Filed under: Entertainment NewswireBy Karu F. Daniels, BlackVoices.com A special 30th anniversary DVD edition of ‘The Wiz’ has arrived on store shelves this week.And that’s a good thing.Sindney Lumet’s colorfully crafted Afrocentric take on ‘The Wizard of Oz’ bowed in 1978 to tepid reviews. But the ambitious cinematic effort – starring Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Nipsey Russell, Ted Ross, Mabel King, Lena Horne and Richard Pryor in the title role – has stood the test of time with several generations of moviegoers.The music, with staples such as ‘Home,’ was expertly executed by none other than Quincy Jones who, to quote Jill Scott, ‘produced the hell out of that music.’The ultra-fabulous Land of Oz rocks in the super-spectacular musical based on the smash hit Broadway show which originally starred Stephanie Mills as Dorothy. For the multi-million dollar produced Motown film adaptation, a mid-30s aged Ross played Dorothy, refashioned as a shy Harlem Kindergarten teacher who, while searching for her lost dog Toto in a swirling blizzard, is whisked to a wonderland to follow the yellow brick road. Lumet – who helmed acclaimed dramas ‘Serpico’ and ‘Murder on the Orient Express’ — transformed the physical attributes of New York City into the fabulous Land of Oz. Sights such as Coney Island and the Brooklyn Bridge took a new life in this highly imaginative modern day movie miracle. Lumet, at the time, was Horne’s son in-law. Jackson, who was on the brink of mega-superstardom, made his film debut as the Scarecrow, which helped round out the star-studded cast, exciting musical numbers and fabulous visual effects.Released via Universal Home Entertainment, ‘The Wiz 30th Anniversary Edition DVD’ is loaded with extras that take you behind the scenes and a bonus 8-track music CD featuring songs by Jackson and Ross such as ‘Ease on Down the Road’, ‘You Can’t Win’ and ‘Home.’ For the first time, the entire movie is digitally re-mastered picture and the soundtrack is in new 5.1 surround sound, so it will be great to see on a flat screen or projector. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | CommentsSPONSORED BY: BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD Step behind the curtain at Ford Motor. Experience the documentary first-hand.
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