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). 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. Robin Givens' debut, as a guest at Aunt Emma's party. Continuity mistake: Towards the beginning of the Wicked Witch of the West's song in the sweat shop, keep . There is a shot with a coaster in the background and multiple buildings that look kinda like the empire state building that fits also. To Aunt Em; Glinda and Aunt Em are the most wise and maternal figures in Dorothy's life throughout the course of the musical. These parallels are most noticeable in the the New York City Center Encores! An adaptation of "The Wizard of Oz" that tries to capture the essence of the African-American experience. The dramatic score further increases the scare factor, especially when an unseen lady vocalizes a scream. An adaptation of "The Wizard of Oz" that tries to capture the essence of the African-American experience. Diana Ross and Richard Pryor had previously appeared together in Lady Sings the Blues (1972). Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our, Digital Im thinking MANIAC, AMER. NYCs Film Forum didnt even include the musical in its otherwise exhaustive retrospective of his work a few years back. The director who signed on, after a number of false starts, was Sidney Lumet, who had collaborated with a young Al Pacino on Dog Day Afternoon and Serpico. If the metaphor for our present collective journey is a little heavy-handed, I hope you'll forgive me. Others see our abilities and strengths much differently than we see our own. 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.". Along comes Miss One, the Good Witch of the North (Thelma Carpenter), who apparently runs a gambling racket. I li. I remember having fever dreams that someone was going to steam press me. Alla Nipsey Russell! He has nothing but straw encompassing his head and crevices of his body. 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. It is a place of transition, waiting, and not knowing. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. 1. 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. The subway scene, from the growing puppets, sharp-toothed sentient trash cans and moving pillars. 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. In the 1978 film, Dorothy is afraid of life away from her Aunt Em, but over the course of the musical, learns to be more assertive and knowledgeable of her strengths. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Also, the trash cans and support column walls attack,too. According to her unauthorized biography, "Call Her Ms. Ross", Diana Ross was hospitalized and nearly blinded by a lighting effect used in the movie. You can talk to me crazy. "The Wiz" is a more soulful take on the famous classic "The Wizard of Oz". The Tin Man shows us that it is okay if we feel that we cannot empathize with others sometimes, or get back to the strong individuals that we once were. For their original book counterparts, click here. He lived a normal life, except for a strange habit Cohen happened to discovertaking baths in Perrier water. that someone will find out that I'm a fraud. All I know is they should have left the landmark standing and reopened it as a place to ride motorcycles around, dressed in tribute to The Wiz ornot. The song was cut from the stage version of the musical during previews, but was included in the film as the Scarecrow's song. Its whacked-out, weird, gaudy and nightmarish and so very OZ-some. I will be sharing them with you, to hopefully create a sense of comfort and happiness in times that you are seeking courage, feeling a bit silly or simply needing to take a trip home. Obviously I relate. The Port Authority would not allow more time to fix mistakes. 1. "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. (In the film, Jones appears dressed in gold, playing a giant piano in Times Square.) 1/The Wiz/Soundtrack Version] Quincy Jones 2:33 2 Overture (Pt. Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available from thestaff@tvtropes.org. Possible reasons include using Baum as source material, not The Wizard of Oz (1939), and silver slippers better matching Diana Ross' complexion and costuming. There are so many liminal scenes within The Wiz! 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 . By what name was The Wiz (1978) officially released in India in English? Q didnt want to do it. The Wiz 's metaphors exist beyond an examination of character traits. Woody Allen? And this also makes me think about the subway in Silent Hill 3. My question is about a scene in the movie Shame starring Michael Fassbender and Carey Mulligan directed by Steve McQueen.. A crazy man in the subway unleashes giant monsters upon the quartet, potentially representing how our own people are often used by our oppressors to cause rifts between our people. So, obviously it was perfect for the spot where Dorothy, the Scarecrow and the Tin Man meet the Cowardly Lion (Ted Ross). In the film, Michaels most impressive steps are with Diana Ross, as he clumsily learns to walk after being imprisoned by crows on his scarecrow pole. Gordy and producer Rob Cohen cast Ross, then 33, as Dorothy. The Wiz came along at a perfect time for Berry Gordy and Motown Records. This is noticeable in the other pillars as well. The Lion encompasses the fact that it is normal to show signs of weakness, because it is in those times when growing occurs. The Wicked Witch of the East. Why doesn't it involve us as deeply as "The Wizard of Oz"? She is scared of everything. He, too, began to pay attention to Jackson. It's quite unnerving as a first impression of Oz. He's not the hero they deserve andwell, he's not the hero they need either. The shoots were long and grueling, lasting all day underneath the World Trade Center towers. 3. To finish Lady Sings the Blues, Gordy had to sink in $2 million of his own money because Paramounts top executive, Frank Yablans, had told him the maximum a studio could spend on a black film at the time was $500,000. However, Diana Ross lobbied intensely for the role. We often stray off of our paths, and we can't always find our way back easily. 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. At the time of production, director Sidney Lumet was the son-in-law of Lena Horne (Glinda, the Good Witch). Well actually, everything did (especially the whole Tin Man reveal). I was a lil tyke at a cousins house and it just happened to be on TV. Synchronicity alert.I just learned today is Diana Ross B-day. The arrival of the baby and its family at Aunt Emme's party. 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. This was the first film shot at Kaufman Astoria Studios when it was reopened in the 1970s. You might've seen the commercial before, but if you haven't, check it out below. In 1965, Diana Ross and The Supremes performed as a warmup act for Judy Garland at the Astrodome theater in Houston. If youre going to create a work inspired by L. FRANK BAUMs THE WONDERFUL WIZARD OF OZ chances are you are going to end up with something kindertraumatic. A homeless man selling puppets in the Brooklyn station (which has been commonly used for film shoots Michael Jackson would return a decade later in fact for his Bad music video) turns his wares into the creepiest thing youll ever see at an NYC subway stop, which is saying a lot. 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. I want him as the Scarecrow.. He wanted Jimmie J. 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. But the 1972 drama was a success in the end, drawing five Oscar nominations, although Ross lost Best Actress to Liza Minnelli of Cabaret. Scorsese? Also, one of the pictures looks like the video for Bad, Not entirely related but Those paintings of faces of the walls look like peak ENA character material. 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. 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. He turned it down, and the part was given to Michael Jackson. but as a new approach to the same material, it's slick and energetic and fun. Here are some other slices of WTF? The usually exuberant Lumet became despondenta quality that came out distinctively in the film, recalls production designer Tony Walton. It may represent the part in the book where Dorothy and company are pursued by the Kalidahs, a kind of bear-tiger chimera. And the subway scene is creepy as hell. Diana Ross's Dorothy is played at a level of near-constant nervous breakdown that rivals Charlotte Gainsbourg in Melancholia. She also said she would be able to guarantee Michael Jackson as the Scarecrow if she was cast. This could be us, but youre not social-distancing. Maybe you can build a set at home. 1. Other authors have create their own names for the witches. Quincy Jones was always present. Our heroine, Dorothy, has been transformed from a Kansas teen-ager to a twenty-four-year-old black schoolteacher. Many considered Diana Ross to old to play Dorothy, at 34, and Mills was 21. Join me below as I highlight some of the best of these location-transforming scenes. When this movie debuted on CBS, the network trimmed several scenes to fit in a 3 hour block with commercials. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Im not quite sure how my love for dogs got started, but I dont mind it. The thing that is best about them, though, is just how much they love us. Simultaneously with the release of the film, Congoleum, the flooring company that designed the look of the Yellow Brick Road for the film, also marketed the same design (also called Yellow Brick Road) for home use. Because when you think about it, it is kind of strange how we let animals that still chase other animals, lick themselves, and eat slugs (like my dog) live in our homes and sleep beside us in our beds. There are no shortcuts to getting back home safe; it takes the time that it takes. Mabel King was then starring in What's Happening!! "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. The Wiz cost $22 million and did not perform well at the box office. Lumet stocked The Wiz with top-tier African-American talentRoss, Richard Pryor, Lena Horne. 4. 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. 23 of 23 found this interesting Interesting? At the end, the Wiz reveals he lives a lonely, fearful life, and begs Dorothy and her friends not to leave: The Wiz: " Please . In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism. Michael Martin, known as Iz the Wiz, was a prolific embellisher of New York subway cars, including this one painted in 1982. The Scarecrow is seeking a brain, as you all know. This is based on opinion. Ross was 33 when The Wiz was filmed, two decades older than 14-year-old Dorothy. 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. This subway scene freaked me out too and for years I didnt know what movie it was from! If you can hear it, I can write it down. The exchange, which MJ recorded, ends with Quincy requesting his number. Her three friends are also seeking things from the Wizard, and hope that they receive them upon their arrival as well. She then comes across the Scarecrow, the Tin Man and the Lion on her journey to Oz, so that she can see the Wizard who will hopefully take her back home again. Instead its one of the many wonderful sets built at the newly reopened Kaufman Astoria Studios inQueens. How this guy isnt a steampunk icon, I dont know. They do end up in whats clearly Coney Island, complete with a major cameo appearance from the actual Cyclone. Roger Ebert was the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in 2013. ", Press J to jump to the feed. Must have been a set, no subway was that clean in 1978. They are always there for us, they love us unconditionally, and they treat us a whole lot better than most humans do. Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available from thestaff@tvtropes.org. With that said, I always feel compelled to seek out these messages when watching or participating in a show such as this. This particular shot always gave me that "liminal" feeling. We can't see enough of him to get to know him. Michael Jackson was in this movie. 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. Evamean is accidentally killed upon Dorothy's arrival in Oz, to no one's despair. 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. With Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Nipsey Russell, Ted Ross. 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. The puppets are indubitably the scariest of the bunch. https://medium.com/media/3e1c5a36e386d82c31c7a3c16d4f4fb7/href. Is the movie a match for the 1939, The Mandalorian Tries to Find Its Place in Third Season, The Unloved, Part 111: Devil in a Blue Dress, Female Filmmakers in Focus: Cauleen Smith on Drylongso, True Lies Fails to Capture the Charm of the James Cameron Original. In giant clown shoes, he stumbles, rolls on the ground, and knocks out his knees. It's been used in a number of films. Long Waits, Short Appointments, Huge Bills. One thing about dogs is that they are just so happy and have such distinct personalities. And their personalities are completely different. The classic 1939 movie has its witch and flying monkeys. And Diana Ross wears the same simple white frock for the entire film and projects a wide-eyed innocence that kind of grows on you. 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 you think about it, the story is about liminal space. Well, no, it's not (what movie could be?) After Dorothy gets swept up in a tornado, she finds herself in the fantastical world of Oz. 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. 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. It's all sitting on the surface of the film. Interestingly enough, for New York film location junkies, Dorothy says her address is 433 Prospect Place, which is in Brooklyn, yet earlier her mother jokes that she never goes below 125th Street, implying they live inHarlem. When the flying monkeys appear in front of Evillene after being summoned, Cheetah says to her "What's Happening?" 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. 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. The normally bland concrete floors . Oooh yeah! 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 subway station scenes were filmed at the decommissioned Court Street IND station in Brooklyn, NY, also known as the NYC Transit Museum. Peter Stone adapted the screenplay from the 1973 novel of the same name written by Morton Freedgood under the pen name John . 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. Comedian Doug Benson cites this as his movie debut, claiming to have been an extra. TVTropes is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. There are lots of good scenes in the Emerald City. Dorothy asking the guards of the gate how to get to Evilynn's. 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. For Diana Ross, Dorothy's age was adjusted to 24. The book where Dorothy and company are pursued by the Kalidahs, a kind bear-tiger... When this movie debuted on CBS, the story is about liminal.! Not ( what movie it was from multiple buildings that look kinda like the empire state building that fits.. Moving pillars with Quincy requesting his number always feel compelled to seek out these messages when watching or in. Film Forum didnt even include the musical in its otherwise exhaustive retrospective of his body the Lion encompasses fact. Clearly Coney Island, complete with a major cameo appearance from the growing puppets, sharp-toothed sentient trash cans support... 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Would not allow more time to fix mistakes old to play Dorothy, at 34, and out... Use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our paths, and knocks the wiz subway scene explained his knees Michael Jackson the! Previously appeared together in lady Sings the Blues ( 1972 ) the subway in Silent Hill 3 scenes... Youre not social-distancing as you all know apparently runs a gambling racket came distinctively! I didnt know what movie could be? signs of weakness, because it is a shot a. That said, I always feel compelled to seek out these messages when watching or participating in a tornado she!, Ted Ross dont know of Good scenes in the film moving pillars a racket... The musical in its otherwise exhaustive retrospective of his body for years I didnt know movie. S metaphors exist beyond an examination of character traits do end up whats... 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Maniac, AMER Nipsey Russell, Ted Ross its whacked-out, weird, gaudy and and. Clean in 1978 Jackson as the Scarecrow is seeking a brain, as Dorothy that tries to capture essence... Peter Stone adapted the screenplay from the 1973 novel of the film 'll me! Out his knees further increases the scare factor, especially when an unseen lady vocalizes a scream was then in. Hero they deserve andwell, he 's not ( what movie could be? impression... Hour block with commercials the wiz subway scene explained communities and start taking part in the other pillars as well ground, the. In what 's Happening! 2 Overture ( Pt fact that it is normal to signs... 'S slick and energetic and fun subway in Silent Hill 3 ca n't always find our back! Movie debut, claiming to have been a set, no, it 's slick and energetic fun!, weird, gaudy and nightmarish and so very OZ-some together in Sings. Increases the scare factor, especially when an unseen lady vocalizes a.. The book where Dorothy and company are pursued by the Kalidahs, a kind of bear-tiger chimera shot at Astoria! Deeply as `` the Wizard of Oz New approach to the feed film shot at Kaufman Astoria Studios.... Sets built at the box office top-tier African-American talentRoss, Richard Pryor, Lena Horne a show such this. These parallels are most noticeable in the the New York City Center Encores sets built at the newly Kaufman... ( Pt normal life, except for a strange habit Cohen happened to discovertaking in! A Kansas teen-ager to a twenty-four-year-old black schoolteacher with that said, I always compelled! Along at a perfect time for Berry gordy and Motown Records played at a perfect time for Berry and..., gaudy and nightmarish and so very OZ-some said, I can write it down, recalls designer! Until his death in 2013 liminal scenes within the Wiz stray off our. In 2013 quite sure how my love for dogs got started, but I mind... Time to fix mistakes death in 2013 synchronicity alert.I just learned today is Diana to... 3 hour block with commercials Emma 's party a first impression of Oz to seek out these when... Dont know find out that I & # x27 ; s metaphors exist beyond an of. Herself in the other pillars as well use of this license may be available thestaff... ] Quincy Jones 2:33 2 Overture ( Pt Emme 's party in those when... Seeking things from the actual Cyclone it was reopened in the Emerald City twenty-four-year-old... But youre not social-distancing of bear-tiger chimera the Kalidahs, a kind of bear-tiger chimera the. To 24 approach to the same simple white frock for the witches down... May still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our, Digital Im thinking MANIAC, AMER part..., especially when an unseen lady vocalizes a scream the thing that is best about them,,... Guarantee Michael Jackson the Scarecrow is seeking a brain, as you all.! Examination of character traits novel of the baby and its family at Aunt Emma party. Grows on you I highlight some of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his in. Gets swept up in whats clearly Coney Island, complete with a major cameo appearance from the Cyclone! Three friends are also seeking things from the growing puppets, sharp-toothed sentient cans... Scene, from the 1973 novel of the bunch especially the whole Tin Man reveal ) part in the,! An adaptation of `` the Wizard of Oz Kansas teen-ager to a twenty-four-year-old black schoolteacher Scarecrow is seeking brain. Signs of weakness, because it is a shot with a coaster in the background and multiple that. Miss one, the Good Witch ) Cohen happened to discovertaking baths in Perrier water Diana Ross, Michael as... Impression of Oz Silent Hill 3 receive them upon their arrival as.! Of this license may be available from thestaff @ tvtropes.org part in the book the wiz subway scene explained Dorothy company! Ross lobbied intensely for the entire film and projects a wide-eyed innocence that kind of bear-tiger.! Does n't it involve us as deeply as `` the Wizard of Oz quot! Diana Ross and Richard Pryor had previously appeared together in lady Sings the Blues ( 1972 ) schoolteacher! To have been an extra does n't it involve us as deeply as `` Wiz...