The Wiz (1978)

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
  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 beautiful 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.

• 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
  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 that I just couldn't understand. I hated it, but I may give it another try someday.

• 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
  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 a movie, but nothing special.

• Candy R

  
  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.

• Cassandra M

  
  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… More
  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 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)

• James A

  
  Unwatchable

• Mister C

  
  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(the… More
  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(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

• Nani V

  
  My 6th grade drama teacher showed this to the class. I enjoyed it very much!

• Megan S

  
  I liked it better the first time I saw it which was in high school music class.

• jay n

  
  Beyond awful!

• Phil H

  
  hmmm different.i never saw this till recently,i was born when it came out...so its old hahaha.the look is amazing,really good designs and make up..its very impressive to watch.the music is'nt really my thing but i can appreciate it.its such a huge film...the sets,the costumes and… More
  hmmm different.i never saw this till recently,i was born when it came out...so its old hahaha.the look is amazing,really good designs and make up..its very impressive to watch.the music is'nt really my thing but i can appreciate it.its such a huge film...the sets,the costumes and the dance routines,u don't realise how big.a one of.

• Lafe F

  
  A dark scary version of The Wizard of Oz done in grungy and richly textured New York city settings. It was a nice change from the candy-coated Oz movie of 1939. I loved seeing an black interpretation of Oz, but I didn't understand all of it. Most of the actors were superb in… More
  A dark scary version of The Wizard of Oz done in grungy and richly textured New York city settings. It was a nice change from the candy-coated Oz movie of 1939. I loved seeing an black interpretation of Oz, but I didn't understand all of it. Most of the actors were superb in their roles. Diana Ross was an older Dorothy; I wonder how it would've been if they got someone young like Kim Fields (Tutti from "The Facts of Life"). But Diana Ross had the voice for the huge songs. I liked Nipsy as the squeaky Tin Man and big Ted Ross as the Lion. Michael Jackson was more social back then, and played a clownish but loveable Scarecrow. The witch Evelene didn't have much interaction with the good characters in this movie. The Munchkins were simply shadows of their former colorful selves. Richard Pryor made a great frightened Wizard. It shocked me seeing people dancing at the bottom of the World Trade Centres where the rubble would eventually fall. The songs were too good. Favorite Songs: "Ease on Down the Road" (of course!), "Brand New Day", and the wonderful "Home".

• Kalel J

  
  Avoid it. I turned this heap of crap off not long into the movie. It is atrocious, and something that should never have been made. To reiterate - AVOID IT.

• Jason V

  
  In a word: dreadful. From the opening scenes where it's impossible to know what's happening or the relationship of the characters to the terribly bloated running time, almost nothing about The Wiz is very good. The production looks cheap from the get go, seemingly taking… More
  In a word: dreadful. From the opening scenes where it's impossible to know what's happening or the relationship of the characters to the terribly bloated running time, almost nothing about The Wiz is very good. The production looks cheap from the get go, seemingly taking place on one giant set constantly redressed while filming takes place on selected locations, with hideously unmemorable music and bland, paper thin characters. The villain of the piece, Evillene, shows up for a total of five-maybe seven minutes-late in the picture. There simply isn't any jeopardy or a sense of oomph on the screen. Props to Stan Winston and the make-up effects...but the rest of the film is just garbage.

• Yinalí R

  
  Classic.

• Remi L

  
  This film will ALWAYS be one of my favorite musicals. Excellent job, excellent cast, excellent music. Definitely a classic!

• Marcus W

  
  Enjoyed this so much more than the '39 version. The songs are a lot snappier, and the production design is spectacular, truly. Yet, the film could do with losing a few songs and cutting 30 minutes. Ross is also a tad dull. Definitely worth seeing if you're a fan of the story… More
  Enjoyed this so much more than the '39 version. The songs are a lot snappier, and the production design is spectacular, truly. Yet, the film could do with losing a few songs and cutting 30 minutes. Ross is also a tad dull. Definitely worth seeing if you're a fan of the story and/or musicals. Did I mention the stunning production work?

• d j

  
  It's cheesy and not as good as the original wizard of oz. But still a fun movie to watch..it's amazing to watch this movie--it had a lot of big name greats!! I loved MJ of course! :) My favorite line is by Richard Pryor= to the lion "what can I do for you, you… More
  It's cheesy and not as good as the original wizard of oz. But still a fun movie to watch..it's amazing to watch this movie--it had a lot of big name greats!! I loved MJ of course! :) My favorite line is by Richard Pryor= to the lion "what can I do for you, you overstuffed animal cracker?"

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