Thanksgiving is a widely celebrated holiday and has been for years. While not always the most favored, often found squished between a plethora of Halloween sales and Christmas deals, it still manages to charm the hearts of many.
Think about it, we (those of us who celebrate) get together to laugh, argue, line dance and starve until it’s time to eat the one meal we wait all day to enjoy. We gather for a while with the sole purpose of spending time with our loved ones, while keeping being grateful and sharing in mind.
With all this in thought, I find myself wondering how a holiday so widely celebrated has so few songs, decorations and movies dedicated to it. Then one came to mind and if you’ve ever seen this movie, it’s easy to miss if you aren’t paying too much attention. I know I definitely missed it on my first viewing but if you’re familiar with the one man who lives in Oz, I’m sure you’ll figure it out.
In 1978 Sidney Lumet directed “The Wiz,” a modern rendition of the classic novel known as “The Wizard of Oz.” The novel follows Dorothy, a young girl, who, during a storm is taken away from her home by a tornado and thrust into a world unlike her own. The young girl, along with her newfound friends, journeys through this magical world to the one person who could grant each of them a wish: The Wizard. However, “The Wiz” took these original ideas and put a spin on them. Dorothy is aged up to an adult woman and the look of Oz has more of an unnerving, unpolished ambiance to it, truly encapsulating the fear Dorothy felt when she stepped into this odd world.
The plot shifts as she has not only the fear of never returning home on her shoulders but the fear of being an adult who can stand on her own as well. At home, she lives with her aunt who encourages her to move out, get married and have a life outside of her immediate family, which is scary for her.
I’m sure many people can relate to family members who have their best interests at heart, pushing them to chase all of those things in the same way Dorothy’s aunt pushes her. The beauty in this plot is found within what Dorothy does with those fears; she keeps moving forward and through her perseverance and willingness to fight for her dream the 1978 film manages to maintain her charm and characterization throughout the movie despite these changes.
Oz itself is different from how it is portrayed in the novel. The magical world seems to hide in the shadow of its own appearance, which has less of a quiet, country Kansas atmosphere, and more of a nerve-wrecking, busy New York City one. The subway scene in particular is a deeply unpleasant one for many viewers. This is the first time in the film Dorothy, Toto, the Cowardly Lion, the Scarecrow and the Tin Man find themselves in danger.
As they were following the yellow brick road at ease, they were led into a trap the Wicked Witch set up. This scene presents an issue many Americans had with the subway system; it was dangerous. In fact, in 1979 a group of citizens called the “Guardian Angels” formed, to help bring the crime rate down in places like subways because the NYPD was not cracking down on crime efficiently enough to help citizens.
The colorful world shows gratitude to the city and is curated with care. The munchkins are replaced with graffiti wall art pieces that come to life, paying homage to Black American culture and the state in which graffiti gained popularity. The Emerald City is located in Manhattan—one of, if not the richest cities in New York. This adaptation portrayed the city as a wealthy place to live, where fashion is always progressing and changing. Even the citizens of the Emerald City sang about making sacrifices, like having no food in their homes so they could stay in fashion.
Which, still rings true in many ways today. The costume design completely embodies trends amongst Black Americans on the edge of the ’70s. The colorful, odd designs truly capture a weird, out-of-the-ordinary world. The exaggeration of features in the makeup and the manipulation of hair—let it be an unnecessarily large mustache or a variety of different colors—all add to the film’s mission of making Oz feel otherworldly, and without a doubt it does.
All the love and passion put into this film makes it a beautiful project and my favorite Thanksgiving film. When I first watched this movie, I honestly thought it was one of the weirdest films to ever exist but as I get older, I often find myself viewing things within their context, watching without expectations, with the sole purpose of hearing a story I’ve never heard before. When I watched it for the second time, I was much older and when I paid attention, I realized that the movie is more similar to my life than I realized. Dorothy’s fear of a new place and changes within her life is similar to that of so many individuals.
Getting older and taking on more responsibilities is terrifying, new places and experiences can be terrifying, but you will be glad to have started your journey. Whatever journey you make starts alone but if you are honest to who you are, you will find people similar to you. Value your community, hold your loved ones close and whether they be friends or family, remind them that they are appreciated and loved by you.
Please remember that the Wiz was never all-powerful; Dorothy was. The ability to achieve her dream was in her the entire time. It never faded or was nonexistent, it just took her a while to believe in herself. So I offer a bit of advice I was given myself: Just like how Dorothy bravely took her first step on the yellow brick road if you’re scared, do it scared.