The Film
The Wizard of Oz has seen its fair share of makeovers. However, there are none that some would like to forget more than The Wiz.
Now, to be fair, The Wiz was an insanely popular, brilliant Broadway musical before it became a box-office flop. With the exception of Michael Jackson, blame has been placed on pretty much everything and everyone related to the movie.
Diana Ross took a huge brunt of that burden, since she claimed the lead role as her own. She sounds great, but it doesn't take away from the fact that she was extremely miscast. She can certainly sing the songs, but her performance is bland overall. Plus, she is way too old for Dorothy, even when Dorothy is reincarnated as a 24-year-old schoolteacher. (Ross was 34 when the film was released, and Dorothy Gale in the book was only 12.)
The amount of other talent attached to The Wiz is truly mind-boggling. Just a few of famous faces include the aforementioned future King of Pop (MJ), Richard Pryor and Lena Horne, while behind the scenes sat Joel Schumacher, Quincy Jones, and Sidney Lumet.
The film The Wiz takes a few liberties with the Frank Baum classic, as well as the Broadway musical. Much of it seems dated now, but the story is still there. After all of these years, The Wiz isn't neccesarily any more enjoyable as a cult classic or otherwise. However, the music is wonderful, and may be worth sitting through the film's borderline painful 135 minutes.
The Picture
Blu-ray certainly gives this late '70s flick a nice boost. While I can't really remember the theatrical release all that much, there's no doubt that the film can't get much better than this 1.85:1 high def transfer. Still, it's sort of a mixed bag. The film kicks off with some great textures inside Dorothy's house, on the walls and inside the speckled oven. Once Dorothy meets up with the "munchkins," however, it's hard to know where the image is going. That scene is so dark; instead of ramping up the magic, it squashes it flatter than Evermean, the Wicked Witch of the East.
Facial detail, on the other hand, is pretty wonderful, especially on the Cowardly Lion and the Tin Man. The Wicked Witch is more of a mess, as is her big number, "Don't Nobody Bring Me No Bad News." This is just one of those wider shots in the movie that could have been so great. Instead, it misses out on a lot of intricate details.
The Sound
Despite all of the talent in The Wiz (or perhaps because of it?), the soundtrack is really the star here. The DTS-HD Master Audio track delivers the dialogue nicely, making sure it never gets trampled by any of the music. There are a few ambient noises sprinkled through the soundfield. However, it's the music itself you'll want to hear, and it does sound pretty exceptional. Although a lot of the tunes have a disco edge, you can hear many of the individual instruments being used. As far as vocals, Diana Ross, Michael Jackson and Lena Horne all have such unique and powerful voices. They are truly the most memorable parts of the film.
The Extras
Much of the cast of The Wiz has passed on. And those who haven't would probably like to forget it ever happened. And that leaves very few opportunities for extras. However, the poorly named "Wiz on Down the Road," is worth the 12 minutes. It's dated, so the sound and image quality are really bad. Also, it starts off like a crappy promo, but you'll want to hang in. It does get interesting, especially when producer Rob Cohen gives details about the doomed production.
Final Thoughts
The 1939 film version of The Wizard of Oz certainly beats The Wiz. However, if you feel like taking another trip down the Yellow Brick Road, this Blu-ray is definitely the only way to go. This update puts a nice shine on the image, and a spotlight on the music. It's just too bad that the movie isn't as great as the talent inside of it.
Product Details
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