The Wiz

The Wiz (1978)

  • 29% of critics liked it
    (21 reviews)

  • 60% of users liked it
    (34,624 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… More

In Theaters
Oct 24, 1978 Wide
On DVD
Apr 13, 1999
Universal Pictures

Critic Reviews

  • 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

  • Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, Spirituality and Practice

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

Read all 9 critic reviews

See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes

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

  • Randy T


    Other than a few moments here and there, time has not been kind to this Motown spectacle.

  • 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.

Read all 20 featured audience ratings

Also available on

UltraViolet Retailers

Other Retailers

Subscription Services

Not Available
Not Available

Cast

See more (28)

More Like This