The Wiz is the black Wizard of Oz. It began as a musical in Baltimore, but quickly became popular enough to earn a film adaptation. Critics lambasted the flick, calling it one of the decade’s worst. There are, however, moments of excellence.

Diana Ross performs badly, yes, but she consistently owns it with her musical voice.

Honestly, though, Michael Jackson should have been Dorothy. His “You Can’t Win” is when he shows his range, as well as his genuine acting talent. You can tell he’s having one of the best times of his life. At 18, he’s living what his childhood could have been if Joe hadn’t beaten the shit out of him. Poor Michael. His Reese’s Peanut Butter cup nose is probably what made him obsessed with his actual nose later on in life. His star power becomes that much more apparent when compared with the other actors, and it’s easy to see that he and Elvis will likely be remembered forever as legendary performers.

It’s interesting to note the blaxploitation and inherent racism in much of the film, but to call it so is anachronistic. This was an adaptation, and as such it features aspects of black culture that almost 35 years later seem dated and crude, but in its time, were the norm.

The set design, costumes, score, and cinematography are great however, even if the film seems about forty minutes too long. Although The Wiz was nominated for those four categories at the Oscars, it didn’t win any. It’s also interesting to note how they make use of Brooklyn and New York in the set design. Overall, worth watching.