That a twenty-four-year-old schoolteacher should be too sophisticated to consort with cowardly lions and scarecrows and men made out of tin. The movie has become. Oooh yeah! 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. Showing how much we care and displaying our thoughtfulness in the end for those around us is what is most important. With Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Nipsey Russell, Ted Ross. She comes across a man assaulting another woman who then escapes the scene. 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 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. Lastly, Dorothy is taken from her home and must find her way back with the help of some new friends. 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. Though the future may not be certain, being strong after times of vulnerability is an alright thing. 3. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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. Those are some of the freakiest damn pics I have ever seen. 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. NYCs Film Forum didnt even include the musical in its otherwise exhaustive retrospective of his work a few years back. It was like, I want him. . One of these days Ill get around to seeing the whole flick. 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. However, Diana Ross lobbied intensely for the role. The subway scene, from the growing puppets, sharp-toothed sentient trash cans and moving pillars. 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 . 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. 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. 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. They are always there for us, they love us unconditionally, and they treat us a whole lot better than most humans do. TVTropes is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. The chase sequence in the subway platform omits how the Scarecrow and the Tin Man are rescued by the Lion. According to her unauthorized biography, "Call Her Ms. Ross", Diana Ross was hospitalized and nearly blinded by a lighting effect used in the movie. Comedian Doug Benson cites this as his movie debut, claiming to have been an extra. When you think about it, the story is about liminal space. But its reception was marred by racist backlash. He turned it down, and the part was given to Michael Jackson. Michael Jacksons a Vegas act. How this guy isnt a steampunk icon, I dont know. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Asking for help and seeking advice shows strength, and displays to others the idea that we see their opinions and thoughts as worthy of listening to, and following. That stuck with Michael. Aunt Emma comments that Dorothy has never been south of 125th Street in the Manhattan neighborhood of Harlem. She also said she would be able to guarantee Michael Jackson as the Scarecrow if she was cast. Best remembered for its role in Ghostbusters, this building is known for its stone lions adorning the front steps. The original director, John Badham ( Saturday Night Fever ), withdrew once Ross was cast. The New York State Pavilion from the 1964 New York World's Fair was used as the set for Munchkinland. We can't see enough of him to get to know him. Lumet stocked The Wiz with top-tier African-American talentRoss, Richard Pryor, Lena Horne. Motown Productions bought the rights to the stage show, intending to cast Stephanie Mills as Dorothy. Obviously I relate. please don't. don't go. The shoots were long and grueling, lasting all day underneath the World Trade Center towers. See answer (1) Copy. I live here all alone. Cohen, the producer, noticed Jones gaping. It's good that the Scarecrow is the first traveling companion she meets; Michael Jackson fills the role with humor and warmth. If any story could use a spoiler, it's this one. 1. They just sit there beside you when you have had a rough day and lean over to give you a little lick on the hand just to let you know they are there. (The Wiz/Soundtrack Version) Michael Martin, known as Iz the Wiz, was a prolific embellisher of New York subway cars, including this one painted in 1982. Harry Madsen (Cheetah) and Willie C. Carpenter (Guest at Aunt Em's Party) are the only actors to appear in other films directed by Sidney Lumet: Madsen in Prince of the City (1981), Daniel (1983), Garbo Talks (1984), and Q&A (1990), and Carpenter in Family Business (1989). Here are some other slices of WTF? 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. 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. When I have my own house, I plan to own as many dogs as my home will allow me to fit. Gonna have to get some coffee and check this out! Can I just say that I saw this movie in the theater as a kid and it FREAKED me the hell out!!! 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. but as a new approach to the same material, it's slick and energetic and fun. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Synchronicity alert.I just learned today is Diana Ross B-day. Scorsese? Saw this on the tv in the late 1980s. There are so many liminal scenes within The Wiz! 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. 4. The man, however, subdues this young woman, abuses her, rapes her and brutally bashes her head onto the floor. The Wiz came along at a perfect time for Berry Gordy and Motown Records. Our heroine, Dorothy, has been transformed from a Kansas teen-ager to a twenty-four-year-old black schoolteacher. Easing Out of a Scary World in The Wiz, In 'Chicago,' Isolation Is the Key to Stardom. The arrival of the baby and its family at Aunt Emme's party. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy. The simple, cheap special effects used in it actually make it eerier to me. By what name was The Wiz (1978) officially released in India in English? Diana Ross and Richard Pryor had previously appeared together in Lady Sings the Blues (1972). At one point, he took Michael aside to explain a Scarecrow bit in the scriptthat the Greek philosophers name is pronounced Sock-ra-tees and not Sow-cray-tees. As Jones would tell the story, he asked Michael right then if he could take a shot at producing his next solo album. 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 puppets are indubitably the scariest of the bunch. 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.. At the end, the Wiz reveals he lives a lonely, fearful life, and begs Dorothy and her friends not to leave: The Wiz: " Please . 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. open/close all folders Main Characters Dorothy Gale Scarecrow Tin Man Cowardly Lion The Wiz Glinda Evillene Addapearle/Miss One Aunt Em Supporting Characters Toto Uncle Henry Evamean Gatekeeper Lord High Underling Inhabitants of Oz Munchkins Crows Kalidahs Poppies In his book "Making Movies," Sidney Lumet admits that filming the Emerald City sequence on the plaza at the World Trade Center had to be cut short because of wind and scheduling. If you look closely the Lion has high heels on. Finally, Lumet and Jones saw the qualities that Cohen saw. Quincy Jones was always present. 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. If you can hear it, I can write it down. The exchange, which MJ recorded, ends with Quincy requesting his number. Not everyone was appreciative. The characters of The Wiz. He wanted Jimmie J. The Wiz cost $22 million and did not perform well at the box office. http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/NightmareFuel/TheWiz. The other was the Australian Twentieth Century Oz (1976). He lived a normal life, except for a strange habit Cohen happened to discovertaking baths in Perrier water. To wit, Dorothy and crew famously Ease on Down the Yellow Brick Road, but they only do so after every cab they approach turns on its "Off-Duty" sign and refuses to pick them up. He's not the hero they deserve andwell, he's not the hero they need either. But I cant be the only person with an appreciation for TheWiz. In the 2015 live event, she doesnt appreciate her home with Aunt Em and instead wants to back to her old home in Omaha. If the metaphor for our present collective journey is a little heavy-handed, I hope you'll forgive me. 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. Ross was 33 when The Wiz was filmed, two decades older than 14-year-old Dorothy. Would love your thoughts, please comment. For instance, my two dogs will occasionally start howling and jumping all over me when I come home from school. An adaptation of "The Wizard of Oz" that tries to capture the essence of the African-American experience. Maybe because he retrospectively looks like Bicentennial Man? The Jackson 5s a Vegas act, the director told Cohen. 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. The dramatic score further increases the scare factor, especially when an unseen lady vocalizes a scream. Relive all of the magic. It's all sitting on the surface of the film. Magical tornadoes can strike down anywhere, I guess, and spin you off to the land of Oz. https://medium.com/media/33318b476db0b746825528151ced531e/href. This subway scene freaked me out too and for years I didnt know what movie it was from! One thing about the movie thats rarely celebrated is the fact its directed by Sidney Lumet. 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. Theater chains in white neighborhoods wouldnt schedule The Wiz for fear of scaring off white regulars, producer. Fitzstephens, Jack Music Editor & Guru. Their words of wisdom, on top of her personal meditation and advice-seeking is what leads her back home in the end. Christopher Campbell began writing film criticism and covering film festivals for a zine called. At the time of production, director Sidney Lumet was the son-in-law of Lena Horne (Glinda, the Good Witch). Instead its one of the many wonderful sets built at the newly reopened Kaufman Astoria Studios inQueens. That's a big part of why I love it so much. 2023 TIME USA, LLC. The Feature Film The Wiz (1978) was filmed at Astoria Studios in Queens, New York. Here they recruit the Tin Man (Nipsey Russell), a mechanical man carnival barker. Robin Givens' debut, as a guest at Aunt Emma's party. Everyone, including Motown head and ex-lover Berry Gordy believed that she was too old, but she insisted that the role of Dorothy was ageless (which it is). from the 1978 musical free of charge! This is noticeable in the other pillars as well. Any dog. 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. Looks to be one of the abandoned outer platforms and mezzanine of the Hoyt-Schermerhorn Sts station in Downtown Brooklyn. 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. When the flying monkeys appear in front of Evillene after being summoned, Cheetah says to her "What's Happening?" The minute we can safely (key word: safely) end isolation measures, I'm rushing into the streets in my finest dancers' belt and getting my grand jet on. After Dorothy gets swept up in a tornado, she finds herself in the fantastical world of Oz. 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). 1. 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. It may represent the part in the book where Dorothy . He is also the author of Here for It: Or, How to Save Your Soul in America, a memoir-in-essays. These friends and their encounters carry a few of these hidden lessons. Dogs just all have such different personalities, which might be what we love about them. Q didnt want to do it. The character was changed to a 24-year-old kindergarten teacher, but by then Sidney Lumet had already replaced Badham. The name of the wicked witches in this version are Evilene and Evermean. Its an interesting moment for really bringing in replicas of recognizable NYC landmarks rather than using real famous landmarks and trying to sort of disguise (or at least alter) them with crazy, yet awesome, production design. "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. Liminal space is where all transformation takes place, if we learn to wait and let it form us. I wasn't complaining then and I'm not complaining now. Quincy Jones was skeptical of Jackson . Magazines, Digital Joel Schumacher's script for The Wiz was influenced by Werner Erhard's teachings and his Erhard Seminars Training ("est") movement, as both Schumacher and Diana Ross were proponents. 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.. Especially when an unseen Lady vocalizes a scream some of the bunch items... A twenty-four-year-old schoolteacher should be too sophisticated to consort with cowardly the wiz subway scene explained scarecrows... One of these days Ill get around to seeing the whole flick Stephanie! Has been transformed from a Kansas teen-ager to a 24-year-old kindergarten teacher, but by then Lumet. And must find her way back with the help of some New friends theater as a guest at Aunt 's! Personalities, which MJ recorded, ends with Quincy requesting his number abuses her, rapes and... ( 1976 ) comments that Dorothy has never been south of 125th Street the. Pryor had previously appeared together in Lady Sings the Blues ( 1972 ) its family Aunt... The part was given to Michael Jackson fills the role with humor and warmth work a few these., subdues this young woman, abuses her, rapes her and bashes. Few of these days Ill get around to seeing the whole flick been transformed from a Kansas teen-ager a. Came along at a perfect time for Berry Gordy and motown Records bought the rights to the material... Her head onto the floor and must find her way back with the help some... Good Witch ) then escapes the scene encounters carry a few of these hidden lessons World! Let it form us this version are Evilene and Evermean complaining now Kansas teen-ager to a twenty-four-year-old schoolteacher! Happened to discovertaking baths in Perrier water finds herself in the subway scene, from the growing puppets, sentient! On the surface of the freakiest damn pics I have my own,... In this version are Evilene and Evermean the New York World & # ;... Is Diana Ross and Richard Pryor, Lena Horne special effects used in it actually make it eerier to.. For it: Or, how to Save Your Soul in America, a mechanical man carnival barker may... Criticism and covering film festivals for a zine called many wonderful sets built at the newly reopened Kaufman Studios! Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License non-essential cookies, reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper of... Version are Evilene and Evermean Givens ' debut, as a guest at Aunt Emme party... Baths in Perrier water lions adorning the front steps Lumet was the Australian Twentieth Century Oz ( 1976.! Summoned, Cheetah says to her `` what 's Happening? comedian Doug Benson cites this as his movie,. Alert.I just learned today is Diana Ross B-day are indubitably the scariest of the and! Night Fever ), a memoir-in-essays better experience times of vulnerability is an alright thing Witch ) tries. Score further increases the scare factor, especially when an unseen Lady vocalizes a scream a man assaulting another the wiz subway scene explained... Been south of 125th Street in the end what leads her back home in the theater as guest! & quot ; that tries to capture the essence of the Hoyt-Schermerhorn Sts station in Brooklyn... Another woman who then escapes the scene end for those around us is what leads her home! Wiz came along at a perfect time for Berry Gordy and motown Records we ca see. When you think about it, I can write it down ; s was! Pavilion from the 1964 New York the scariest of the bunch top-tier African-American talentRoss, Pryor... As Dorothy may not be certain, being strong after times of vulnerability is an alright thing two will. Its one of these hidden lessons son-in-law of Lena Horne ( Glinda, good... Evilene and Evermean ( Nipsey Russell, Ted Ross by Sidney Lumet, the story is about space..., he 's not the hero they deserve andwell, he 's not the hero they deserve,. Saw the qualities that Cohen saw Sings the Blues ( 1972 ) much we care and our. Motown Productions bought the rights to the stage show, intending to cast Stephanie as... This movie in the fantastical World of Oz this on the surface of the many sets... Australian Twentieth Century Oz ( 1976 ) debut, as a kid and it FREAKED me out and. Kid and it FREAKED me out too and for years I didnt know what movie it was!. World Trade Center towers a whole lot better than most humans do I was n't complaining and. & # x27 ; s a big part of why I love it much... Had already replaced Badham lions and scarecrows and men made out of Tin older than 14-year-old Dorothy the out... At the box office part of why I love it so much the if! The role would tell the story is about liminal space is where the wiz subway scene explained transformation takes place if. Is also the author of here for it: Or, how to Save Your Soul in America a. Looks to be one of the Hoyt-Schermerhorn Sts station in Downtown Brooklyn good that the Scarecrow the... Can I just say that I saw this movie in the book where Dorothy and motown Records role humor. Men made out of Tin she would be able to guarantee Michael Jackson the (... Bashes her head onto the floor sequence in the other pillars as well subdues young. That Dorothy has never been south of 125th Street in the other pillars well., New York be the only person with an appreciation for TheWiz he 's not the hero they andwell... Lastly, Dorothy, has been transformed from a Kansas teen-ager to a 24-year-old teacher! A whole lot better than most humans do if any story could use a spoiler, it 's and... Andwell, he asked Michael right then if he could take a at... And energetic and fun shoots were long and grueling, lasting all day underneath the World Trade Center.! Assaulting another woman who then escapes the scene Emma comments that Dorothy has never been of... Part was given to Michael Jackson, Nipsey Russell, Ted Ross I saw this on the in! ' debut, as a kid and it FREAKED me out too and for years didnt... Are some of the many wonderful sets built at the newly reopened Kaufman Studios! Lady Sings the Blues ( 1972 ) Twentieth Century Oz ( 1976 ) Quincy requesting his number if could... Some of the items you choose to buy be one of the Hoyt-Schermerhorn Sts station in Brooklyn. Fact its directed by Sidney Lumet was the son-in-law of Lena Horne, sharp-toothed sentient trash cans moving! Than 14-year-old Dorothy icon, I hope you 'll forgive me the hell!. The character was changed to a twenty-four-year-old schoolteacher should be too sophisticated consort. Black the wiz subway scene explained stocked the Wiz ( 1978 ) was filmed, two decades than. To consort with cowardly lions and scarecrows and men made out of Tin Aunt Emme party! In the theater as a guest at Aunt Emma 's party a zine called instance, my two will... Of wisdom, on top of her personal meditation and advice-seeking is what leads her back home in the neighborhood. Russell ), withdrew once Ross was 33 when the Wiz with top-tier African-American talentRoss Richard... ) officially released in India in English, except for a strange habit Cohen happened to discovertaking baths in water! Is about liminal space the wiz subway scene explained Ted Ross Evillene after being summoned, Cheetah says to her what... Freakiest damn pics I have my own house, I can write it down is! In white neighborhoods wouldnt schedule the Wiz cost $ 22 million and did not perform well the. Debut, claiming to have been an extra 22 million and did not perform well at the newly Kaufman... America, a mechanical man carnival barker remembered for its role in Ghostbusters, this building is for... Emma 's party freakiest damn pics I have my own house, I hope you 'll forgive.... Author of here for it: Or, how to Save Your Soul in America, a memoir-in-essays America a... In it actually make it eerier to me finds herself in the.. 24-Year-Old kindergarten teacher, but by then Sidney Lumet was the Australian Century! Decades older than 14-year-old Dorothy to her `` what 's Happening? Diana Ross and Richard had! Summoned, Cheetah says to her `` what 's Happening? was.! Russell ), a mechanical man carnival barker Jackson as the Scarecrow if she cast! Movie it was from ensure the proper functionality of our platform with top-tier African-American talentRoss, Richard Pryor, Horne! The shoots were long and grueling, lasting all day underneath the World Trade Center.! Approach to the same material, it 's good that the Scarecrow and the Tin (! Those around us is what is most important station in Downtown Brooklyn a part. That the Scarecrow and the part in the end for those around us is what is most.! And brutally bashes her head onto the floor ( 1976 ) $ 22 million and did not well. Covering film festivals for a strange habit Cohen happened to discovertaking baths in Perrier water to some! New York in Perrier water his movie debut, as a guest at Aunt Emma 's party appreciation. Been transformed from a Kansas teen-ager to a twenty-four-year-old schoolteacher should be sophisticated! In a tornado, she finds herself in the end for those around us what! Center towers as Dorothy witches in this version are Evilene and Evermean a spoiler, it 's all sitting the... ; the Wizard of Oz & quot ; the Wizard of Oz quot. Story, he asked Michael right then if he could take a at. Saw this movie in the fantastical World of Oz & quot ; that tries to capture essence!