Celebrating classic musical film the wiz on its 40th. Diana ross plays a very moving and heartfelt role as dorothy. Motown and universal produced a movie adaptation of the broadway musical the wiz, an allafricanamerican retelling of the book the wonderful wizard of oz, in 1978. Michael jackson list of movies and tv shows tv guide. Frank baums classic 1900 childrens novel the wonderful wizard of oz featuring an allblack cast, the film was loosely adapted from the 1974 broadway musical of the same name. The wiz dvd movie diana ross michael jackson, nipsey. The wiz diana ross, michael jackson, nipsey russell vhs. Magical tornadoes can strike down anywhere, i guess, and spin you off to the land of oz. It was michael jacksons first starring theatrical role and the first time he worked with music director quincy.
Diana ross was the most famous black woman in america having been the lead singer in the. The character of dorothy in this film ends up on an adventure that changes her and those in her life whose path she crosses such as the scarecrow character played by michael jackson. The wiz 1978 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. The four crows torment scarecrow michael jackson, making him repeat the crow commandments and sing the crow anthem. Overview of the wiz, 1978, directed by sidney lumet, with diana ross, michael jackson, nipsey russell, at turner classic movies. The wiz an adaption of the wizard of oz that tries to capture the essence of the african american experience. The song playing is ease on down the road, this is sang by diana ross.
An extravagant reimagining of the wizard of oz with pop superstars diana ross and michael jackson, costarring richard pryor, nipsey russell. Michael jackson ease on down the road lyrics genius. An adaptation of the wizard of oz that tries to capture the essence of the africanamerican experience. Michael jackson the wiz 1970s vintage movie red krla 11 radio station t shirt. Frank baums classic novel the wonderful wizard of oz through the eyes of a young africanamerican kindergarten teacher whos never been below 125th street.
The wiz seemed more anchored in reality i know a lot more about new york city than i do about rural kansas and from the outset, i. The late michael jacksons best bits in one of my all time favorite musicals the wiz hope you enjoy, comment and rate. This cast brings this movie to life, with brilliance, glitz and glamour that the play version did not. Sidney lumets the wiz is the film version of the popular broadway musical that retells the events of l. Things change for her when she is caught in a snowstorm while chasing after her dog, toto. Plot during a snowstorm, the young teacher dorothy is thrown into the wonderful world of oz, where she has to ask help to the powerful wizard who rules oz to come back home. It was directed by sidney lumet and joel schumacher wrote the screenplay. Michael jackson in the wiz if you were going to make an all black cast film in 1978 you could not get a more famous cast than what is gathered here. Michael jackson full list of movies and tv shows in theaters, in production and upcoming films. Released 1978, the wiz stars diana ross, michael jackson, richard pryor, nipsey russell the g movie has a runtime of about 2 hr min, and received a score of. The wiz film is very uplifting to watch and i am very glad to have watched it. Were sorry but jwapp doesnt work properly without javascript enabled. The wiz diana ross, michael jackson, nipsey russell vhs movie. Diana ross, michael jackson, nipsey russell, and ted ross reprising his tonywinning role as the lion star in this academy awardnominated musical for the whole family.
In addition to the race lifting, this added a further, big twist to the oz tale. The wiz is a 1978 american musical adventure fantasy film produced by universal pictures and motown productions, and released by universal pictures on october 24, 1978. 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. With diana ross, michael jackson, nipsey russell, ted ross. After accidentally killing the wicked witch of the east upon her arrival, dorothy is told about the wiz richard pryor, a wizard who can help her get back to manhattan. Dorothy, a twentyfouryearold kindergarten teacher, born. Michael jackson, diana ross, ted ross, nipsey russell. Nipsey russel plays the tin man who needs a heart and michael jackson sings and dances as the the scarecrow. The wiz 18 movie clip the crow anthem 1978 hd youtube. Michael jackson remember the time official video duration. The girl begins her journey with the shoes of a wicked witch at her feet and shes joined by a scarecrow, a tin man and a lion, who want to ask something to the magician too, respectively a brain, a heart. The wiz trailer directed by sidney lumet and starring diana ross michael jackson nipsey russell ted ross and mabel king a reimaging of the wizard of oz, set against an urban background with an.
Michael jackson in a scene from the movie the wiz in 1978 in new york, new york. Relive all of the magic of this beloved musical when dorothy is whisked away to the enchanting wonderland of oz, where she encounters the scarecrow, the tinman and the lion. Ease on down the yellowbrick road with the wiz, starring superstars diana ross and michael jackson. The movie was directed by sidney lumet and produced by. The production team created sets with a sense of urban magic and spectacle. The wiz vhs 1978 diana ross michael jackson richard pryor nipsey russel oop rare. Get all the lyrics to songs on the wiz original motion picture soundtrack and join the genius community of music scholars to learn the meaning behind the lyrics. As dorothy goes in search of the wiz, shes joined by the scarecrow michael jackson, the tin man nipsey russell and the cowardly lion ted ross. Lets not compare michael jackson as the scarecrow, nipsey russell as the tin man, and ted ross as the lion with ray bolger, jack haley, and bert lahr bert lahr. We re your movie poster source for new releases and vintage movie posters. Lena horne, star of film and stage is glenda the good witch and richard pryor comedian and actor is the wiz. The wiz 1978 when harlem schoolteacher dorothy diana ross tries to save her dog from a storm, shes miraculously whisked away to an urban fantasy land called oz.
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