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.

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Video Quality

The Criterion Collection presents The Wiz on 4K UHD Blu-Ray in the original 1.85:1 courtesy of a sterling 4K digital restoration from the 35mm Original Camera Negative conducted by Universal in 2160p with Dolby Vision/HDR. This presentation serves as a nice upgrade from the included Blu-Ray derived from the same restoration. The film was previously released on Blu-Ray courtesy of Universal in 2010, but we do not have access to that disc to judge the level of improvement. This 4K UHD Blu-Ray disc offers a favorable amount of natural film grain which is nicely textured yet finely resolved to avoid swarming or clumpy grain. This allows the presentation to soar and gives a feast of pleasing textures and details in the costumes and production design. The image delivers a striking amount of depth that makes the land of Oz feel more three-dimensional than ever. The upticks in contrast and overall clarity are a joy to witness, especially with a film in which the design qualities are a primary appeal.

The UHD disc contains deep, dazzling colors throughout with the screen exploding with life thanks to the cinematography of Oswald Morris, coupled with the Dolby Vision that gets the most out of some impressive set design. The outfits and character costumes are a standout with the hues making a major impression. Black levels are deep, allowing the picture to maintain a favorable amount of depth and detail in shadowy spaces. Highlights are richer and offer greater stability without veering into blooming. Skin tones look quite natural, and the clarity of the transfer gives you an exceptional amount of facial detail. There is no intrusion of any print damage or other such blemishes that would detract from the appearance of this title. This transfer is a delight for those who have desired a loving presentation. The Criterion Collection has given this the proper respect.

Audio Quality

The 4K UHD Blu-Ray disc presents a newly remastered Dolby Atmos track that brings the movie to life with great grandeur, along with a few flaws. It is somewhat of a disappointment that Criterion rarely offers multiple audio tracks like certain other boutique labels, as there are times the original audio track is sacrificed in favor of a newer mix approved by the director or someone involved with the production. While we are all for harnessing modern technology for a more robust experience, it is preferable to have the option of the original mix alongside the new creation. In the case of the new Atmos mix, there are a couple of moments when a word or two of dialogue has been accidentally omitted. One dropped exchange occurs between Dorothy and an Emerald City guard after he opens the sewer door (1:31:38), and another occurs when Dorothy is supposed to say “home” before launching into the song of the same name (2:07:39). These are minor moments that most casual fans will not notice, but everyone deserves to have a flawless track available.

Outside of these unfortunate anomalies, the track sounds amazing. With this being a musical, audio quality is top of mind, and the remastered presentation largely brings a vital energy to this production. Every iconic song soars out of the speakers in an exuberant, enrapturing way. The soundscape teems with a rich vitality that invests you emotionally into the classic story. There is an emphasis on the front channels for most of the dialogue, but activity stretches to the surround and overhead speakers when it comes to the music and certain environmental sounds to make these worlds feel more robust and three-dimensional. Dialogue is clear without ever getting trounced by the music or sound effects. The low end effects from the subwoofer are mostly called upon to provide some extra texture to sporadic environmental elements and musical moments. Atmospheric sound effects are rendered skillfully within the mix so that directionality is never an issue. While there are a few small issues we would love to see corrected, Criterion has provided a swell track overall. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided.

Special Features

The Criterion 4K UHD Blu-Ray of The Wiz includes a foldout pamphlet featuring the essay “A Soulful Oz” by author Aisha Harris which explores the legacy of the feature, its themes, the background of the creative figures, and more that are very illuminating. The on-disc special features are as follows:

Audio Commentary: A new commentary track with scholars Michael B. Gillespie and Alfred L. Martin is provided in which the pair discusses the legacy of the film, how it compares to the “classic” Oz story, the portrayal of Black life, the background of the performers, and more.

Diana Ross: An eight-minute archival interview with the star from the premiere in 1978 is provided in which she discusses being given room to explore her character, the themes of the film, her career, and more.

Sidney Lumet: A 12-minute interview excerpt from 2001 is provided in which the filmmaker discusses working with Quincy Jones over the course of several movies.

Trailer (3:23)

Final Thoughts

The Wiz has the unfortunate burden of forever being compared to The Wizard of Oz, arguably one of the most beloved films of all time. While few films can touch that classic, this adaptation brings a whole different, funky energy to the proceedings. There are some extremely fun musical numbers scattered throughout that make you want to get up and dance. Unfortunately, Sidney Lumet is not the ideal director to capture a movie musical, as he often seems more interested in the design elements than capturing the choreography in an engaging way. The material is strong enough to stay immensely watchable, but we wish it could have reached its full potential to have a better long-term reputation. The Criterion Collection has delivered a new 4K UHD Blu-Ray that offers a largely great A/V presentation and some nice special features. Recommended

The Criterion Collection edition of The Wiz is currently available to purchase on 4K UHD and Blu-Ray.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: The Criterion Collection has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.