Ease On Down the Road!
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Ease On Down the Road!
On set of Sidney Lumet’s THE WIZ (1978), Michael Jackson, Nipsey Russell, Ted Ross, Diana Ross, Richard Pryor
Have you seen The Wiz (1978)?
Yes
No
Haven’t even heard of this movie
I just finished the wiz and literally
Lion and Dorothy are so dear to me I love them so much. The "Be a Lion" song where she was singing to him and comforting him made me so happy
Also I fw the dynamic that scarecrow and tinman have with being the only two none living members of the group having to save Lion, Toto and Dorothy from the Poppies.
The scarecrow is so adorable and I love how he's always pulling pieces of paper out of himself and reading quotes. So sweet.
Also I love the details that each costume has. It's all so well put together and made.
10/10
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
(p.s. I'm thinking that after I design human Sophie, I should have her play Dorothy in the same The Wiz Play Buster is in.)
I think what makes it sweeter is that I think they're related?? Both actors have the last name Ross. Diana and Ted Ross. They might be siblings or cousins that's my assumption.
I feel like The Wiz handles the source material better than the 1939 film in so many ways because the 1939 film has more focus on glamorizing the lore. The Wiz ACTUALLY explains that The Cowardly Lion USED to be LITERALLY king in the society of animals. Like there's an entire society of animals with social commentary that the film just completely ignores. The 39' film makes it look like Lion just decided he should be king just because, again beautiful film but it doesn't do the lore justice. It makes The Lion look egotistical and expects a place of power for fucking nothing. The entire point of The Lion is that he was once great but lost his place in society because he was too much of a coward. It's so important but the 39 film doesn't seem to think so (and to reiterate I LOVE the 39 film!!! But it's deeply flawed)
Another thing I praise The Wiz for is how The Lion acts. During Be A Lion Dorothy hugs Lion's head into her lap as he even licks his paw. This could easily go into uncanny territory like Cats the Musical (no hate though that's my favorite but I'm aware it's uncanny.) But it never feels uncanny, the acting makes it look natural and feline. It's honestly amazing.
I am so fucking obsessed with Micheal Jackson's portrayal of the Scarecrow. Because one APPARENTLY THAT WAS HIS FIRST CINEMATIC ACTING ROLE????? Holy shit he became famous for a reason huh. And the choice to cast him as the Scarecrow is a GENIUS decision. He was an exceptional dancer and great at acting with his body. When you watch Scarecrow move it looks like a clumsy man made of paper clippings and trash. And Michael Jackson is so fucking meticulous with his performances, every single thing is planned out. Every slide and turn is intentional. Which makes it so fucking impressive how naturally clumsy Scarecrow looks, because it's 100% intentional. And if you compare it to the way Scarecrow stumbles in the 39' film it looks shockingly similar to the point I'm convinced MJ studied the film for this role.
I am so obsessed with You Can't Win because it's a excellent social commentary on black oppression and less opportunities for black people in general makes things harder on their quality of life. There's probably someone with the black experience that can explain why the song is so impactful.
I ALSO love the song because it's actually referencing the source material once again!!!!! In Scarecrow's introduction in the OG book we're told that when one wise crow realized Scarecrow wasn't a real man he told the other crows and they all started bullying him. The wise crow tells scarecrow his life isn't worth living without a brain and talks down to him. This is what made The Scarecrow the way he is. You Can't Win summarizes Scarecrow's origins PERFECTLY while connecting it to black expierences.
I love that they gave Dorothy her original silver slippers they look absolutely GORGEOUS on Diana Ross. I think Lion's costume looks beautiful. I love that Tin Man is black coded by making his metal a differnt color tint and giving him hair with texture. Also I think his little heart hole is ADORABLE. Tinman's design is so fun.
TDLR: The Wiz does everything objectively better than the 1939' film
The Wiz (1978) dir. Sidney Lumet cine. Oswald Morris
did anyone else who watched the wiz growing up saw it as dorothy and her three boyfriends instead of dorothy and three companions?
i just felt like they all -lion especially was laying it on strong- wanted and adored her . and she loved the three of them dearly in return.
that's probably the reason why i always appreciated that the wiz didn't have the "i think i'll miss you the most" line dedicated to scarecrow. because grown dorothy really did love her men equally
This is a me movie. 100%. I remembered today that my elementary school put on a production of this before I could participate in musical theater, and I also remember my 4th grade chorus doing "Ease on Down the Road." Between that and all the Rupaul's Drag Race references and loving the Wizard of Oz (1939) to my core, I figured I was in for a very me time and very overdue for it. Director of VTIFF, Steve MacQueen, gave a nice intro to the film bringing up the role of Werner Erhard's est movement and it's influence on Sidney Lumet and Diana Ross, and icon (screenwriter) Joel Schumacher. BUT, and you cannot convince me otherwise, folks, in this film Dorothy Gale is a gay woman. She is looking around her home (didn't know this was a Thanksgiving film) and seeing all these shades of love (the younger cousins kissing, her lil sister's (upon reflection is that also just another lil cousin?) new baby, the man from down the street her aunt wants her to get with) but nothing that reflects the way she feels and understands love. What is the song, "Be A Lion" but a coming out anthem? Same with Dorothy's "Believe in Yourself." Maybe it's just the 70's of it all, but this movie said, Friends of Dorothy? Oh there will be friends of Dorothy. Hold my beer '39. Need my gay little podcasts on this film stat! I'll get more into this in a bit but Glinda floating in space with floating babies around her was crazy!! As soon as the graffiti-ed munchkins began pulling themselves off the wall I was sold on this movie, even if their dance number was a little long. The costumes are so great! The dancing is so great! The sets are so great! The music is so great! I got the inkling that I was gunna cry at this film as Dorothy was walking along the rubble starting to sing the first verses of "Home." It all looked so beautiful.
Overall, I did find Diana's acting to be over the top, same with Michael when he was on that pole - for the rest of the film he was very charming, BUT by the time the finale of "Home" came and the camera holds on Diana's stunning face I was wrecked. What a brilliant choice. THE diva!!!! Some of the editing was a little clunky, but it added to the humor and didn't detract from the amount of fun this movie is (a crap ton). Loved the costuming for the Crows and I loved all the cabs! I have always been a stan of The Scarecrow in the Wizard of Oz (1939) but when it comes to this film, I fell in love with Nipsey Russell as the Tinman and if Dorothy had to stay, I'd want her to stay for him (too bad she's gay). He really stole the show for me. Although, Ted Ross does give him a run for his money. I thought the Cowardly Lion's makeup was really beautiful and the fit of his costume was divine. Also love the nod to the New York Public Library! That subway scene was so crazy! Such a bonkers horror sequence of the highest absurdity. I love a movie that says how can we make this location scary for each of these characters? and then goes off the wall. The Emerald City Sequence was EVERYTHING! So much in there about how silly trends are and the need to be seen and broadcast participation - it feels more relevant than ever. Everyone looked so good! Evillene's "Don't Nobody Bring Me No Bad News" is so iconic! Everything about it is really the way theater should be. When her demise occurs (rather abruptly) an older gentleman behind me said aloud, "hah a toilet!" "Everybody Rejoice" really got to me just for the joy of it all. The extended dance number was pretty poignant (although long). I bet that first half was so fun to film! Diane Ross was so swingable! Richard Pryor absolutely broke my heart. When he was explaining how he got where he was and that he just wanted company I was crying. When Dorothy explained to him he needed to find it in himself I was crying. When Lena Horne sang the "Believe in Yourself (Reprise)" and it showed the little babies that felt so ridiculous earlier but made me think of all the black and brown children watching this film, I was crying. I overheard someone say, I just wish that I had the memories of this growing up, and I completely felt that. The overt self-empowerment from this film completely worked for me in a way that my beloved Judy Garland Dorothy Gale just doesn't have. Which is so foundation shaking for me as a person! I am overdue for a rewatch of The Wizard of Oz (1939) (I had covid when my fav big theater was showing it a couple years ago and I was bummed and haven't been able to bring myself to watch it). It was just so ground breaking to me to see Dorothy Gale help the Wizard! She is going to go on to be the best kindergarten teacher ever and make her future lover so happy and fulfilled. I didn't think I could like a movie more than The Wizard of Oz (1939), I'm not saying that's the case. The fact that this movie comes so close is crazy to me! I look forward to buying this on criterion and rewatching to cry in the comfort of my own home. Chef's kiss.