Over Thanksgiving Break, I saw the new Wicked movie, and like everyone else, I was blown away. I have always loved the original Broadway musical and been a huge musical theater fan in general, and so it’s great to see that big event movie musicals are not dead, especially for a show as powerful as Wicked. But being the obsessive person I am, I sort of went down a huge rabbit hole after coming out of the theater with stars in my eyes… and began to watch any Oz-related content I could find.
I began at the most natural place to start, the original 1939 Technicolor masterpiece The Wizard of Oz. Of course, it’s a movie I have seen dozens of times throughout my life, but it had been at least 4-5 years since I had sat down and watched the film in its entirety. Viewing the movie from a more educated and adult perspective was absolutely incredible, and it’s almost jaw dropping how well the movie holds up in terms of visual effects, storytelling, and character development. I can’t even begin to imagine what it must have been like to view the film in 1930s Depression-era America cinemas; if the fantastical costumes and sets captivated me almost 100 years later, then an average viewer must have been truly spellbound. After watching The Wizard of Oz (which by the way, does not feel as long as its 102 minute runtime whatsoever, I was completely taken off guard when I realized it was 1am by this point!), I was completely hooked on the mythology of this world. I needed to watch something else Oz-related… and then I stumbled upon The Wiz (1978).
For those who don’t know, The Wiz is a Black retelling of The Wizard of Oz based on a popular 70s Broadway musical of the same name starring the legendary Diana Ross as Dorothy, Michael Jackson (in his feature film debut!) as the Scarecrow, Nipsey Russell (a popular entertainer who most frequently appeared on game shows in the 60s and 70s) as the Tinman, and Ted Ross (who was in the original Broadway production) as the Cowardly Lion. Oh, and did I mention that Lena Horne is Glenda? So basically, a completely stacked cast. I was gooped and gagged. I was familiar with the Broadway musical in passing, aware of a few of the catchy popular songs like “Ease on Down the Road”, yet it somehow completely passed me by that there was a movie adaptation with frickin’ Diana Ross. So I watched it, and wow.
The Wiz is one of the strangest yet captivating movies I have ever seen. The production design and mise-en-scene is delightful, but in a completely different way from the 1939 film it’s paying homage to. Instead of the brightly lit, almost overly saturated landscapes of Oz that dazzled the screens of 90 years ago, we are treated to gritty, urban cityscapes with dark lighting and abstract architecture. Dorothy’s journey through Oz is reimagined as a surrealist, Afrofuturist dark fantasy, a psychedelic drug-induced fever dream where logic goes out the window in favor of postmodern weirdness. It’s Wizard of Oz made for a new era of Black storytelling, one in which traditional Hollywood conventions are not considered. But that’s what makes it so much fun to watch, because you never know what’s going to happen next, an impressive feat for a movie whose basic plot is embedded into the American cultural zeitgeist for generations. The second Dorothy is transported away from her poverty-stricken Harlem neighborhood to Oz, I was completely transfixed with the sheer creativity and imagination on display. The costumes are a riot of color and texture, with everything from glittery disco suits to feathered headdresses. The music is a blend of funk, soul, and R&B, with catchy songs like “You Can’t Win” and “Be a Lion” that will have you tapping your feet. There’s a lot going on politically as well. The Wiz is a bold and subversive film that challenges the dominant White narrative of the late 1970s, a time where social inequality, crime, and poverty were rampant. It’s a film that celebrates Black culture and Black joy, while also critiquing the systemic racism and inequality that still plagues American society. The film’s portrayal of Oz as a corrupt and oppressive regime is a clear allegory for the American government, and its message of hope and empowerment is a call to action for social justice. Also, the original The Wizard of Oz didn’t feature any Black actors, and so it’s refreshing to see a retelling where being Black is the norm.
If you’re a big Wizard of Oz fan like myself, or even just a fan of cool-looking movies, you should definitely check it out. It’s weird and off putting, and Diana Ross should really just stick to singing, but Michael Jackson is so much fun to watch, the set and costume designs are extremely creative, and the songs are immensely catchy.
