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The Wiz
1978 134 min United States of America G 0+
★6.0
Fantasy, Family, Adventure
Director: Sidney Lumet
🎭 Based on
«The Wonderful Wizard of Oz»
byL. Frank Baum
Trailers
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Description
Dorothy Gale, a shy kindergarten teacher, is swept away to the magic land of Oz where she embarks on a quest to return home.
Budget:
$24M
US Gross:
$21.05M
Worldwide:
$21.05M
Starring
Diana Ross
Actor
Michael Jackson
Actor
Nipsey Russell
Actor
Awards
Academy Awards 1979
— Best Cinematography
Academy Awards 1979
— Best Costume Design
Academy Awards 1979
— Best Production Design
Saturn Awards 1979
— Best Actress
Saturn Awards 1979
— Best Supporting Actress
Saturn Awards 1979
— Best Costume Design
Saturn Awards 1979
— Best Makeup and Hairstyling
Academy Awards 1979
— Best Song Recording or Musical Adaptation
Saturn Awards 1979
— Best Fantasy Film
Saturn Awards 1979
— Best Supporting Actor
Saturn Awards 1979
— Best Visual Effects
Key opinion
The Wiz is widely regarded as a divisive, ambitious, yet deeply flawed cult experiment that struggles to balance its gritty urban aesthetic with its fantasy roots. While its musical contributions and original vision are often acknowledged, the film is frequently hindered by miscast leads, jarring visual choices, and a confused target audience.
| Score | The funk and soul soundtrack, produced by Quincy Jones, provides a high-quality musical foundation that stands as one of the film's strongest technical elements. | |
| Production | The film features elaborate, inventive production design and costumes, though their gaudy, urban-ghetto aesthetic is frequently perceived as either a bold creative triumph or a tasteless, tacky distraction. | |
| Acting | Diana Ross's performance is widely criticized for its poor aging, lack of emotional resonance, and a disconnect between her mature appearance and the youthful, often infantile, characterization of Dorothy. | |
| Screenplay | The screenplay suffers from a disjointed tone that fails to reconcile its gritty, dark-humored social commentary with its origins as a family-friendly fairy tale. | |
| Originality | The reimagining of the classic Oz tale through African-American cultural motifs is praised by some as a bold, original vision but criticized by others as being executed through forced, stereotypical, or confusing storytelling choices. |