The Wiz

Name: The Wiz
Genre: Adventure, Fantasy, Family, Musical
Released: October 24, 1978
Duration: 134 min
Rating: 53
Cast: Diana Ross, Lena Horne, Mabel King, Michael Jackson, Nipsey Russell

1978

METASCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 11 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 9 Ratings

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6.7

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6.7	Your Score
6.7	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 9 Ratings

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Movie Details & Credits

Universal Pictures | Release Date: October 24, 1978 | G

Starring: Diana Ross, Lena Horne, Mabel King, Michael Jackson, Nipsey Russell, Richard Pryor, Stanley Greene, Ted Ross, Thelma Carpenter, Theresa Merritt

Summary: An adaptation of "The Wizard of Oz" that tries to capture the essence of the African-American experience.

Director: Sidney Lumet

Genre(s): Adventure, Fantasy, Family, Musical

Rating: G

Runtime: 134 min

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Critic Reviews

Gary Arnold

Lumet and his inspired collaborators have succeeded in fabricating and navigating one majectic, rabble-rousing Mother Ship of a musical, a sublimely happy moviegoing experience. [27 Oct 1978, p.D1]

Nathan Rabin

The Wiz is a weird, ugly film that nevertheless attains strange, fleeting moments of grace. Read full review

Roger Ebert

The movie has great moments and a lot of life, sensational special effects and costumes, and Ross, Jackson, and Russell. Why doesn't it involve us as deeply as The Wizard of Oz? Maybe because it hedges its bets by wanting to be sophisticated and universal, childlike and knowing, appealing to both a mass audience and to media insiders. The Wizard of Oz went flat-out for the heart of its story; there are times whenThe Wiz has just a touch too much calculation. Read full review

Michael Sragow

Whenever I see this film, Pryor's look of what-am-I-doing-here? panic echoes my feelings exactly. Read full review

Dave Kehr

A lot to look at, little to contemplate, and nothing to hum. Read full review

John Skow

So much wit and talent and energy crowd the screen in this lavishly filmed variant of the Oz story that it is depressing to realize that the production never had a chance. Read full review

David Barbour

Whatever fun this funked-up Wizard of Oz had on Broadway is erased by miscasting and a hideous design (Oz as a New York slum). Read full review

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User Reviews

JoacoQuezada

Nov 23, 2021

Really good movie. Good music and good scenarios. Michael Jackson killed it. Love it.

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CarlitosNN

Aug 8, 2021

A great movie with great times and totally underrated songs.Its a great vision of a musical about "The Wizard Of Oz". In addition, the performance of Michael Jackson and Diana Ross is excellent.

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Habibiehakim

Apr 19, 2023

This movie comes from a guy that makes 12 Angry Men and Dog Days Afternoon, 2 of my favorites movie of all time, The Wiz has no charm at all, it has no magic, the movie was ugly, it was an overlong Musical fills with lot's of unnecessary song, Diana Ross ugly present at the film and herThis movie comes from a guy that makes 12 Angry Men and Dog Days Afternoon, 2 of my favorites movie of all time, The Wiz has no charm at all, it has no magic, the movie was ugly, it was an overlong Musical fills with lot's of unnecessary song, Diana Ross ugly present at the film and her atrocious acting, she is truly one of the worst actress i've ever seen, and Richard Pryor was also awful, despite a couple of catchy song, Michael Jackson fine performance as Scarecrow, Nipsey Russell and Ted Ross ok performance both as Tin Man and Cowardly Lion, The Wiz was a piece of garbage, an unnecessary adaptation to The Wonderful Wizard Of Oz, it's ugly, it's pathetic.… Expand

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