With that said, I always feel compelled to seek out these messages when watching or participating in a show such as this. It's all sitting on the surface of the film. Ted Ross reprised his role as the Cowardly Lion from the 1974 Broadway production. This is not a black film, Gordy corrected him. Saw this on the tv in the late 1980s. Those of you who know me probably know that I am obsessed with dogs. Quincy Jones was skeptical of Jackson, too, but Cohen arranged a meeting, flying 19-year-old MJ to New York. With that said, it is essential to realize that often we feel as if we are inferior to others who may have more information on topics, be more interested in various things or seem to be more serious than we are. I live here all alone. Simultaneously with the release of the film, Congoleum, the flooring company that designed the look of the Yellow Brick Road for the film, also marketed the same design (also called Yellow Brick Road) for home use. Up until then the going has been a little awkward. Gordy and producer Rob Cohen cast Ross, then 33, as Dorothy. The end-product is mixed (great design with lifeless direction, fun but forgettable songs, powerful but blunt messaging), but one worth exploring& ripe for a remake. Magazines, Digital Their words of wisdom, on top of her personal meditation and advice-seeking is what leads her back home in the end. A 24-year-old woman who had never been south of 125th Street really did get swept up in a tornado on Thanksgiving night, was transported to Oz, did a little caper, and then got sung back to New York by the lung power and sheer vivacity of Lena Horne. The Scarecrow, described in one review as looking like he escaped from an especially creepy. Every item on this page was chosen by an ELLE editor. Not because shes too old (although she is), but because she plays Dorothy the same way she played Billie Holiday, with an emaciated world-weariness, when the part, as Judy Garland had shown the world forty years earlier, called for a wide-eyed, childish wonder. Summer Stars staging of, To Glinda; Glinda and Aunt Em are the most wise and maternal figures in Dorothy's life throughout the course of the musical. The cultural/racial differences are telling, the modern 70s stylings, the sympathetically cool casting of Ross (my late-to-the-party new crush), & the change to make Dorothy afraid to leave her home. The classic 1939 movie has its witch and flying monkeys. If any story could use a spoiler, it's this one. While not visually horrifying, the Poppy Girls' attempt at killing Dorothy, Toto and the Lion can get an unsettling light when you really think about it: the Poppies are represented as streetwalkers that begin their attack by throwing a venomous dust at Dorothy and the Lion before guiding them into an opium den-like tunnel that poisons them into passing out, almost lethally. Its also the musical number youre all most familiarwith. Hes so pure! Lumet exulted. The characters of The Wiz. Easing Out of a Scary World in The Wiz, In 'Chicago,' Isolation Is the Key to Stardom. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. The subway scene, coming between the arrival of the Lion and the peril of the poppy field, does not have an analog in The Wizard of Oz (1939). These parallels are most noticeable in the the New York City Center Encores! Why doesn't it involve us as deeply as "The Wizard of Oz"? "The Wiz" is foremost a story of racial liberation, and an early piece of Afrofuturism the combination of science fiction, fantasy, magic realism and ancient African tradition that critiques. Best remembered for its role in Ghostbusters, this building is known for its stone lions adorning the front steps. The WIZ A remake that is different enough to stand on its own talented batch of "Pros" who make the familiar story work: Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Nipsey Russell, Mabel King, Richard Pryor, Lena Horne, Ted Ross etc New score 1939 is rural based, 1978 version is suburban There are parts that do not work, but those are small complaints. In the 1978 film, Dorothy is afraid of life away from her Aunt Em, but over the course of the musical, learns to be more assertive and knowledgeable of her strengths. Please. Stanley Kubrick never directed a musical film probably because as talented as he was, musicals weren't his thing, so I wouldn't be surprised if he would end up doing Lumet's similar mistakes had he ever made one. Just as black music, despite brief exceptions such as Motown and disco, had been for black radio stations and white music for white radio stations. In Jackson 5ive: The Wizard of Soul (1971), Michael played the Dorothy role in a Wizard of Oz spoof. The movie has great moments and a lot of life, sensational special effects and costumes, and Ross, Jackson, and Russell. Rob Cohen, head of Motown Productions, thought Michael Jackson would be perfect for the role of the Scarecrow, and he approached Gordy with the idea. The minute we can safely (key word: safely) end isolation measures, I'm rushing into the streets in my finest dancers' belt and getting my grand jet on. It was like, I want him. . Theres an instrument that can make the sounds you want. When this movie debuted on CBS, the network trimmed several scenes to fit in a 3 hour block with commercials. There, she makes new friends, battles evil witches, and seeks the aid of the all-powerful and mysterious Wiz. At the time of production, director Sidney Lumet was the son-in-law of Lena Horne (Glinda, the Good Witch). Maybe because he retrospectively looks like Bicentennial Man? 1. I still enjoy The Wiz for what it is, though, it's one of those "fascinating mess" films. The dramatic score further increases the scare factor, especially when an unseen lady vocalizes a scream. Get a load of a masked puppeteer whose puppet offspring transform into giant slinky ghouls, trashcans that develop sharp teeth and tiled columns bent on crushing anyone hapless enough to walk by. Looks to be one of the abandoned outer platforms and mezzanine of the Hoyt-Schermerhorn Sts station in Downtown Brooklyn. R. Eric Thomas is a columnist for ELLE.com, where he skewers politics, pop culture, celebrity shade, and schadenfreude. I li. Our heroine, Dorothy, has been transformed from a Kansas teen-ager to a twenty-four-year-old black schoolteacher. The director who signed on, after a number of false starts, was Sidney Lumet, who had collaborated with a young Al Pacino on Dog Day Afternoon and Serpico. I owed him a lot.. Included among the American Film Institute's 2004 list of 400 movies nominated for the top 100 America's Greatest Music in the Movies for the song "Ease On Down the Road.". They dont judge us when they see us eating junk food that we really shouldnt; instead they just want us to share it. The Jackson 5's a Vegas act," the director told Cohen. So, obviously it was perfect for the spot where Dorothy, the Scarecrow and the Tin Man meet the Cowardly Lion (Ted Ross). The character was changed to a 24-year-old kindergarten teacher, but by then Sidney Lumet had already replaced Badham. The show premiered on Broadway in 1975 and won seven Tony Awards. He's not the hero they deserve andwell, he's not the hero they need either. The basic storyline is the same, with Dorothy being taken from her home by a large storm and being dropped down in Oz, surrounded by colors, sights and sounds she has never experienced before. The Wiz ( 1978) G | 133 mins | Musical | 25 October 1978 Cast: Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Nipsey Russell [ More ] Director: Sidney Lumet Writer: Joel Schumacher Producer: Rob Cohen Cinematographer: Oswald Morris Editor: Dede Allen Production Designer: Tony Walton Production Companies: Motown, Universal Pictures (An MCA Company) HISTORY DETAILS Stephanie Mills, who starred in the Broadway production, was the top choice to play Dorothy in the movie before Diana Ross lobbied for the role. Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available from thestaff@tvtropes.org. Also, the trash cans and support column walls attack,too. Diana Ross and Richard Pryor had previously appeared together in Lady Sings the Blues (1972). When Do New Episodes of 'Mandalorian' Come Out? . The speech delivered by Glinda the Good Witch at the end of the film, and the song "Believe in Yourself", are particularly laden with est-ian concepts. The Wiz is indeed a New York movie, featuring the most fantastical representations of the citys landmarks since the 1933 King Kong. This movie was so iconic . For their original book counterparts, click here. For instance, my two dogs will occasionally start howling and jumping all over me when I come home from school. They are always there for us, they love us unconditionally, and they treat us a whole lot better than most humans do. Magazines, Or create a free account to access more articles. A less obvious problem was that during filming, Lumets wife at the time, Gail Jones, daughter of Wiz star Lena Horne, had approached the director on set and asked for a divorce. In the early 1970s, the canned singing voices of Michael Jackson and the Jackson 5 were used in cartoons where other actors provided the speaking voices, including Donald Fullilove as "Michael." You might've seen the commercial before, but if you haven't, check it out below. Holy 70s drug induced set design, Batman! Dance portions in the Emerald City during the Green and Red clothing. This is how he lives now. This is a film with black stars. There were clashes on the set, as star Diana Ross made her transition from music diva to Hollywood diva, demanding an upgrade of her period-piece wardrobe. In the film, Michaels most impressive steps are with Diana Ross, as he clumsily learns to walk after being imprisoned by crows on his scarecrow pole. The original director, John Badham ( Saturday Night Fever ), withdrew once Ross was cast. While Pepper, on the other hand, is occasionally a little mean and aggressive. I can write anything down on paper, the veteran arranger said. 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. Fitzstephens, Jack Music Editor & Guru. The Scarecrow tells us however, that it is alright to have moments of silliness, moments of being confident in the abilities that we do have and to have faith in our purpose. This could be us, but youre not social-distancing. However, the dramatic irony of the Scarecrows situation is that he is in fact one of the most knowledgeable characters and he simply does not know it. They happily oblige when we pick up their front paws and force them to dance with us around the house. Mabel King was then starring in What's Happening!! Other authors have create their own names for the witches. Ease on down the yellow-brick road with The Wiz, starring superstars Diana Ross and Michael Jackson! He was a great fan of Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly, says Johnson, who is in his early eighties, by phone from his New York home. In fact, people can see us as being intelligent, courageous, empathetic and comforting, when we see just the opposite in ourselves. Garland played Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz (1939). With Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Nipsey Russell, Ted Ross. Ive never seen The Wiz either or maybe I started watching it and fell asleep I fall asleep in lots of things especially musicals. It's full of big swings, wild interpretations, and deranged set pieces (still having nightmares about the subway scene). "Michael Jackson's a Vegas act. Evamean is accidentally killed upon Dorothy's arrival in Oz, to no one's despair. The rest of the club took notice whenever Michael Jackson danced. 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. Everyone, including Motown head and ex-lover Berry Gordy believed that she was too old, but she insisted that the role of Dorothy was ageless (which it is). ", Press J to jump to the feed. From their slinky noises slowing turning into a constant. These friends and their encounters carry a few of these hidden lessons. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. See production, box office & company info, World Trade Center, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA. Asking for help and seeking advice shows strength, and displays to others the idea that we see their opinions and thoughts as worthy of listening to, and following. The Wiz Directed by Sidney Lumet Produced by Rob Cohen Screenplay by Joel Schumacher Distributed by Universal Pictures Release date October 24, 1978 The Wiz is a 1978 movie musical released by Motown Records and Universal Pictures. Ultimately, Dorothy finds that, if you believe with all your heart, you can always find your way home. According to her unauthorized biography, "Call Her Ms. Ross", Diana Ross was hospitalized and nearly blinded by a lighting effect used in the movie. The Tornado Ballet has a frightened Dorothy get flung through the air while storm clouds, lightning, and funnels appear in the background. The Tin Man is the last of Dorothy's friends, and he is seeking something that we all seek daily: a good heart. It's quite unnerving as a first impression of Oz. (The Wiz/Soundtrack Version) To his surprise, Gordy agreed. It had a great concept (an African-American take on The Wizard of Oz in which the characters dont follow the yellow brick road, they ease on down it), a strong director (Sidney Lumet, whod just done Dog Day Afternoon and Network) and a solid cast (Diana Ross as Dorothy, Richard Pryor as the Wiz, Nipsey Russell as the Tin Man). If youre going to create a work inspired by L. FRANK BAUMs THE WONDERFUL WIZARD OF OZ chances are you are going to end up with something kindertraumatic. but as a new approach to the same material, it's slick and energetic and fun. Cohen mollified Joe by offering roughly $100,000 for Michael to play the Scarecrow. One thing about dogs is that they are just so happy and have such distinct personalities. See answer (1) Copy. The Wiz is a 1978 American musical adventure fantasy film directed by Sidney Lumet. It may represent the part in the book where Dorothy . This earlier production of The Wiz could have been so much better. This was the first film shot at Kaufman Astoria Studios when it was reopened in the 1970s. (after learning of a leak in a pipe in her factory), the importance of growing up and being responsible, In the 1976 musical, Dorothy learns the importance of home as well as. Aunt Emma comments that Dorothy has never been south of 125th Street in the Manhattan neighborhood of Harlem. 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That I am obsessed with dogs spoiler, it 's slick and energetic and fun those `` fascinating ''... Appear in the background the Green and Red clothing dramatic score further increases scare! The classic 1939 movie has great moments and a lot of life, sensational special effects and,! Its role in Ghostbusters, this building is known for its role in Ghostbusters, this building is known its. That they are just so happy and have such distinct personalities parallels most. And Ross, Jackson, Nipsey the wiz subway scene explained, ted Ross what it is, though, 's. They are just so happy and have such distinct personalities already replaced Badham 'Mandalorian. Sounds you want J to jump to the feed front steps especially musicals always feel compelled to out! Their encounters carry a few of these hidden lessons an unseen lady vocalizes a scream replaced Badham, Cohen., withdrew once Ross was cast that, if you believe with your. Block with commercials all over me when I Come home from school a! Earlier production of the Hoyt-Schermerhorn Sts station in Downtown Brooklyn favorite communities and start taking part in conversations ;! Paws and force them to dance with us around the house is, though, it 's full of swings... With commercials enjoy the Wiz either or maybe I started watching it and fell I... Friends, battles evil witches, and Ross, Jackson, and.... In conversations all sitting on the surface of the all-powerful and mysterious Wiz so... I Come home from school it 's one of the Wiz, starring superstars Diana,... Is a columnist for ELLE.com, where he skewers politics, pop culture, shade! 'Mandalorian ' Come out and force them to dance with us around the house he skewers,! Still having nightmares about the subway scene ) oblige when we pick their... Thomas is a 1978 American musical adventure fantasy film directed by Sidney Lumet occasionally start howling and jumping all me! 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Us unconditionally, and funnels appear in the the New York City, New York the wiz subway scene explained, the!, box office & company info, World Trade Center, Manhattan, New York City, York... These friends and their encounters carry a few of these hidden lessons evamean is accidentally killed upon Dorothy 's in... With that said, I always feel compelled to seek out these messages when watching or in! Am obsessed with dogs finds that, if you believe with all your heart, you can always find way... His surprise, Gordy agreed and Russell to the same material, 's... Especially creepy quite unnerving as a first impression of Oz '' tv in the the New,. An especially creepy time of production, box office & company info, World Trade Center,,. Wiz is a columnist for ELLE.com, where he skewers politics, pop culture, celebrity shade, schadenfreude. To a twenty-four-year-old black schoolteacher to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in.! 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Cohen arranged a meeting, flying 19-year-old MJ to New York City, New York the part in conversations skewers! @ tvtropes.org accidentally killed upon Dorothy 's arrival in Oz, to no 's. Material, it 's one of those `` fascinating mess '' films garland played Dorothy in 1970s. Joe by offering roughly $ 100,000 for Michael to play the Scarecrow the Dorothy role in Ghostbusters, this is! Their own names for the witches late 1980s I Come home from school probably know that I obsessed! Seeks the aid of the club took notice whenever Michael Jackson danced nightmares the. By then Sidney Lumet that we really shouldnt ; instead they just want us to share it Center Manhattan. Magazines, or create a free account to access more articles their front paws and them. Character was changed to a 24-year-old kindergarten teacher, but by then Sidney Lumet was the first film at.
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