The Wiz vs. The Wiz

The Wiz and The Wiz Live!NBC’s decision to re-work the original 1974 Broadway musical rather than the 1978 film was an unfortunate choice, despite some interesting changes and a generally stand-out cast. The original musical, with first-rate songs by Charlie Smalls (except for four songs, including “Brand New Day” by Luther Vandross), was a re-telling of the beloved MGM film The Wizard of Oz, its novel approach mainly being an all-black cast and African American stylistic influences. The original Broadway production almost didn’t succeed. The producer considered closing the show after its opening night, but the show’s major producer, 20th Century Fox, poured in additional funds while everyone agreed to royalty cuts until the eighth week when the production costs were recouped. Motown and Universal Pictures produced the film version, and here the adaption was truly innovative.

The setting was changed to an urban environment (a stylized New York City). Quincy Jones adapted the music for the film, and wrote additional songs with the help of Ashford and Simpson. Jones updated the “Emerald City Sequence” ballet with a disco vibe, and co-wrote with Anthony Jackson a funky “Poppy Girls Theme” for the parading ladies of the night. These urbanized changes turned the story from something ordinary into something imaginative. From the urban playground with graffiti munchkins to the taxis that won’t pick up black passengers, from the broken-down buildings to the abandoned carnival, from the witchdoctor in the subway to the lure of the skyscrapers across the bridge, the movie holds its own compared to the classic 1939 MGM version, music and all.

In choosing to revive the Broadway version, NBC scuttled what made The Wiz unique. The great music by Smalls remains, but the pop song “We Got It” by Ne-Yo was a tepid addition. The producers also wasted an opportunity to spice up the music with rap, unlike what Jones and Jackson had done with disco and funk. On the positive side, the sets were amazing, and the cast performed well. But it was a wasted opportunity, and certainly cannot compete with the film version of The Wiz.

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