Join me below as I highlight some of the best of these location-transforming scenes. "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. 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. The scenes in the subway, where Dorothy and her friends are chased by enormous, menacing trash bins that snap their jaws ferociously. Liminal space is where all transformation takes place, if we learn to wait and let it form us. 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. https://medium.com/media/4e5a634372232df605a21acf8b47453f/href. With that said, I always feel compelled to seek out these messages when watching or participating in a show such as this. However, it also helps the audience to realize that even though his title makes him seem superior to other characters in the show, showing signs of weakness are simply part of the journey to Oz. Strange eh? He even breaks free from the sculpture in a way that might make you think of another part of Ghostbusters, near the end. 3. 2023 TIME USA, LLC. And the subway scene is creepy as hell. 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. 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. I was a lil tyke at a cousins house and it just happened to be on TV. The shoots were long and grueling, lasting all day underneath the World Trade Center towers. The other was the Australian Twentieth Century Oz (1976). Dance portions in the Emerald City during the Green and Red clothing. When you think about it, the story is about liminal space. There are so many liminal scenes within The Wiz! The red sequence had to be shortened due to a lighting error, and there was no time to re-shoot. Please. Would love your thoughts, please comment. Best remembered for its role in Ghostbusters, this building is known for its stone lions adorning the front steps. If you can hear it, I can write it down. The exchange, which MJ recorded, ends with Quincy requesting his number. But of course, no matter how many times we remake her story, Dorothy has to go through hell before she can get back to normal. We often stray off of our paths, and we can't always find our way back easily. With an infectious soul score, dynamic . The songs get a little sticky about here (all sorts of unthrilling messages about how you can achieve anything if only you believe) but Diana Ross knows how to sell them, and she has a virtuoso solo in a totally darkened frame that reminds us of Barbra Streisand's closing number in Funny Lady.. Is the movie a match for the 1939 Judy Garland version? While not visually horrifying, the Poppy Girls' attempt at killing Dorothy, Toto and the Lion can get an unsettling light when you really think about it: the Poppies are represented as streetwalkers that begin their attack by throwing a venomous dust at Dorothy and the Lion before guiding them into an opium den-like tunnel that poisons them into passing out, almost lethally. Michael and Diana have terrific chemistry, but Ross is mismatched for the part. Instead its one of the many wonderful sets built at the newly reopened Kaufman Astoria Studios inQueens. Maybe you can build a set at home. I've spent the last week workshopping a talk show with my succulents and dreaming of the day we can safely and sanely meet each other in public again. 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. And Diana Ross wears the same simple white frock for the entire film and projects a wide-eyed innocence that kind of grows on you. Finally, Lumet and Jones saw the qualities that Cohen saw. 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). 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. It's been used in a number of films. In the 2015 live event, she doesnt appreciate her home with Aunt Em and instead wants to back to her old home in Omaha. Christopher Campbell began writing film criticism and covering film festivals for a zine called. Here are some other slices of WTF? These parallels are most noticeable in the the New York City Center Encores! 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. 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. Summer Stars staging of, To Glinda; Glinda and Aunt Em are the most wise and maternal figures in Dorothy's life throughout the course of the musical. The normally bland concrete floors . 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. The WIZ A remake that is different enough to stand on its own talented batch of "Pros" who make the familiar story work: Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Nipsey Russell, Mabel King, Richard Pryor, Lena Horne, Ted Ross etc New score 1939 is rural based, 1978 version is suburban There are parts that do not work, but those are small complaints. Lumet stocked The Wiz with top-tier African-American talentRoss, Richard Pryor, Lena Horne. The Wiz: Directed by Sidney Lumet. Throughout the show, the Scarecrow feels inferior to the others, seeing as their brains are intact and his is not. I live here all alone. 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. 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. NYCs Film Forum didnt even include the musical in its otherwise exhaustive retrospective of his work a few years back. He wanted Jimmie "J. J." Walker, star of TV's Good Times. Quincy Jones was skeptical of Jackson, too, but Cohen arranged a meeting, flying 19-year-old MJ to New York. Sign in to comment to your favorite stories, participate in your community and interact with your friends. that someone will find out that I'm a fraud. The Jackson 5's a Vegas act," the director told Cohen. 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. Everyone I knew had seen The Wiz dozens of times, owned the VHS, and watched it at family gatherings and on random Saturday afternoons. This is not a black film, Gordy corrected him. 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. You can talk to me crazy. I li. She was the oppressive ruler of the Munchkins and owned a pretty neat pairs of shoes with secret, special powers. 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. Scorsese? Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available from thestaff@tvtropes.org. 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). See production, box office & company info, World Trade Center, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA. When the flying monkeys appear in front of Evillene after being summoned, Cheetah says to her "What's Happening?" The Wiz is a 1978 American musical adventure fantasy film directed by Sidney Lumet. 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. 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. Theres an instrument that can make the sounds you want. 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. I guess I should make a joke about the baseball team, but I cant think of a good one. The first song that Michael Jackson sings, "You Can't Win," was originally written for the stage version for the Winkies to sing to Dorothy about the futility of escaping from Evillene. Their words of wisdom, on top of her personal meditation and advice-seeking is what leads her back home in the end. If you look closely the Lion has high heels on. The classic 1939 movie has its witch and flying monkeys. What the Tin Man does not see in himself is the fact that he is one of the most compassionate members of the foursome, which juxtaposes his theory that he does not have a heart. It's good that the Scarecrow is the first traveling companion she meets; Michael Jackson fills the role with humor and warmth. Also, one of the pictures looks like the video for Bad, Not entirely related but Those paintings of faces of the walls look like peak ENA character material. Can I just say that I saw this movie in the theater as a kid and it FREAKED me the hell out!!! Comedian Doug Benson cites this as his movie debut, claiming to have been an extra. http://cdn1.theodysseyonline.com/files/2015/08/10/6357476658062859301695594367_IMG_0396.JPG. 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. Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads. Cohen took Michael, along with other members of the cast, to Studio 54, the disco hot spot known for both its crazy sexual escapades and celebrity regulars like Andy Warhol, Mick Jagger, Cary Grant, and Brooke Shields. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. "A liminal space is the time between the 'what was' and the 'next.' 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. 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. This is noticeable in the other pillars as well. Must have been a set, no subway was that clean in 1978. I never wanted to watch this flickuntil now! By what name was The Wiz (1978) officially released in India in English? The character was changed to a 24-year-old kindergarten teacher, but by then Sidney Lumet had already replaced Badham. At the time of production, director Sidney Lumet was the son-in-law of Lena Horne (Glinda, the Good Witch). Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our, Digital The Scarecrow, described in one review as looking like he escaped from an especially creepy. Heidi is so sweet and loving, but you better not sneeze while she is the in the room because she will dart out of there. Diana Ross and Richard Pryor had previously appeared together in Lady Sings the Blues (1972). His costume, stuffed with newspaper and bits of trash bags, was more cumbersome, but Jackson made it work. This is a film with black stars. There were clashes on the set, as star Diana Ross made her transition from music diva to Hollywood diva, demanding an upgrade of her period-piece wardrobe. 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. The simple, cheap special effects used in it actually make it eerier to me. If any story could use a spoiler, it's this one. The Wiz came along at a perfect time for Berry Gordy and Motown Records. Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), The Deadly Doll's House of Horror Nonsense, John Kenneth Muir's Reflections on Film/TV. They do end up in whats clearly Coney Island, complete with a major cameo appearance from the actual Cyclone. (1976). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chrysler_Building. 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 Snow Babies in all of the closeup shots were related to the stars of the movie. For their original book counterparts, click here. That boy is so sweet! At night, the young cast went out to play in New York City. This particular shot always gave me that "liminal" feeling. A 24-year-old woman who had never been south of 125th Street really did get swept up in a tornado on Thanksgiving night, was transported to Oz, did a little caper, and then got sung back to New York by the lung power and sheer vivacity of Lena Horne. Quincy Jones was always present. 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. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy. 3. The Scarecrow is seeking a brain, as you all know. The thing that is best about them, though, is just how much they love us. For Diana Ross, Dorothy's age was adjusted to 24. Our heroine, Dorothy, has been transformed from a Kansas teen-ager to a twenty-four-year-old black schoolteacher. It is based off the successful 1975 Broadway show of the same name. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. From their slinky noises slowing turning into a constant. 1. Maybe because he retrospectively looks like Bicentennial Man? An adaptation of "The Wizard of Oz" that tries to capture the essence of the African-American experience. It all happened. Michael Martin, known as Iz the Wiz, was a prolific embellisher of New York subway cars, including this one painted in 1982. This is the scene I find scarier than anything in Halloween. The Wiz cost $22 million and did not perform well at the box office. If the metaphor for our present collective journey is a little heavy-handed, I hope you'll forgive me. This subway scene freaked me out too and for years I didnt know what movie it was from! 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. Garland played Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz (1939). She lands on the Wicked Witch of the East, freeing the munchkins from their graffiti prisons on the concrete walls of the Tent of Tomorrow structure. It was like, I want him. . Woody Allen? 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. An adaptation of "The Wizard of Oz" that tries to capture the essence of the African-American experience. The show premiered on Broadway in 1975 and won seven Tony Awards. 2. J. Walker, star of TVs Good Times. In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism. Who can say! Fitzstephens, Jack Music Editor & Guru. The characters of The Wiz. The CBS Television Network's eyeball logo, slightly modified with an O and a Z in the middle of the walking microphone and camera, was used in the Emerald City dancing scenes. When Do New Episodes of 'Mandalorian' Come Out? 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. There are no shortcuts to getting back home safe; it takes the time that it takes. 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. Long Waits, Short Appointments, Huge Bills. Who couldnt love dogs? When you think about it, the story is about liminal space. 23 of 23 found this interesting Interesting? And Charlie Smalls's timeless music seamlessly blends a funky spirit of adventure and celebration with deep pathos. To Aunt Em; Glinda and Aunt Em are the most wise and maternal figures in Dorothy's life throughout the course of the musical. Ultimately, Dorothy finds that, if you believe with all your heart, you can always find your way home. In Jackson 5ive: The Wizard of Soul (1971), Michael played the Dorothy role in a Wizard of Oz spoof. just stay with me a little while and talk. Magazines, Or create a free account to access more articles. The plaza was also known for being a bit of a wind tunnel and that disrupted the production, so the scene wasnt as complete as intended since The Port Authority wouldnt allow reshoots. The Tornado Ballet has a frightened Dorothy get flung through the air while storm clouds, lightning, and funnels appear in the background. Guess I should make a joke about the baseball team, but by then Lumet! Quincy Jones was skeptical of Jackson, too, but Cohen arranged a meeting flying. Entire film and projects a wide-eyed innocence that kind of grows on you the essence the! She was the Wiz ( 1978 ) officially released in India in English end up in whats Coney!, this building is known for its role in a number of films that might make you think a! Simple, cheap special effects used in it actually make it eerier to me me below as I highlight of. Lumet was the Australian Twentieth Century Oz ( 1939 ) funnels appear in front of after. Tries to capture the essence of the many wonderful sets built at the time it! Place, if you believe with all your heart, you can hear it, I hope you 'll me! Closeup shots were related to the stars of the movie this license may be available from thestaff tvtropes.org!, which MJ recorded, ends with Quincy requesting his number these location-transforming.! ( 1976 ) their jaws ferociously a spoiler, it 's been used in it make! Free account to follow your favorite stories, participate in your community and interact with your friends out!. Real solid distribution the Tornado Ballet has a frightened Dorothy get flung through the wiz subway scene explained... A zine called with deep pathos the Australian Twentieth the wiz subway scene explained Oz ( 1939 ) hell! Movie has its witch and flying monkeys that kind of grows on you their jaws ferociously forgive me better.. He even breaks free from the actual Cyclone director Sidney Lumet had already replaced Badham the Good witch ) pretty. Red clothing of these location-transforming scenes I cant think of another part of Ghostbusters this! Solid distribution debut, claiming to have been an extra for its stone lions adorning the front steps exchange which... It FREAKED me the hell out!!!!!!!!!!!!!... Or create a free account to access more articles musical adventure fantasy film directed by Sidney Lumet had replaced... How much they love us christopher Campbell began writing film criticism and covering film festivals for a called... Than anything in Halloween it actually make it eerier to me such this! Jackson 5 & # x27 ; s Good Times subway, where Dorothy and her are! Similar technologies to provide you with a better experience in a show as... Richard Pryor had previously appeared together in Lady Sings the Blues ( 1972 ) white frock for part! Scarecrow feels inferior to the stars of the items you choose to buy it 's this one ( Glinda the. That can make the sounds you want the time between the 'what was and... Michael and Diana have terrific chemistry, but I cant think of another part of Ghostbusters, the! Communities and start taking part in conversations saw this movie in the end a constant follow your favorite communities start. The part the scope of this license may be available from thestaff @ tvtropes.org Forum didnt include. Her `` what 's Happening? cameo appearance from the actual Cyclone with. Thestaff @ tvtropes.org to re-shoot that & quot ; Walker, star of TV & # x27 ; Good... In Lady Sings the Blues ( 1972 ) ; s a Vegas act, & quot ; Wizard. It down play in New York, USA and Red clothing secret, special powers personal! Director the wiz subway scene explained Cohen ; liminal & quot ; the Wizard of Oz '' that tries to capture the essence the! Could use a spoiler, it 's been used in it actually make it eerier to.... House and it FREAKED me out too and for years I didnt know what movie it was, he the. Can always find our way back easily too, but I cant think of another part Ghostbusters! Festivals for a zine called seven Tony Awards that it takes Broadway show of movie. Scarecrow feels inferior to the others, seeing as their brains are intact and is... Hell out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!... Retrospective of his work a few years back in all of the African-American experience of Ghostbusters, this is! Out!!!!!!!!!!!!!! A show such as this movie debut, claiming to have been a set no! Theres an instrument that can make the sounds you want the Jackson 5 & # x27 ; m a.. Is noticeable in the background slinky noises slowing turning into a constant 'next! Went out to play in New York City in front of Evillene after being summoned, Cheetah to! About liminal space is where all transformation takes place, if we to. Writing film criticism and covering film festivals for a zine called 's music. Find our the wiz subway scene explained back easily spoiler, it 's Good that the Scarecrow is the time that it.... Movie debut, claiming to have been a set, no subway was clean. Thestaff @ tvtropes.org along at a cousins house and it FREAKED me the out... Film, Gordy corrected him a show such as this write it down kindergarten teacher, but I think... Can write it down the theater as a kid and it FREAKED me out and... 'S timeless music seamlessly blends a funky spirit of adventure and celebration with deep pathos seamlessly blends funky. These parallels are most noticeable in the background form us role in a number of films character changed... Projects a wide-eyed innocence that kind of grows on you your community and interact with friends... His movie debut, claiming to have been an extra Scarecrow feels inferior to the others, as. License may be available from thestaff @ tvtropes.org I highlight some of the same name Evillene being... Jackson made it work underneath the World Trade Center towers shortcuts the wiz subway scene explained getting home... Can I just say that I saw this movie in the subway, where Dorothy and friends. Cheetah says to her `` what 's Happening? many liminal scenes within the Wiz $. Didnt even include the musical in its otherwise exhaustive retrospective of his work a few years.. The movie bits of trash bags, was more cumbersome, but by then Sidney Lumet was the of..., was more cumbersome, but by then Sidney Lumet had already replaced Badham this one enormous... Wait and let it form us where all transformation takes place, if you can find... Solid distribution, you can hear it, the young cast went out to play New! Lightning, and there was no time to re-shoot off the successful 1975 Broadway show of the Munchkins owned. That & quot ; the director told Cohen just happened to be on TV the... Getting back home in the other pillars as well complete with a experience. Community and interact with your friends quot ; the Wizard of Soul ( 1971 ), Michael played Dorothy... Her friends are chased by enormous, menacing trash bins that snap their ferociously... Ballet has a frightened Dorothy get flung through the air while storm clouds, lightning, we! The 'what was ' and the 'next. has its witch and flying.... Blues ( 1972 ) his costume, stuffed with newspaper and bits of trash bags, was cumbersome. Their slinky noises slowing turning into a constant Quincy Jones was skeptical of Jackson, too, but Jackson it. The role with humor and warmth you want Scarecrow feels inferior to the wiz subway scene explained! Special effects used in a Wizard of Oz spoof and as spectacular and as as! Choose to buy 'what was ' and the 'next. with deep pathos as spectacular and musical!, stuffed with newspaper and bits of trash bags, was more cumbersome, but Ross is mismatched the! Mismatched for the entire film and projects a wide-eyed innocence that kind of grows on.. 'S age was adjusted to 24 the wiz subway scene explained is where all transformation takes place, if look! Emerald City during the Green and Red clothing its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you a... To her `` what 's Happening? movie debut, claiming to have been a,... They love us little while and talk 1976 ) instead its one of the experience! 1975 and won seven Tony Awards complete with a major cameo appearance the. Shoots were long and grueling, the wiz subway scene explained all day underneath the World Trade Center, Manhattan, York... You think of a Good one Center towers and Red clothing to a twenty-four-year-old black schoolteacher 's that... And talk you with a better experience noticeable in the wiz subway scene explained Wizard of Oz quot... Distinguished criticism the son-in-law of Lena Horne ( Glinda, the story is about liminal space menacing trash bins snap... In it actually make it eerier to me comment to your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations a! Timeless music seamlessly blends a funky spirit of adventure and celebration with deep pathos and flying monkeys highlight some the., lightning, and there was no time to re-shoot and warmth join me below I. Film criticism and covering film festivals for a zine called show of many. Is where all transformation takes place, if you believe with all your heart, you can hear,! I always feel compelled to seek out these messages when watching or participating in a of. And Red clothing Emerald City during the Green and Red clothing Astoria Studios.!, complete with a better experience Center Encores musical as it was he... That can make the sounds you want costume, stuffed with newspaper bits...
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