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The Wiz

  • 19781978
  • GG
  • 2h 14m
IMDb RATING
5.4/10
15K
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
The Wiz (1978)
Theatrical Trailer from Universal Pictures
Play trailer3:31
2 Videos
49 Photos
  • Adventure
  • Family
  • Fantasy
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.
IMDb RATING
5.4/10
15K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Sidney Lumet
  • Writers
    • L. Frank Baum(novel "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz")
    • William F. Brown(book of the musical "The Wiz")
    • Joel Schumacher(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Diana Ross
    • Michael Jackson
    • Nipsey Russell
Top credits
  • Director
    • Sidney Lumet
  • Writers
    • L. Frank Baum(novel "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz")
    • William F. Brown(book of the musical "The Wiz")
    • Joel Schumacher(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Diana Ross
    • Michael Jackson
    • Nipsey Russell
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 175User reviews
    • 39Critic reviews
    • 53Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 4 Oscars
      • 1 win & 11 nominations total

    Videos2

    The Wiz
    Trailer 3:31
    The Wiz
    Sneak Previews Season 3 Episode 26
    Video 29:04
    Sneak Previews Season 3 Episode 26

    Photos49

    Michael Jackson in The Wiz (1978)
    Michael Jackson in The Wiz (1978)
    Sidney Lumet, Rob Cohen, and Quincy Jones in The Wiz (1978)
    Sidney Lumet and Joel Schumacher in The Wiz (1978)
    Sidney Lumet, Joel Schumacher, and Rob Cohen in The Wiz (1978)
    Diana Ross and Coretta Scott King in The Wiz (1978)
    Joel Schumacher in The Wiz (1978)
    Michael Jackson, Diana Ross, and Ted Ross in The Wiz (1978)
    Richard Pryor in The Wiz (1978)
    The Wiz (1978)
    Michael Jackson, Richard Pryor, Diana Ross, Ted Ross, and Nipsey Russell in The Wiz (1978)
    The Wiz (1978)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Diana Ross
    Diana Ross
    • Dorothyas Dorothy
    Michael Jackson
    Michael Jackson
    • Scarecrowas Scarecrow
    Nipsey Russell
    Nipsey Russell
    • Tinmanas Tinman
    Ted Ross
    Ted Ross
    • Lionas Lion…
    Mabel King
    Mabel King
    • Evilleneas Evillene
    Theresa Merritt
    Theresa Merritt
    • Aunt Emas Aunt Em
    Thelma Carpenter
    • Miss Oneas Miss One
    Lena Horne
    Lena Horne
    • Glinda the Goodas Glinda the Good
    Richard Pryor
    Richard Pryor
    • The Wiz (Herman Smith)as The Wiz (Herman Smith)
    Stanley Greene
    • Uncle Henryas Uncle Henry
    Clyde J. Barrett
    • Subway Peddleras Subway Peddler
    Derrick Bell
    • The Four Crowsas The Four Crows
    Roderick-Spencer Sibert
    • The Four Crowsas The Four Crows
    Kashka Banjoko
    • The Four Crowsas The Four Crows
    Ronald 'Smokey' Stevens
    • The Four Crowsas The Four Crows
    Toney Brealond
    • Gold Footmanas Gold Footman
    • (as Tony Brealond)
    Joe Lynn
    • Gold Footmanas Gold Footman
    Clinton Jackson
    Clinton Jackson
    • Green Footmanas Green Footman
    • Director
      • Sidney Lumet
    • Writers
      • L. Frank Baum(novel "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz")
      • William F. Brown(book of the musical "The Wiz")
      • Joel Schumacher(screenplay)
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Original director John Badham stepped down when he objected to 33-year-old Diana Ross being cast as a teenage Dorothy. The character was changed to a 24-year-old kindergarten teacher, but by then Sidney Lumet had already replaced Badham.
    • Goofs
      Aunt Emma comments that Dorothy has never been south of 125th Street in the Manhattan neighborhood of Harlem. However, Dorothy later gives her address as being on Prospect Place, which is in Brooklyn, miles southeast of Harlem.
    • Quotes

      Scarecrow: Now I'll never get my brain!

      Tinman: Nor my heart.

      Lion: Or my courage

      Dorothy: But you don't need them now because you've had them all the time. Scarecrow, you're the one who figured out how to find the yellow brick road and how to destroy Evillene, and every smart move we've made, didn't you? Lion, you wouldn't even give up when Evillene strung you up by your tail. And, Tin Man, you have more heart than anyone I've ever known.

      Tinman: [hopeful] Honest?

      Dorothy: Yeah, you never needed anything from the fake wizard, anyway.

    • Crazy credits
      Fitzstephens, Jack ... Music Editor & Guru
    • Alternate versions
      When this movie debuted on CBS, the network trimmed several scenes to fit in a 3 hour block with commercials. Several scenes cut included: The arrival of the baby and its family at Aunt Emme's party. 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). Portions of Mean Ole Lion were cut out. The chase sequence in the subway platform omitted how the Scarecrow and the Tin Man are rescued by the Lion. The Poppy Girls close-up shot was cut. Dance portions in the Emerald city during the Green and Red clothing were cut. The entire Emerald City Motel sequence was omitted plus Dorothy asking the guards of the gate how to get to Evilynn's. (It cut from RIchard Pryor peeking out to the time clock at the sweat shop).
    • Connections
      Edited into The Arrivals (2008)
    • Soundtracks
      You Can't Win, You Can't Break Even
      Written by Charlie Smalls

      Performed by Michael Jackson (uncredited) and The Four Crows (uncredited)

    User reviews175

    Review
    Top review
    The art of adaptation...
    Normally, I feel that it is a travesty to remake an older, classic film (sequels excepted). Profits aside, what is the motive? What is there to add? "The Wiz," however, is one of the few exceptions to my belief. Whereas "The Wizard of Oz" is more of a child's film, the intended audience for "The Wiz" is a few steps above that. Like its predecessor, "The Wiz" is both visually stunning and musically engaging. It compliments the seriousness of its themes and situations--both of which it has in more abundance than its predecessor--with a copious amount of humor. Seldom have I witnessed a more creative work of adaptation than that which is presented by "The Wiz," which is, of course, adapted from L. Frank Baum's "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz." A few others that spring to mind are "Logan's Run" and "The War of the Worlds." I mention these not because they were simply a good translation of book to film, but because they maintained the book's overall story (plot, theme, characters, etc.) while retailoring the environment and/or situation. "The Wiz" focuses on the "black situation." It redresses all of the elements from its source material to meet the needs of its revamped, modern, social subject matter. From the Scarecrow, who represents a pitiable, underachieving product of his environment; to the poppies, which represent drug addiction; to the denizens of Oz, who are ready to follow the latest trend just to be "in;" the story presents its audience with a generalized glimpse at the breakdown of "black" culture and society. Though "The Wiz" does not convey the same childlike wonder, magic, and fantasy that both the original film and the novel do, it translates those elements into more of an industrialized, mechanical, inner city playground. Unfortunately, albeit appropriately, the Oz we witness is through an older Dorothy's eyes. Interestingly, due to her advanced age, the circumstances that befall her must be harsher in order to invoke the necessary change of heart. Unlike the setting in "The Wizard of Oz," which exists in our dreams, "somewhere over the rainbow," the setting in "The Wiz" occupies our nightmares. The contrast between Judy Garland's Oz and her native Kansas is many times greater than that between Diana Ross' Oz and her native New York. The incentive to return home is greater for Diana--even though the colorful lure of a fantasy land is not present--since her Oz may be merely a preview of things to come (back home), if she does not start to make a difference. One of the few things for which I did not care was all-too-recognizable, yet modified New York as Oz. Though the entire film's art direction was brilliant, I found New York to be too distracting and too contemporary to be an adequate Oz. Another subject of distaste for me was the "end of slavery" segment after Evillene's liquidation. The song and dance were nice and full of energy, but the symbolism was too literal and seemed out of place with regards to the rest of the film. I could have also enjoyed a bit more denouement and perhaps even an epilogue about Dorothy's reunion with her family. Three interesting notes: 1) The landscape of Oz in "The Wiz" actually does change after Dorothy intervenes to make a difference; this does not happen in "The Wizard of Oz." 2) While Judy's visit to Oz seems to be concussion-induced, Diana actually appears to visit that fabled land, which is closer to the book. 3) "The Wiz" contains all four witches presented in the book; "The Wizard of Oz" only contains three. Though it seems rather dated today, "The Wiz" is still a fun movie to view, and it contains a number of known (Motown) celebrities.
    helpful•61
    33
    • Morlock
    • Jan 29, 1999

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • October 24, 1978 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Carobnjak
    • Filming locations
      • World Trade Center, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA
    • Production companies
      • Universal Pictures
      • Motown Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $24,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $21,049,053
    • Gross worldwide
      • $21,049,053
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 14 minutes
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

    Related news

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