The Wiz
1978·United States·138 min.
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In this version of the classic story - based on the smash Broadway musical - Dorothy is a 24-year-old Manhattan kindergarten teacher who is brought by a snowstorm to the mysterious Land of Oz, a sprawling, decaying, nightmarish, and dangerous megalopolis that resembles the physical characteristics of New York City. The re-telling of the tale includes various urban settings, and features themes of rising above one's background and the expectations of others.
DirectorSidney Lumet
MusicCharlie Smalls
CinematographyOswald Morris
CastDiana Ross·Michael Jackson·Nipsey Russell·Ted Ross·Mabel King·Theresa Merritt·Thelma Carpenter·Lena Horne·Richard Pryor·Stanley Greene·Clyde J. Barrett
Original titleThe Wiz