At 53, Lumet was an old Hollywood hand with fast-talking charisma, ending sentences with darling sweetheart. To give The Wiz an orchestral punch, Lumet sought out an old friend to request a favor. Would love your thoughts, please comment. With Evilene's signature song, the gospel-tinged "Don't Nobody Bring Me No Bad News," the thesis is right there in the title, so I won't belabor an explanation or too heavily underline how closely it echos the ethos of a certain national leader. Several omitted scenes includes: While far from a replacement on the unmitigated purity & genius of the '39 classic, it's instead a flip on the original in many ways. Relive all of the magic of this beloved musical when Dorothy is whisked away to the enchanting. His costume, stuffed with newspaper and bits of trash bags, was more cumbersome, but Jackson made it work. 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! Motown Productions bought the rights to the stage show, intending to cast Stephanie Mills as 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. 2/The Wiz/Soundtrack Version) Quincy Jones 2:00 3 The Feeling That We Have (The Wiz/Soundtrack Version) Theresa Merritt 3:30 4 Can I Go On? Quincy Jones was skeptical of Jackson . So the writers. 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 Diana Ross were proponents. I guess I should make a joke about the baseball team, but I cant think of a good one. I was a lil tyke at a cousins house and it just happened to be on TV. You can talk to me crazy. At one point, he took Michael aside to explain a Scarecrow bit in the scriptthat the Greek philosophers name is pronounced Sock-ra-tees and not Sow-cray-tees. As Jones would tell the story, he asked Michael right then if he could take a shot at producing his next solo album. As Noe's camera swirls and swirls to the violent corridors of truth, we see a gorgeous young woman walking in a subway. 1. The rest of the club took notice whenever Michael Jackson danced. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Eartha Kitt was first choice for the role of Evillene. Robin Givens' debut, as a guest at Aunt Emma's party. He even breaks free from the sculpture in a way that might make you think of another part of Ghostbusters, near the end. I make the sounds with my mouthI can do that. Quincy became excited. 35 years ago this week, two very different movies had their theatrical premieres. Michael Jacksons a Vegas act. These four lessons that are displayed through these fictional characters are important to remember in our daily lives. Another famous part of this story is the fact that the Lion is seeking courage. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. The movie became the most expensive ever shot in New York City at the time. They do end up in whats clearly Coney Island, complete with a major cameo appearance from the actual Cyclone. That's a big part of why I love it so much. The show premiered on Broadway in 1975 and won seven Tony Awards. Now, let's look at how they did it. My question is about a scene in the movie Shame starring Michael Fassbender and Carey Mulligan directed by Steve McQueen.. The Port Authority would not allow more time to fix mistakes. A reimagining of L. Frank Baum 's classic 1900 children's novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz featuring an all African-American cast, the film was adapted from the 1974 Broadway musical of the same title. You have reached your limit of free articles. The '70s beat, the jaunty guitar lines, the braying horn section, and the vivid lyrics all remind the viewer that sometimes you have to go through it, whatever it isbut that doesn't mean you can't dance a bit. The Scarecrow, described in one review as looking like he escaped from an especially creepy. Please don't list it on a work's trope example list. Summer Stars staging of. The characters of The Wiz. but as a new approach to the same material, it's slick and energetic and fun. When you think about it, the story is about liminal space. The movie has become. Its whacked-out, weird, gaudy and nightmarish and so very OZ-some. 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. And this also makes me think about the subway in Silent Hill 3. Many considered Diana Ross to old to play Dorothy, at 34, and Mills was 21. I felt I owed him more than one, Jones said of Lumet. Ultimately, Dorothy finds that, if you believe with all your heart, you can always find your way home. Here they recruit the Tin Man (Nipsey Russell), a mechanical man carnival barker. 4. It is based off the successful 1975 Broadway show of the same name. The Wiz also has 2 two good witches, Addapearle and Glinda, like the original book, not the 1939 film. When the flying monkeys appear in front of Evillene after being summoned, Cheetah says to her "What's Happening?" 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. An adaptation of "The Wizard of Oz" that tries to capture the essence of the African-American experience. We don't really understand why Dorothy's such a mope at her aunt's dinner party, and, after she and her dog Toto are whirled away by a snowstorm, the scene in the playground really drags. 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. 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. "Michael Jackson's a Vegas act. The Wiz is a 1978 American musical adventure fantasy film directed by Sidney Lumet. It may represent the part in the book where Dorothy . My love for dogs makes me do things like walk up to strangers on the street to pet their dog or cry uncontrollably when a dog dies in a movie. A dance sequence, for example, where The Wiz calls the shots and everybody instantly changes their clothes to stay in fashion. The arrival of the baby and its family at Aunt Emme's party. 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). She also said she would be able to guarantee Michael Jackson as the Scarecrow if she was cast. He had seen Charlie Chaplin. The Wizard of Oz went flat-out for the heart of its story; there are times when The Wiz has just a touch too much calculation. 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. A run-in with a roller coaster. It's been used in a number of films. Those are some of the freakiest damn pics I have ever seen. I owed him a lot.. Up until then the going has been a little awkward. https://medium.com/media/3e1c5a36e386d82c31c7a3c16d4f4fb7/href. With an infectious soul score, dynamic . TVTropes is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. The red sequence had to be shortened due to a lighting error, and there was no time to re-shoot. The Scarecrow is seeking a brain, as you all know. I can write anything down on paper, the veteran arranger said. If you look closely the Lion has high heels on. They dont judge us when they see us eating junk food that we really shouldnt; instead they just want us to share it. Thanks! The Wicked Witch of the East. Not everyone was appreciative. (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. The Wiz asks for our suspension of disbelief and earns it (after a slow start) in that great shot of Dorothy and the Scarecrow dancing across a yellow brick bridge toward the towers of Manhattan. 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. It's all sitting on the surface of the film. One of these days Ill get around to seeing the whole flick. The normally bland concrete floors . The Tornado Ballet has a frightened Dorothy get flung through the air while storm clouds, lightning, and funnels appear in the background. I might be the only one who likes The Wiz more than Halloween and very likely the only one who finds one particular scene in the all-black version of The Wizard of Oz scarier than anything in John Carpenters slasher classic. 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. One is Halloween, a movie you all know and love and which surprisingly has very few clips available to view online. I imagine it'll be exactly like the "A Brand New Day" scene in The Wiz: After Dorothy melts Evilene (Mabel King), the Wicked Witch of the West, all the workers she imprisoned in her sweat shop (they make sweat) transform from misshapen ogres into lithe, well-moisturized ballet dancers, leaping and prancing in their underwear. He wanted Jimmie J. But I cant be the only person with an appreciation for TheWiz. Here are some other slices of WTF? Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads. TVTropes is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. These friends and their encounters carry a few of these hidden lessons. Sidney Lumet was chosen to direct primarily because of his reputation for finishing his pictures on time and within budget. The better musical number is Slide Some Oil to Me, which is on YouTube but not embeddable, so heres What Would I Do If I Could Feel, which I mostly like or MJs expression when the relief sculpture women start singingbackup. Showing how much we care and displaying our thoughtfulness in the end for those around us is what is most important. Why doesn't it involve us as deeply as "The Wizard of Oz"? 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. Michael Jackson was in this movie. Quincy Jones was always present. To Aunt Em; Glinda and Aunt Em are the most wise and maternal figures in Dorothy's life throughout the course of the musical. For Diana Ross, Dorothy's age was adjusted to 24. Easing Out of a Scary World in The Wiz, In 'Chicago,' Isolation Is the Key to Stardom. According to her unauthorized biography, "Call Her Ms. Ross", Diana Ross was hospitalized and nearly blinded by a lighting effect used in the movie. Well, no, it's not (what movie could be?) Garland played Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz (1939). The character was changed to a 24-year-old kindergarten teacher, but by then Sidney Lumet had already replaced Badham. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. Jimmie 'JJ' Walker was originally considered the part of the Scarecrow. 1/The Wiz/Soundtrack Version] Quincy Jones 2:33 2 Overture (Pt. She likes to be in charge and loves to boss me around. NYCs Film Forum didnt even include the musical in its otherwise exhaustive retrospective of his work a few years back. She is scared of everything. This could be us, but youre not social-distancing. 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. Synchronicity alert.I just learned today is Diana Ross B-day. And their personalities are completely different. Ted Ross reprised his role as the Cowardly Lion from the 1974 Broadway production. She then comes across the Scarecrow, the Tin Man and the Lion on her journey to Oz, so that she can see the Wizard who will hopefully take her back home again. An adaptation of "The Wizard of Oz" that tries to capture the essence of the African-American experience. 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. This is the scene I find scarier than anything in Halloween. 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. Though the future may not be certain, being strong after times of vulnerability is an alright thing. White films were for white audiences. The dramatic score further increases the scare factor, especially when an unseen lady vocalizes a scream. There are so many liminal scenes within The Wiz! Thats a big part of why I love it somuch. The original director, John Badham ( Saturday Night Fever ), withdrew once Ross was cast. Thats the Austin J. Tobin Plaza between the towers repurposed as, I guess, the Emerald City plaza, and the central orb featuring the OZ letters is the Great Spherical Caryatid sculpture (aka The Sphere), which mostly survived the 9/11 attack and now stands in Battery Park as a memorial. Saw this on the tv in the late 1980s. She was the oppressive ruler of the Munchkins and owned a pretty neat pairs of shoes with secret, special powers. 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. When erstwhile Harlem kindergarten teacher Dorothy (Diana Ross) finally reaches The Wiz, the flimflam man said to be the solution to all her problems, he's not the all-powerful wizard she anticipated. This movie was so iconic . The 1985 sequel RETURN TO OZ has its Wheelers and decapitated heads and THE WIZ wields a truly alarming subway scene. 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. Cohen, the producer, noticed Jones gaping. UNK SEZ: Subway scene, YOU are truly insane but lest we forget, there are many freaky images to withstand in THE WIZ. It all happened. https://medium.com/media/4e5a634372232df605a21acf8b47453f/href. At the time of production, director Sidney Lumet was the son-in-law of Lena Horne (Glinda, the Good Witch). 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. It's quite unnerving as a first impression of Oz. Christopher Campbell began writing film criticism and covering film festivals for a zine called. Every item on this page was chosen by an ELLE editor. Lion is seeking a brain, as you all know bags, was more cumbersome, youre... 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