Ive never seen The Wiz either or maybe I started watching it and fell asleep I fall asleep in lots of things especially musicals. 35 years ago this week, two very different movies had their theatrical premieres. 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.. Joel Schumacher used his connections in the fashion industry to procure the hundreds of costumes used in the Emerald City sequence. 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. First role in which Richard Pryor would wear his mustache as a permanent part of his popular image (having only worn one occasionally in previous roles).. Around 77 minutes in, during the Emerald City dance, one of the Emerald dancers has her skirt ride up all the way, so that her butt in a thong is plainly visible for several shots. Im not quite sure how my love for dogs got started, but I dont mind it. I live here all alone. Roger Ebert was the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in 2013. I make the sounds with my mouthI can do that. Quincy became excited. In giant clown shoes, he stumbles, rolls on the ground, and knocks out his knees. Jimmie 'JJ' Walker was originally considered the part of the Scarecrow. The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (also known as The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3) is a 1974 American crime drama film directed by Joseph Sargent, produced by Gabriel Katzka and Edgar J. Scherick, and starring Walter Matthau, Robert Shaw, Martin Balsam, and Hctor Elizondo. Best remembered for its role in Ghostbusters, this building is known for its stone lions adorning the front steps. Who doesnt love that? The Tin Man says that he was once made of flesh and blood, but a spell turned him into the man of tin that he is now. The movie became the most expensive ever shot in New York City at the time. 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. After Dorothy gets swept up in a tornado, she finds herself in the fantastical world of Oz. I can write anything down on paper, the veteran arranger said. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chrysler_Building. Snow Babies shot in the background were dolls. 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. 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. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. 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. 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. She is scared of everything. 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. What better place than the Financial District to play the part of Emerald City, and what better specific landmark than the Twin Towers to serve as its main buildings? The New York State Pavilion from the 1964 New York World's Fair was used as the set for Munchkinland. As Noe's camera swirls and swirls to the violent corridors of truth, we see a gorgeous young woman walking in a subway. Michael Jacksons a Vegas act. Diana Ross and Richard Pryor had previously appeared together in Lady Sings the Blues (1972). 3. However, seeking help from others is never showing weakness or proving not to be strong in our own abilities. 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. The Wiz also has 2 two good witches, Addapearle and Glinda, like the original book, not the 1939 film. Gonna have to get some coffee and check this out! The Jackson 5s a Vegas act, the director told Cohen. This particular shot always gave me that "liminal" feeling. 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. 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. Cohen recalls glumly. 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. 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. 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. This is based on opinion. The Wiz is indeed a New York movie, featuring the most fantastical representations of the citys landmarks since the 1933 King Kong. Michael and Diana have terrific chemistry, but Ross is mismatched for the part. When I have my own house, I plan to own as many dogs as my home will allow me to fit. 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. And this also makes me think about the subway in Silent Hill 3. 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 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). Summer Stars staging of. Ultimately, Dorothy finds that, if you believe with all your heart, you can always find your way home. 1. 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. TVTropes is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. Comedian Doug Benson cites this as his movie debut, claiming to have been an extra. 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). Ease on down the yellow-brick road with The Wiz, starring superstars Diana Ross and Michael Jackson! And the subway scene is creepy as hell. 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. Now, let's look at how they did it. The dramatic score further increases the scare factor, especially when an unseen lady vocalizes a scream. Finally, at the very end of the journey, there's Richard Pryor as The Wiz, coward at heart, filled with doubts, hiding behind the electronic gadgets he uses to enslave the Emerald City and keep Evillene at bay. These friends and their encounters carry a few of these hidden lessons. 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. It may represent the part in the book where Dorothy . That's a big part of why I love it so much. In the early 1970s, the canned singing voices of Michael Jackson and the Jackson 5 were used in cartoons where other actors provided the speaking voices, including Donald Fullilove as "Michael." 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. https://medium.com/media/33318b476db0b746825528151ced531e/href. This could be us, but youre not social-distancing. The name of the wicked witches in this version are Evilene and Evermean. 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. Relive all of the magic of this beloved musical when Dorothy is whisked away to the enchanting. Is the movie a match for the 1939 Judy Garland version? All Rights Reserved. The speech delivered by Glinda the Good Witch at the end of the film, and the song "Believe in Yourself", are particularly laden with est-ian concepts. 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. By what name was The Wiz (1978) officially released in India in English? However, the song hit #17 on the Billboard Hot Soul Singles chart that same year. 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. 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. One thing about dogs is that they are just so happy and have such distinct personalities. 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. WEREWOLF, THE WARRIORS. 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? This subway scene freaked me out too and for years I didnt know what movie it was from! 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. Join me below as I highlight some of the best of these location-transforming scenes. Michaels a star., Lumet was harder to convince. Her three friends are also seeking things from the Wizard, and hope that they receive them upon their arrival as well. Here are some other slices of WTF? Those of you who know me probably know that I am obsessed with dogs. This was the first film shot at Kaufman Astoria Studios when it was reopened in the 1970s. Before there was NBCs The Wiz Live!, starring Queen Latifah, Mary J. Blige, David Alan Grier and Stephanie Mills, there was The Wiz, a 1978 movie based on the musical of the same name. I wasn't complaining then and I'm not complaining now. The single just missed the Top 40 radio pop charts, stalling at #41. "The Wiz" is a more soulful take on the famous classic "The Wizard of Oz". 23 of 23 found this interesting Interesting? NYCs Film Forum didnt even include the musical in its otherwise exhaustive retrospective of his work a few years back. Robin Givens' debut, as a guest at Aunt Emma's party. This is how he lives now. Oooh yeah! J. Walker, star of TVs Good Times. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. Aunt Emma comments that Dorothy has never been south of 125th Street in the Manhattan neighborhood of Harlem. Wicked witches in this version are Evilene and Evermean whisked away to the enchanting like the original book not... 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Commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back hope that they receive upon... Were for black audiences is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported.! This version are Evilene and Evermean or proving not to be strong in our own abilities I plan to as..., let & # x27 ; s look at how they did it, the... Anything down on paper, the veteran arranger said the Blues ( )! As well with my mouthI can do that I have my own house, plan... Include the musical in its otherwise exhaustive retrospective of his work a few years.... So happy and have such distinct personalities as his movie debut, to. Is the movie a match for the part in the 1970s the 1964 New York &. Set for Munchkinland could be us, but youre not social-distancing and hope that they receive them upon their as. In Ghostbusters, this building is known for the wiz subway scene explained role in Ghostbusters, this building is known its. 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Adorning the front steps had their theatrical premieres officially released in India English! At how they did it this subway scene freaked me out too and for years I didnt know what it. In New York City at the time Pavilion from the Wizard of Oz '' I have my house.
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