The Wiz
Directed by:
Sidney LumetScreenplay:
Joel SchumacherCinematography:
Oswald MorrisCast:
Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Nipsey Russell, Ted Ross, Mabel King, Theresa Merritt, Thelma Carpenter, Lena Horne, Richard Pryor, Robin Givens, Janet Wright (more)Plots(1)
The Wiz is probably the grandest take on L. Frank Baum's classic tale "The Wizard of Oz". The production team created sets with a sense of urban magic and spectacle: a New York subway station literally comes to life, and the massive plaza between the World Trade Centre towers is transformed into the Emerald City, featuring nearly 400 dancers with three costume changes. In an era before MTV, the camera stays nearly stationary as Diana Ross and Lena Horne vocally soar through their numbers. Their stage-like performances successfully make the leap to film, making The Wiz a testament to their singing talents and star presence. The then-thirty-something Ross raised some eyebrows playing the traditionally teenaged Dorothy, but she and her supporting cast (including Richard Pryor as the Wiz) carry the tunes with an infectious verve that will appeal to people of all ages. (Mediumrare Entertainment)
(more)Reviews (1)
An Afro-American disco version The Wizard of Oz. It may seem somewhat daring, but considering the enormous phenomenon that the original 14 novels by L. Frank Baum and other subsequent works and adaptations have been since 1900, it's totally fine. Baum's world set a precedent for American children's literature, the main series was published until 1920, and even during the author's lifetime, the first Broadway musicals, film adaptations, radio plays, comics, and short story books were created... After his death, Ruth Plumly Thompson wrote another 21 novels about the Land of Oz. Similar success awaited Dr. Seuss or E. B. White after World War II, but even their now-classic children's books did not surpass the magnitude of The Wizard of Oz. This is how one can view the modern The Wiz as an integral part of a successful series of adaptations that simply respond to the needs of the time and change with it. Schumacher's script is daring, Lumet's direction is creative, and Scarecrow became Michael Jackson's best role in his entire career.
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