The Wiz

"The wiz! The stars! The music! Wow!"

1978 2h 14m EN

😐

6.2

MID

★6.2TMDB · 335

FantasyFamilyAdventure

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Dorothy Gale, a shy kindergarten teacher, is swept away to the magic land of Oz where she embarks on a quest to return home.

“The wiz! The stars! The music! Wow!”

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Where to watch · US

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Cast

Diana Ross
Dorothy
Michael Jackson
Scarecrow
Nipsey Russell
Tinman
Ted Ross
Lion
Mabel King
Evillene
Theresa Merritt
Aunt Em
Thelma Carpenter
Miss One
Lena Horne
Glinda the Good

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Sidney Lumet
Writers: Joel Schumacher
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Earned back only 88% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

48 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Sidney Lumet, shot by Oswald Morris. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Charlie Smalls. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Dede Allen shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Diana Ross and Michael Jackson and Nipsey Russell carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "The wiz! The stars! The music! Wow!".

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0078504 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Sidney Lumet directs. Oswald Morris behind the camera. Charlie Smalls scores. Dede Allen cuts. A commercial under-performer on release. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Earned back only 88% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.
248 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
3Directed by Sidney Lumet, shot by Oswald Morris. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Original score by Charlie Smalls. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Editor Dede Allen shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Diana Ross and Michael Jackson and Nipsey Russell carry the top of the cast.
7Marketing tagline: "The wiz! The stars! The music! Wow!".
8IMDB entry: tt0078504 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
9Classified under 17 themes, including "new york city", "dreams", "melancholy", "musical".

The technical file

Cinematography: Oswald Morris
Original score: Charlie Smalls
Editing: Dede Allen
Production design: Tony Walton
Costume design: Tony Walton
Makeup / hair: Robert Laden
Stunt coordinator: Everett Creach
Runtime: 134 min · 2h 14m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Budget: $24,000,000
Box office: $21,049,053
Return: 88% of budget
Original language: EN
Certification (US): G
IMDB: The Wiz (1978)

Also by

Sidney Lumet

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Community reviews

What people are saying

CinemaSerf2024-03-30
★ 6/10
Whilst I think this really does work on stage, I really didn't much rate this African-American take on the timeless "Wizard of Oz" tale. It seems much more intent on making a political statement than it does on entertaining anyone, and given I'm not from the community it was made by and for, I felt a bit like I was not really invited to the party. The story itself sees a slightly older "Dorothy" (Diana Ross) chasing her dog through a heavy snowfall. She gets hopelessly lost and next thing she is in a mysterious land ("Oz") and must find the legendary wizard if she is ever to sing her way back to Harlem. The snag with this plot here is that her life in New York was none too enjoyable, so after a while here making new friends - including Michael Jackson's "Scarecrow", and singing and dancing her way through life, I did wonder what she actually wanted to get back for. The remainder of the story largely follows the gist of the original Baum novel, peppered with some of Quincy Jones best efforts, and so no there's not a jot of jeopardy as she plods along the yellow brick road towards a typically theatrical, power ballad, denouement. There's no question Ross can sing, but somehow nobody here ever imbues thire songs with much personality or character. They are just repetitions of the vinyl versions with little to personalise them for the big screen. It's not a bad film, and it does try to take some risks with the creativity, but for me I just didn't feel at all engaged.

Production companies