A spunky young orphan is taken in by a rich eccentric, much to the chagrin of the cantankerous woman who runs the orphanage. In their quest to find the wizard, they also face Evillene, the equally evil sister of Evermean, the wicked witch whom Dorothy inadvertently killed when she arrived in Oz; Evillene might be their biggest obstacle. However, Dorothy declares she does not want the shoes and desperately just wants to get home to Aunt Em. Get a sneak peek of the new version of this page. Menu. After accidentally killing the Wicked Witch of the East upon her arrival, Dorothy is told about the Wiz (Richard Pryor), a wizard who can help her get back to Manhattan. "[12] Though 20th Century Fox had financially backed the stage musical, they ended up exercising their first refusal rights to the film production, which gave Universal an opening to finance the film. Filming for The Wiz began on October 3, 1977 and concluded on December 29, 1977. To appreciate just how outmoded, deceptive and limiting it is, consider the following, all of which have been described as black films, . During the production, he became a frequent visitor to New York's famous Studio 54. The soundtrack is soooo underated where I think Quincy outdid himself and this was all overlooked!! They attempt to put Dorothy, Toto and the Lion into an eternal sleep with magic poppy perfume ("Be a Lion"). Only 1 left in stock - order soon. The movie has great moments and a lot of life, sensational special effects and costumes, and Ross, Jackson, and Russell. [32] In his work History of the American Cinema, Harpole characterized the film as "one of the decade's biggest failures", and, "the year's biggest musical flop". Don't get me wrong, I think the sets are outstanding, but kids movies should not look like a horror flick. [11][26], The film was released on DVD in 1999;[27] a remastered version entitled The Wiz: 30th Anniversary Edition was released in 2008. [20] The scenes filmed at the Emerald City were elaborate, utilizing 650 dancers, 385 crew members and 1,200 costumes. "[47], "NBC Teaming With Cirque du Soleil for 'The Wiz' Live Musical", "How Lumet's 'The Wiz' became a black cult classic", "Joel Schumacher Tells Movieline About the Time He Wrote The Wiz", http://time.com/4135018/the-wiz-michael-jackson/, "Louis Johnson, 90, Genre-Crossing Dancer and Choreographer, Dies", "New DVD releases include 'Gone Baby Gone, "Michael Jackson on Film: No Fizz After 'The Wiz, Ayşecik ve Sihirli Cüceler Rüyalar Ülkesinde, The Dreamer of Oz: The L. Frank Baum Story, The Wizard of Oz in Concert: Dreams Come True, Queer Visitors from the Marvelous Land of Oz, The Wizard of Oz: Beyond the Yellow Brick Road, King: A Filmed Record... Montgomery to Memphis, HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I, Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix, 20th Century Masters – The Millennium Collection: The Best of Michael Jackson, Thriller 25: Limited Japanese Single Collection, 50 Best Songs – The Motown Years: Michael Jackson & The Jackson 5, Michael Jackson's Journey from Motown to Off the Wall, Michael Jackson: 30th Anniversary Celebration, Neverland Firsthand: Investigating the Michael Jackson Documentary, Mind Is the Magic: Anthem for the Las Vegas Show, Never Can Say Goodbye: The Music of Michael Jackson, Unity: The Latin Tribute to Michael Jackson, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Wiz_(film)&oldid=1022077821, Films with screenplays by Joel Schumacher, Articles with dead external links from June 2018, Articles with permanently dead external links, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Dorothy, Scarecrow, Tin Man and Cowardly Lion, "Is This What Feeling Gets? Upon arriving, the quartet takes a back door into the Wiz's quarters and discovers that he is a phony because the Wiz is actually Herman Smith, a failed politician from Atlantic City, New Jersey, who was transported to Oz when a balloon he was flying to promote his campaign to become the city dogcatcher was lost in a storm. The Flying Monkeys give her and her friends a triumphant ride back to the Emerald City. With Evillene dead, her spells lose their power: the Winkies are freed from their permanent costumes (revealing attractive humans underneath) and their sweatshop tools disappear. A live television production of the stage version, The Wiz Live!, was broadcast on NBC on December 3, 2015, with an encore presentation on December 19 of the same year. [19] One of the cast members Michael Jackson was friends with Judy Garland's and Vincente Minnelli's daughter Liza Minnelli. 22. As a result, she frees the Munchkins who populate the playground into which she lands; they had been transformed into graffiti by Evermean for painting the playground walls. Motown Productions acquired the film rights to The Wiz in 1977 and signed Stephanie Mills in anticipation of having her star as Dorothy in the film adaptation. Motown and Universal produced a movie adaptation of the Broadway musical The Wiz, an all-African-American retelling of the book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, in 1978.It was directed by Sidney Lumet and Joel Schumacher wrote the screenplay. She lives a sheltered life and is shy and unfulfilled. $7.22 $ 7. Yet, without blaxploitation there might not have been another generation of black filmmakers, no Denzel Washington or Angela Bassett, or they might have taken longer to emerge. ", Credits adapted from American Film Institute.[10]. Cohen moved Michael and his sister La Toya Jackson into a Manhattan apartment, allowing him to be on his own for the first time. The Wiz is a 1978 American musical adventure fantasy film produced by Universal Pictures and Motown Productions and released by Universal Pictures on October 24, 1978. Before they can reach her domain, Evillene learns of their quest to kill her and sends out the Flying Monkeys (a motorcycle gang) to keep them at bay ("No Bad News"). When Harlem schoolteacher Dorothy (Diana Ross) tries to save her dog from a storm, she's miraculously whisked away to an urban fantasy land called Oz. After eating my breakfast, I ended up watching the movie, The Wiz. [8], As of August 2019, The Wiz holds a 42% rating on Rotten Tomatoes from 33 reviews, with the consensus; "This workmanlike movie musical lacks the electricity of the stage version (and its cinematic inspiration), but it's bolstered by strong performances by Diana Ross and Michael Jackson. Why doesn't it involve us as deeply as The Wizard of Oz? They marvel at the spectacle of the city and its sophisticated, fashion-forward dancers. The sprinklers put out the fire but also melt Evillene, who is made of ice. Includes 2 sets of worksheets that has students evaluate expressions being used during "The Wizard of Oz" and "The Wiz- Live". "[42] A 2005 piece by Hank Stuever in The Washington Post described the film as "a rather appreciable delight, even when it's a mess", and felt that the singing – especially Diana Ross's – was "a marvel". Jones, impressed by Jackson's professionalism, talent and work ethic on the film, offered to be producer of what became Off The Wall (1979), then later on the hugely successful albums Thriller (1982) and Bad (1987). Filming took place in Queens, New York from October to December of 1977. Maybe because it hedges its bets by wanting to be sophisticated and universal, childlike and knowing, appealing to both a mass audience and to media insiders. Coming off somewhere between "Thank God It's Friday" and "Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory" (and in Diana Ross' case, "Sybil"), the film version of The Wiz is not good, not bad -- just plain weird.One of the main problems of the film (everyone's said it before and I'll say it again), is the casting of Ross as Dorothy. For a movie that was rated G and based on the family fare of The Wizard of Oz, it sure wasn't that childlike. Produced by Rob Cohen and directed by Sidney Lumet, the film stars Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Nipsey Russell, Ted Ross, Mabel King, Theresa Merritt, Thelma Carpenter, Lena Horne and Richard Pryor. "[14] Of est and Erhard references in the film itself, The Grove Book of Hollywood notes that the speech delivered by Glinda the Good Witch at the end of the film was "a litany of est-like platitudes", and the book also makes est comparisons to the song "Believe in Yourself". The Wiz film is very uplifting to watch and I am very glad to have watched it. A gallery of 60+ The Wiz (1978) publicity stills and other photos. [11][18] The film's choreographer was Louis Johnson. Add the first question. [4][5][6] Despite its initial failure, it became a cult classic among black audiences, Jackson's fanbase, and Oz enthusiasts. The Scarecrow hopes the Wiz might be able to give him the one thing he feels that he lacks – a brain. "[38] Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert gave the film some of its most positive reviews on Sneak Previews. On that wonderfully logical premise, the classic “Wizard of Oz” was transformed into a Broadway musical named “The Wiz,” and then the most expensive movie musical ever made. You'll see your favorite characters: Dorothy, Toto, the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, the Lion, the Wicked Witch of the West, the Wizard, the Munchkins and more. "[20][38] Of the results of the film, Jackson stated: "I don't think it could have been any better, I really don't. She lives a sheltered life and is shy and unfulfilled. A big-budget film adaptation of the same name was released in 1978, with Ted Ross and Mabel King reprising their roles. A live telecast of the beloved J. M. Barrie story. Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. "[44] The St. Petersburg Times noted, "Of course, it only took one flop like The Wiz (1978) to give Hollywood an excuse to retreat to safer (i.e., whiter) creative ground until John Singleton and Spike Lee came along. He will only grant their wishes if they kill the sister of the Wicked Witch of the East, Evillene, the Wicked Witch of the West, who runs a sweatshop in the underground sewers of Oz. When Motown star Diana Ross asked Gordy if she could be cast as Dorothy, he declined, saying that Ross—then 33 years old—was too old for the role. Extremely introverted, she is teased by Aunt Em for never having been south of 125th Street, as she has delayed moving out to start her own, independent life as an adult ("Can I Go On?" [17] He later wrote that he initially did not want to work on the film, but did it as a favor to Lumet. This FAQ is empty. Featuring Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Ted Ross, Nipsey Russell and others. The film is really long and it has no reason to be. Gordy originally wanted the teenaged future R&B singer Stephanie Mills, who had originated the role on Broadway, to be cast as Dorothy. At 133 minutes, it seems to drag on forever and ever. Make room for ogre-sized family fun as the greatest fairy tale never told comes to life in a whole new way in this breathtaking Broadway musical adaptation of the hit movie Shrek! The Wiz proved to be a commercial failure, as the $24 million production only earned $13.6 million at the box office. . (And speaking of horror flicks, one scene even looks like one as attacking trash cans with teeth recall "Jaws. [13] Initially, Universal was so excited about the film's prospects that they did not set a budget for production. and characterized The Wiz in a list that also featured 1970s films Shaft (1971), Blacula (1972), and Super Fly (1972). The Wiz They're off to see the Wizard, the wonderful Wizard of Oz! Dorothy eases on down the road to see the Wiz with Tinman, Scarecrow and Cowardly Lion. [11] Of his decision not to direct The Wiz, John Badham recalled telling Cohen that he thought Ross was "a wonderful singer. Just as it seems as if she will never be able to get home, Glinda, the Good Witch of the South, appears and implores her to find her way home by searching within and using the magic of the silver slippers ("Believe"—reprise). [14][21][35] In his 2004 book Blockbuster, Tom Shone referred to The Wiz as "expensive crud". She clicks her heels together three times. When she threatens to throw Toto into a fiery cauldron, Dorothy nearly gives in until the Scarecrow hints to her to activate a fire sprinkler switch, which she does. That is … Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? [42] However, Null's overall review of the film was critical, and he wrote that other than the song "Ease on Down the Road", "the rest is an acid trip of bad dancing, garish sets, and a Joel Schumacher-scripted mess that runs 135 agonizing minutes. (Reviewer Leonard Maltin said she "weeps and whines" her way through this.) [32] He described Diana Ross's portrayal of Dorothy as: "cold, neurotic and oddly unattractive"; and noted that the film was "a critical and box office bust". All songs written by Charlie Smalls, unless otherwise noted. (A guilty pleasure is the funky disco Emerald City numbers.) It freaked me out when I saw it as a kid, and now seeing it again as an adult, I now understand why. Diana Ross plays a very moving and heartfelt role as Dorothy. Hoyt-Schermerhorn Street Subway Station, Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA. Both sets have over 25 questions presented in the same order as the movie with scenes broken down. An overall depressing tone, low lighting, and freaky costumes and set design drag this film down. [14] "Before I knew it," said Rob Cohen, "the movie was becoming an est-ian fable full of est buzzwords about knowing who you are and sharing and all that. "[40] The film received another positive critique for its elaborate set design in the book American Jewish Filmmakers, which noted that it "features some of the most imaginative adaptations of New York locales since the glory days of the Astaire-Rogers films. [13], Joel Schumacher's script for The Wiz was influenced by Werner Erhard's teachings and his Erhard Seminars Training ("est") movement, as both Schumacher and Ross were "very enamored of Werner Erhard". Upon its original theatrical release, the film was a critical and commercial failure, and it marked the end of the resurgence of African-American films that began with the blaxploitation movement of the early 1970s. Directed by Sidney Lumet. The character of Dorothy in this film ends up on an adventure that changes her and those in her life whose path she crosses (such as the Scarecrow character played by Michael Jackson). Vincent (Lucas Till) and Victoria (Kiersey Clemons), meet "accidentally" on Halloween night and find themselves, along with Ichabod the dog, at a mysterious hotel located at 777 Jackson ... See full summary ». By the start of development on The Wiz in 1978, he and his brothers The Jacksons had left Motown for Epic Records after the release of their tenth album Moving Violation, though Jackson had yet to make a solo album since his fourth album Forever, Michael. [23] The film's failure steered Hollywood studios away from producing the all-black film projects that had become popular during the blaxploitation era of the early to mid-1970s for several years. The Wiz When Harlem schoolteacher Dorothy (Diana Ross) tries to save her dog from a storm, she’s miraculously whisked away to an urban fantasy land called Oz. 42%. Dorothy soon meets the Munchkins' main benefactress, Miss One, the Good Witch of the North, a magical "numbers runner" who gives Evermean's pretty charmed silver slippers to her by teleporting them onto Dorothy's feet. Other deadly monsters all awaken and try to kill the group (such as trash cans that try to crush the Scarecrow by his arms, a fuse box electrocuting the Tin Man, and the pillars that try to crush Dorothy), but the Lion bravely rescues his friends by fighting off the monsters. [6][32][33][34] Most agreed that what had worked so successfully on stage simply did not translate well to the screen. Its story was reworked from William F. Brown's Broadway libretto by Joel Schumacher, and Quincy Jones supervised the adaptation of Charlie Smalls and Luther Vandross' songs for it. The decaying New York State Pavilion from the 1964 New York World's Fair was used as the set for Munchkinland, Astroland at Coney Island was used for the Tinman scene with The Cyclone as a backdrop, while the World Trade Center served as the Emerald City. She cries so much that she winds up looking like a neurotic mental case on the verge of suicide. During the production of the film, Jackson asked Quincy Jones who he would recommend as a producer on a yet unrecorded solo album project. Anyone's who's really interested in the magic and promise of The Wiz should hope that the Broadway play is revived in its original glory (as it was sometime in the 1990s). Finally reaching the Emerald City, the four friends gains passage into the city because of Dorothy's ownership of the silver slippers. Hischak's Through the Screen Door: What Happened to the Broadway Musical When It Went to Hollywood criticized "Joel Schumacher's cockamamy screenplay", and called "Believe in Yourself" the score's weakest song. [4][5][6], The film was released on VHS home video in 1989 by MCA/Universal Home Video (with a reissue in 1992) and was first broadcast on television on CBS on May 5, 1984 (edited to 100 minutes), to capitalize on Michael Jackson's massive popularity at the time. "[37], Jackson's performance as the Scarecrow was one of the only positively reviewed elements of the film, with critics noting that Jackson possessed "genuine acting talent" and "provided the only genuinely memorable moments. But it was hard to argue with [Ross] because she was recognizing in this script all of this stuff that she had worked out in est seminars. The Wiz Kid of Osbourne St. DVD. Tom and Jerry soar over the rainbow and travel down the yellow brick road in this all-new animated retelling of the classic tale. Well, no, it's not (what movie could be?) [36] In the book Mr. and Mrs. Hollywood, the author criticized the script, noting, "The Wiz was too scary for children, and too silly for adults. En route to the Emerald City, the adventurers must pass through a subway controlled by a crazy peddler (a homeless man) who controls evil puppets. Rob Cohen, head of Motown Productions, thought Jackson would be perfect for the role of the Scarecrow, and approached Berry Gordy with the idea, who agreed, though director Sidney Lumet was harder to convince. [18] Albert Whitlock created the film's visual special effects,[13] while Stan Winston served as the head makeup artist.[18]. B efore there was NBC’s The Wiz Live!, starring Queen Latifah, Mary J. Blige, David Alan Grier and Stephanie Mills, there was The Wiz, a 1978 movie … [2][31] Many reviewers directed their criticism at Diana Ross, who they believed was too old to play Dorothy. Director Sidney Lumet's big-budget film version of The Wiz, an updated musical treatment of The Wizard of Oz with songs by Charlie Smalls, is not remembered as one of the great movie musicals.But you wouldn't know that from this elaborate double-LP soundtrack album, on which Smalls' Broadway score is augmented by music written by producer Quincy Jones, Nickolas Ashford & Valerie … While Dorothy cleans up after the meal, her dog, Toto, runs out the open kitchen door into a snowstorm. The film's failure steered Hollywood studios away from producing the all-black film projects that had become popular during the blaxploitationera of the early to mid-1970s fo… A reimagining of L. Frank Baum's classic 1900 children's novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz featuring an all-black cast, the film was loosely adapted from the 1974 Broadway musical of the same name. The film version of 'The Wiz' formed a mosaic of black excellence prevalent in 1978 and beyond. [25] The Wiz is often broadcast on Thanksgiving Day (attributed to the opening scene of Dorothy's family gathered for a Thanksgiving dinner). In their quest to find the wizard, they also face Evillene, the equally evil sister of Evermean, the wicked witch whom Dorothy inadvertently killed when she arrived in Oz; Evillene might be their biggest obstacle. While I found her singing numbers to be wonderful and full of emotion, Diana just plays the role too dark and brooding. I LOVE IT!!!! Alamo Drafthouse Sets Reopening Dates for 15 Locations, Including New York and LA, ‘Da 5 Bloods’ Composer Calls Scoring War Movies a ‘Sonic Battle’ Between Guns and Music, United Artists’ Seth Fradkoff Teaches Kids About Broadway, Raises Money for Covid Relief, American Film Institute's Top 25 Songs of All Time, Musicals of the 1970s - Flowers and Establishment. [10] It was filmed at Astoria Studios in Queens, New York. The movies that are as good as the original books? When she gets caught in a snowstorm while chasing her dog Toto, they're transported to the mysterious Land of Oz, where she's informed that the only way she can find her way home is through the assistance of the powerful wizard in the Emerald City. "[13] When asked about any possible influence from MGM's popular 1939 film adaptation of The Wizard of Oz, Lumet stated that "there was nothing to be gained from [the 1939 film] other than to make certain we didn't use anything from it. The Wiz is indeed a New York movie, featuring the most fantastical representations of the city’s landmarks since the 1933 King Kong. The excellent score that was perfected in the Broadway run is enhanced by soaring arrangements by Quincy Jones. Check out our editors' picks for the best movies and shows coming this month. [24] It continues to be broadcast periodically on Black-focused networks such as BET, TVOne, BET Her, and was the inaugural broadcast on the Bounce TV digital broadcast network. [17] The film production marked Jones' first time working with Jackson, and Jones later produced three hit albums for Jackson: Off the Wall (1979), Thriller (1982) and Bad (1987). Kermit and his newfound friends trek across America to find success in Hollywood, but a frog legs merchant is after Kermit. I'll never forget that. (1978). But without the entertaining musical/dance numbers and a few comic-relief moments (delivered by the Scarecrow, Tin Man & Lion), The Wiz would just be a bad memory of Diana Ross' career. Plus, I wasn’t sure who was going to show up on the meetup and if I knew any of the people. "[11], After film director John Badham learned that Ross was going to play the part of Dorothy, he decided not to direct the film, and Cohen replaced him with Sidney Lumet. Another problem is the look and feel of the film. The Wiz (1978) - Movie stills and photos Get it as soon as Thu, Apr 29. Relive all of the magic of this beloved musical when Dorothy is whisked away to the enchanting wonderland of Oz, where she encounters the Scarecrow, the Tinman and the Lion. Jackson later starred in films such as Disney's Captain EO in 1986, the anthology film Moonwalker in 1988 and the posthumous documentary This Is It in 2009. I hated the script a lot. In November 1978 a crowded Thanksgiving dinner brings a host of family together in a small Harlem apartment, where a shy, twenty-four-year-old elementary schoolteacher named Dorothy Gale lives with her Aunt Em and Uncle Henry ("The Feeling We Once Had"). [16] Lumet wanted Jimmie Walker, star of CBS-TV’s Good Times, telling Cohen “Michael Jackson’s a Vegas act. 8+ COMMON SENSE. . An adaptation of "The Wizard of Oz" that tries to capture the essence of the African-American experience. Select from premium The Wiz Movie of the highest quality. Ebert praised other cast members and numerous technical aspects of the film, saying it was "fun" and in the "great tradition of the American musical. Also, every member of the supporting cast is outstanding and well-cast.But overall, the screenplay is just too weird for any adult, much less kid, to enjoy. View production, box office, & company info. 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