This, the 30th Anniversary release of THE WIZ, is a far improved print from the earlier DVD release. The colors of each scene are bright and crisp, and the graininess has been cleaned a great deal. Included with this edition is a soundtrack CD featuring SOME of the songs from the film. Those expecting the entire soundtrack may be disappointed to see that they only get a small percentage of the original songs.
If you've read my old review, you'll notice that I like this movie, even though I agree there could have been some improvements.
"The Wiz" movie was released into cinemas on October 24 1978, so now the film IS over 30 years old.
This New DVD, with a great new cover AND SHINY Slipcase better than the one I designed in a letter to Universal mentioned in the old review is both a great gift, and a slight disappointment:
GREAT: As said before the Picture and Sound have been Restored, so that you can see the shots and hear soundtrack more clearly until now I never even noticed Dorothy/Diana removing her ear-rings upon deciding to kill Evilene! and the colours certainly do appear CLEANER. You'd be surprised at how much better this new picture is compared to before!
DISAPPOINTMENT: I was hoping to see a slightly wider and longer version of the picture, but close comparison and attention have shown that the image is slightly zoomed in look at the edges (sides and top/bottom) in the wide shot of Dorothy in her Emerald City Motel room for example, and you'll notice a bit missing. And when we see Dorothy and Toto being transported across the screen from New York to Oz, that is the one time it looks more-or-less the same as the old DVD (despite better detail and cleaner picture).
And as Diana finishes singing "I wish I was . . . " in 'Soon As I Get Home', I noticed how her lips mouth 'home'; Unfortunately, it seems she didn't say 'home' and that moment remains unspoken even in restoration.
Again the Chapter List stays the same: 20 scenes for the opening title, each song and end credits but here they are presented by 4 screenshots instead of 3 like before.
The Menus, though quiet and simple, do have a bit of animation and Much more Colour to them. MAIN reuses the front cover characters (but rearranged, words appearing in afterwards), while SPECIAL and SET-UP use the back cover movie moments. Again, great English specific subtitles, audio selections are English 5.1 in Dolby and dts, with French 2.0 and subtitles.
When "PLAY" activated, there is a (unavoidable to skip or speed-up) new classification screen and the Universal Logo. When you do see the movie's (old) Universal opening with the Wiz music, you'll be surprised at how well the restoration shows! Unlike last time, there is no 'Universal on DVD' video-promo, and the menu comes up before the movie allowing you to choose what to do first.
Special Features are once again the Trailer and Making-of "Wiz on Down the Road", and unfortunately that's it. Still, they are fun to watch and hear.
Another disk with MORE Special Features (Galleries, music videos, trivia-facts using the old DVD notes, interviews, LOTS of things on the Original Broadway, etc.) would definitely have been welcome and made this DVD a better winner, but . . .
The only other bonus is an 8-track '30th Anniversary Edition Music CD' (inside DVD-case, unattached to anything with own slip-cover) with movie songs "He's the Wiz" by Thelma Carpenter, "You Can't Win" Michael Jackson, "Ease on Down the Road" Diana Ross and Michael Jackson, "Slide Some Oil to Me" Nipsey Russell, Ted Ross' "Mean Ole Lion", Emerald City, the Winkies' "Brand New Day" and "Home" with Diana Ross some of which are fun and great to listen to.
The front cover of the characters (except Diana, of course) are from/can be seen in "the Wiz Scrapbook", and the Back cover of the DVD and slipcase are the same, except for the area with the barcode and an oval-like shape above the 'Special Features'.
Picture and Sound have been Restored Superbly (despite slight zoom in), and although the Special Features are a downgraded repeat (and slight overstatement) these are still fun videos to watch.
Once again, a very enjoyable DVD for a could-have-been-better movie, a "bad" movie which is still FAR BETTER than that of the 1976 Australian horrified modern-day "OZ (A Rock 'N' Roll Road Movie)" version, terribly unsuitable for children and families!!
Checking out this 30th Anniversary DVD is worth it, for the quality picture and sound, and simply good menus.
Look and . . . See a . . . Brand New Film!If you are a fan of Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Disco Music and Broadway Musicals, then this is a must-see film.
Based on the 1975 Broadway show and filmed entirely on location in New York City back in 1977, the film was released in 1978 to mixed reviews. Even though it was not a box-office smash, this film has become somewhat of a cult-classic over the years to millions.
The Quincy Jones-produced score still sounds as fresh today as it did 30 years ago, and the visual effects were way ahead of their time when this film was made.
The film's "Emerald City Sequence" musical number, which featured most of the main cast and hundreds of dancers, was shot in the plaza between the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City. Like so many films that were shot over the years on or near the now "Ground Zero" site in Lower Manhattan, prior to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, this film may bring back memories of that fateful day. But at the same time it should also be a reminder of how much more at peace the world seemed to be all those years ago.
I have always enjoyed watching this film over the years, but like so many films that we have come to love, that were filmed on that site prior to 9/11, it is sad that even our culture in movies has been tarnished by the events of 9/11 as well.
Read Best Reviews of The Wiz (1978) Here
That's the song that introduces Michael Jackson's Scarecrow in The Wiz! I love this movie. It's cheesey as hell and a camp classic the songs are top notch fair and in some cases beat out the lyrics from The Wizard Of OZ! Just listen to Ms. Ross belt out "Home" or when michael and her team up for "Ease on down the road"! The plot is also fun it takes the premise of the original and places it in New York. The dialogue is great with slang and refrences to black pop culture. Lumet paints the film with a colorful glaze of magic and distress by making the colors pop off the screen and the use of glow in the dark images is astonishing. The soundtrack is also a must buy this film is a complete child's fairy tale and it's beautiful. After hearing "Don't Nobody Bring Me No Bad News" you'll be easing on down the road and humming the tunes for days!OK, OK...I will admit that I trashed this movie over in the VHS section, but understand my only copy was one that I taped from a television showing and it had been badly butchered (edited) by the network to fit the time slot. So my most recent memory of The Wiz has been this terrible copy of this 1978 musical.I recently decided to give it another chance to win me over. I purchased the DVD version, and I must admit this new, crisp, complete film with its remastered soundtrack, is a much more watchable and entertaining experience.
We all know the story, Dorothy goes to Oz via whirling snowstorm, meets up with band of misfits who through their harrowing experiences together learn they can all be better than they had ever imagined. And that life can be good no matter where you live.
In the past, the cropped version diminished the entire focus of the story, and made it feel dark, and claustrofobic but now
the Widescreen format greatly enhances the scope of the movie, giving it a more important feel. The color is so much brighter than before that I couldn't believe all the details I had missed that are now clearly visable. The scene where the Munchkins come alive off the Grafitti wall, is really very cool.
There are entire scenes I had forgotten about that are now included, like the one where Dorothy and others are in the OZ motel room talking about having to kill Evilene. I had not seen that one since 1978, and had forgotten it entirely.
I still have problems with some of the performances, and I still believe that it was poorly edited, but all in all I was very impressed with the brand new feel of this movie and if you have not seen it in the DVD format, do so, you will be suprised at the difference. I am now looking forward to seeing it again and again.
The extras on the DVD, are pretty standard, with Trailers and the like. There is a very dated special presentation about the making of the Wiz in which Sidney Lumet discusses his vision of this timeless tale.
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