The Wiz

The Wiz (1978)

  • 29% of critics liked it
    (21 reviews)

  • 62% of users liked it
    (33,780 ratings)

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-American kindergarten teacher who's "never been below 125th Street." Leaving a large family dinner to… More

G, 2 hr. 15 min.
Directed By
Sidney Lumet
Written By
Joel Schumacher
Genres
Action & Adventure, Musical & Performing Arts, Classics, Science Fiction & Fantasy
In Theaters
Oct 24, 1978 Wide
On DVD
Apr 13, 1999
Universal Pictures

Critic Reviews

  • S. Jhoanna Robledo, Common Sense Media

    Jazzy, family-friendly musical remake of classic film.

  • Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews

    It lost its magic.

  • 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.

  • 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

  • Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com

    Among many faults, Diana Ross is miscast

Read all 7 critic reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

  • Lucas M


    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… More

  • Alexander D


    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.

  • AJ V


    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… More

  • Tim S


    Ha Ha! Can't say I hold this in high esteem.

  • Jason O


    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… More

Read all 20 featured audience ratings

Cast

See full cast

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