When it comes to wacky, you can't do much better than Paul Lynde. And he really out did himself in 1976 with this television special. It's one of those shows you just have to see to believe. The plot, if you can call it that, finds Paul on Halloween night with his maid (Margaret Hamilton) contemplating the holiday and how much it irks him. He discovers on this, of all nights, that his maid is actually a witch when she takes him to her sister's (Witchiepoo from H.R. Pufnstuf) castle. He promises to keep quiet about it if they grant him three wishes. This leads to sketches of Paul as a trucker, and a sheik. The last wish takes them to a disco, where Paul meets the band Kiss.
This series is wrong on so many levels, but reaches the heights of wrongness in the clip above featuring the whole cast (which also includes Roz "Pinky Tuscadero" Kelly, Betty White, Tim Conway, Billy Barty and Donny and Marie Osmond) dancing to Disco Baby (to the tune of Disco Lady). The clip was uploaded by frenchjr25. The special is now available on DVD and I highly recommend it for the wonderful train wreck it is.
Obscurity factor: 6 (on DVD, known in some circles as a camp classic, largely unknown by the general public)
Showing posts with label Margaret Hamilton. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Margaret Hamilton. Show all posts
Monday, October 31, 2011
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Liza Minnelli & Mickey Rooney in Journey Back to Oz (1971)
Obscurity factor: 6
This official sequel to The Wizard of Oz (1939) has many casting connections to the original. Liza Minnelli plays Dorothy, reprising her mother's role. Margaret Hamilton is also in the film, but plays Aunt Em, rather than the Wicked Witch. Mickey Rooney - another tie to Judy Garland - plays the Scarecrow. Also in the cast are Milton Berle (Cowardly Lion), Paul Lynde (Pumpkinhead), Danny Thomas (The Tin Man) and Ethel Merman (as Mombi, cousin of the Wicked Witch). The story is roughly based on Baum's second book - The Marvelous Land of Oz and finds Dorothy delivered to Oz again by a cyclone. Once there she attempts to reach the Emerald City where the Scarecrow now reigns as king. Mombi, however has it in for her because of what she did to her cousin and tries to thwart her progress. Along the way she meets Pumpkinhead, who was conjured up by Mombi, but has since gone AWOL. Of course Mombi throws every obstacle she can think of in Dorothy's way - green elephants, murderous trees, confining furniture - can Dorothy and her allies thwart her evil plans?
This film was first released on Britain in 1971, then in the US in 1974. One can only imagine Minnelli's feelings about reprising a role that was so identified with her mother so soon after she had passed away. The Wizard is conspicuously absent from this story, however in the TV release in 1976, segments were introduced by The Wizard played in live action by Bill Cosby. Listen for Mel Blanc as Mombi's crow.
This film is available on DVD though is out of print, and can be difficult to find. It's also available on YouTube in its entirety, thanks to an upload by darthranerful. The poster above is available at MoviePosterShop.com.
Obscurity factor: 6 (on DVD & YouTube, remembered by small cadre of fans)
This official sequel to The Wizard of Oz (1939) has many casting connections to the original. Liza Minnelli plays Dorothy, reprising her mother's role. Margaret Hamilton is also in the film, but plays Aunt Em, rather than the Wicked Witch. Mickey Rooney - another tie to Judy Garland - plays the Scarecrow. Also in the cast are Milton Berle (Cowardly Lion), Paul Lynde (Pumpkinhead), Danny Thomas (The Tin Man) and Ethel Merman (as Mombi, cousin of the Wicked Witch). The story is roughly based on Baum's second book - The Marvelous Land of Oz and finds Dorothy delivered to Oz again by a cyclone. Once there she attempts to reach the Emerald City where the Scarecrow now reigns as king. Mombi, however has it in for her because of what she did to her cousin and tries to thwart her progress. Along the way she meets Pumpkinhead, who was conjured up by Mombi, but has since gone AWOL. Of course Mombi throws every obstacle she can think of in Dorothy's way - green elephants, murderous trees, confining furniture - can Dorothy and her allies thwart her evil plans?
This film was first released on Britain in 1971, then in the US in 1974. One can only imagine Minnelli's feelings about reprising a role that was so identified with her mother so soon after she had passed away. The Wizard is conspicuously absent from this story, however in the TV release in 1976, segments were introduced by The Wizard played in live action by Bill Cosby. Listen for Mel Blanc as Mombi's crow.
This film is available on DVD though is out of print, and can be difficult to find. It's also available on YouTube in its entirety, thanks to an upload by darthranerful. The poster above is available at MoviePosterShop.com.
Obscurity factor: 6 (on DVD & YouTube, remembered by small cadre of fans)
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