As a little girl growing up, I absolutely loved The Wizard of Oz. I had it on DVD and watched it very frequently because I love the colors, the songs, and the overall plot of the movie. However, when I was introduced to The Wiz, which was a reenactment of the movie that I already loved but with people that look like me, I had my mind blown. Let’s go on a journey of breaking down the differences and finding out which one snapped a little harder. If you’ve never seen one of these or either, I HIGHLY recommend that you do because they are great experiences that everyone deserves to have.
The Plot
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In the movie The Wizard of Oz, the plot begins with Dorothy living in a Kansas ranch house with her family and dog before a really big tornado sweeps their house up, knocking her unconscious until she wakes up in a strange place. In the movie The Wiz, the plot begins with Dorothy having Thanksgiving dinner with her family on a stormy night and having to go outside running after her dog in the storm. The storm overtakes her and she ends up in a strange place.
For me personally, the Wiz’s opening plot resonates with me more because I often watch this movie on Thanksgiving with my family, and it just became a known tradition for us to watch it at least once a year when it came on TV. In this round, I believe The Wiz wins just for the simple fact that I’m used to having Thanksgiving dinner with all my immediate family during the cold months--and since we live in the Midwest, I’ve never experienced tornados or the quiet farming life. |
The Songs
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This is going to be a big category to unpack. Both movies had some really good songs, but I think you know where I’m going with this. My top three choices from The Wizard of Oz would be “Over the Rainbow,” “We’re Off To See the Wizard,” and “Ding Dong! The Emerald City.” These are the most iconic songs of the movie that give you that old fashioned sound of the movie and bring it together.
On the other hand, it would be literally impossible to pick my top three from The Wiz because the whole soundtrack SLAPS. From the “You Can’t Win” to “I’m a Mean Ole Lion” and “Ease on Down the Road,” the entire movie soundtrack just brings the soul and talent that we all needed in our lives. Each main character has an iconic moment with their songs, and needless to say, this round also goes to the Wiz. |
The Outfits
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Although the main characters ultimately kept the same outfits/costumes in both movies, we can unpack the detailing of those, including the supporting characters. The Wizard of Oz gave us the classic blue dress, lion costume, scarecrow vibe, and tin man metal outfit. I personally loved Glinda the Good Witch’s dress. I always thought it was beautiful because of the color and size of the dress. The munchkins’ outfits were so cute and colorful, but the makeup was a little bit scary.
The Wiz’s main characters also had the same outfits; however, Dorothy’s was more of a purplish garb, and the scarecrow had literally scraps of paper that we would read from his body. I love the outfits of the characters in the Eveline witch factory scene as well as the Wiz changing color part scene because they were so intricate with detailing and the colors were amazing. As far as main characters, both movies are even, but The Wiz’s supporting character outfits definitely take the cake. |
Culture
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For this category, there’s a big cultural difference between these movies. The Wizard of Oz was first released in color around 1939. During that time period, it was a big contrast from the current Great Depression and was seen as fun and imaginative. However, there were a lot of biases about this movie due to misogyny, lack of imagination, etc.
The Wiz was released in 1978, which was also groundbreaking in racial liberation, giving us the Afrofuturism of color, African American culture, and historical events leading up to our future. This film gave us the inspiration for other iconic films like “Get Out” and “Black Panther.” During Black History Month, I wholeheartedly believe this movie deserves all the recognition and praise that it deserves because it was the blueprint to African American history and the celebration of our people. |
Iconic Characters
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In the Wizard of Oz, Judy Garland, who played the character of Dorothy, had a career spanning 45 years as she attained international stardom as an actress in both musical and dramatic roles and as a recording artist. Ray Bolger was the scarecrow and was a singer, dancer and stage performer in the silent film era in the 1930s. Jack Haley was the tin man and was a comedian, actor, radio host, singer and dancer best known for his part in The Wizard of Oz. In The Wiz we have Mrs. Diana Ross herself playing Dorothy.
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This very iconic woman is a staple in the African American community, as she rose to fame as the lead singer of the vocal group The Supremes, which was Motown’s most successful act during the 1960s. Michael Jackson playing the scarecrow is the literal King of Pop. He became one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century as a singer, songwriter and dancer. Mabel Elizabeth King was the wicked witch and was an actress and singer best known for her role as Mabel “Mama” Thomas on the ABC sitcom What’s Happening!!
Needless to say, The Wiz was literally one of the most iconic productions that had a much greater impact on the African American community. The Wizard of Oz will always hold a special place in my childhood memories, but when it comes down to culture and overall ethnic impact on us, The Wiz definitely takes the cake!!
Needless to say, The Wiz was literally one of the most iconic productions that had a much greater impact on the African American community. The Wizard of Oz will always hold a special place in my childhood memories, but when it comes down to culture and overall ethnic impact on us, The Wiz definitely takes the cake!!
Nia Morgan
