Lisa Davis

Already looking forward to it being back on Netflix 2021 holiday season. Reasons to watch 1. Forest Whitaker studied opera..his voice is marvelous 2. Memorable villain songs can make a musical great..and Magic Man G doesn't disappoint 3. Originally written with the intention of it being on Broadway..and now it should be on the marquee

So glad this is on Netflix! if you are a Black American GenXer like me you probably have a memory of seeing this in the movie theater or played on Sunday afternoon movies on station WGN. This is a must watch as part of Black Cinema. Do NOT compare this to the movie The wizard of Oz with Judy Garland (which I have never watched all the way through). The Wiz is NOT a remake of that version. The Wiz is an original version based on the written book by L. Frank Baum. (Which is the Broadway musical). The Wiz speaks to Black culture in the late seventies. This is obvious through the music, themes, and songs in the movie. Particularly, the selection of the cast (whether you like the casting or not doesn't matter) represents the best in Black artistry at its time. Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Quincy Jones, Lena Horne, Wayne Robinson, Luther Vandross and the other main cast members had huge impact in artistic and creative forms of performance art. I personally can't wait to see the Broadway revival in 2023!