1264 The Wiz

[TBickle020776]

To only have a single commentary and two archival interviews makes this release even more disappointing. I would think the producer would be able to find archival behind the scene packages or create a new interview with contemporary artists reflecting on the music of the film. Throw in one of the most obnoxious covers to ever grace a Criterion release and you either have a cult classic that people will buy to have as a collectors item if it ever goes OOP or a release that will be a Criterion dud.

I'm still debating if I will pick up or not but I have to admit I'm already intrigued by the reaction to the release (message board and social media comments). So, I have a few months to think about it.

[The Curious Sofa]

A stage-to-screen documentary would certainly have been nice; the show was highly acclaimed (Stephen Sondheim claimed it as a favorite) and is still revived periodically. The Criterion release of Hedwig and the Angry Inch had one called Whether You Like It or Not: The Story of Hedwig, which was excellent (though admittedly not commissioned by Criterion).

[crimlaw]

Speaking of Zardoz (wiZARDofOZ), John Boorman should finally enter the collection, preferably with a 4K of a major film such as Point Blank, Deliverance or Excalibur, which are all with WB.

[dwk]

With Performance and NIght Moves UHDs, I could seem them doing the same with Point Blank.

[jt938]

So we'll get this from Criterion but not Network or Dog Day Afternoon, what's next, A Stranger Among Us?

[crimlaw]

Well, at least it’s not The Last of the Mobile Hot Hots.

[flyonthewall2983]

I think it’s cool Criterion is putting this out. Speaking only for myself I can point to so many films of his as stepping stones into understanding how drama works, and sometimes how it doesn’t. I haven’t liked all the films of his I have seen but just the sheer endurance he showed in those last years were impressive at a degree I find frankly inspiring.

I watched this once as a kid on VH1.

[beamish14]

Well, at least it’s not The Last of the Mobile Hot Hots.

I’m a longtime defender of that film and feel it’s absolutely one of Lumet’s best. So outre, bizarre, and genuinely ahead of its time with regards to reality television

[MichaelB]

I wasn't aware of an Oz connection to that film (sorry if that's utterly moronic.)

THE WIZARD OF OZ - and I gather this isn't an accident.

[crimlaw]

That settles it. Zardoz should enter the collection. (Hey, at least it’s more entertaining than The Wiz).

Besides, the Arrow Limited Edition is OOP.

[Black Hat]

Much like The Wizard of Oz was a staple on CBS for years, The Wiz was shown regularly on PBS. Throw in how that generation of kids has grown up rehabilitating the film's reputation critically, and it's no surprise Criterion would release this. The surprise here is they were able to license it, as I'm sure it'll sell big. I remember very little about it besides being perplexed by Michael Jackson's costume and feeling very confused by the film's dreary, many shades of brown appearance.

[colinr0380]

Ease On Down The Road is probably the best number, and has to be since its doing the equivalent of the "Follow The Yellow Brick Road" number (and I wonder if the theme park/rollercoaster version of Emerald City in the distance weirdly anticipates Michael Jackson's "Leave Me Alone" video?)

[Ashirg]

Is there a known issue with this release? The Criterion shows "currently unavailable" for both formats.

[dwk]

Didn't someone mention some dialogue is missing?

[Matt]

Someone on the other site said there were a couple lines of dialogue missing from the 4K restoration itself. And if Criterion just relied on what Universal gave them, those errors were probably replicated on the disc.

[nicolas]

Available again. I doubt they’ll fix anything though as this is Universal’s doing and Criterion never advertised original audio.

[Zot!]

I guess another good reason to always include an original audio track on a release and not just the remix.

[TBickle020776]

Criterion told me there will be replacement discs in the near future for the audio issues.

[DimitriL]

Yup. A bunch of people have reported they started getting responses from Criterion today confirming a Wiz audio fix is forthcoming.

[DimitriL]

I guess another good reason to always include an original audio track on a release and not just the remix.

Criterion is purist enough that I think they would always include that if given the choice by the studio. Just browsing upcoming releases, Altered States, Fire Walk With Me and This Is Spinal Tap all have both remixed and original audio tracks.

[Lowry_Sam]

I think the issue is less "purism" and more that a significant portion of the people who still buy media want the original/faithful & most complete representation of a film vs people who rely only on streaming are used to gettting whatever is available to them. Now with UHD & the absence of region blocking, people who buy discs can also scout the internet to find out who has the best presentation & import that title, so it behooves boutique labels to get it right for sales & reputation.

[Lowry_Sam]

And almost 3 pages of an argument over a film's worthiness of being in the collection and no mention of Chasing Amy, Armageddon, or Jellyfish Eyes. Consider it done.

[Zot!]

Now with UHD & the absence of region blocking, people who buy discs can also scout the internet to find out who has the best presentation & import that title, so it behooves boutique labels to get it right for sales & reputation.

Hey, hey....some of us have been wasting our lives looking at screencaps on DVDbeaver for almost 25 years now. But I think people are still more interested in procuring the correct slipcover for Mean Girls 2 than getting the Les Mistons gamma levels right.

Still original audio would seem to be an easy way to satisfy the nutters. They brought flippin' MONO back for The Terminator's 4K for goodness sake.

[DimitriL]

I think the issue is less "purism" and more that a significant portion of the people who still buy media want the original/faithful & most complete representation of a film vs people who rely only on streaming are used to gettting whatever is available to them. Now with UHD & the absence of region blocking, people who buy discs can also scout the internet to find out who has the best presentation & import that title, so it behooves boutique labels to get it right for sales & reputation.

Agreed. But it doesn’t mean they have a choice. Sometimes the studio says no. Sometimes they say, this is how we want it. (See: Toho.)

[MichaelB]

Agreed. But it doesn’t mean they have a choice. Sometimes the studio says no. Sometimes they say, this is how we want it. (See: Toho.)

We had that with Indicator's Sweet Charity, where we were very keen indeed to restore the original entr'acte and thereby recreate the original roadshow presentation, but we were told point blank that this wouldn't be possible. So that was that.