I watched "The Wiz" again, nearly forty years after my first exposure to it in 1978. I didn't hate it, as many posters on this title claim to, but I didn't like it either at the time. It just sat there on the screen, oozing diffidence in every frame. I use the word diffidence since that seems to best describe the entire movie (def: hesitant in acting or speaking through lack of self-confidence 2 archaic : distrustful 3 : reserved, unassertive). I noticed this same feeling watching the movie again after so long. Suddenly, it dawned on me that the movie lacks any tension at all. It simply moves along at a snail's pace to an ending that's suddenly rushed beyond belief. The use of Diana Ross to play Dorothy never bothered me. Anyone paying attention to the screenplay knew even in 1978 that the story had been reimagined in nearly every aspect except for the basic plot line. It seems that the real reason Miss Ross isn't regarded very highly by many is not that she's "too old", but rather, not very good. She's alternately whiny or frightened, which doesn't make for much of a performance. Only when she sings "Home" do we get to see her range; those very real tears are worth waiting for. Director Sidney Lumet treated her cruelly, sweaty armpits in "Brand New Day" and the unflattering closeup of her feet in the Silver Slippers. Given great direction, Miss Ross could have been brilliant. We cannot blame her for working with someone who seemed to have no interest in her. So, that's that. Everyone, all major characters. suffer from being underwritten. That's the fault of screenwriter Joel Schumacher. There's so little information about anyone that we can't care very much. It's as if Schumacher thought we all know the basic story and players so well that it wasn't necessary to flesh them out while throwing them into new territory. The actors do the best they can here but cannot overcome the poor screenplay. For instance, why does Glinda send the "snowclone" that brings Dorothy to Oz? We're never told. Has she been watching Dorothy from afar or something? This simple scene is crucial to the plot, yet we're given nothing to base the activity on. Here is what I feel is the biggest mistake made by Shumacher: since the source material for "The Wiz" came from a children's story, a great villain is necessary to move the protagonists along in whatever quest they're on. "The Wiz" throws away it's greatest asset, Evillene. The director Victor Fleming (for the 1939 "Oz") understood that the threat of the Wicked Witch was very important to the story. He used the incomparable Margret Hamilton exactly right, allowing her to underscore the lighter parts of the story until her denouement brought the story to a great climax. "The Wiz" hides Evillene until the last third of the movie, making her show stopping "...Bad News" number less potent than it should have been. There's no sense of relief as she goes down. She's been dispatched with with no real sense of urgency, so let's all dance around. Mabel King was pretty much robbed of what should have been the juiciest role in the whole production, but it's a testament to her talent that what we do have is so memorable. Evillene's wickedness is handed off to that weird peddler and his puppets, and never explained at all. It's supposed to be frightening, but is so random there's no real fear. Everyone screams and runs around until the bad trash cans are defeated. The ending of this whole unfortunate film is a shouting match between all the characters. Richard Pryor is simply dropped once he's discovered and screamed at by everyone. The elegant Lena Horne is saddled under a gigantic glitter-covered shower cap surrounded by babies hung on wires. "Believe in Yourself" is belted out for people in the cheap seats, a real misfire on what should have been a great ballad. Again, very poor direction. Miss Ross says bye-bye to all her pals, belts out "Home" and hey presto, she's back. She runs in the house. The End. That's all folks. No tying up loose ends with the family, or resolution. It all feels empty. The visuals set up by designer Tony Walton look better than you remember. His vision of Oz as NYC is memorable in many ways; it's always great to remember the Twin Towers as they were. Enough years have gone by for the patina of time to soften the hard edges of the mistakes made. So, for what it's worth, "The Wiz" is still a viable watch. The blame for this misfire can be laid on the shoulders of Lumet and Shumacher. They took out the magic and wonder, which is the lifeblood of such tales.

I remember talking with people about this movie and watching it with others as a kid, and all of them loved it. As I got older, I read the reviews and criticisms of the film, and...people seem to hate this movie. Even as I scroll through the reviews on this website, I see a lot of posts that really pan the film. "This is a horrible, terrible movie," people say. Really? Is it really all that bad? I really enjoy it, and can't understand why a lot of people are so hard it. Does my enjoyment come from sheer nostalgia, or is there something here I'm seeing that other people don't?Well, what's bad about the movie? Well, I guess it's some of the changes to the story the filmmakers made. Like I began saying earlier, a lot of them just don't make sense. Why doesn't Dorothy live in Kansas? Why is she a kindergarten teacher? Why is the Wiz reduced to a scaredy cat? For those of you thinking that they wanted to change it to move away from the original "Wizard of Oz" story, or they wanted the film to appeal to Black people, keep in mind two problems with that: 1) Why would you try to appeal to Black people by changing the content from the original? The original already became timeless by focusing on the characters and story. When you try to make something appeal to a specific demographic of people by changing the location, characteristics, and type of dialogue, it doesn't become appealing, but patronizing. "What? Black people don't live in Kansas?" The audience will be with you so long as you treat them like human beings, not a different species of people. 2) This movie is also based on the Broadway musical, "The Wiz," which had a younger Dorothy set in Kansas, and a lot of other changes from the movie that came from the original story.Also, I mentioned earlier that Dorothy is a teacher. The reason is because Diana Ross begged the makers of the film to cast her in the movie, and she would ensure that Michael Jackson would also be in the film...Oh, and there's another flaw, I suppose: Michael Jackson, for as much as I love him, isn't a great actor. He has his moments, but overall he's not that great. To be fair, though, he's much better than Diana Ross. Again, I like her, but she just doesn't phase me as an actress. I don't think she's engaged in her character, and she often looks lost. The biggest problem I think this movie has is its changes and adaptations. It's not that they exist themselves - if you're going to make a movie based on a book, story, play, whatever, there are going to be changes. But the changes that are made just don't make sense, and they don't pay off well for the movie.With that being said, are there no good things to be said about the movie? On the contrary, I think there are a lot of good things about it! First of all, there are the songs! These songs will definitely have you singing and dancing along! They're written great, they're performed great, and they're memorable! I also like the performers in this film! I know I said Diana Ross and Michael Jackson were underwhelming, but there are moments their acting is fine. Plus, their songs are great. I also enjoy Nipsey Russell, Ted Ross, Lena Horne, Richard Pryor, Mabel King, Thelma Carpenter, and Theresa Merritt. Maybe it wasn't easy for them trying to act through bad writing, but their performances are enjoyable...It's hard to watch this film and not feel sad, though; all the main performers have passed away except for Diana Ross.For the most part, the costumes looks real. Michael Jackson doesn't look like he's dressed as a scarecrow - he looks like a scarecrow! Nipsey Russell doesn't look like he put on a tinman costume - he is a tinman! Ted Ross...looks like he's in a lion costume - I said "for the most part!" Also, I like how the message is delivered in this version of "The Wizard of Oz." I'll admit, I have seen the 1939 film adaptation in a long time, and I've never read the original book by L. Frank Baum. However, I love the way the message is conveyed in this adaptation out of all the versions I have seen. When you watch this movie, you get that the message is look inside yourself, you'll have what you've been searching for all along. This message isn't as clear, obvious, or memorable in the original movie adaptation. I know I'll have to watch it again, but I remember the message in this movie a lot more.Maybe I can't defend this as a good movie since there are some major problems with this adaptation, but if it is bad I think it's due to the different changes that were made in the writing, producing, and directing. However, the other aspects are so entertaining that they'll keep you coming back. I love the performers, I love the songs, I love the message, I love the quotable lines. In all honesty, this one is a favorite of mine. Hopefully you can take what I said and see if you agree; check it out. God bless you, and much love! BOOYIKA!

What a supreme act of hubris this idea turned out to be. A modern day Black Wizard of Oz shot in the hood ( mostly warehouses and mall parking lots ) with a Dorothy ( Diana Ross) in her mid 30s and with distinguished Gotham director Sidney Lumet at the helm the concept had an edge but the follow through is a complete swing and a miss. Shy and withdrawn Harlem denizen Dorothy rushes out into a snowstorm looking for her dog and soon finds herself disoriented and no longer in The Big Apple or Kansas but a series of drab caverness warehouses and parking lots paralleling the Judy Garland scenario played out every year on television, making new friends and heading for the Emerald City in search of The Wiz. It is one bad trip. With its superstar line-up of Ross, Richard Pryor and Michael Jackson one might think it impossible a musical comedy would be totally drained of any entertainment value but The Wiz surely is. Ross puts the final nail in her movie career (the first being Mahogony) as she screeches and squeals through her performance of an adult playing an adult as a child. Pryor brings nothing special to the dithering role of The Wiz while Jackson on the verge of super stardom is only allowed brief glimpses to display it. Lumet for his part seems content to haphazardly film huge chorus scenes under bad lighting to unmemorable music while putting the flying monkeys on motorcycles to harass Dorothy and pals in empty parking garages. His attention to keeping it real simply zaps the film of its joy and replaces it with an unrelenting shrillness from end to end. The Wiz is an unmitigated disaster. Considering the talent behind it, as failed a musical as you could ask for.

The first time I saw THE WIZ was when in first aired on TV back in the '80s. I was still a kid with a curfew, but luckily it was a Saturday, but at least I got to see it. I've seen the original THE WIZARD OF OZ more times than I can keep track, but this version always felt more relatable to be because I grew up in the Bronx in the '70s and '80s, and I remember those days of abandoned lots and practically every subway and building spray-painted with graffiti. But at least I was more mature and adventurous than this 24-year old Dorothy who lives like a teenager and has the emotional maturity of a preteen. Seriously, if her family was sheltering her, I can understand but apparently even her family want her to go out and experience life for a change. Just not in the middle of a Thanksgiving snowstorm in Harlem.I don't think Diana Ross was that bad, but I do feel that the role of Dorothy should've gone to someone much younger like a teenager. But then again, Judy Garland was also too old when she played Dorothy in 1939, and it didn't seem as drastic. To go from a young teenager to a 24 year old schoolteacher is a huge leap. Also, with all the beautiful costumes in the film, why give Dorothy the most bland lavender dress to wear? Even Judy looked cute in gingham.The thing that bothered me the most about the movie was the ending. After over two hours, you want the ending to be satisfying, especially after hearing the song "Home", but no, we just get Dorothy and Toto going back to their apartment. No seeing her family again. Nothing. Such a letdown.It's not a perfect adaptation, but you can tell there are fixable flaws to this still watchable film.