The title of this post is one line of hilarious many in that soulful American Classic, The Wiz.
As a child, this movie both confused and scared me, so I decided to watch it again to see if I could gain clarity.
I didn't.
I guess it's due to the fact that the story doesn't exactly match the original, which I was introduced to first. Also, I read Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz in the 4th or 5th grade, and from what I can hardly remember, little of The Wiz aligns with it as well.
What I just couldn't get was why Dorothy was 24 years old still living with A'nt Em, why A'nt Em was on her case about her teaching job with small children, and why - when she ran after Toto into the blizzard - did Dorothy have to find the yellow brick road. In the original technicolor version with Judy Garland, she landed on the road and got to walkin' as soon as the Munchkins finished their ditty. Nevertheless, I am impressed with the fact that the creators of The Wiz, made it so different - yet similar enough to the original story - that it stands out on its own as an original.
I guess most of the differences between The Wiz and The Wizard of Oz lie in their cultural variances, though I wouldn't be much aware of either since I didn't grow up in Kansas or New York. However, I do prefer the creativity of The Wiz over The Wizard of Oz, eventhough it may be more appropriate for adults. It's a little darker: the scarecrow is made of paper trash, that ironically has famous quotes and wise sayings written on every piece of paper; the tin man is a smooth-talkin', gyratin' piece of work (boy, he was GROOVIN' in "Slide Me Some Oil!); and the dandy mean ol' lion (Fleetwood), with his fiercely styled mane and platform paws, is a cowardly crack-up. Still, Dorothy is 24 (looking well over 30) years old. Not 13 or 14. Is that....okay?
Speaking of Dorothy, I must say that I was uncomfortable with seeing D. Ross and Mike J. performing...so...well? together. I've heard rumors more than once of their suspect relationship. Moving on...
You gotta love the scenes in this movie, though. The brick raod looks drawn; not even slightly real, like it looks in the original, and still there are signs that say "Don't Ease". The subway (the scariest part of the movie for me as a child...and now) comes alive with weird huge, pink slinky things and trash cans with teeth. The "field" of poppies is rather a poppin party outside with scantily clad, big-bootied women in loud colors. Who couldn't get high off that? The city of Oz - on the other side of the bridge - looked fantastic! And when the quartet got inside, it looked like they were in a forest of marijuana sprinkled with massive, mint-flavored crack rocks. Pimps and high class hot mammas were fly and struttin' in sparkling green, 'cause "red is dead" - until the color changed. And you couldn't beat the scariness of the wicked witch of the West - her fingers bent BACKWARD when she try to take Dorothy's silver slippers (whoa!) In addition to the liveliness, the lines were priceless. "What do YOU want you overstuffed animal cracker?!" COM E DY.
Still...Dorothy is 24. Why?
I appreciate HBO having this movie available to me for free. It reminds me of their series for kids, which I thoroughly enjoyed, called "Happily Ever After" which retold fairytale classics from various ethnic perspectives. It made me love the stories even more. They should do more AMCs (American Movie Classics) like this, and possibly do an upgrade of The Wiz (a scary thought, as HARPO would probably take it on...). Can you imagine? Like...Guys and Dolls as Suckas and Sapphires....maybe not.
This Black History Month: Think OUTSIDE the box.
2 comments:
U know, I don't even remember watching this movie, although I probably have. But, I have thought in the past, in reference to the movie, that it should be remade, and so should others. Why do u think it's so odd for Dorothy to be 24? I think, especially today, people are lost about who they are and what they want at a later age, I know that for my mother a lot of those decisions were made by our age because she was a wife and a mother already, but for us, the options seem so endless at times, that it's AT LEAST a part-time job trying to decipher what it is that u are truly meant to do. Sometimes, I wish things were as thoughtless for me as they were for my ma, although I realize that I am truly blessed. With every blessing comes a burden I guess, just as the reverse it true.
you know...its hella funny cuz i just bough this on dvd like a week agao AND watched it on HBO the other day and i remember hearing that line specifically and crackin up cuz i had never noticed it before. i think i love this movie because of the songs and the fact that its target is a more adult audience. and to put an "ethinic" twist on a movie classic is indeed innovative if i must say so myself. plus there's the added bonus of seeing top black performers all in one movie. and you can;t tell me you wouldn't wanna live in the city of Oz ("The Wiz" version) and get to change outfits every two minutes. lol.
"you've got to be seeing green, i wouldn't be caught dead in red."
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