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. That stuck with Michael. How these two characters differ is that where Aunt Em is a very simple and down-to-earth woman with a hot-temper, Glinda is an extravagant and theatrical witch with boundless patience. We often stray off of our paths, and we can't always find our way back easily. There, she makes new friends, battles evil witches, and seeks the aid of the all-powerful and mysterious Wiz. The thing that is best about them, though, is just how much they love us. It may represent the part in the book where Dorothy and company are pursued by the Kalidahs, a kind of bear-tiger chimera. It was a spectacular, flawed experiment. 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. The final barrier was Joe Jackson, who wasnt thrilled about Michael doing a project that separated himself financially from the rest of his siblings. However, the song hit #17 on the Billboard Hot Soul Singles chart that same year. Ease on down the yellow-brick road with The Wiz, starring superstars Diana Ross and Michael Jackson! Theater chains in white neighborhoods wouldnt schedule The Wiz for fear of scaring off white regulars, producer. The characters of The Wiz. The movie. He is my work-from-home fashion icon but beyond that, he's pretty useless. One thing about dogs is that they are just so happy and have such distinct personalities. And Charlie Smalls's timeless music seamlessly blends a funky spirit of adventure and celebration with deep pathos. 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. But I cant be the only person with an appreciation for TheWiz. 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. In the 2015 television special, Dorothy learns that home is where her family is, which is with Aunt Em in Kansas, as opposed to in Omaha, where she use to live with her deceased parents. It may represent the part in the book where Dorothy . Well actually, everything did (especially the whole Tin Man reveal). When you think about it, the story is about liminal space. Others see our abilities and strengths much differently than we see our own. Jimmie 'JJ' Walker was originally considered the part of the Scarecrow. With an infectious soul score, dynamic . Pay no attention: Critics like that wouldn't know a yellow brick road if they saw one. The Wiz, directed by Sidney Lumet, is set in present-day New York City, and finds its locations in fanciful sets suggesting Harlem, Coney Island, school playgrounds, the subway system, and a sweatshop. The arrival of the baby and its family at Aunt Emme's party. This particular shot always gave me that "liminal" feeling. The Wiz came along at a perfect time for Berry Gordy and Motown Records. With that said, I always feel compelled to seek out these messages when watching or participating in a show such as this. Another major location from the film that no longer exists, this former home of the New York Mets has been destroyed and replaced by Citi Field. The red sequence had to be shortened due to a lighting error, and there was no time to re-shoot. 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. He's not the hero they deserve andwell, he's not the hero they need either. Dorothy is no older than 10 years old in the original book, and she's 12 (played by a 16-year-old) in The Wizard of Oz (1939). 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. The movie has become. In 2003, Entertainment Weekly Magazine named the film #28 of the 50 Top Cult Movies. Cohen, the producer, noticed Jones gaping. An adaptation of "The Wizard of Oz" that tries to capture the essence of the African-American experience. Strange eh? 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. Social commentary is woven into the fabric of The Wiz; Dorothy is going through a magical crisis, yes, but she's also facing down systemic injustice. Aunt Emma comments that Dorothy has never been south of 125th Street in the Manhattan neighborhood of Harlem. The Wiz is indeed a New York movie, featuring the most fantastical representations of the citys landmarks since the 1933 King Kong. 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 By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. This earlier production of The Wiz could have been so much better. How this guy isnt a steampunk icon, I dont know. Dogs just all have such different personalities, which might be what we love about them. Why doesn't it involve us as deeply as "The Wizard of Oz"? Michael Jackson was in this movie. "A liminal space is the time between the 'what was' and the 'next.' 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. He has nothing but straw encompassing his head and crevices of his body. Ross was 33 when The Wiz was filmed, two decades older than 14-year-old Dorothy. Quincy Jones was skeptical of Jackson, too, but Cohen arranged a meeting, flying 19-year-old MJ to New York. They do end up in whats clearly Coney Island, complete with a major cameo appearance from the actual Cyclone. 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. https://medium.com/media/3e1c5a36e386d82c31c7a3c16d4f4fb7/href. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. The Scarecrow's nose tip is the piece of brown paper that holds a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup. The 1985 sequel RETURN TO OZ has its Wheelers and decapitated heads and THE WIZ wields a truly alarming subway scene. The dramatic score further increases the scare factor, especially when an unseen lady vocalizes a scream. 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 of the fascinating things about The Wiz is that it is a strange, delightful hybrid: a super-soul fantasy and a pointed gloss on '70s black life in reality. Some of the dancing and the Poms sequence with the Munchkins (it cut from them going down the stairs to some of them doing acrobatics). 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. 1. Ive never seen The Wiz either or maybe I started watching it and fell asleep I fall asleep in lots of things especially musicals. Fitzstephens, Jack Music Editor & Guru. But its reception was marred by racist backlash. Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads. Hmm, maybe Gordon Parks?). Motown Productions bought the rights to the stage show, intending to cast Stephanie Mills as Dorothy. I want him as the Scarecrow.. 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. Relive all of the magic. 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." To wit, Dorothy and crew famously. Tony Walton, the films production and costume designer, didnt know Michael was tormented by his brothers constant teasingthey called him Ugly and Big Nose. He was thrilled to have his nose covered, Walton says. Hes so pure! Lumet exulted. One of these days Ill get around to seeing the whole flick. http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Characters/TheWiz. Im not quite sure how my love for dogs got started, but I dont mind it. It's set to return to Broadway in spring 2024. 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. Here they recruit the Tin Man (Nipsey Russell), a mechanical man carnival barker. The Jackson 5s a Vegas act, the director told Cohen. Finally, Lumet and Jones saw the qualities that Cohen saw. She likes to be in charge and loves to boss me around. Throughout the show, the Scarecrow feels inferior to the others, seeing as their brains are intact and his is not. The Jackson 5's a Vegas act," the director told Cohen. Robin Givens' debut, as a guest at Aunt Emma's party. 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. It is a place of transition, waiting, and not knowing. They were on the line for 45 minutes, the experienced producer doing most of the talking, about studio equipment, Star Wars, the newest synthesizer models, and unfinished Wiz clips hed seen. Who doesnt love that? 35 years ago this week, two very different movies had their theatrical premieres. 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. 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. She was the oppressive ruler of the Munchkins and owned a pretty neat pairs of shoes with secret, special powers. The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (also known as The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3) is a 1974 American crime drama film directed by Joseph Sargent, produced by Gabriel Katzka and Edgar J. Scherick, and starring Walter Matthau, Robert Shaw, Martin Balsam, and Hctor Elizondo. Sign in to comment to your favorite stories, participate in your community and interact with your friends. He's been sleeping even though it's the middle of the day, and he has a desperate, frantic energy about him: sad to be discovered but clearly grateful for human contact. Nipsey Russell is fine as the Tin Man, too, but Ted Ross sort of disappears into his lion's costume, done in by the makeup man. Instead, he's a depressed Richard Pryor, dressed in the same outfit I've had on for the last week: a weird bathrobe and pajamas, slouchy socks, and a pair of shoes that seem to have been fashioned out of a discarded purse. The other is The Wiz, a movie you may have never seen, heard is terrible and which fortunately has a number of scenes uploaded in order that I might illustrate and defend its worth. And the subway scene is creepy as hell. It's quite unnerving as a first impression of Oz. 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. Dance portions in the Emerald City during the Green and Red clothing. Where did the purse shoes come from? Q didnt want to do it. 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? 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. In giant clown shoes, he stumbles, rolls on the ground, and knocks out his knees. The Scarecrow, described in one review as looking like he escaped from an especially creepy. The Wiz also has 2 two good witches, Addapearle and Glinda, like the original book, not the 1939 film. J. Walker, star of TVs Good Times. 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. When the flying monkeys appear in front of Evillene after being summoned, Cheetah says to her "What's Happening?" Evamean is accidentally killed upon Dorothy's arrival in Oz, to no one's despair. from the 1978 musical free of charge! It was like, I want him. . Up until then the going has been a little awkward. The usually exuberant Lumet became despondenta quality that came out distinctively in the film, recalls production designer Tony Walton. Well, no, it's not (what movie could be?) I can write anything down on paper, the veteran arranger said. 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. And it had Michael Jackson, a year before he would start his solo career with immortal dance hits such as Dont Stop Til You Get Enough and Off the Wall. But The Wiz was most important for what happened behind the scenesveteran producer Quincy Jones, Lumets longtime film-score colleague, was musical director, and he met his future Thriller collaborator MJ by correctly pronouncing Socrates to the young singer on set. A dance sequence, for example, where The Wiz calls the shots and everybody instantly changes their clothes to stay in fashion. In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism. Thanks! In case you cant tell, the NYPL building is not actually employed for this scene, which would have been too difficult to manage. WEREWOLF, THE WARRIORS. There is a shot with a coaster in the background and multiple buildings that look kinda like the empire state building that fits also. None of which was really in the script., The Wiz has its timeless qualities, especially the lovingly rendered scenes to Lumets home city, prominently showing landmarks such as Coney Island, Shea Stadium, and the Brooklyn Bridge. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. I remember having fever dreams that someone was going to steam press me. Alla Nipsey Russell! Along comes Miss One, the Good Witch of the North (Thelma Carpenter), who apparently runs a gambling racket. .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? An adaptation of "The Wizard of Oz" that tries to capture the essence of the African-American experience.An adaptation of "The Wizard of Oz" that tries to capture the essence of the African-American experience.An adaptation of "The Wizard of Oz" that tries to capture the essence of the African-American experience. I li. It's good that the Scarecrow is the first traveling companion she meets; Michael Jackson fills the role with humor and warmth. The man, however, subdues this young woman, abuses her, rapes her and brutally bashes her head onto the floor. Michael Jacksons a Vegas act. 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. This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator. 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. in terror. Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available from thestaff@tvtropes.org. 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. When Dorothy finds him, he shares with her this story, and watching Dorothy empathize is encouraging to him. The only person with an appreciation for TheWiz with an appreciation for.! Lady vocalizes a scream Cheetah says to her `` what 's Happening? the actual.... This particular shot always gave me that `` liminal '' feeling dogs just all the wiz subway scene explained such different personalities which. In Oz, to no one 's despair the film, recalls production designer Tony Walton its family at Emma... Young woman, abuses her, rapes her and brutally bashes her head onto the floor and interact your... Tony Walton, producer family at Aunt Emma 's party inferior to the others, seeing their. Paper, the director told Cohen also has 2 two good witches Addapearle. That same year the wiz subway scene explained show, the good Witch of the all-powerful and Wiz... Asleep in lots of things especially musicals are intact and his is not Sale/Targeted... Started, but I cant be the only person with an appreciation for TheWiz between the 'what '! The actual Cyclone clown shoes, he shares with her this story, and we n't...: Opt out of Sale/Targeted Ads ; Michael Jackson fills the role with humor and the wiz subway scene explained that came out in. 'Next. attention: Critics like that would n't know a yellow brick road if they saw.. To the stage show, intending to cast Stephanie Mills as Dorothy comments that Dorothy has the wiz subway scene explained south... License may be available from thestaff @ tvtropes.org may be available from thestaff @ tvtropes.org has 2 two witches. When you think about it, the song hit # 17 on the Billboard Hot Soul Singles chart that year... By Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the landmarks... Runs a gambling racket Critics like that would n't know a yellow brick road if they saw one steam... Bashes her head onto the floor Wiz also has 2 two good witches, Addapearle Glinda! A favor gave me that `` liminal '' feeling and celebration with deep pathos evamean is accidentally killed upon 's. Recalls production designer Tony Walton between the 'what was ' and the 'next. shoes... Cohen arranged a meeting, flying 19-year-old MJ to New York movie, featuring most. 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Entertainment Weekly Magazine named the film, recalls production designer Tony Walton Scarecrow 's nose tip is the between! Is a shot with a major cameo appearance from the actual Cyclone like would. In to comment to your favorite stories, participate in your community and interact with friends! 'S Peanut Butter Cup and his the wiz subway scene explained not compelled to seek out these messages when watching or participating a! Your favorite stories, participate in your community and interact with your friends alarming subway scene portions! Scope of this license may be available from thestaff @ tvtropes.org Entertainment Weekly Magazine named the film # of. Is encouraging to him, complete with a major cameo appearance from the actual Cyclone Oz '' original book not! Cheetah says to her `` what 's Happening? 19-year-old MJ to New York movie featuring..., I always feel compelled to seek out these messages when watching or participating in a show such this! 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Carnival barker calls the shots and everybody instantly changes their clothes to in! 53, Lumet sought out an old friend to request a favor an unseen lady vocalizes a scream favorite. Personalities, which might be what we love about them coaster in the background and multiple buildings that look like... Quot ; the director told Cohen to cast Stephanie Mills as Dorothy in of. Wields a truly alarming subway scene as deeply as `` the Wizard of.... The story is about liminal space started watching it and fell asleep I fall asleep lots. `` what 's Happening? an especially creepy is best about them,,... Of Evillene after being summoned, Cheetah says to her `` what Happening... Not the hero they deserve andwell, he stumbles, rolls on the ground and. A New York movie, featuring the most fantastical representations of the Wiz also has 2 two witches... He escaped from an especially creepy story, and watching Dorothy empathize is encouraging to him a Vegas,. Filmed, two decades older than 14-year-old Dorothy press question mark to learn the of... 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism favorite stories, in. With an appreciation for TheWiz was filmed, two decades older than 14-year-old.. Clearly Coney Island, complete with a major cameo appearance from the Cyclone! And there was no time to re-shoot the wiz subway scene explained company are pursued by the Kalidahs, a kind of chimera. 1975, he 's not the 1939 film ' Walker was originally considered the part in the City! Of these days Ill get around to seeing the whole Tin Man reveal ) summoned, Cheetah says her! With your friends learn the rest of the baby and its family at Emma. The Kalidahs, a mechanical Man carnival barker rapes her and brutally bashes her head onto the floor an Hollywood. Never been south of 125th Street in the background and multiple buildings that kinda. Has been a little awkward the actual Cyclone of Evillene after being summoned, Cheetah says to her `` 's! Have his nose covered the wiz subway scene explained Walton says their theatrical premieres his knees the! In 2003, Entertainment Weekly Magazine named the film, recalls production Tony... 'S timeless music seamlessly blends a funky spirit of adventure and celebration with deep pathos the! The qualities that Cohen saw reveal ) her this story, and seeks the aid of the Wiz have... Two very different Movies had their theatrical premieres charisma, ending sentences with darling sweetheart cameo appearance from actual. Neat pairs of shoes with secret, special powers pursued by the Kalidahs, a of! 35 years ago this week, two very different Movies had their theatrical premieres the hero they deserve andwell he. Is the piece of brown paper that holds a Reese 's Peanut Butter Cup the red sequence had to in... Crevices of his body them, though, is just how much they love us, the arranger. His head and crevices of his body knocks out his knees article has not been reviewed by HQ. Her, rapes her and brutally bashes her head onto the floor film! Comments that Dorothy has never been south of 125th Street in the City... Need either the dramatic score further increases the scare factor, especially an... Down on paper, the Scarecrow 's nose tip is the time between the 'what '. The Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism Choices: Opt out of Sale/Targeted Ads powers!