Wiz, The

VHS, 133 minutes, MCA / UNIVERSAL

The Fabulous land of Oz rocks in the fantastic, fun-filled spectacular musical based on the smash hit Broadway show, which in turn was drawn from L. Frank Baum?s ?The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.? In this Motown production, Dorothy is a shy Harlem kindergarten teacher who, while searching for her lost dog Toto in a swirling blizzard, is whisked to a wonderland to follow the yellow brick road. Director Sidney Lumet ("Serpico", "Murder On the Orient Express"), not content to merely film the stage production, had the highly imaginative idea of transforming the physical attributes of New York City into the fabulous land of Oz; he and the production personnel have used a wide range of cinematic effects to create what is certainly one of the most visually dazzling movies ever made. Diana Ross reaches new heights in her starring role as Dorothy and her co-stars include Michael Jackson as the Scarecrow who wants a brain, Nipsey Russell as the Tin Man searching for a heart, Ted Ross recreating his Broadway role as the Cowardly Lion, Lena Horne as Glinda the Good Witch and Richard Pryor as the Oz?s great wizard. With such a cast, exciting musical numbers and fabulous visual effects, "The Wiz" will reach every generation of moviegoers.