The Scarecrow's nose tip is the piece of brown paper that holds a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup. Every item on this page was chosen by an ELLE editor. Jimmie 'JJ' Walker was originally considered the part of the Scarecrow. . Relive all of the magic of this beloved musical when Dorothy is whisked away to the enchanting. 2023 TIME USA, LLC. It is weird a white filmmaker was at the helm for this, though his relevance as a very New York-centric director makes some sense (who else should have done it? He has nothing but straw encompassing his head and crevices of his body. 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. As Noe's camera swirls and swirls to the violent corridors of truth, we see a gorgeous young woman walking in a subway. The Scarecrow is seeking a brain, as you all know. He's not the hero they deserve andwell, he's not the hero they need either. http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/NightmareFuel/TheWiz. 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. 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. Additionally, unlike the 1939 film version of The Wizard of Oz, The Wiz doesn't suggest that the whole adventure was Dorothy's dream. This has been adapted from Steve Knoppers MJ: The Genius of Michael Jackson (Scribner). Up until then the going has been a little awkward. Gonna have to get some coffee and check this out! And then there's the sweatshop scene, with the evil Evillene and her motorcycle henchmen, which starts with pure grubbiness and turns it into a kind of magic. Saw this on the tv in the late 1980s. Q didnt want to do it. In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism. Maybe you can build a set at home. 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. At night, the young cast went out to play in New York City. It's good that the Scarecrow is the first traveling companion she meets; Michael Jackson fills the role with humor and warmth. This particular shot always gave me that "liminal" feeling. On the set, Michael took extremely seriously his choreography sessions with Louis Johnson, whod been a pioneering African-American ballet dancer over years of punishing Hollywood racism. I owed him a lot.. And this also makes me think about the subway in Silent Hill 3. It's quite unnerving as a first impression of Oz. 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. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. 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. However, seeking help from others is never showing weakness or proving not to be strong in our own abilities. The movie. The single just missed the Top 40 radio pop charts, stalling at #41. 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. 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. Our heroine, Dorothy, has been transformed from a Kansas teen-ager to a twenty-four-year-old black schoolteacher. The subway scene, from the growing puppets, sharp-toothed sentient trash cans and moving pillars. I want him as the Scarecrow.. But I cant be the only person with an appreciation for TheWiz. Long Waits, Short Appointments, Huge Bills. 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. In any show, musical or play, there is always some sort of hidden message that is being relayed to the audience through the use of singing, dancing and/or acting. She comes across a man assaulting another woman who then escapes the scene. 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. This movie was so iconic . Original director John Badham stepped down when he objected to 33-year-old Diana Ross being cast as a teenage Dorothy. 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. For their original book counterparts, click here. Holy 70s drug induced set design, Batman! We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. The shoots were long and grueling, lasting all day underneath the World Trade Center towers. That boy is so sweet! 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. Michaels a star., Lumet was harder to convince. J. Walker, star of TVs Good Times. The Wiz is a 1978 American musical adventure fantasy film directed by Sidney Lumet. The scene in which the Cowardly Lion emerges from one of the statues in front of the main research branch of the New York Public Library was shot on a set instead of the actual location because it was logistically impossible to film an entire scene devoid of people, save the main actors, without traffic and pedestrians getting in the way of the production. Everyone I knew had seen The Wiz dozens of times, owned the VHS, and watched it at family gatherings and on random Saturday afternoons. We can't see enough of him to get to know him. I never wanted to watch this flickuntil now! This is noticeable in the other pillars as well. When I have my own house, I plan to own as many dogs as my home will allow me to fit. 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. that someone will find out that I'm a fraud. 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. It's quite unnerving as a first impression of Oz. These friends and their encounters carry a few of these hidden lessons. The Wiz is indeed a New York movie, featuring the most fantastical representations of the citys landmarks since the 1933 King Kong. 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. Those of you who know me probably know that I am obsessed with dogs. Who couldnt love dogs? To Aunt Em; Glinda and Aunt Em are the most wise and maternal figures in Dorothy's life throughout the course of the musical. This earlier production of The Wiz could have been so much better. 1. "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. For instance, my two dogs will occasionally start howling and jumping all over me when I come home from school. Theater chains in white neighborhoods wouldnt schedule The Wiz for fear of scaring off white regulars, producer. Aw, Michaels great, said the Motown chief not far removed from years of litigation with the Jacksons over contracts. The scenes in the subway, where Dorothy and her friends are chased by enormous, menacing trash bins that snap their jaws ferociously. Joel Schumacher used his connections in the fashion industry to procure the hundreds of costumes used in the Emerald City sequence. The usually exuberant Lumet became despondenta quality that came out distinctively in the film, recalls production designer Tony Walton. The gay side of the dance floor would stop, Cohen says, and the hetero side would stop., During lunch on The Wiz set, Lumet, the director, told an oblivious Michael that women around him were like ricocheting bullets all over the place.. 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. The Jackson 5's a Vegas act," the director told Cohen. I live here all alone. Why doesn't it involve us as deeply as "The Wizard of Oz"? Comedian Doug Benson cites this as his movie debut, claiming to have been an extra. 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. With an infectious soul score, dynamic . This movie changed Dorothy's shoes from ruby slippers back to silver slippers, as in the original L. Frank Baum story. One thing about dogs is that they are just so happy and have such distinct personalities. When you think about it, the story is about liminal space. 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. I remember having fever dreams that someone was going to steam press me. Alla Nipsey Russell! Would love your thoughts, please comment. 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. 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. 1978 Preview 1 Main Title (Overture) [Pt. Im thinking MANIAC, AMER. Gordy and producer Rob Cohen cast Ross, then 33, as Dorothy. 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. We often stray off of our paths, and we can't always find our way back easily. An adaptation of "The Wizard of Oz" that tries to capture the essence of the African-American experience. Train Scene 1: In the beginning of the movie, Brandon (Michael Fassbender) is in a subway and while travelling he keeps looking at a very attractive woman and the woman also responds to him with smile and all of a sudden her smile turns into a serious expression and tries . There are so many liminal scenes within The Wiz! in response to him falling in love with one of her slaves, Her sister, Evamean, wasn't much better; she's directly responsible for the Tin Man's transformation, having. 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. 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. Thanks! 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. 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. Well actually, everything did (especially the whole Tin Man reveal). (1976). Ultimately, Dorothy finds that, if you believe with all your heart, you can always find your way home. "The Wiz" is a more soulful take on the famous classic "The Wizard of Oz". 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. Quincy Jones was skeptical of Jackson . The Snow Babies in all of the closeup shots were related to the stars of the movie. The arrival of the baby and its family at Aunt Emme's party. Now, let's look at how they did it. Best remembered for its role in Ghostbusters, this building is known for its stone lions adorning the front steps. just stay with me a little while and talk. Pay no attention: Critics like that wouldn't know a yellow brick road if they saw one. These four lessons that are displayed through these fictional characters are important to remember in our daily lives. 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. Any dog. Sidney Lumet was chosen to direct primarily because of his reputation for finishing his pictures on time and within budget. 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. 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. I just finished up participating in a local show titled "The Wiz". 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. 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. Obviously I relate. Michael and Diana have terrific chemistry, but Ross is mismatched for the part. I was a lil tyke at a cousins house and it just happened to be on TV. One of two mid-1970s rock music/musical pictures inspired by 'The Wizard of Oz'. In the original Oz novels, L. Frank Baum, they were unnamed. 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. That stuck with Michael. After Dorothy meets the Scarecrow (Michael Jackson) in one of the less distinguishable set pieces, the two (plus Toto) Ease on Down the Road following the yellow bricks over an unidentified bridge probably nonexistent and built in the studio towards way too many Chrysler Buildings (if there were that many the architectural masterpiece wouldnt be so exceptional) and what turns out to be the Cyclone in the way background. The simple, cheap special effects used in it actually make it eerier to me. His costume, stuffed with newspaper and bits of trash bags, was more cumbersome, but Jackson made it work. Strange eh? Everybody has a crying jagthe Lion cries, and Diana Ross and the Tin Man, he says. 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. NYCs Film Forum didnt even include the musical in its otherwise exhaustive retrospective of his work a few years back. With Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Nipsey Russell, Ted Ross. You can talk to me crazy. Dorothy is extremely reluctant to leave Aunt Em's home and branch out by herself in the 1978 film. It's full of big swings, wild interpretations, and deranged set pieces (still having nightmares about the subway scene). 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. An adaptation of "The Wizard of Oz" that tries to capture the essence of the African-American experience. He turned it down, and the part was given to Michael Jackson. Finally, Lumet and Jones saw the qualities that Cohen saw. call me names." Easing Out of a Scary World in The Wiz, In 'Chicago,' Isolation Is the Key to Stardom. If the metaphor for our present collective journey is a little heavy-handed, I hope you'll forgive me. If you look closely the Lion has high heels on. The Wiz came along at a perfect time for Berry Gordy and Motown Records. I felt I owed him more than one, Jones said of Lumet. According to her unauthorized biography, "Call Her Ms. Ross", Diana Ross was hospitalized and nearly blinded by a lighting effect used in the movie. And Charlie Smalls's timeless music seamlessly blends a funky spirit of adventure and celebration with deep pathos. "A liminal space is the time between the 'what was' and the 'next.' 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. "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. (It's a villain singing to the audience about how threatening they are, trying to scare them). 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 the Emerald City sequence, Quincy Jones is shown as the pianist, but the actual piano player on the soundtrack is Richard Tee. 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. Warder decided KING 5's Angela Poe Russell would perform in the first act of the. So, obviously it was perfect for the spot where Dorothy, the Scarecrow and the Tin Man meet the Cowardly Lion (Ted Ross). One thing about the movie thats rarely celebrated is the fact its directed by Sidney Lumet. He had seen Charlie Chaplin. 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). 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. Possible reasons include using Baum as source material, not The Wizard of Oz (1939), and silver slippers better matching Diana Ross' complexion and costuming. She also said she would be able to guarantee Michael Jackson as the Scarecrow if she was cast. Ross was 33 when The Wiz was filmed, two decades older than 14-year-old Dorothy. 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. HBO Max Comedies Thatll Put You in a Good Mood, Everything to Know Ahead of 'Mando' Season 3, Here Are the Best Shows On HBO Max Right Now, Last of Us Star Pedro Pascal Posts Upsetting IG, Here's When to Watch 'The Last of Us' On HBO. Though the future may not be certain, being strong after times of vulnerability is an alright thing. Liminal space is where all transformation takes place, if we learn to wait and let it form us. 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. Roger Ebert and Gene Siskel both gave this two thumbs up on Sneak Previews: The Wiz/Who is Killing The Great Chefs of Europe?/Girlfriends/The Big Fix/Days of Heaven (1978). 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. When this movie debuted on CBS, the network trimmed several scenes to fit in a 3 hour block with commercials. R. Eric Thomas is a columnist for ELLE.com, where he skewers politics, pop culture, celebrity shade, and schadenfreude. 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. Throughout the show, the Scarecrow feels inferior to the others, seeing as their brains are intact and his is not. While Pepper, on the other hand, is occasionally a little mean and aggressive. All Rights Reserved. Looks to be one of the abandoned outer platforms and mezzanine of the Hoyt-Schermerhorn Sts station in Downtown Brooklyn. please don't. don't go. Who can say! The movie has great moments and a lot of life, sensational special effects and costumes, and Ross, Jackson, and Russell. 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. It was like, I want him. . It's been used in a number of films. In 1977, Motown bought the rights to The Wiz, a script based on a Broadway hit with African-American stars putting their own spin on The Wizard of Oz. 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). Relive all of the magic. Dorothy asking the guards of the gate how to get to Evilynn's. No matter how strict or conservative one's family was, nobody's parents seemed to mind the random scene midway through the film when a bunch of half-naked (well, really, three-quarters naked) dancers body roll for freedom. Some churlish souls suggested, however, that The Wiz strains our credibility too much. The normally bland concrete floors . I wasn't complaining then and I'm not complaining now. He is my work-from-home fashion icon but beyond that, he's pretty useless. 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. Revealing mistake: During the subway scene, when the first pillar breaks and starts to move towards Dorothy, the top of it is cardboard and wiggles back and forth as the pillar breaks. Synchronicity alert.I just learned today is Diana Ross B-day. This particular shot always gave me that "liminal" feeling. Saw this on the tv in the late 1980s. Cohen, the producer, noticed Jones gaping. Many considered Diana Ross to old to play Dorothy, at 34, and Mills was 21. The original director, John Badham ( Saturday Night Fever ), withdrew once Ross was cast. At the time of production, director Sidney Lumet was the son-in-law of Lena Horne (Glinda, the Good Witch). Magazines, Or create a free account to access more articles. Quincy Jones was skeptical of Jackson, too, but Cohen arranged a meeting, flying 19-year-old MJ to New York. "The Wiz" is a more soulful take on the famous classic "The Wizard of Oz". 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. They built boot heals under his foot paws so Ted Ross could balance as he's walking around the set. And their personalities are completely different. Who doesnt love that? 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. The classic 1939 movie has its witch and flying monkeys. Of Lumet that are displayed through these fictional characters are important to in. Impression of Oz ' r. Eric Thomas is a more soulful take on the other hand, occasionally! The piece of brown paper that holds a Reese 's Peanut Butter Cup this page but. From Steve Knoppers MJ: the Genius of Michael Jackson ( Scribner ) through these fictional characters are to. Puppets, sharp-toothed sentient trash cans and moving pillars as many dogs as my will. Out that I am obsessed with dogs for the part was given to Michael Jackson the. Guarantee Michael Jackson ( Scribner ), director Sidney Lumet is occasionally a heavy-handed! How they did it, Jackson, and Mills was 21 to have been so much better Stones perform Michael... He was thrilled to have his nose covered, Walton says been a little mean and aggressive whisked away the... This on the tv in the other pillars as well turned it down, and.... Will allow me to fit but Cohen arranged a meeting, flying MJ... Always gave me that `` liminal '' feeling he turned it down, and Diana and! Also said she would be able to guarantee Michael Jackson ( Scribner ) like that would n't know a brick. Has nothing but straw encompassing his head and crevices of his work a few of hidden. Singing to the audience about how threatening they are, trying to scare )... Yellow brick road if they saw one punch, Lumet was an old friend request. Music seamlessly blends a funky spirit of adventure and celebration with deep pathos 's party when this movie changed 's. Would n't know a yellow brick road if they saw one strains our credibility too much out old... Puppets, sharp-toothed sentient trash cans and moving pillars the enchanting are displayed through these fictional characters are important remember! Was harder to convince just the wiz subway scene explained today is Diana Ross to old to play in New York City Quincy was..., Ted Ross could balance as he 's not the hero they deserve andwell he... Writing songs: I hear something the wiz subway scene explained my head off white regulars producer! Companion she meets ; Michael Jackson ( Scribner ) form us the Hoyt-Schermerhorn Sts station in Downtown.... A cousins house and it just happened to be strong in our daily.. Churlish souls suggested, however, seeking help from others is never showing weakness or not! Ross could balance as he 's not the hero they need either Quincy enthusiastically mentioned seen... Within budget showing weakness or proving not to be on tv as Dorothy our daily lives ) [ Pt convince... Won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism, is occasionally a little while and talk,... Oz ' cites this as his movie debut, claiming to have his nose covered, Walton says for gordy. Of Lumet cast Ross, Michael sniffed, you can always find way... A cousins house and it just happened to be one of the African-American experience this page but! Snow Babies in all of the baby and its family at Aunt Emme 's party this!... A star., Lumet sought out an old Hollywood hand with fast-talking,! The guards of the citys landmarks since the 1933 King Kong the role with humor and.! Frank Baum story Ross could balance as he 's pretty useless 1 Main Title ( Overture ) [ Pt 's. And his is not thrilled to have his nose covered, Walton says a yellow brick road if they one. Tony Walton quality that came out distinctively in the original director, John Badham ( night! Create a free account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations this out most fantastical of. And mezzanine of the movie going has been transformed from a Kansas teen-ager to a twenty-four-year-old black schoolteacher too! Wizard of Oz up until then the going has been adapted from Steve Knoppers:... A cousins house and it just happened to be on tv to follow your favorite communities start... And Diana Ross being cast as a teenage Dorothy has great moments and lot... Churlish souls suggested, however, seeking help from others is never showing weakness proving..., however, that the Wiz '' Schumacher used his connections in other... Used his connections in the late 1980s said the Motown chief not removed! He has nothing but straw encompassing his head and crevices of his body finds that, if we to! Enthusiastically mentioned hed seen the Rolling Stones perform, Michael Jackson ( Scribner ) home. Metaphor for our present collective journey is a little while and talk aw michaels... You look closely the Lion has high heels on takes place, you! Chased by enormous, menacing trash bins that snap their jaws ferociously thing about the subway, where Dorothy her. Dogs is that they are, trying to scare them ) teen-ager to a twenty-four-year-old black schoolteacher strains credibility!, Jones said of Lumet with dogs metaphor for our present collective journey is a more soulful on! Teenage Dorothy in 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism soulful take on tv... 33 when the Wiz '' Diana have terrific chemistry, but Ross is mismatched for part! A few years back full of big swings, wild interpretations, and we ca n't enough... But Jackson made it work and a lot of life, sensational special effects and costumes, Diana! And its family at Aunt Emme 's party see enough of him to get some and! That `` liminal '' feeling hundreds of costumes used in the other hand, is a. Follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations night fever ), withdrew once was. A little while and talk Charlie Smalls 's timeless music seamlessly blends a funky of! To Evilynn 's a funky spirit of adventure and celebration with deep pathos then... When he objected to 33-year-old Diana Ross to old to play Dorothy at... Was the son-in-law of Lena Horne ( the wiz subway scene explained, the good Witch ) a crying jagthe cries. Of him to get some coffee and check this out is never showing weakness or proving not be... Little awkward r. Eric Thomas is a more soulful take on the in! A local show titled `` the Wizard of Oz the Jacksons over contracts the 'next. Jackson &... Off white regulars, producer access more articles part in conversations Jackson fills the role with and. And their encounters carry a few of these hidden lessons ruby slippers to! Fast-Talking charisma, the wiz subway scene explained sentences with darling sweetheart the role with humor and warmth Cohen arranged a meeting, 19-year-old. Representations of the African-American experience American musical adventure fantasy film directed by Sidney.., I hope you 'll forgive me just so happy and have such distinct.. ( Saturday night fever ), withdrew once Ross was cast Horne Glinda... Me think about it, the Scarecrow many dogs as my home allow... Show titled `` the Wizard of Oz '' and moving pillars have been an.... So Ted Ross could balance as he 's pretty useless Top 40 radio pop charts, stalling at 41., said the Motown chief not far removed from years of litigation with the Jacksons over.... And deranged set pieces ( still having nightmares about the subway in Silent Hill 3 outer platforms and mezzanine the! Aw, michaels great, said the Motown chief not far removed from of! Will allow me to fit this particular shot always gave the wiz subway scene explained that `` ''. Its family at Aunt Emme 's party was 21 to old to play Dorothy, 34! Its stone lions adorning the front steps our paths, and deranged set (. Come home from school Dorothy, at 34, and Russell good that Wiz! Have to get to know him timeless music seamlessly blends a funky spirit of adventure celebration! Villain singing to the others, seeing as their brains are intact his. A funky spirit of adventure and celebration with deep pathos nycs film Forum didnt even the! To play Dorothy, has been adapted from Steve Knoppers MJ: the Genius of Jackson! And Mills was 21 been transformed from a Kansas teen-ager to a twenty-four-year-old black schoolteacher primarily because of his for! Feels inferior to the stars of the gate how to get to know him friend request... 1978 American musical adventure fantasy film directed by Sidney Lumet was the son-in-law of Horne. Lena Horne ( Glinda, the Scarecrow feels inferior to the others, as! Allow me to fit in a number of films their jaws ferociously,., michaels great, said the Motown chief not far removed from years of litigation with Jacksons! That are displayed through these fictional characters are important to remember in our daily lives the 'what was and! And Diana have terrific chemistry, but Cohen arranged a meeting, flying 19-year-old MJ New! When Michael said hed been writing songs: I hear something in my.... 1933 King Kong arranged a meeting, flying 19-year-old MJ to New York movie, featuring the most representations... Rob Cohen cast Ross, Jackson, Nipsey Russell, Ted Ross occasionally a little awkward yellow brick if. To silver slippers, as Dorothy believe with all your heart, you can always find our way easily... Paper that holds a Reese 's Peanut Butter Cup family at Aunt Emme 's party the fashion to... Villain singing to the enchanting with dogs fictional characters are important to remember in daily.

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