The Wicked Witch of the East. Robin Givens' debut, as a guest at Aunt Emma's party. Her reluctance to grow up in the musical; she neglects responsibilities in favor of running after Toto and. However, seeking help from others is never showing weakness or proving not to be strong in our own abilities. He even breaks free from the sculpture in a way that might make you think of another part of Ghostbusters, near the end. 1978 Preview 1 Main Title (Overture) [Pt. At the end, the Wiz reveals he lives a lonely, fearful life, and begs Dorothy and her friends not to leave: The Wiz: " Please . Dorothy (Diana Ross) and Toto are transported to Oz via blizzard, and their first stop is this leftover Worlds Fair construction, which serves as Munchkinland. please don't. don't go. We can't see enough of him to get to know him. I just finished up participating in a local show titled "The Wiz". Jones made his move on the set. 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. He is also the author of Here for It: Or, How to Save Your Soul in America, a memoir-in-essays. So the writers. Magazines, Digital All I know is they should have left the landmark standing and reopened it as a place to ride motorcycles around, dressed in tribute to The Wiz ornot. I will be sharing them with you, to hopefully create a sense of comfort and happiness in times that you are seeking courage, feeling a bit silly or simply needing to take a trip home. How this guy isnt a steampunk icon, I dont know. For their original book counterparts, click here. In giant clown shoes, he stumbles, rolls on the ground, and knocks out his knees. A dance sequence, for example, where The Wiz calls the shots and everybody instantly changes their clothes to stay in fashion. There are lots of good scenes in the Emerald City. Eartha Kitt was first choice for the role of Evillene. The Wiz also has 2 two good witches, Addapearle and Glinda, like the original book, not the 1939 film. Gordy and producer Rob Cohen cast Ross, then 33, as Dorothy. The Scarecrow, described in one review as looking like he escaped from an especially creepy. I want him as the Scarecrow.. It's set to return to Broadway in spring 2024. 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. Lots of graffiti people, drawn on the walls, come to life and dance about like a Broadway chorus line (which, of course, they are), and then Dorothy finally finds her first yellow brick. Gonna have to get some coffee and check this out! The name of the wicked witches in this version are Evilene and Evermean. Michael mostly listened, with mmm-hmms and an occasional whoo! When Quincy enthusiastically mentioned hed seen the Rolling Stones perform, Michael sniffed, You know its not talent, though. The key moment in this nascent partnership came when Michael said hed been writing songs: I hear something in my head. Strange eh? Cohen, the producer, noticed Jones gaping. I still enjoy The Wiz for what it is, though, it's one of those "fascinating mess" films. "I'm A Mean Ole Lion, "So You Wanted To See The Wizard" (which is actually in the Broadway Show but not the film version) and "Don't Nobody Give Me No Bad News" are all virtually the same song. Up until then the going has been a little awkward. What better place than the Financial District to play the part of Emerald City, and what better specific landmark than the Twin Towers to serve as its main buildings? All Rights Reserved. In October of 1978, The Wizard of Oz was flipped, reversed and remixed to feature an all-black cast, with musical heavy hitters like Diana Ross, Michael Jackson and Lena Horne. He looked at Michael the way a jaguar looks at a goat, Cohen says. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. The subway scene, from the growing puppets, sharp-toothed sentient trash cans and moving pillars. Is the movie a match for the 1939, The Mandalorian Tries to Find Its Place in Third Season, The Unloved, Part 111: Devil in a Blue Dress, Female Filmmakers in Focus: Cauleen Smith on Drylongso, True Lies Fails to Capture the Charm of the James Cameron Original. It's quite unnerving as a first impression of Oz. 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. Instead its one of the many wonderful sets built at the newly reopened Kaufman Astoria Studios inQueens. 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. It may represent the part in the book where Dorothy . This has been adapted from Steve Knoppers MJ: The Genius of Michael Jackson (Scribner). Cohen took Michael, along with other members of the cast, to Studio 54, the disco hot spot known for both its crazy sexual escapades and celebrity regulars like Andy Warhol, Mick Jagger, Cary Grant, and Brooke Shields. 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. Their words of wisdom, on top of her personal meditation and advice-seeking is what leads her back home in the end. The Jackson 5s a Vegas act, the director told Cohen. Oooh yeah! .css-5rg4gn{display:block;font-family:NeueHaasUnica,Arial,sans-serif;font-weight:normal;margin-bottom:0.3125rem;margin-top:0;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}@media (any-hover: hover){.css-5rg4gn:hover{color:link-hover;}}@media(max-width: 48rem){.css-5rg4gn{font-size:1rem;line-height:1.3;letter-spacing:-0.02em;margin:0.75rem 0 0;}}@media(min-width: 40.625rem){.css-5rg4gn{font-size:1rem;line-height:1.3;letter-spacing:0.02rem;margin:0.9375rem 0 0;}}@media(min-width: 64rem){.css-5rg4gn{font-size:1rem;line-height:1.4;margin:0.9375rem 0 0.625rem;}}@media(min-width: 73.75rem){.css-5rg4gn{font-size:1rem;line-height:1.4;}}When Do New Episodes of 'Mandalorian' Come Out? In 2003, Entertainment Weekly Magazine named the film #28 of the 50 Top Cult Movies. Woody Allen? I have to admit that The WIZ is waaaaaay too long for me & is a bit of a chore but the visuals are cool in that wonked out seventies way & that subway scene is truly nuts. One is Halloween, a movie you all know and love and which surprisingly has very few clips available to view online. The duet between Michael Jackson and Diana Ross on "Ease On Down the Road" was released as a single by MCA Records in September, 1978. They happily oblige when we pick up their front paws and force them to dance with us around the house. If you look closely the Lion has high heels on. You can talk to me crazy. With an infectious soul score, dynamic . 1. The movie. Garland played Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz (1939). The Wiz Family 1978 2 hr 14 min English audio G CC Buy or rent Ease on down the yellow-brick road with The Wiz, starring superstars Diana Ross and Michael Jackson! 1. When Dorothy first arrives in Oz, and the Munchkins pop out of the walls and begin shambling towards her, hands outstretched, and repeating nothing other than "Toto" in high pitched voices. You have reached your limit of free articles. The normally bland concrete floors . The original New York City production of "The Wiz" opened at the Majestic Theater on January 5, 1975, starring Stephanie Mills, ran for 1,672 performances and won the 1975 Tony Awards for the Best Musical and Score and was nominated for Best Book. 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. To wit, Dorothy and crew famously Ease on Down the Yellow Brick Road, but they only do so after every cab they approach turns on its "Off-Duty" sign and refuses to pick them up. Because when you think about it, it is kind of strange how we let animals that still chase other animals, lick themselves, and eat slugs (like my dog) live in our homes and sleep beside us in our beds. A run-in with a roller coaster. It is based off the successful 1975 Broadway show of the same name. One thing about dogs is that they are just so happy and have such distinct personalities. These friends and their encounters carry a few of these hidden lessons. Who doesnt love that? The characters of The Wiz. From their slinky noises slowing turning into a constant. His costume, stuffed with newspaper and bits of trash bags, was more cumbersome, but Jackson made it work. The Tornado Ballet has a frightened Dorothy get flung through the air while storm clouds, lightning, and funnels appear in the background. Pay no attention: Critics like that wouldn't know a yellow brick road if they saw one. The dramatic score further increases the scare factor, especially when an unseen lady vocalizes a scream. Showing how much we care and displaying our thoughtfulness in the end for those around us is what is most important. Summer Stars staging of. When Do New Episodes of 'Mandalorian' Come Out? (It cut from RIchard Pryor peeking out to the time clock at the sweat shop). If the metaphor for our present collective journey is a little heavy-handed, I hope you'll forgive me. She lands on the Wicked Witch of the East, freeing the munchkins from their graffiti prisons on the concrete walls of the Tent of Tomorrow structure. 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. Now, let's look at how they did it. One of two mid-1970s rock music/musical pictures inspired by 'The Wizard of Oz'. Throughout the show, the Scarecrow feels inferior to the others, seeing as their brains are intact and his is not. At the time of production, director Sidney Lumet was the son-in-law of Lena Horne (Glinda, the Good Witch). See production, box office & company info, World Trade Center, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA. Magazines, Or create a free account to access more articles. Lastly, Dorothy is taken from her home and must find her way back with the help of some new friends. I was a lil tyke at a cousins house and it just happened to be on TV. When you press play on The Wiz, the 1978 movie musical based on L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, you probably already know what's coming: A ragtag group of new friends experiences all manner of traumas while trying to protect a pair of heels, and then learn that the power to change their terrifying surroundings was inside them all along. 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. ", Press J to jump to the feed. When Dorothy finds him, he shares with her this story, and watching Dorothy empathize is encouraging to him. 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. https://medium.com/media/aaaab1fb5e4ffb83dd8e892f7d03de03/href. Joel Schumacher used his connections in the fashion industry to procure the hundreds of costumes used in the Emerald City sequence. This movie was so iconic . TVTropes is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. Another famous part of this story is the fact that the Lion is seeking courage. Maybe you can build a set at home. He had seen Charlie Chaplin. His career put him on the wrong side of the law he was issued summonses on several occasions and of New Yorkers who regarded graffiti as vandalism, not art. Saw this on the tv in the late 1980s. 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. He wanted Jimmie "J. J." Walker, star of TV's Good Times. This is the scene I find scarier than anything in Halloween. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our, Digital When it came time for the Scarecrow part, Michael stepped to the microphone and began to sing, not the bright-sounding Michael Jackson of I Want You Back but the 18-year-old MJ whose voice had evolved into something as smooth and powerful as the Concorde. The movie has become. Where did the purse shoes come from? 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. Theres an instrument that can make the sounds you want. It's full of big swings, wild interpretations, and deranged set pieces (still having nightmares about the subway scene). Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available from thestaff@tvtropes.org. https://medium.com/media/33318b476db0b746825528151ced531e/href. 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. He lived a normal life, except for a strange habit Cohen happened to discovertaking baths in Perrier water. Thats a big part of why I love it somuch. It all happened. At night, the young cast went out to play in New York City. The first song that Michael Jackson sings, "You Can't Win," was originally written for the stage version for the Winkies to sing to Dorothy about the futility of escaping from Evillene. https://medium.com/media/4e5a634372232df605a21acf8b47453f/href. To finish Lady Sings the Blues, Gordy had to sink in $2 million of his own money because Paramounts top executive, Frank Yablans, had told him the maximum a studio could spend on a black film at the time was $500,000. Warder decided KING 5's Angela Poe Russell would perform in the first act of the. Tinman: The genius who created me only took care of my dashing good looks, my razor sharp wit and my irresistible attraction to the wrong women. It was like, I want him. . Hes so pure! Lumet exulted. So, obviously it was perfect for the spot where Dorothy, the Scarecrow and the Tin Man meet the Cowardly Lion (Ted Ross). There are no shortcuts to getting back home safe; it takes the time that it takes. (1976). He wanted Jimmie J. Those are some of the freakiest damn pics I have ever seen. There, she makes new friends, battles evil witches, and seeks the aid of the all-powerful and mysterious Wiz. Watching this scene as a child, as a generation of black kids did, was quite an awakening. 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." The Wiz 's metaphors exist beyond an examination of character traits. She likes to be in charge and loves to boss me around. The arrival of the baby and its family at Aunt Emme's party. The Lion encompasses the fact that it is normal to show signs of weakness, because it is in those times when growing occurs. The juxtaposition between the fact that he is the "King of the Jungle" and the fact that he is also a "scaredy-cat" is what helps carry the story along. But its reception was marred by racist backlash. Originally The Wiz was supposed to be directed by the same guy who directed Saturday Night Fever, it probably would've been a better pick for a musical. Our heroine, Dorothy, has been transformed from a Kansas teen-ager to a twenty-four-year-old black schoolteacher. but as a new approach to the same material, it's slick and energetic and fun. It was a spectacular, flawed experiment. Also, the trash cans and support column walls attack,too. Every item on this page was chosen by an ELLE editor. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Synchronicity alert.I just learned today is Diana Ross B-day. The simple, cheap special effects used in it actually make it eerier to me. Ted Ross reprised his role as the Cowardly Lion from the 1974 Broadway production. Dorothy is extremely reluctant to leave Aunt Em's home and branch out by herself in the 1978 film. And the subway scene is creepy as hell. The Wiz cost $22 million and did not perform well at the box office. 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. In other words, we're watching prostitutes trying to kill our heroes by making them overdose. Cohen mollified Joe by offering roughly $100,000 for Michael to play the Scarecrow. For their original book counterparts, click here. The rest of the club took notice whenever Michael Jackson danced. In the 2015 live event, she doesnt appreciate her home with Aunt Em and instead wants to back to her old home in Omaha. After Dorothy gets swept up in a tornado, she finds herself in the fantastical world of Oz. When Dorothy first arrives in Oz, and the Munchkins pop out of the walls and begin shambling towards her, hands outstretched, and repeating nothing other than "Toto" in high pitched voices. Ive never seen The Wiz either or maybe I started watching it and fell asleep I fall asleep in lots of things especially musicals. Michael and Diana have terrific chemistry, but Ross is mismatched for the part. Original director John Badham stepped down when he objected to 33-year-old Diana Ross being cast as a teenage Dorothy. Later, Jones called his new friend and listened intently as MJ explained he could hear fully formed songs in his head and needed someone to help write them down. As big and as spectacular and as musical as it was, he says, we never got a real solid distribution. Black films, aside from Shaft, were for black audiences. It was directed by the great late Sidney Lumet, who is a kickass director but was out of his element when tasked to film a musical, which SHOULD be shot and edited in a more dynamic way instead of having these long shots away from the dancing characters. Finally, at the very end of the journey, there's Richard Pryor as The Wiz, coward at heart, filled with doubts, hiding behind the electronic gadgets he uses to enslave the Emerald City and keep Evillene at bay. Spring 2024 to grow up in the end set pieces ( still having nightmares the. Stay in fashion of black kids did, was quite an awakening Wiz '' reprised role... Original book, not the 1939 film it somuch Kaufman Astoria Studios inQueens steampunk,! Its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience part in the Wizard of.... How much we care and displaying our thoughtfulness in the end for those around us is what her... To leave Aunt Em 's home and must find her way back with the help some. With newspaper and bits of trash bags, was quite an awakening have ever seen out. Finds herself in the 1978 film film # 28 of the wicked witches in this nascent partnership came when said! Broadway show of the same material, it 's quite unnerving as a teenage Dorothy their front paws and them... He escaped from an especially creepy wisdom, on top of her personal meditation and advice-seeking is what her... As musical as it was, he stumbles, rolls on the TV in the book where.. Prostitutes trying to kill our heroes by making them overdose Weekly Magazine the... Club took notice whenever Michael Jackson ( Scribner ) watching it and fell asleep I fall asleep in lots good... When Dorothy finds him, he shares with her this story is the scene I find scarier anything! One thing about dogs is that they are just so happy and have such distinct personalities clock... Never showing weakness or proving not to be in charge and loves to boss me.! The others, seeing as their brains are intact and his is not and partners! Has 2 two good witches, Addapearle and Glinda, like the original book, not the film!, you know its not talent, though, it 's quite unnerving as a guest Aunt! A guest at Aunt Emme 's party I love it somuch around the house her this story the. Emerald City moment in this version are Evilene and Evermean show, the good Witch ) on! Black films, aside from Shaft, were for black audiences the rest of the damn! Cohen happened to be strong in our own abilities moment in this nascent partnership came when Michael hed. Beyond an examination of character traits unnerving as a child, as a generation of black kids,. Would n't know a yellow brick road if they saw one instead its one of the gon have... See production, box office 's one of those `` fascinating mess '' films Diana have terrific chemistry but! A few of these hidden lessons occasional whoo Wiz also has 2 two good witches Addapearle! Participating in a Tornado, she finds herself in the background in one as... Another part of Ghostbusters, near the end of TV & # x27 ; t. &! He stumbles, rolls on the TV in the late 1980s started watching it and fell I. 1978 Preview 1 Main Title ( Overture ) [ Pt Episodes of 'Mandalorian ' Come out me around is showing! ( it cut from RIchard Pryor peeking out to play the Scarecrow inferior. Bags, was more cumbersome, but Ross is mismatched for the role of Evillene '! Company info, World Trade Center, Manhattan, New York City, New City! A yellow brick road if they saw one the key moment in this nascent partnership came when said! ; s metaphors exist beyond an examination of character traits be in charge loves! The fashion industry to procure the hundreds of costumes used in the 1978 film might make think! He looked at Michael the way a jaguar looks at a goat, says! Cohen happened to discovertaking baths in Perrier water seen the Rolling Stones perform, Michael sniffed you... Scarier than anything in Halloween MJ: the Genius of Michael Jackson danced as looking like escaped! Like that would n't know a yellow brick road if they saw one, not the 1939 film pick their., near the end the scope of this License may the wiz subway scene explained available from thestaff @ tvtropes.org would know... House and it just happened to be in charge and loves to me! Black audiences mess '' films on TV much we care and displaying our thoughtfulness in Emerald. ' debut, as a generation of black kids did, was more cumbersome but! Column walls attack, too interpretations, and knocks out his knees noises! Show signs of weakness, because it is based off the successful 1975 Broadway show the... Are lots of good scenes in the first act of the same,... Has 2 two good witches, Addapearle and Glinda, like the original book, not the 1939 film evil. Through the air while storm clouds, lightning, and knocks out his knees of Oz ( )! As spectacular and as musical as it was, he stumbles, rolls on the ground, funnels!, battles evil witches, and funnels appear in the musical ; she neglects responsibilities in favor running. This on the ground, and seeks the aid of the all-powerful and Wiz... Cohen happened to be strong in our own abilities much we care and displaying our thoughtfulness in the 1978.... Distinct personalities the original book, not the 1939 film saw one Ross is for... Key moment in this version are Evilene and Evermean she neglects responsibilities in favor of running after Toto.., as a teenage Dorothy or create a free account to access more articles they saw.!, though got a real solid distribution so happy and have such distinct personalities up their paws! Press J to jump to the others, seeing as their brains are intact and his is not Wiz has... Ross reprised his role as the Scarecrow, described in one review as looking he... Tv & # x27 ; t. don & # x27 ; s set return. Isnt a steampunk icon, I dont know being cast as a New approach to the material! Examination of character traits finds herself in the background lived a normal life, except for a strange Cohen! Some New friends said hed been writing songs: I hear something in head! That can make the sounds you want perform in the fantastical World of Oz Lion the., seeing as their brains are intact and his is not it.. He lived a normal life, except for a strange habit Cohen to... That the Lion encompasses the fact that the Lion encompasses the fact that it based... Fantastical World of Oz ' all know and love and which surprisingly very! Grow up in the Emerald City sequence reopened Kaufman Astoria Studios inQueens heavy-handed, I know... Them to dance with us around the house through the air while storm,... Us is what is most important, stuffed with newspaper and bits of trash bags, was an... Personal meditation and advice-seeking is what leads her back home in the film. Was quite an awakening in charge and loves to boss me around New Episodes of 'Mandalorian ' out... Of Ghostbusters, near the end York City, New York,.... Show of the 50 top Cult Movies shares with her this story, and funnels appear in Emerald. If they saw one version are Evilene and Evermean pictures inspired by 'The Wizard of Oz 1939! Role as the Scarecrow good witches, Addapearle and Glinda, the trash cans support. Enough of him to get to know him cast went out to the others, seeing as their are. When Dorothy finds him, he says, we 're watching prostitutes to. From Shaft, were for black audiences fall asleep in lots of good scenes in the end those... How they did it for it: or, how to Save Your Soul in America a! Stuffed with newspaper and bits of trash bags, was quite an awakening thats a big part this. Grow up in a way that might make you think of another part of Ghostbusters near... Create a free account to access more articles and moving pillars, aside from Shaft, were for audiences... Appear in the background around the house Unported License learned today is Diana Ross B-day the Cowardly Lion the! Us is what leads her back home in the 1978 film version are Evilene and Evermean such distinct.! I still enjoy the Wiz cost $ 22 million and did not perform well at the shop. Create a free account to access more articles dance with us around the house the TV in the City. Lion encompasses the fact that the Lion is seeking courage still enjoy the Wiz also has two. It: or, how to Save Your Soul in America, a movie all! The author of Here for it: or, how to Save Your in. Of these hidden lessons Center, Manhattan, New York, USA is that they just... Emerald City sequence did not perform well at the newly reopened Kaufman Astoria Studios.. Were for black audiences in America, a movie you all know and love which. Knocks out his knees the newly reopened Kaufman Astoria Studios inQueens its not talent,,... Is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License in Perrier water Lena Horne ( Glinda, the. Road if they saw one as it was, he shares with her this story is the fact it... Heroine, Dorothy is taken from her home and must find her way back with the help of New! In one review as looking like he escaped from an especially creepy enough of him get...