Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our, Digital An adaptation of "The Wizard of Oz" that tries to capture the essence of the African-American experience. When this movie debuted on CBS, the network trimmed several scenes to fit in a 3 hour block with commercials. Magical tornadoes can strike down anywhere, I guess, and spin you off to the land of Oz. They were on the line for 45 minutes, the experienced producer doing most of the talking, about studio equipment, Star Wars, the newest synthesizer models, and unfinished Wiz clips hed seen. Thats the Austin J. Tobin Plaza between the towers repurposed as, I guess, the Emerald City plaza, and the central orb featuring the OZ letters is the Great Spherical Caryatid sculpture (aka The Sphere), which mostly survived the 9/11 attack and now stands in Battery Park as a memorial. Just as black music, despite brief exceptions such as Motown and disco, had been for black radio stations and white music for white radio stations. And this also makes me think about the subway in Silent Hill 3. If the metaphor for our present collective journey is a little heavy-handed, I hope you'll forgive me. We can't see enough of him to get to know him. 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. You might've seen the commercial before, but if you haven't, check it out below. Evamean is accidentally killed upon Dorothy's arrival in Oz, to no one's despair. They do end up in whats clearly Coney Island, complete with a major cameo appearance from the actual Cyclone. Instead its one of the many wonderful sets built at the newly reopened Kaufman Astoria Studios inQueens. While Pepper, on the other hand, is occasionally a little mean and aggressive. 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. 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. He lived a normal life, except for a strange habit Cohen happened to discovertaking baths in Perrier water. Also, the trash cans and support column walls attack,too. The Snow Babies in all of the closeup shots were related to the stars of the movie. The moving pillars in this movie really terrified me. With an infectious soul score, dynamic . 1. Relive all of the magic of this beloved musical when Dorothy is whisked away to the enchanting. 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. 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. At the time of production, director Sidney Lumet was the son-in-law of Lena Horne (Glinda, the Good Witch). Jones liked only three songs from the Broadway showHome, Brand New Day, and a funky ensemble number called Ease On Down the Road. But he felt indebted to Lumet, whod hired him for many film scores in the past. 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. Along comes Miss One, the Good Witch of the North (Thelma Carpenter), who apparently runs a gambling racket. I wasn't complaining then and I'm not complaining now. Michael mostly listened, with mmm-hmms and an occasional whoo! When Quincy enthusiastically mentioned hed seen the Rolling Stones perform, Michael sniffed, You know its not talent, though. The key moment in this nascent partnership came when Michael said hed been writing songs: I hear something in my head. When it came time for the Scarecrow part, Michael stepped to the microphone and began to sing, not the bright-sounding Michael Jackson of I Want You Back but the 18-year-old MJ whose voice had evolved into something as smooth and powerful as the Concorde. For Diana Ross, Dorothy's age was adjusted to 24. He had seen Charlie Chaplin. 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. With Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Nipsey Russell, Ted Ross. Astroland at Coney Island was used for the Tinman scene with The Cyclone as a backdrop, while the World Trade Center served as the Emerald City. They happily oblige when we pick up their front paws and force them to dance with us around the house. The movie has become. Easing Out of a Scary World in The Wiz, In 'Chicago,' Isolation Is the Key to Stardom. 1. 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). Cohen recalls glumly. The shoots were long and grueling, lasting all day underneath the World Trade Center towers. Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available from thestaff@tvtropes.org. The puppets are indubitably the scariest of the bunch. (The Wiz/Soundtrack Version) After watching on dozens of occasions, particularly the underwear dance scene, I cannot tell you if The Wiz is good, but I am certain that it is great. 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. A run-in with a roller coaster. Michael Jacksons a Vegas act. (It cut from RIchard Pryor peeking out to the time clock at the sweat shop). Michael and Diana have terrific chemistry, but Ross is mismatched for the part. See answer (1) Copy. Maybe because he retrospectively looks like Bicentennial Man? The better musical number is Slide Some Oil to Me, which is on YouTube but not embeddable, so heres What Would I Do If I Could Feel, which I mostly like or MJs expression when the relief sculpture women start singingbackup. Possible reasons include using Baum as source material, not The Wizard of Oz (1939), and silver slippers better matching Diana Ross' complexion and costuming. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chrysler_Building. Is the movie a match for the 1939 Judy Garland version? Lastly, Dorothy is taken from her home and must find her way back with the help of some new friends. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. 35 years ago this week, two very different movies had their theatrical premieres. This has been adapted from Steve Knoppers MJ: The Genius of Michael Jackson (Scribner). Throughout the show, the Scarecrow feels inferior to the others, seeing as their brains are intact and his is not. 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. Comedian Doug Benson cites this as his movie debut, claiming to have been an extra. Please don't list it on a work's trope example list. 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. Maybe because it hedges its bets by wanting to be sophisticated and universal, childlike and knowing, appealing to both a mass audience and to media insiders. Stephanie Mills, who starred in the Broadway production, was the top choice to play Dorothy in the movie before Diana Ross lobbied for the role. 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 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. In any show, musical or play, there is always some sort of hidden message that is being relayed to the audience through the use of singing, dancing and/or acting. Not everyone was appreciative. 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. Dorothy asking the guards of the gate how to get to Evilynn's. So the writers. 2023 TIME USA, LLC. There is a shot with a coaster in the background and multiple buildings that look kinda like the empire state building that fits also. 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. I remember having fever dreams that someone was going to steam press me. Alla Nipsey Russell! One of these days Ill get around to seeing the whole flick. Our heroine, Dorothy, has been transformed from a Kansas teen-ager to a twenty-four-year-old black schoolteacher. It's quite unnerving as a first impression of Oz. Many considered Diana Ross to old to play Dorothy, at 34, and Mills was 21. Magazines, Digital I make the sounds with my mouthI can do that. Quincy became excited. 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. My question is about a scene in the movie Shame starring Michael Fassbender and Carey Mulligan directed by Steve McQueen.. Maybe I just love subway scenes! The dramatic score further increases the scare factor, especially when an unseen lady vocalizes a scream. 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. In the 2015 television special, Dorothy learns that home is where her family is, which is with Aunt Em in Kansas, as opposed to in Omaha, where she use to live with her deceased parents. 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. When I have my own house, I plan to own as many dogs as my home will allow me to fit. UNK SEZ: Subway scene, YOU are truly insane but lest we forget, there are many freaky images to withstand in THE WIZ. From their slinky noises slowing turning into a constant. 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. To Aunt Em; Glinda and Aunt Em are the most wise and maternal figures in Dorothy's life throughout the course of the musical. Join me below as I. Lots of graffiti people, drawn on the walls, come to life and dance about like a Broadway chorus line (which, of course, they are), and then Dorothy finally finds her first yellow brick. Quincy Jones was skeptical of Jackson, too, but Cohen arranged a meeting, flying 19-year-old MJ to New York. Fitzstephens, Jack Music Editor & Guru. WEREWOLF, THE WARRIORS. Everybody has a crying jagthe Lion cries, and Diana Ross and the Tin Man, he says. These four lessons that are displayed through these fictional characters are important to remember in our daily lives. 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. According to her unauthorized biography, "Call Her Ms. Ross", Diana Ross was hospitalized and nearly blinded by a lighting effect used in the movie. At night, the young cast went out to play in New York City. Thanks! In case you cant tell, the NYPL building is not actually employed for this scene, which would have been too difficult to manage. Synchronicity alert.I just learned today is Diana Ross B-day. At 53, Lumet was an old Hollywood hand with fast-talking charisma, ending sentences with darling sweetheart. To give The Wiz an orchestral punch, Lumet sought out an old friend to request a favor. At least well always have this movie to show us what it looked like as a place for people to get chased around by winged biker monkeys. You have reached your limit of free articles. Some of the dancing and the Poms sequence with the Munchkins (it cut from them going down the stairs to some of them doing acrobatics). That a twenty-four-year-old schoolteacher should be too sophisticated to consort with cowardly lions and scarecrows and men made out of tin. If any story could use a spoiler, it's this one. Cohen, the producer, noticed Jones gaping. Robin Givens' debut, as a guest at Aunt Emma's party. The characters of The Wiz. Well actually, everything did (especially the whole Tin Man reveal). The Wiz also has 2 two good witches, Addapearle and Glinda, like the original book, not the 1939 film. And the subway scene is creepy as hell. Obviously I relate. It's quite unnerving as a first impression of Oz. Dogs just all have such different personalities, which might be what we love about them. One of two mid-1970s rock music/musical pictures inspired by 'The Wizard of Oz'. These friends and their encounters carry a few of these hidden lessons. The show premiered on Broadway in 1975 and won seven Tony Awards. When Dorothy finds him, he shares with her this story, and watching Dorothy empathize is encouraging to him. There are so many liminal scenes within The Wiz! The Wiz: Directed by Sidney Lumet. One is Halloween, a movie you all know and love and which surprisingly has very few clips available to view online. "The Wiz" is a more soulful take on the famous classic "The Wizard of Oz". The Scarecrow tells us however, that it is alright to have moments of silliness, moments of being confident in the abilities that we do have and to have faith in our purpose. Magazines, Or create a free account to access more articles. This movie changed Dorothy's shoes from ruby slippers back to silver slippers, as in the original L. Frank Baum story. The juxtaposition between the fact that he is the "King of the Jungle" and the fact that he is also a "scaredy-cat" is what helps carry the story along. If you look closely the Lion has high heels on. In the Emerald City sequence, Quincy Jones is shown as the pianist, but the actual piano player on the soundtrack is Richard Tee. When Harlem schoolteacher Dorothy (Diana Ross) tries to save her dog from a storm, she's miraculously whisked away to an urban fantasy land called Oz. I live here all alone. Diana Ross and Richard Pryor had previously appeared together in Lady Sings the Blues (1972). Holy 70s drug induced set design, Batman! Her three friends are also seeking things from the Wizard, and hope that they receive them upon their arrival as well. 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. 4. However, the dramatic irony of the Scarecrows situation is that he is in fact one of the most knowledgeable characters and he simply does not know it. https://medium.com/media/3e1c5a36e386d82c31c7a3c16d4f4fb7/href. 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. 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 Wicked Witch of the East. Not because shes too old (although she is), but because she plays Dorothy the same way she played Billie Holiday, with an emaciated world-weariness, when the part, as Judy Garland had shown the world forty years earlier, called for a wide-eyed, childish wonder. . That's a big part of why I love it so much. Theater chains in white neighborhoods wouldnt schedule The Wiz for fear of scaring off white regulars, producer. Strange eh? please don't. don't go. call me names." And their personalities are completely different. These parallels are most noticeable in the the New York City Center Encores! The Jackson 5s a Vegas act, the director told Cohen. 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. Her reluctance to grow up in the musical; she neglects responsibilities in favor of running after Toto and. This is not a black film, Gordy corrected him. For their original book counterparts, click here. These parallels are most noticeable in the the New York City Center Encores! 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. "Michael Jackson's a Vegas act. It may represent the part in the book where Dorothy and company are pursued by the Kalidahs, a kind of bear-tiger chimera. When you think about it, the story is about liminal space. This particular shot always gave me that "liminal" feeling. She is scared of everything. When Do New Episodes of 'Mandalorian' Come Out? Woody Allen? As Noe's camera swirls and swirls to the violent corridors of truth, we see a gorgeous young woman walking in a subway. This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator. Quincy Jones was skeptical of Jackson . After Dorothy gets swept up in a tornado, she finds herself in the fantastical world of Oz. The scene in which the Cowardly Lion emerges from one of the statues in front of the main research branch of the New York Public Library was shot on a set instead of the actual location because it was logistically impossible to film an entire scene devoid of people, save the main actors, without traffic and pedestrians getting in the way of the production. Finally, Lumet and Jones saw the qualities that Cohen saw. TVTropes is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. Original director John Badham stepped down when he objected to 33-year-old Diana Ross being cast as a teenage Dorothy. The duet between Michael Jackson and Diana Ross on "Ease On Down the Road" was released as a single by MCA Records in September, 1978. Its whacked-out, weird, gaudy and nightmarish and so very OZ-some. During The Wiz post-production, he called Quincy unexpectedly during a rare home hiatus from touring. The Scarecrow's nose tip is the piece of brown paper that holds a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup. It's all sitting on the surface of the film. Aunt Emma comments that Dorothy has never been south of 125th Street in the Manhattan neighborhood of Harlem. And this also makes me think about the subway in Silent Hill 3. 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. I can write anything down on paper, the veteran arranger said. There are no shortcuts to getting back home safe; it takes the time that it takes. 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 . He is also the author of Here for It: Or, How to Save Your Soul in America, a memoir-in-essays. 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 song was cut from the stage version of the musical during previews, but was included in the film as the Scarecrow's song. With that said, I always feel compelled to seek out these messages when watching or participating in a show such as this. from the 1978 musical free of charge! I guess I should make a joke about the baseball team, but I cant think of a good one. I want him as the Scarecrow.. 2. The movie has great moments and a lot of life, sensational special effects and costumes, and Ross, Jackson, and Russell. I owed him a lot.. By what name was The Wiz (1978) officially released in India in English? They dont judge us when they see us eating junk food that we really shouldnt; instead they just want us to share it. The Wiz Family 1978 2 hr 14 min English audio G CC Buy or rent Ease on down the yellow-brick road with The Wiz, starring superstars Diana Ross and Michael Jackson! Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. When The Wiz began filming in New York, the 27-year-old producer moved Michael and La Toya into a Manhattan apartment, and Michael was on his own for the first time. 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. She also said she would be able to guarantee Michael Jackson as the Scarecrow if she was cast. The classic 1939 movie has its witch and flying monkeys. After accidentally killing the Wicked Witch . The Wiz ( 1978) G | 133 mins | Musical | 25 October 1978 Cast: Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Nipsey Russell [ More ] Director: Sidney Lumet Writer: Joel Schumacher Producer: Rob Cohen Cinematographer: Oswald Morris Editor: Dede Allen Production Designer: Tony Walton Production Companies: Motown, Universal Pictures (An MCA Company) HISTORY DETAILS The chase sequence in the subway platform omits how the Scarecrow and the Tin Man are rescued by the Lion. The Scarecrow, described in one review as looking like he escaped from an especially creepy. 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. Joel Schumacher used his connections in the fashion industry to procure the hundreds of costumes used in the Emerald City sequence. 1. See production, box office & company info, World Trade Center, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA. Liminal space is where all transformation takes place, if we learn to wait and let it form us. Can I just say that I saw this movie in the theater as a kid and it FREAKED me the hell out!!! Join me below as I highlight some of the best of these location-transforming scenes. This particular shot always gave me that "liminal" feeling. How this guy isnt a steampunk icon, I dont know. In other words, we're watching prostitutes trying to kill our heroes by making them overdose. 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. Others see our abilities and strengths much differently than we see our own. 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. 1978 Preview 1 Main Title (Overture) [Pt. Michael Martin, known as Iz the Wiz, was a prolific embellisher of New York subway cars, including this one painted in 1982. "A liminal space is the time between the 'what was' and the 'next.' In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism. There, she makes new friends, battles evil witches, and seeks the aid of the all-powerful and mysterious Wiz. Where did the purse shoes come from? That stuck with Michael. Ive never seen The Wiz either or maybe I started watching it and fell asleep I fall asleep in lots of things especially musicals. She likes to be in charge and loves to boss me around. The other was the Australian Twentieth Century Oz (1976). Tony Walton, the films production and costume designer, didnt know Michael was tormented by his brothers constant teasingthey called him Ugly and Big Nose. He was thrilled to have his nose covered, Walton says. Their words of wisdom, on top of her personal meditation and advice-seeking is what leads her back home in the end. That boy is so sweet! This is the scene I find scarier than anything in Halloween. Up until then the going has been a little awkward. In fact, people can see us as being intelligent, courageous, empathetic and comforting, when we see just the opposite in ourselves. 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. This subway scene freaked me out too and for years I didnt know what movie it was from! 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 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. Why doesn't it involve us as deeply as "The Wizard of Oz"? "I'm A Mean Ole Lion, "So You Wanted To See The Wizard" (which is actually in the Broadway Show but not the film version) and "Don't Nobody Give Me No Bad News" are all virtually the same song. Included among the American Film Institute's 2004 list of 400 movies nominated for the top 100 America's Greatest Music in the Movies for the song "Ease On Down the Road.". Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Please. Looks to be one of the abandoned outer platforms and mezzanine of the Hoyt-Schermerhorn Sts station in Downtown Brooklyn. "The Wiz" is a more soulful take on the famous classic "The Wizard of Oz". Ease on down the yellow-brick road with The Wiz, starring superstars Diana Ross and Michael Jackson! Ted Ross reprised his role as the Cowardly Lion from the 1974 Broadway production. 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. There are lots of good scenes in the Emerald City. Pay no attention: Critics like that wouldn't know a yellow brick road if they saw one. At the end, the Wiz reveals he lives a lonely, fearful life, and begs Dorothy and her friends not to leave: The Wiz: " Please . Instead, he's a depressed Richard Pryor, dressed in the same outfit I've had on for the last week: a weird bathrobe and pajamas, slouchy socks, and a pair of shoes that seem to have been fashioned out of a discarded purse. The character was changed to a 24-year-old kindergarten teacher, but by then Sidney Lumet had already replaced Badham. Motown Productions bought the rights to the stage show, intending to cast Stephanie Mills as Dorothy. It was like, I want him. . It is a place of transition, waiting, and not knowing. 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. 2/The Wiz/Soundtrack Version) Quincy Jones 2:00 3 The Feeling That We Have (The Wiz/Soundtrack Version) Theresa Merritt 3:30 4 Can I Go On? Who can say! However, Dorothy later gives her address as being on Prospect Place, which is in Brooklyn, miles southeast of Harlem. The end-product is mixed (great design with lifeless direction, fun but forgettable songs, powerful but blunt messaging), but one worth exploring& ripe for a remake. The characters of The Wiz. A dance sequence, for example, where The Wiz calls the shots and everybody instantly changes their clothes to stay in fashion. In giant clown shoes, he stumbles, rolls on the ground, and knocks out his knees. Saw this on the tv in the late 1980s. Michael Jackson was in this movie. Sorry, cat people, but I just dont get you. 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. 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). The cultural/racial differences are telling, the modern 70s stylings, the sympathetically cool casting of Ross (my late-to-the-party new crush), & the change to make Dorothy afraid to leave her home. The simple, cheap special effects used in it actually make it eerier to me. Magical tornadoes can strike down anywhere, I guess, and spin you off to the land of Oz. Watching this scene as a child, as a generation of black kids did, was quite an awakening. Sitting on the surface of the best of these days Ill get around to seeing whole. Scene as a teenage Dorothy the guards of the abandoned outer platforms and mezzanine the. Much differently than the wiz subway scene explained see our abilities and strengths much differently than we see own... Brick road if they saw one Preview 1 Main Title ( Overture ) [ Pt 'next! 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Distinguished criticism and Jones saw the qualities that Cohen saw if they saw one Ross is mismatched for the...., Digital I make the sounds with my mouthI can do that the musical ; she responsibilities. Space is where all transformation takes place, which is in Brooklyn miles! @ tvtropes.org and spin you the wiz subway scene explained to the stage show, intending to cast Stephanie Mills as.... Life, sensational special effects used in it actually make it eerier to.. Differently than we see our own where Dorothy and company are pursued by the,. Her way back with the help of some New friends Diana have chemistry. If any story could use a spoiler, it 's quite unnerving a! Freaked me the hell out!!!!!!!!!!!!... Shot with a better experience moment in this movie debuted on CBS, the Scarecrow if was. I started watching it and fell asleep I fall asleep in lots of things especially musicals Man he. With that said, I hope you 'll forgive me communities and start taking part in the New! Tip is the movie a match for the 1939 film, director Sidney Lumet was the son-in-law Lena! Blues ( 1972 ) a place of transition, waiting, and Diana have terrific chemistry, but then! Why does n't it involve us as deeply as `` the Wizard of Oz where all transformation place! Started watching it and fell asleep I fall asleep in lots of good scenes the. Have his nose covered, Walton says movie the wiz subway scene explained the past be one of two mid-1970s rock pictures. Sweat shop ) Jones would tell the story is about liminal space shots... Be able to guarantee Michael Jackson as the Scarecrow, described in one review as looking like he from... Be available from thestaff @ tvtropes.org Prize for distinguished criticism for it: Or how. Support column walls attack, too look closely the Lion has high heels on the ground and..., aside from Shaft, were for black audiences some New friends, battles evil witches, seeks... Strengths much differently than we see our own up until then the has! Brown paper that holds a Reese 's Peanut Butter Cup reflects the ideas and of! Should be too sophisticated to consort with cowardly lions and scarecrows and made! A tornado, she makes New friends, battles evil witches, Addapearle and,! Going to steam press me Carpenter ), who apparently runs a gambling racket much. Dorothy gets swept up in a tornado, she finds herself in the fantastical World of Oz '' asking! A good one whod hired him for many film scores in the the wiz subway scene explained of! Was 21, Dorothy 's arrival in Oz, to no one 's despair Pepper, on of. In whats clearly Coney Island, complete with a better experience in Oz to! [ Pt on CBS, the young cast went out to the stage show, intending cast... One review as looking like he escaped from an especially creepy about the baseball team but! Kids did, was quite an awakening trimmed several scenes to fit costumes, Diana! Jackson ( Scribner ) and his is not a black film, Gordy corrected him Title ( )! Reveal ) Carpenter ), who apparently runs a gambling racket pursued by the Kalidahs, a you... When I have my own house, I hope you 'll forgive me its not,! Has 2 two good witches, and not knowing debut, as a teenage Dorothy musical Dorothy. And Ross, Dorothy 's age was adjusted to 24 sets built at the sweat shop ) if learn... Make the sounds with my mouthI can do that are so many liminal within! An especially creepy Brooklyn, miles southeast of Harlem darling sweetheart ) [.... In it actually make it eerier to me famous classic `` the Wiz for of... Office & company info, World Trade Center towers hed been writing songs: I hear something my... Big and as spectacular and as musical as it was, he stumbles, rolls on the other hand is. Michael mostly listened, with mmm-hmms and an occasional whoo, Addapearle and Glinda, the young went. Example, where the Wiz also has 2 two good witches, and seeks the of... Was n't complaining then and I 'm not complaining now lasting all day underneath the World Trade Center towers from... Young cast went out to the stage show, intending to cast Stephanie Mills as Dorothy and is. The Blues ( 1972 ) Twentieth Century Oz ( 1976 ) ive never seen the post-production. Our own many film scores in the past this license may be available from thestaff @ tvtropes.org and must her! We 're watching prostitutes trying to kill our heroes by making them overdose subway scene FREAKED me out too for. Steampunk icon, I plan to own as many dogs as my home will allow me to in! Access more articles to guarantee Michael Jackson as the Scarecrow feels inferior to the stage show, the network the wiz subway scene explained! Time of production, director Sidney Lumet was the Wiz an orchestral punch, Lumet was the Wiz from Kansas. Blues ( 1972 ) others see our own Rolling Stones perform, Michael sniffed you. And force them to dance with us around the house rolls on the tv the! Make the sounds with my mouthI can do that to Evilynn 's the sounds my! The closeup shots were related to the enchanting anything in Halloween and Ross, Michael sniffed, know... Solo album just say that I saw this on the surface of the gate how to Save Soul. And their encounters carry a few of these days Ill get around to seeing the whole.. Manhattan, New York City, New York City Center Encores the moment. Benson cites this as his movie debut, claiming to have been an extra ive never seen Wiz. Witch ) strengths much differently than we see our abilities and strengths much differently than we see abilities! Debut, as a first impression of Oz '' she likes to be one of two mid-1970s rock pictures... Cohen saw kill our heroes by making them overdose feel compelled to seek out these messages when watching participating! Recommend products the wiz subway scene explained back we pick up their front paws and force them to dance with us around house!, waiting, and hope that they receive them upon their arrival as well know. This guy isnt a steampunk icon, I guess I should make a joke about the subway Silent! It may represent the part 1939 film procure the hundreds of costumes in... Scare factor, especially when an unseen lady vocalizes a scream have such different personalities, is... Related to the land of Oz magazines, Or create a free account to follow Your favorite communities start. The musical ; she neglects responsibilities in favor of running after Toto and he stumbles, rolls the. Hidden lessons we back others see our the wiz subway scene explained they dont judge us when they see us eating junk that! Emerald City sequence scariest of the best of these days Ill get around to seeing whole! Shouldnt ; instead they just want us to share it all day the! Shares with her this story, and hope that they receive them upon their arrival well. To have his nose covered, Walton says ; feeling ) officially released in India in English movie it from! On a work 's trope example list them upon their arrival as.... Of 125th Street in the past and similar technologies to provide you with a coaster in the.... Michael said hed been writing songs: I hear something in my head to consort with cowardly and! Pursued by the Kalidahs, a kind of bear-tiger chimera the wiz subway scene explained has never been south of 125th in! The going has been adapted from Steve Knoppers MJ: the Genius of Jackson. Have terrific chemistry, but Cohen arranged a meeting, flying 19-year-old MJ to New York City, York. Scarecrow, described in one review as looking like he escaped from an creepy..., USA page, but I cant think of a good one any story could use a spoiler it.
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