The Wiz
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Synopsis
L. Frank Baum’s timeless story The Wonderful Wizard of Oz gets a funky reimagining in this lavish adaptation of a landmark Broadway show based on the book. Diana Ross brings her showstopping star power to the role of Dorothy, here a Harlem schoolteacher who is magically transported to a surreal fantasyland that resembles New York City, complete with man-eating trash cans and a disco paradise. Propelled by the musical contributions of Quincy Jones and an all-star cast that includes Michael Jackson, Richard Pryor, and Lena Horne, this dazzling soul spectacular from legendary director Sidney Lumet reframes a beloved tale through the Black American experience, creating a powerful celebration of self-determination.
Picture 10/10
The Criterion Collection presents Sidney Lumet’s first (and only) foray into musicals, The Wiz, in a new 4K UHD edition sourced from a fresh 4K restoration performed by Universal. The film is presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1 on a triple-layer UHD disc with Dolby Vision, featuring a 2160p/24hz ultra high-definition encode sourced from a scan of the 35mm original negative. The set also includes a standard dual-layer Blu-ray, featuring a 1080p presentation of the film and the accompanying video features.
I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect before popping the disc in, but I was absolutely thrilled with the results. Dated aspects of the film’s design and effects aside, it honestly looks like it could’ve been shot recently. The restoration work has cleaned up just about all damage (aside from the occasional stray mark and some visible artifacts from optical effects) and the image is otherwise spotless. The scan has captured a very fine grain structure, which the encode renders beautifully. The result is a rich, film-like texture that brings out an incredible level of detail. The elaborate sets and costumes practically leap off the screen, right down to the individual hairs on the Cowardly Lion’s costume.
What really puts the presentation over the top, though, is the HDR and Dolby Vision grading. The film looks darker than I was expecting overall, but the wider range works wonders here, particularly in scenes featuring the film’s vibrant and stylized lighting. Shadows are deep and rich, yet details remain intact, never crushed. The smoky interior of the Wiz’s chamber looks especially cinematic, with light gracefully cutting through haze and blending cleanly into deep blacks of the background. Reflections and highlights have a nice shimmer, and the color work is spectacular. The dance sequences in the Emerald City are especially fantastic, filled with vibrant greens, reds, and golds that pop brilliantly. This holds true for all of the colors throughout the film, even in darker scenes.
All around, it’s a phenomenal-looking presentation: clean, richly textured, and film-like, with excellent contrast, dynamic range, and eye-popping color throughout. I really loved how this turned out.
Audio 8/10
Though the original soundtrack is disappointingly missing, the Dolby Atmos remix we get in its place sounds pretty good overall, though I can’t say I was nearly as impressed here as I was with the video presentation. The musical numbers come through well, with solid fidelity and dynamic range, and they’re mixed decently into the surrounds with some nice directional effects. That said, for an Atmos track, it didn’t feel as expansive or immersive as I would have expected.
To be fair, I’m using a 5.1.2 setup, which may limit things somewhat, but I’ve heard Atmos mixes that sound far more enveloping using the same configuration, and this just isn’t one of them. Still, the restoration has cleaned up the audio nicely, with no noticeable damage or major flaws.
(Unfortunately, it appears several viewers, including those on forums and in other reviews, have pointed out that some portions of dialogue are missing from this mix, which appears to be a mistake in Universal’s restoration. Having never seen the film before, it flew past me while watching, but it makes it all the more disappointing that Criterion didn’t include the original track.)
Extras 7/10
Supplements are pretty slim, a bit of a surprise considering the film’s growing popularity and a fairly recent stage revival. Then again, Universal’s previous DVD and Blu-ray editions were barebones, so maybe it’s not that surprising. Still, Criterion has at least produced a new audio commentary featuring Michael B. Gillespie and Alfred L. Martin. I ended up really liking this track, which serves as a thoughtful appreciation of the film. In addition to sharing their own personal experiences with The Wiz and what the film is to them on that level, the two dive into its production history and evolving legacy, which has steadily grown after being largely dismissed at the time of its release.
They don’t shy away from the film’s more glaring issues—like the casting of Diana Ross in a much younger role—but they also offer defenses, noting in Ross’ case her involvement was key to securing the budget in the first place. They discuss what may have driven Lumet to take on the project (mainly a desire to break away from realism) and what he brings to the film, even though it’s unlike anything else he directed before or after. The commentary is at its most compelling, though, when they explore the film and stage musical in terms of representation and its cultural importance.
One notable point they make is that the film flopped so badly that there’s very little archival material left, which likely explains the overall lack of supplements, and even why Universal’s past releases have been so sparse. The trailer is included here, along with a short excerpt from what appears to be television coverage of the film’s premiere. The 8-minute piece features host David Sheehan offering one of the more passive-aggressive red carpet segments committed to videotape, repeatedly noting the audience’s lackluster reaction: they’re “not loving it.” When Diana Ross finally appears halfway through, it feels like he is trying to coax her into admitting the film was a mistake in one way or another, but she stands her ground and defends its value.
The only other archival feature is a 12-minute excerpt from a 2001 American Masters episode on Quincy Jones, featuring Sidney Lumet discussing their collaborations, and not just on The Wiz, but also on previous projects like The Deadly Affair and The Anderson Tapes. Lumet touches on The Wiz here and there (noting, interestingly, that he had originally wanted to shoot entirely on location), but the segment is more focused on Jones as a creative partner. It’s still interesting, but I did hope Lumet would provide a more direct commentary on the film itself.
Lastly, the release includes a written essay by Aisha Harris, who offers both an appreciation of the film and some cultural context around the time of its release. I do wish Criterion had gone a bit further, maybe with a feature on the original musical or its more recent revivals, but the commentary does pick up a lot of that slack.
Closing
A fairly slim special edition that’s saved by a strong commentary track, but it’s the stunning new 4K presentation that truly makes this release worthwhile.
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