress Macross provided much of the original material for the first part of the overall Robotech saga. The director of Super Dimensional Fortress Macross Fumihiko Takayama has a cameo (well, his name does) in Robotech episode 35 Season’s Greetings. When I saw these two Wizard of Oz references in McKinney’s Symphony of Light (1987) book, I decided to use his version of the classic trip down the yellow brick road…

As The New Generation Robotech rebels go into the Invid HQ known as Reflex Point, Rook asks Rand where do they think we’re going. Rand nonchalantly references the upcoming other side as Oz by saying “Over the rainbow.” 

It should be noted that “over the rainbow” directly references dialogue/song in the 1939 version of The Wizard of Oz. In Takayama’s dubbed 1982 version of The Wizard of Oz, Dorothy says “beyond the rainbow.” Again, close enough for us. But McKinney doesn’t stop on page 179 with the Ozian references. In the next chapter, he has Rand comparing the Invid queen mother Regis to the Wicked Witch of the West…

By commanding to “throw water on her,” Rand clearly acknowledges the Regis as the evil Wicked Witch of the West in The Wizard of Oz. Again, this is most likely a nod to the pail of water thrown on the witch in the ’39 version. Water is the ultimate demise of the Wicked Witch in the 1982 version when little Dorothy tips over a jug of water at the top of a staircase to trip up the witch, not knowing the power of water to “melt” (and somehow shrink) the witch into nothingness.

 SYNOPSIS:  

A slightly different version of the classic tale of a girl from Kansas who accidentally kills one witch only to trek across a somewhat surreal landscape and be asked to commit murder and kill another witch…along with her roadside companions. Here’s the opening song of the film. There’s also various freebie versions of the entire film on YouTube:

 AWARDS & KUDOS:  

Digging Star Wars has covered multiple other movie versions of The Wizard of Oz before including the classic everyone knows: Victor Fleming’s 1939 version with Judy Garland.  

Digging Star Wars guest writer Phil Congleton has examined Fleming’s version and a version from 1910 on our blog in a series he wrote back in 2023. Phil also covered many more pre-1939 versions in his The Oz Film Manufacturing Company episode of his YouTube Phil Meets The Movies series …

Ergo, there are many movie versions of The Wizard of Oz beyond the Judy Garland classic.

 OTHER COOL FACTS:  

I watched this film twice over Thanksgiving week 2024 to prepare to see WICKED (2024). Two groups I’m involved with at work, InterFaith TMRG and Spoilers Movie Club, rented a movie theater for team members to see the film for free with free popcorn and soda. We were even allowed to bring guests. My new 11-year-old son Henry was joining me for WICKED (2024) against his will. He eventually admitted to liking it. Ha! Since he just got into Robotech and anime at that time, he watched Fumihiko Takayama’s The Wizard of Oz with me and he really got into it.  I wrote this entry that same week.   

 ROBOTECH REASON:  

Scott Bernard is much like Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz. To Scott, Earth is a strange place and he must travel to an exotic “city” called Reflex Point to kill the Invid Queen. Along the way he picks up country bumpkin who is often called “dumb” Rand – not unlike the Scarecrow out in the field that wish he had brains. Scott also garners a heartless ex-gang member in cyclone armor called Rook. But, like the Tin Man in this version of Oz, Rook has a huge heart since she cares so much for others (no matter what she says). Finally, Scott picks up a well-known coward called Lunk who shows how brave he is time and time again – much like the cowardly Lion. 

To read my ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (out of a possible 5 star) rating for The Wizard of Oz (1982) on Letterboxd, click here.