The Wiz

The Wiz Review

I purchased this DVD only a couple of weeks before Michael Jackson’s untimely death and I’m so glad I did. I was sitting here discussing some of the movies we never see anymore and this one came up. I immediately went to my computer and purchased it for less than at Amazon.com and it arrived much sooner than I expected. I now consider it a collectible. I will forever cherish it.

The Wiz Overview

This soulful musical adaptation of the wizard of oz stars ross as a new york city schoolteacher whisked off to a fantasy version of the big apple. Features dazzling visuals and a hot score. Studio: Uni Dist Corp. (mca) Release Date: 06/01/2004 Starring: Diana Ross Michael Jackson Run time: 135 minutes Rating: G

The Wiz Specifications

Directed by Sidney Lumet (Serpico) and penned by Joel Schumacher (Batman and Robin), this lavish 1978 adaptation of the Broadway hit The Wiz was the biggest production filmed in New York City up to that point, utilizing the newly revamped Astoria Studios and locations around the city. Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Nipsey Russell, and Ted Ross (reprising his Tony-winning role as the Lion) star in this Academy Award-nominated musical for the whole family.

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 Center towers is transformed into the Emerald City, featuring nearly 400 dancers with three costume changes. Like all good musicals, the Quincy Jones arrangements are highly hummable long after viewing (especially the funky “Ease On Down the Road” and the inspirational “Brand New Day”). In an era before MTV, the camera stays nearly stationary as 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-thirtysomething 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 folks of all ages. –Shannon Gee

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