Sunday, October 25, 2026

Flopcast 755: Fairuzapalooza Part 2 - People Without Heads

If 1939's The Wizard of Oz isn't dark and weird enough for you, perhaps 1985's Return to Oz will be more to your liking. The Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Lion have been replaced by a robot, a pumpkinhead, a couch with wings... and a talking chicken. There's also a gang of rollerskating freaks just waiting to haunt your nightmares for years to come. It's magnificent. And the role of Dorothy just happens to be played by a very young Fairuza Balk, which means yes, we're still celebrating Fairuzapalooza. And we have another special guest: Author, publisher, and podcaster Jim Beard (Becky Books, Flinch Books, 13th Dimension)! So join us for another round of Fairuzifying action. Remember: Back in Kansas, the chickens don't talk. So you might as well stay here.

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Show Notes

Find Jim Beard at Becky Books, Flinch Books, 13th Dimension, and The Doctor's Beard!

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All of L. Frank Baum's books are in the public domain. Here are some original John R. Neill illustrations of characters who appear in Return to Oz.

From The Marvelous Land of Oz: Jack Pumpkinhead and the Gump

From Ozma of Oz: Tik-Tok (with Billina) and Princess Langwidere (combined with the witch Mombi for the film)

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Young Fairuza with a very faithful Tik-Tok:

The terrifying heads of Mombi: