If you haven’t already heard, the musical The Wiz is coming back to broadway in 2024 which is set to star Wayne Brady. The original played premiered in 1974 at the Morris A. Mechanic Theater in Baltimore and starred Stephanie Mills, Stu Gilliam, Tiger Haynes and Ted Ross. It became a success during its run and prompted a 1978 film adaptation. 

At this point, the movie needs no introduction. This wondrous Diana Ross and Michael Jackson-led film has been considered a cult classic by many fans and critics, according to The Grio, which claimed its cult status was largely in part of Jackson’s fan base and blaxploitation audience. 

I saw this movie when I was a child and I have loved it ever since. I wanted to post this article to show some appreciation towards this cult classic. However, it wasn’t always seen in the best light.

When it was initially released, the film was poorly received and bombed at the box office. As a result, it prematurely ended the series of blaxploitation films (being it was a film with an all-black cast) and it was the last notable film that had Diana Ross as a lead actress, her first two roles were Lady Sings the Blues and Mahogany. 

Regardless of those facts from the film’s inception, here is why more people need to appreciate this big, beautiful, black gem that shook the ground of musicals. 

The cast

Whether you are a Michael Jackson fan, a Diana Ross fan or Nipsey Russell fan, you have to admit that this group of ragtag misfits is the most jovial thing to come out of this Oz project. The glowing performances are something that deserve an enormous amount of praise from audiences all around the globe.

When first seeing this in theaters, it might have seemed bizarre that these actors were placed under the spotlight for the silver screen, but time gives people to reflect a lot more and they see the genius that Sidney Lumet hand-crafted for cinema. Each performance compliments the other and doesn’t overstay any welcome. 

One cast member that deserves a lot of praise is Michael Jackson’s turn as the scarecrow. His performance is a shock surprise as he is able to act, sing and dance without even breaking a single sweat, in typical Michael Jackson fashion. 

Initial critics have claimed that the film was inferior to the broadway musical as Diana Ross’ Dorothy was criticized for being too old, as she was a girl in the play and a 24-year-old teacher in the film. 

The music

To add to the sheer grandeur of the cast, it only makes sense that we also talk about the music. Each stanza, rhyme and theme elicits a beautiful sense of nostalgia and amusement.

Charlie Smalls composes an elegant score and some incredibly catchy songs for this cult classic. Each song perfectly illustrates the tone of what is occurring in the story at the time. It’s almost impossible to hear those glamorous horns and harmonicas cascading across the screen and wafting over to our ears. Every melody denotes a certain beauty and awe that can only be truly appreciated by staying quiet and listening to it hard. 

A highlight proves to be when Michael Jackson is belting out the notes for the song “You can’t win”. Jackson’s sheer vocal range and eloquence perfectly matches his outspoken talent for the pop star. It’s almost a fever dream to listen to this nostalgia-filled music on replay with the help of streaming.

The production design

One more thing that is truly amazing about this film is its lush production design and gorgeous sets. It offers a different approach to what the Land of Oz looks like in this reimagining of L. Frank Baum’s novel. 

The look of the film is a resplendent take replicating the magnitude of the broadway musical. It looks like I’m watching an old city fable come to life for the silver screen as it makes the viewer feel immersed in the style that it was trying to achieve. 

When it was first released, the film received criticism for combining the Land of Oz with the aesthetic of New York City. It just seems so inventive to see the production design do something new, rather than to just recycle the same style and material that was first seen in 1939’s The Wizard of Oz. Whether you like it or not, it’s still something to admire.

The timeless tale it’s based upon 

Realizing that this film is largely based upon the timeless classic The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum, it’s almost impossible to ignore that fact and the différent creative turn that it took. Bringing a monumental and universally beloved source material to the forefront and recreating it for a more inventive use is no small feat. 

As a matter of fact, it’s amazing that this film came to light because it was never heard of to have something like this in mainstream consciousness. This is definitely a blaxploitation movie but if it would be first made today, it would receive a stream of negativity for its “diversity” and get hate-bombed for its casting decisions.

You have to admire the film for doing something new and appealing to a différent audience because, hearing the pitch for the first time, most people would not think that it would work …but it did.