Inspired by the recent run of I Love The 70's when someone said, "its simple...Wizard of Oz, white...The Wiz, black"..

well it got me to thinking, is this true?

I know im my house The Wiz always won out...So what do you all think? The Wizard or The Wiz?


Let the fighting begin:

The Wizard of Oz. The only decent thing about The Wiz was MJ's performance.

Honestly, I like 'em both. But can't nobody f*ck with Nipsy Russell as the Tin Man!

Nipsyedit
[This message was edited Mon Sep 1 19:00:20 PDT 2003 by NovaAngel]

Are you serious?

Isn't that a little like comparing Shakespeare's play "The Taming of the Shrew" to the movie "Ten Things I Hate About You"?

Nothing beats THE WIZARD OF OZ! TOTO, I Don't Think We're In KANSAS anymore...

Reply to 'The Wizard of Oz Vs. The Wiz'

Neither... lol... No, probably The Wiz...

Since it's a little funkier...

My baby girl here, say's both are good movies.

Was Jill Scott in that movie...? Oh, wait nevermind...

savoirfaire said:

Not really. I'm kidding about the Nipsy Russell part of course.
The Wizard's a "classic" admittedly but the Wiz is so campy, it's fun in a guilty pleasure sort of way.
[This message was edited Mon Sep 1 19:12:15 PDT 2003 by NovaAngel]

i've never even seen the wiz.

Handclapsfingasnapz said:

Don't bother.

Where is da luv fo da Wiz o da .ORG?

I is give you da catch phrase "Speed on o gits Peed on down da road" jes cos it ain't gots no musics don't mean it ain'ts got no meanin

CHEECHWIZARD said:

Handclapsfingasnapz said:

Rent it sometime. Nipsy Russell's great! j/k Sorry, I just like saying "Nipsy"...
[This message was edited Mon Sep 1 19:18:46 PDT 2003 by NovaAngel]

savoirfaire said:

Yes, I am serious...The Wizard of Oz was panned and considered a flop upon first release...only after repeated airings on tv did it become the classic that it is now...

and ill watch both movies and find myself . both movies could use a major editing...I think The Wizard gets more praise due to its nostalgia...Released today, would it be considered such a classic?

ask the people that released Newsies...

sosgemini said:

Fritz Lang's Metropolis was also panned upon it's release. Are you telling me that if a pop-musical version of it starring 50 Cent, Beyonce Knowles and Nelly was made today it would also deserve our respect?

Wizard of Oz was a classic. The Wiz was a shameless attempt to capitalize on a classic movie to a pop-music generation. It is the equivalent to me of comparing any classic movie to their shitty remakes.

I will consent that the Wiz is a bit of campy fun, but is not worthy of comparing to one of the most influential American movies of all time.

But I understand this post is all in good fun, and apologize for criticizing it.

The Wizard Of Oz

There are WAY too many subtleties that were lost in the translation over to The Wiz.

The mannerisms of the characters, the field of poppies, etc... There were numerous undertones going on in The Wizard Of Oz that were overlooked. The Wiz only retold the story on the surface.

Auntie Em: "For twenty-three years I've been dying to tell you what I thought of you! And now... well, being a Christian woman, I can't say it!"

...

Dorothy: "What would you do with a brain if you had one?"

and my ABSOLUTE favorite...

Scarecrow: "Some people without brains do an awful lot of talking"


Wizard of Oz: "As for you, my galvanized friend, you want a heart. You don't know how lucky you are not to have one. Hearts will never be practical until they can be made unbreakable."
Tin Woodsman: "But I still want one."
[This message was edited Mon Sep 1 20:50:18 PDT 2003 by Tom]

savoirfaire said:

exactly. aside form a similar story construct and similar characters, they are almost nothing alike.

and both of em SUCK!

wizard is ancient, and as an adult i find it tediously boring. wiz is so ridiculous, and completely nothing bust stock stereotype characters that are fairly offensive, especially the crows. i tried to watch it as an adult and was mortified.

cborgman said:

wow, you just made my heart skip a beat...but, which one do you prefer? hehehehehe

seriously...both sides of my families prefer The Wiz...as a kid i remember all of us getting together and singing and loving The Wiz..but not The Wizard of Oz..

so...does it simply come down to relating to one style of music versus the other?

i seriously dont buy the "The Wizard of OZ" is a classic due to its craftmanship...Its fondely remembered by critics because they grew up to it as kids..but if a ton of african american kids were the majority within the film critic stable...what then?


i agree..both films are boring..but The Wiz (for me) wins..and when Diana sings "Be A Lion" with that major vain popping out in her neck...WATCH OUT...


sidebar issue: i always took "be a lion" as a gay anthem...anyone else?

I like The Wiz

sosgemini said:

as a kid, i loved the wiz, even though it scared the bejesus out of me, but as an adult i really hate them both. if i had to choose one, i would choose wizard, cause at least it doesn't offend me.

and diana ross was about 25 years too old to play that role.

savoirfaire said:

you do know that the wiz was based on a smash broadway tony winning play, right?


and some say the wizard is a shitty film version of a classic book..but, i digress...


nothing beats the great Lena Horne "wooo yeah"ing her way through "home"..made Stephanie Mills proud I say...

and sure diana ross was a good two decades too old to play dorothy..but they did change her to a teacher to make her age specific..

and wouldnt that make olivia newton john too old to play sandy? in grease? (digress moment #2: isnt grease a bit overrated too?)

hehehhee

sosgemini said:

yes and yes. most musicals annoy the hell out of me. there are really only a few good ones

cborgman said:

you so gave me an idear for another thread...errr!!

Reply to 'The Wizard of Oz Vs. The Wiz'

Definitely The Wiz...

well...

i like the wizard of oz...

ive seen it since i was a young girl...

and now my kids watch it ...


plus...being here in kansas...i really enjoy the dorthy jokes

Cloudbuster said:

Don't listen to this advice.

The Wizard of Oz is a classic. But the Wiz is an odyssey into the funk. Mabel King as the wicked witch is classic. And when Dorothy (Diana Ross) sings the song "home", well let's just tell you that it captured me as a child and I will never forget how much it touched me. It touched me then and it still touches me now...to the point that I cry any and every time I hear it. What a testament to love.

Rent it Dansa...

Add the "c" to witch edit...
[This message was edited Mon Sep 1 23:41:42 PDT 2003 by SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy]

Handclapsfingasnapz said:

What the hell? this is about the 3rd time youve sed somethign that shocking on here to me
You NEED to see that movie...its really fun, emotional and despite what anyone says: ITS THE BETTER ONE

When I was in elementary school, I would ALWAYS watch The Wiz when I was home sick from school.

I used to kinda like the Wizard of Oz back when the only time you could see it was when CBS (I think?) played it on Easter...even then it got boring. At least The Wiz made ya wanna dance

As far as the comments made about stereotypes in The Wiz, I don't think it's SO bad really...no worse than some of the other 'blaxsplotation' films that were made. That's just my opinion tho.

The Wiz!!!

i love the soundtrack, and MJ's performance.I agree Diana was a bit long in the tooth to play Dorothy though.

i seen althoms porno "The Wizard of AZ"

does that count?

I've never seen the Wiz. Heard about it of course, because of MJ's involvement but have never seen it. I detest remakes, in general.