- published: 27 Jun 2011
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The Wiz is a 1978 musical film produced by Motown Productions and Universal Pictures, and released by Universal on October 24, 1978. An urbanized retelling of L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz featuring an entirely African-American cast, The Wiz was adapted from the 1975 Broadway musical of the same name. The film follows the adventures of Dorothy, a shy Harlem, New York schoolteacher who finds herself magically transported to the Land of Oz, which resembles a fantasy version of New York City. Befriended by a Scarecrow, a Tin Man, and a Cowardly Lion, she travels through the land to seek an audience with the mysterious "Wiz", who they say has the power to take her home.
Produced by Rob Cohen and directed by Sidney Lumet, The Wiz stars Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Nipsey Russell, Ted Ross, Mabel King, Theresa Merritt, Thelma Carpenter, Lena Horne, and Richard Pryor. The film's story was reworked from William F. Brown's Broadway libretto by Joel Schumacher, and Quincy Jones supervised the adaptation of Charlie Smalls and Luther Vandross's songs for film. A handful of new songs, written by Jones and the songwriting team of Nickolas Ashford & Valerie Simpson, were added for the film version. Upon its original theatrical release, The Wiz was a critical and commercial failure, and marked the end of the resurgence of African-American films that began with the blaxploitation movement of the 1970s. The film received four Academy Award nominations for Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design, Best Original Music Score and Best Cinematography.
Actors: Jeremiah Edward Hobbs (actor), Jeremiah Edward Hobbs (actor), Jeremiah Edward Hobbs (actor), Jeremiah Edward Hobbs (actor), Jason LaMont Mills (actor), Jason LaMont Mills (writer), Jason LaMont Mills (writer), Jason LaMont Mills (director), Jeremiah Edward Hobbs (producer), Jason LaMont Mills (producer), Jonathan Wizbicki (producer), Jeremy Williams (actor), Nick Meyers (actor),
Genres: ,Actors: Matt Cornwell (actor), Christophe Beck (composer), Ben Stiller (actor), Laura Sevier (miscellaneous crew), E. Michael Hewett (miscellaneous crew), Joe Inscoe (actor), Cassandra Barbour (miscellaneous crew), Jason Schwartzman (actor), Patt Noday (actor), Cullen Moss (actor), Lou Criscuolo (actor), Mary Jasionowski (miscellaneous crew), Peter Teschner (editor), Anna Kendrick (actress), Zachary Woodlee (miscellaneous crew),
Genres: Comedy, Drama, Music,Actors: Greg Evigan (actor), Barry Morse (actor), David Michael Frank (composer), Eugene Clark (actor), William Shatner (actor), David Hemblen (actor), William Shatner (writer), Sheena Easton (actress), William Shatner (director), Seaton McLean (producer), Sandi Ross (actress), Susan Marucci (miscellaneous crew), Richard Chevolleau (actor), Joan Heney (actress), Von Flores (actor),
Plot: After four years, Jake Cardigan is prematurely awoken from his fifteen year cryogenic punishment to a world very different than the one he knew. Much more than before 'Tek', the highly-addictive electronic designer narcotic of the 21st century, seems to be prevalent. His wife has divorced him and disappeared together with their son. He wants them back and he wants justice for those undercover policemen who were murdered by unknown conspirators which led to his imprisonment for a crime he did not commit. He links up with his ex-partner Sid Gomez, now also an ex-cop, and they go to work for the mysterious Bascom who owns and runs the giant Cosmos security corporation. Their first job is a seemingly easy missing persons case trying to locate a missing scientist who may have developed a crystal to destroy Tek chips. The more the two men investigate the more the dark and powerful forces of the hidden Tek lords are sent to thwart them. What is the connection between this case and his wrongful imprisonment four years ago? Will he ever be able to trace his lost family through the infinite twists and turns of this new technological age? In a race against time Jake struggles to come to terms with this new world where nothing is as it seems and his place within it.
Keywords: 2040s, 21st-century, based-on-novel, cyberpunk, detective, futuristic, year-2045Actors: David Michael Frank (composer), David Hemblen (actor), William Shatner (writer), William Shatner (actor), William Shatner (producer), Greg Evigan (actor), Gordon Masten (actor), Eugene Clark (actor), Tyrone Benskin (actor), George Bloomfield (director), Seaton McLean (producer), Susan Marucci (miscellaneous crew), Richard Chevolleau (actor), Peter Sussman (producer), Robert Kennedy (actor),
Plot: Despite being imprisoned tek lord Sonny Hokori manages to run his criminal empire. A virus, which not only is effective on computer software but also on physical beings, is activated in the global computer network. While Jake Cardigan tries to stop Hokori and his allies he also has to deal with his former wife's new husband trying to adopt his son.
Keywords: 2040s, 21st-century, detective, futuristic, sequelActors: Craig McKay (editor), Robby Benson (director), Nile Rodgers (composer), Sally Kirkland (actress), Maggie Wagner (actress), Judy Tenuta (actress), Anna Levine (actress), Mark Margolis (actor), Danny Aiello (actor), Tony Sirico (actor), Mike Starr (actor), Robby Benson (actor), Paul Herman (actor), Antonia Rey (actress), Joe Lisi (actor),
Plot: A young man, short of money, is persuaided into looking after the business of a local drug dealer for a week or two. Up until then, the guy had been an honest and clean of drugs, but when he spends his days surrounded by riches and drugs, he cannot resist... and neither can his addict wife.
Keywords: crack-cocaine, drug-addict, drug-addiction, drug-dealing, drugs, female-nudity, gangster, independent-film, neck-breaking, nudityActors: L. Frank Baum (writer), Phylicia Rashad (actress), Phylicia Rashad (actress), Geoffrey Holder (miscellaneous crew), Geoffrey Holder (costume designer), Ralph Wilcox (actor), Ralph Wilcox (actor), Ralph Wilcox (actor), Ralph Wilcox (actor), Stephanie Mills (actress), Hinton Battle (actor), Ted Ross (actor), Otis Sallid (actor), Mabel King (actress), Tiger Haynes (actor),
Genres: Fantasy, Musical,Actors: Alan Oppenheimer (actor), Tim Thomerson (actor), Jack Carter (actor), Frank Gorshin (actor), Ruth Buzzi (actress), Ed Begley Jr. (actor), Ted Lange (actor), Larry Storch (actor), Sorrell Booke (actor), Michael Callan (actor), Alice Ghostley (actress), Gallagher (actor), Harold Sakata (actor), Wendy Schaal (actress), Rick Dees (actor),
Genres: Comedy,Actors: Sidney Lumet (director), Joel Schumacher (writer), Robin Givens (actress), Rob Cohen (producer), Lena Horne (actress), L. Frank Baum (writer), Arthur French (actor), Bill Walker (actor), Luther Vandross (actor), Diana Ross (actress), Quincy Jones (actor), Michael Jackson (actor), Richard Pryor (actor), Roberta Flack (actress), Janet Wright (actress),
Plot: Dorothy, a twenty-four-year-old kindergarten teacher born, raised, and still working in Harlem, is celebrating Thanksgiving with her extended family, but she doesn't seem to be thankful for much in life. She lives a self-imposed sheltered life; she is shy and unfulfilled. Things change for her when she is caught in a snowstorm while chasing after her dog, Toto. They are transported to the mysterious Land of Oz, where she is informed that the only possible way to find her way back home is through the assistance of the powerful wizard in the Emerald City. As she goes searching for him, she befriends some creatures who are facing problems in life just like her. In their quest to find and get help from the wizard, they also face Evillene, the equally evil sister of Evermean, the wicked witch whom Dorothy inadvertently killed when she arrived in Oz, and who may be their biggest obstacle in achieving their goals.
Keywords: african-american, amusement-park, aunt-niece-relationship, based-on-novel, based-on-stage-musical, blaxploitation, blizzard, box-office-flop, brooklyn-bridge, brooklyn-new-york-cityHEY! HEY! SUGARMAN!
By the time it gets borin'
Hangin' around 'n' doin' some whorin'
By the time you have lost yer pearls
Accusin' all those selfish girls
HEY! HEY! SUGARMAN!
By the time it gets dirty
Hangin' around 'n' bein' so filthy
By the time doctors know ya well
Askin' to use rubber cell
HEY! HEY! SUGARMAN!