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Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Nipsey Russell, Lena Horne, Richard Pryor ... see more see more... , Ted Ross , Mabel King , Mariann Aalda , Alvin Alexis , Vicki Baltimore , Clyde J. Barrett , Claude Brooks , Thelma Carpenter , Willie C. Carpenter , Stanley Greene , Carlton Johnson , Theresa Merritt , Jaime Perry , Mabel Robinson , Glory Van Scott , Ted Williams , Dorothy Fox , Harry Madsen , Joe Lynn , Billie Allen , Ted Butler , Donald King , Johnny Brown

Sidney Lumet's The Wiz is the film version of the popular Broadway musical that retells the events of L. Frank Baum's classic novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz through the eyes of a young African-Ameri... read more read more...can kindergarten teacher who's "never been below 125th Street." Leaving a large family dinner to chase her dog into a snowstorm, Dorothy (Diana Ross) is swept up by a cyclone and transplanted to the land of Oz -- which looks suspiciously like a skewed version of the run-down Manhattan of the late '70s. Landing on top of the Wicked Witch of the East, the puzzled Dorothy is greeted by munchkins who peel themselves from a graffiti mural and sing to her about the Wiz (Richard Pryor), a powerful wizard living in Emerald City who can help her get home. On her journey down the yellow brick road, she encounters a garbage-stuffed scarecrow (Michael Jackson) in a junkyard, a broken-down tin man (Nipsey Russell) caught in the decay of an old amusement park, and a cowardly lion (Ted Ross) posing as a stone statue outside a museum. The quartet tangles with a subway station that comes to life, a poppy den, and a gaggle of motorcycle henchman on their way to the Wiz -- who orders them to kill the Wicked Witch of the West (a sweatshop tyrant) before he will grant them their wishes. The Wiz has about double the large-scale production numbers of The Wizard of Oz (1939), with songs written and composed by Charlie Smalls. ~ Derek Armstrong, Rovi

Flixster Users

62% liked it

33,780 ratings

Critics

29% liked it

21 critics

G, 2 hr. 15 min.

Directed by: Sidney Lumet

Release Date: October 24, 1978

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DVD Release Date: April 13, 1999

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Stats: 1,779 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (1,779)

  • fb100002359227440
    September 13, 2011
    fb100002359227440
    With the charm bringing by the stars and the director Lumet, The Wiz, isn't a film really good. Showing along the picture an expectable end and apparent offend the intelligence of the audience, just like the scenes where Scarecrow, desperate for a brain, clearly presents beautifu... read morel citations and most of the ideas, as like Tinman crying and want a heart and the coward Lion exhibit an great courage. Neither L. Frank Baum's novel and the 1939 version show to be so expectable. The screenplay by Joel Schumacher are weak, but in some moments presents criatives parts. The dog that make the character of Toto is terrible too with awful trained, Ross have a few good scenes, but her acting flaw too, Dorothy looks old and neurotic. The slowed and dramatic song perform by her leave the film boring and rotten, by the way the "Ease On Down the Road" sing by Dorothy and Scarecrow are very good, but very repeat. Another songs are nice, what better the movie, the same thing with the art direction and cinematograhy, which are terrific. Richard Pryor presents a good acting too, for me the best in the picture. The Wiz is a nice movie, but could be much, much better. Anyway Sidney Lumet's version impress for his criative dark humor, some good songs, the all cast formed of black actors - another criative thing in this film -, the art direction and the hard attempt of Schumacher and Lumet on make an terrific movie, what unfortunately isn't, but this is for me a little cult piece of art with surrealism and smart minds. Rotten.
  • spielberg00
    September 9, 2011
    spielberg00
    Starring Michael Jackson and Diana Ross, THE WIZ is like a black version of THE WIZARD OF OZ, except less pleasing, less imaginative, and more boring.
  • ajv2688
    January 6, 2011
    ajv2688
    This is one of those movies people either love or hate, personally I hated it when I saw it as a kid, it seemed to me that this was just the Wizard of Oz with an all black cast, and I didn't see the reason for it. Plus, it has a totally different, and very strange, kind of style... read more that I just couldn't understand. I hated it, but I may give it another try someday.
  • FilmFanatik
    January 15, 2010
    FilmFanatik
    Ha Ha! Can't say I hold this in high esteem.
  • stormyweather980
    January 5, 2010
    stormyweather980
    Just average. I watched it because it was related to the "Wizard of Oz", which is one of my all-time favorites, and it has Michael Jackson (I love his music), and Diana Ross (she had the #1 hit, "Upside Down", when I was born) in it. It was alright, funny to see Jackson acting in... read more a movie, but nothing special.
  • thmtsang
    July 11, 2009
    thmtsang
    Dorothy (Diana) is caught up in a cyclone when she chases her dog. She ends up in the urban version of Oz. Michael Jackson plays the scarecrow.
  • matertenebraum
    June 29, 2009
    matertenebraum
    I read someone else's comments on the Wiz that I totally disagree on and would like to comment on. Someone said that the film was racist and that only black people appeared in the movie. That is very untrue. The movie has a mixture of both black AND white people, and if you think... read more about it,in the origional "wizard of oz" I don't recall seeing any black people in that movie at all. I love "The Wiz" because it took "The Wizard of Oz" to a more interesting level. It was set in New York, it kept the storyline of the origional and adjusted it in different ways which I thought worked very well ! My favourite character is the scarecrow (played by Michael Jackson) because he suited the part perfectly !! Being the sweet, shy and kind person that he is. I think he really brings the film to life, and I'm constantly rewinding the part of the film with him and the crows! He's adorable!. R.I.P Michael Jackson (1958-2009)
  • Godless
    April 5, 2009
    Godless
    Unwatchable
  • rayman0071
    November 12, 2008
    rayman0071
    The only film that her co-star Billy Dee Williams is not in. But as far as the rest of it goes,its sensational from beginning to end. No where else you can find Nipsey Russell, Ted Ross and Michael Jackson together in one picture. Who would have thought that director Sidney Lumet... read more(the man who was behind "Serpico", "Dog Day Afternoon",and "12 Angry Men")who take the reigns of making a musical featuring Diana Ross and Michael Jackson?
    It was anybody guess and it became of the biggest hits of the late 1970's
  • LitelBluHli
    December 2, 2007
    LitelBluHli
    My 6th grade drama teacher showed this to the class. I enjoyed it very much!

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Critic Reviews

Dennis Schwartz
May 23, 2011
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews

It lost its magic. Full Review

Emanuel Levy
May 8, 2011
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com

Sidney Lumet's all-black musical, starring Diana Ross, is a failed effort to transfer the setting of the Judy Graland musical to contempo Manhattan. Full Review

Andrew L. Urban
October 25, 2008
Andrew L. Urban, Urban Cinefile

Well, it's nice to see the child-voiced Michael Jackson with a bulbous brown nose in this black American retake of The Wizard Of Oz Full Review

Emanuel Levy
August 14, 2005
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com

Among many faults, Diana Ross is miscast

Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
January 24, 2004
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, Spirituality and Practice

A celebration of personhood with plenty of rousing rock-and-soul-and gospel music. Full Review

James Sanford
July 15, 2003
James Sanford, Kalamazoo Gazette

Flat-footed screen version of a jubilant show; a miscast mess, sad to say

Alex Sandell
April 1, 2003
Alex Sandell, Juicy Cerebellum

This one's so bad it's good, but not so good that I'd say that it isn't bad.

Ken Hanke
November 20, 2002
Ken Hanke, Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

Nearly as lame as its reputation suggests.

Bob Bloom
August 30, 2002
Bob Bloom, Journal and Courier (Lafayette, IN)

A total misfire; Ross was too old for Dorothy. Badly dated, doesn't hold up at all.

Dave Kehr
August 19, 2004
Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader

Click to read the article Full Review

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The Wiz Trivia

  • in what movie staring michael jackson had the song ease on down the road?  Answer »
  • What character did Michael Jackson play in the movie The Wiz?  Answer »
  • Who said: "I'd like to dip you in Cheez Wiz and spread you all over a Ritz cracker, if I'm not being too subtle"?  Answer »
  • What classic film remake starred such actors as Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Richard Pryor and Mabell King, not to mention a few flying monkeys?   Answer »
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