The Wiz

An Afro-American disco version The Wizard of Oz. It may seem somewhat daring, but considering the enormous phenomenon that the original 14 novels by L. Frank Baum and other subsequent works and adaptations have been since 1900, it's totally fine. Baum's world set a precedent for American children's literature, the main series was published until 1920, and even during the author's lifetime, the first Broadway musicals, film adaptations, radio plays, comics, and short story books were created... After his death, Ruth Plumly Thompson wrote another 21 novels about the Land of Oz. Similar success awaited Dr. Seuss or E. B. White after World War II, but even their now-classic children's books did not surpass the magnitude of The Wizard of Oz. This is how one can view the modern The Wiz as an integral part of a successful series of adaptations that simply respond to the needs of the time and change with it. Schumacher's script is daring, Lumet's direction is creative, and Scarecrow became Michael Jackson's best role in his entire career. (05/01/2024)