Book & ORIGINAL FILM:
The influence of “Wizard of Oz” on three generations of adults, who first saw the film as children, is far greater than that of “GWTW.” In 1990, images from the film came to grace commemorative 50th anniversary postal stamps. While the image of Rhett and Scarlett embracing has come to represent ideals of romantic love in America, the image of Dorothy and friends skipping down the Yellow Brick Road is more complex, containing associations with youth, community, family, and progress. Images (and songs) from “Wizard of Oz” have become such a solid part of American culture that they are almost a language unto themselves, what Aljean Harmetz calls a “shorthand in the marketplace.” Many cartoonists and advertisers have borrowed the imagery and characters from the film, without needing to explain the references to their audience. The film's yellow brick road has reappeared in many contexts, including the cover of Elton John's album Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, which featured the hit song of the same title.
“Wizard of Oz” has had an enduring effect on other films, including “Under the Rainbow,” “Wild at Heart,” “The Wiz,” and “Road to Oz,” inspiring both outright homage and more subtle borrowing. “Under the Rainbow” is a comedy about the making of the film. David Lynch's surrealistic road movie, “Wild at Heart,” parodies “Wizard of Oz,” including a scene where Glinda the Good Witch appears.
Repeatedly referred to as a film for “children of all ages,” “Wizard of Oz” has become a part of growing up in America, while its narrative offers a definition of what growing up in America is all about. This is achieved through the story of Dorothy, who must find her way home from the childish Never-Never Land of Oz to become a mature woman. “Wizard of Oz” has been sanctioned as a central fairy tale of American popular culture, because it teaches us how become assimilate in a distinctly American way.
“Wizard of Oz” has had an enduring effect on other films, including “Under the Rainbow,” “Wild at Heart,” “The Wiz,” and “Road to Oz,” inspiring both outright homage and more subtle borrowing. “Under the Rainbow” is a comedy about the making of the film. David Lynch's surrealistic road movie, “Wild at Heart,” parodies “Wizard of Oz,” including a scene where Glinda the Good Witch appears.
Repeatedly referred to as a film for “children of all ages,” “Wizard of Oz” has become a part of growing up in America, while its narrative offers a definition of what growing up in America is all about. This is achieved through the story of Dorothy, who must find her way home from the childish Never-Never Land of Oz to become a mature woman. “Wizard of Oz” has been sanctioned as a central fairy tale of American popular culture, because it teaches us how become assimilate in a distinctly American way.
Source(s) -
http://emanuellevy.com/comment/wizard-of-oz-cultural-impact-9/
http://emanuellevy.com/comment/wizard-of-oz-cultural-impact-9/
1975 Film:
How Did The Wiz Effect Black Culture?
For a generation of black Americans, this was the first time they saw people who spoke, sung and moved the way they did in a Broadway production and, later, a big-screen musical, and it has become a kind of rite of passage for the black community. "The Wiz," weaved together gospel, blues, soul and R&B — genres that are unequivocally black creations — and were narratives of the black experience, an especially bold move given Hollywood’s monochromatic palette.
"The Wiz" is foremost a story of racial liberation, and an early piece of Afro-futurism — the combination of science fiction, fantasy, magic, realism and ancient African tradition that critiques historical events or envisions a black future, inspiring such recent groundbreaking films as "Get Out" and "Black Panther" — but what has cemented its cult status is the music and movement seen onscreen.
Its dance numbers incorporated traditional movement from the African diaspora with ballet, jazz and modern movement that has defined black dance — the "Emerald City Sequence" alone has informed everything from the black queer ballroom scene to Béyonce, and the music that has shaped R&B for decades.
"We always knew that we’d be free somehow, In harmony / And show the world that we’ve got liberty … Freedom, you see, has got our hearts singing so joyfully … Can’t you feel a brand new day?" — These lyrics from the song "Brand New Day" is an example of freedom for black people.
"The Wiz" is foremost a story of racial liberation, and an early piece of Afro-futurism — the combination of science fiction, fantasy, magic, realism and ancient African tradition that critiques historical events or envisions a black future, inspiring such recent groundbreaking films as "Get Out" and "Black Panther" — but what has cemented its cult status is the music and movement seen onscreen.
Its dance numbers incorporated traditional movement from the African diaspora with ballet, jazz and modern movement that has defined black dance — the "Emerald City Sequence" alone has informed everything from the black queer ballroom scene to Béyonce, and the music that has shaped R&B for decades.
"We always knew that we’d be free somehow, In harmony / And show the world that we’ve got liberty … Freedom, you see, has got our hearts singing so joyfully … Can’t you feel a brand new day?" — These lyrics from the song "Brand New Day" is an example of freedom for black people.
American Culture within The Wiz
Repeatedly referred to as a film for “children of all ages,” “Wizard of Oz” has become a part of growing up in America, while its narrative offers a definition of what growing up in America is all about. This is achieved through the story of Dorothy, who must find her way home from the childish Never-Never Land of Oz to become a mature woman. “Wizard of Oz” has been sanctioned as a central fairy tale of American popular culture, because it teaches us how become assimilate in a distinctly American way.
Dorothy's journey from a Kansas farm, down the yellow brick road to the great metropolis of the Emerald City, is at once a journey into maturation and an evocation of American myths about the frontier's development. “Wizard of Oz” mirrors the myth of American society's movement from conquering the wilderness to the building of big cities on the frontier. Dorothy's growth, and the growth of America, thus goes hand in hand. The Emerald City of “Wizard of Oz” represents the imagined dream-city of American culture: clean, happy, and glamorous. However, while on the surface the fantasy land of Oz is a desired respite, it's ultimately an illusory aberration. Oz represents the illusion of a childhood that cannot last, and the loss of the nation's frontier youth as well. The classic song from “Wizard of Oz,” “Over the Rainbow,” also describes every Americans' longing for something that's lost but might be regained.
The universal message of The Wizard of Oz is that the ideal place to solve problems is in the home. At the end of the film, Dorothy attests that she has found all she wants at home. “My heart's desire is in my own backyard,” she claims. The implication is that home is the last refuge of human hope. Faith in family values seems to surface especially in times of economic crisis, be it in the Depression years of which “Wizard of Oz” is a product, or in the Reagan and Bush years.
“The Wiz set a trend that we see followed today.” Jermaine added, “Over the last 10 years, it seems like every year there's another reproduction of a classic staple of the "Great White Way" with an all black cast, or a black performer is given a lead role traditionally played by a white person : from Taye Diggs as Hedwig in Hedwig and the Angry Inch to Norm Lewis as The Phantom in Phantom of the Opera, from the all black versions of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof to Annie starring Quvenzhané Wallis and Jamie Foxx. Many of these examples of non-traditional castings are walking through a door burst open by The Wiz.”
Dorothy's journey from a Kansas farm, down the yellow brick road to the great metropolis of the Emerald City, is at once a journey into maturation and an evocation of American myths about the frontier's development. “Wizard of Oz” mirrors the myth of American society's movement from conquering the wilderness to the building of big cities on the frontier. Dorothy's growth, and the growth of America, thus goes hand in hand. The Emerald City of “Wizard of Oz” represents the imagined dream-city of American culture: clean, happy, and glamorous. However, while on the surface the fantasy land of Oz is a desired respite, it's ultimately an illusory aberration. Oz represents the illusion of a childhood that cannot last, and the loss of the nation's frontier youth as well. The classic song from “Wizard of Oz,” “Over the Rainbow,” also describes every Americans' longing for something that's lost but might be regained.
The universal message of The Wizard of Oz is that the ideal place to solve problems is in the home. At the end of the film, Dorothy attests that she has found all she wants at home. “My heart's desire is in my own backyard,” she claims. The implication is that home is the last refuge of human hope. Faith in family values seems to surface especially in times of economic crisis, be it in the Depression years of which “Wizard of Oz” is a product, or in the Reagan and Bush years.
“The Wiz set a trend that we see followed today.” Jermaine added, “Over the last 10 years, it seems like every year there's another reproduction of a classic staple of the "Great White Way" with an all black cast, or a black performer is given a lead role traditionally played by a white person : from Taye Diggs as Hedwig in Hedwig and the Angry Inch to Norm Lewis as The Phantom in Phantom of the Opera, from the all black versions of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof to Annie starring Quvenzhané Wallis and Jamie Foxx. Many of these examples of non-traditional castings are walking through a door burst open by The Wiz.”
Source(s) -
https://www.heraldnet.com/life/how-40-years-ago-the-wiz-forever-changed-black-culture/
http://emanuellevy.com/comment/wizard-of-oz-cultural-impact-9/
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk/essay-wiz-pure-black-excellence-n471586
https://www.heraldnet.com/life/how-40-years-ago-the-wiz-forever-changed-black-culture/
http://emanuellevy.com/comment/wizard-of-oz-cultural-impact-9/
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk/essay-wiz-pure-black-excellence-n471586
The Wiz Live!:
This dazzling display of musical talent from an all-star black cast was not only entertaining, but it was also important for a variety of reasons that many who are not black won’t be able to understand. The criticisms were far and wide, both implicitly and explicitly racist - nothing new about this. Gone from the “rich tapestry” of the understanding that comes with “white privilege,” is the importance and timeliness of last night’s event. Too often these days our black children and adults are portrayed on television in a negative light fictionally, with some exceptions of course - however, even these placate to the stereotypes that plague our community.
The Wiz Live on NBC showed audiences all over, particularly small black children, there are people who look just like them and have a Broadway-caliber talent - yes, folks black people can do Broadway too. There was a reaction among the implicitly racist that felt it was “shameful,” and “not PC,” to pursue broadcasting a version of The Wizard of Oz with an all-black cast.How many musicals, on or off-Broadway, even have black people in them at all? Neither of the last NBC live specials featured a black cast.
For years, the networks have argued, under the veil of implicit racism, that they create programming for their “primary customer base.” So, does that mean that black people don’t buy ordinary household products? Every little boy and girl on this planet deserves to see a wholesome representation of themselves in every medium of the public media. Sadly, black kids don’t get to escape the oppression. And the one night that they get a special moment to watch and dream of a world that is pretty far from the one they live; where people who look like them are talented, dignified, well-spoken, and not being killed or jailed, seems to be too much to ask for in a television landscape where this is not depicted nearly enough.
The Wiz Live on NBC showed audiences all over, particularly small black children, there are people who look just like them and have a Broadway-caliber talent - yes, folks black people can do Broadway too. There was a reaction among the implicitly racist that felt it was “shameful,” and “not PC,” to pursue broadcasting a version of The Wizard of Oz with an all-black cast.How many musicals, on or off-Broadway, even have black people in them at all? Neither of the last NBC live specials featured a black cast.
For years, the networks have argued, under the veil of implicit racism, that they create programming for their “primary customer base.” So, does that mean that black people don’t buy ordinary household products? Every little boy and girl on this planet deserves to see a wholesome representation of themselves in every medium of the public media. Sadly, black kids don’t get to escape the oppression. And the one night that they get a special moment to watch and dream of a world that is pretty far from the one they live; where people who look like them are talented, dignified, well-spoken, and not being killed or jailed, seems to be too much to ask for in a television landscape where this is not depicted nearly enough.
Source(s) -
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/bryan-cainjackson/why-the-wiz-live-is-impor_b_8716482.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer_us=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_cs=erZumW_FgVks7lsRGFps_Q
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/bryan-cainjackson/why-the-wiz-live-is-impor_b_8716482.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer_us=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_cs=erZumW_FgVks7lsRGFps_Q